Glossary

Authentic: Authentic assessments test the student’s ability to apply their knowledge.
Authentic learning involves students engaging in tasks that they are likely to encounter in the real world (i.e. in the occupation in which they are becoming qualified). Likewise, authentic assessments ask students to apply what they have learnt in the course to real world situations.
It is important in authentic learning and authentic assessments that effort is made to provide 1) authentic contexts that reflect the way the knowledge will be used in real life, and 2) authentic activities that reflect how things will be done in real life. To do this it is important to provide students with access to experts who can model the processes.
Authentic assessments often require students to reflect on their practice, and articulate their thought processes.
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blog: A blog is a regularly updated website, written in a conversational style. Blogs are typically written by an individual or small group and contain a commenting feature so that readers can respond. By asking students to write a blog you are asking them to clearly express their ideas in accessible language. Blogs are useful methods for teaching students to write in a style that is different from formal academic writing. Furthermore, collegiality between students can be encouraged by allowing (or requiring) students to comment on each other’s work.
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book review: Book reviews are highly transferable assessment techniques which can be adapted to include multi-modal options, where any relevant text, media or visual stimuli may be the object of review.
A book review could contain commentary on a variety of elements, including an overview of key themes discussed in the book (and their significance to the course content and/or discipline); the style and purpose of the book; its strengths and weaknesses; and intended audience/s or recommend readereview could contain commentary on a variety of elements, including an overview of key themes discussed in the book (and their significance to the course content and/or discipline); the style and purpose of the book; its strengths and weaknesses; and intended audience/s or recommend readership.
Source texts can vary, but should be able to be easily read in the duration of the course.
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CALL (computer assisted language learning): Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is the general term for the range of processes and activities that employ computers in the teaching and learning of a new language.
The advantages of combining language learning and technology include enabling access to native speakers through communications applications which facilitate online video/audio chat.
CALL can allow teaching, reinforcing, testing and practicing to be combined through the use of applications. For example, an application with a predetermined set of algorithms can recognise when a user shows mastery over certain grammar and vocabulary. The program repeats the material until it has determined that the user has exhibited sufficient knowledge of the subject, and then proceeds to assess other more difficult material.
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case study: In case studies students are asked to investigate a single case in terms of what they have learnt in the course. Case studies require students to investigates a phenomenon (e.g. an individual, group, event, policy, institution) in -depth, providing an excellent opportunity to demonstrate and apply their understanding.
A case study assessment can be based on a single phenomenon, or multiple case studies can be researched and presented for comparative analysis.
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cirrus: Cirrus is a teaching and learning platform (that is integrated with Blackboard) that supports innovative, digitally informed assessment and learning activities at The University of Queensland (see https://cirrus.austlit.edu.au ).
Cirrus is a teaching and learning space that enables assessment activities such as online exhibitions and annotations of text, images, video, and audio.
Cirrus allows course convenors to set assignments where students can work entirely online to undertake and communicate the results of their work. Students can undertake group or independent work, and will also have the opportunity of their exemplary work being published by AustLit. Students can add their work to eportfolio repositories such as Chalk and Wire, or download PDF versions for attaching to their CVs or sharing with colleagues, friends, family, or potential employers.
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client liaising: An authentic, practice-based assessment technique that provides students with work integrated learning opportunities by way of real life engagements with external client groups. Client liaising assessment tasks provide personalised learning opportunities by allowing students to work with community groups/external clients whose concerns and issues are aligned with their own. Students are evaluated on the quality of their stakeholder engagement and their ability to produce reports and/or outcomes that meet the needs and communicative modes of their clients, and that adhere to the conventions of the discipline or vocational setting.
Client liasing is well suited to industry facing courses, as well as upper level undergraduate and post-graduate courses where students benefit most from work-integrated learning opportunities. It directly enhances student employability by fostering professional networking opportunities, and the resulting output can be added to students’ professional portfolios.
This assessment type discourages academic misconduct (such as outsourcing or plagiarism) as it is based on unique, first-hand field work and ongoing contact with external clients.
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co-generated knowledge: This task encourages the creative generation of new (co-generated) knowledge and ideas through critical discussion between and among students and teachers. Co-generated knowledge draws on an immersive pedagogy in which learning takes place within the interactive exchange.
An example of a task that can be assessed in terms of co-generated knowledge is a student panel discussion based on an assigned reading.
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