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- active learning
- Active learning simply means involving students in the learning process. Active learning requires students to do something and think about what they are doing, and why they are doing it in that way. Active learning assessment often includes a focus on experiential learning, authentic and real world learning where more abstract and theoretical content is explored via ‘everyday’ case studies and practical applications.
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- activity
- Students are evaluated on their performance, such as in a clinical setting
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- analysis
- An assessment task requiring a student to critically evaluate data (e.g. literature; media; qualitative/quantitative results) by discussing the degree or level of accuracy, depth, knowledge and understanding, logic, questioning, reflection, patterns and quality present in the data. This process is often shaped by a set enquiry, question or debate that relates directly to course content and has been guided/posited by the instructor.
Analysis is listed as one of the six categories of Bloom’s Taxonomy: A framework for categorizing levels of knowledge. Analysis is defined by Bloom as the breaking down of information into its component parts, determining how the parts relate to one another or to the overall structure or purpose. It interrelates with the other five framework categories of Knowledge – recalling or remembering information; Comprehension – explaining ideas or concepts; Application -the ability to put ideas and concepts to work in solving problems; Synthesis: the ability to put parts together to form something original; and Evaluation -judging the value of evidence based on definite criteria.
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- applied essay
- An essay type, where students apply theories and concepts taught in the course to a specific case (e.g. a feature film or government policy recommendation) in order to demonstrate their understanding. This skills-focused assessment enhances student employability by encouraging the application of theory beyond the classroom, as well as developing discipline specific skills in policy that many employers are seeking.
[see also: essay; Applied writing]
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- applied writing
- An authentic assessment type that involves writing with the aim of providing an applied or experiential understanding of policy discourse and practice. Applied writing is well-suited to upper level courses in which students are moving towards areas of professional practice. It is particularly suited to the HaSS disciplines of Governance and Public Policy, International Relations, Social and Public Policy, or any other disciplines in which students are likely to enter public, government sectors or graduate programs.
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- article
- This authentic assessment technique asks students to write a short article for a lay audience. This gives students insight into one of the ways in which academics communicate their research through the mainstream media. Students can be asked to write for any media platform including online (e.g. The Conversation). This technique offers students an opportunity to convert scholarly material into accessible language. This technique could be used in combination with a more traditional academic writing task, for example, by asking students to write a short article on the same topic as their major essay.
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- article review
- An article review is a focused piece of writing aimed at evaluating and critiquing the content, evidence, arguments and conclusions of a specified scholarly or media article.
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- 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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