Authentic Assessment

1. Authentic Assessment Alexandra Briggs, Pittsfield, NH

2. Start with your success • Reflect on and write a short description of a meaningful learning experience in your life. Note what it is about the practice that makes it so successful. • In groups of 3, the first person shares their meaningful learning experience and why it is so successful. • The group of 3 discusses how this practice is different from what is typically considered a good learning experience. • Each of the other three members of the group shares their meaningful learning experiences and why it is so successful.

3. Synthesize Best Practices

4. ELO Process

5. In fact, ELOs can be: individual or group-based school-based or larger community student initiated or adult initiated large scale or small scale tied to a class or extracurricular In ANY discipline For ANY student

6. Community BasedGroup Experiences School BasedGroup Experiences Relationships Rigor Engage students by Address competencies through Relevance providing rich experiences guiding essential questions explored in through meaningfulcontexts that authentic context supported by develop students’competence and confidence content and skill development as measured byobservation and feedback evaluated through learning assessments

7. ELO Planning

8. Categories of ELOs Interest-driven ELOs – creative, highly personalized, beyond-the-classroom experiences. Student-support-driven ELOs – flexible responses to students’ academic or social support needs. Integration-driven ELOs – bringing existing programming under the ELO tent. ~Executive Summary: Final Report of Evaluation Findings May 2011, UMass Donohue Institute

9. Best Practices • All students have access and the support/resources they need for proper implementation • Student constructs meaning and produces knowledge • Student uses disciplined inquiry to construct meaning • Student needs and interests are key • There is a vetted community partner/adult • Learning team for each student • Assessment strategies and grading criteria are defined up front • There is a qualified facilitator overseeing the process

10. The Six A’s of Designing Successful Projects  Authenticity • Projects use a real world context (e.g., community and workplace problems) and address issues that matter to the students Academic Rigor • Projects address key learning standards identified by the school or district and helps students develop habits of mind  and work associated with academic and professional disciplines.

11. Applied Learning • Projects engage students in solving semi-structured problems  calling for competencies expected in high-performance work organizations (e.g., teamwork, problem-solving, communication, etc.)

12. Active Exploration • Projects extend beyond the classroom and connect to work internships, field based investigations, and community explorations . Adult Connections • Projects connect students with adult mentors and coaches  from the wider community.

13. Assessment Practices • Projects involve students in regular exhibitions  and assessments of their work in light of personal, school and real-world standards of performance .

14. Online Resources www.education.nh.gov/innovations/elo/ BeyondClassroom.org

15. Thank You Please contact us at: Alexandra Briggs, Pittsfield, NH abriggs@pittsfieldnhschools.org Sheila Ward, Pittsfield, NH sward@pittsfieldnhschools.org