Click here to view the video transcript
The research on authentic assessment is quite varied in terms of what authentic assessment actually is. And this is something that as I had been looking into this and trying to develop my own assessments, I found very interesting. On one hand, authentic assessments are categorized as these types of assignments that are going to model what you might do in a workplace. On the other hand, authentic assessment can mean having students demonstrate their learning in a way that is unique to them.
And so as I’m looking at this research, putting it together, I have found that a mixture of both tends to be best in my courses. And I really have drawn heavily from works by Thomas Tobin, looking at Universal Design for Learning of providing student choices and multiple ways of demonstrating information, as well as Flower Darby who looks at ways to provide choice. But beyond choice, she also looks to promote different types of experiences. And so it’s really about experience. If we can have students realize that this is work worth doing, they’re going to be more invested in it in many cases, as well as they’re going to feel more confident in providing you with something that feels uniquely themselves.
The research really points to the fact that authentic assignments create a level of connection between the assignment and the real world for students. When we challenge our students to do something that is unique to them, but also something that is a challenge, it provides them with opportunities to practice skills that go far beyond the discipline that we’re teaching. For more information, please look underneath at the resources that will show you both the mixed bag of answers in terms of what is an authentic assessment, but also together they will help explain why this type of assessment is so important.
The research on authentic assessment reveals compelling evidence for its effectiveness in promoting student learning, engagement, and academic integrity. Villarrelo et al. (2018) conducted a comprehensive literature review and found that authentic assessment enhances key employability skills including critical thinking, problem solving, and transferable abilities. Transferable abilities to employment matter because they enable graduates to apply knowledge flexibly across changing professional, civic, and community contexts, supporting lifelong learning, adaptability, and meaningful participation in society. Villarrelo et al. (2018) research demonstrates that authentic assessment requires careful design across three key dimensions:
- Realism, or the authenticity of the task,
- Cognitive challenge, addressing the higher-level skills required to complete the task,
- Evaluative judgement or the ability of the assessment to be graded with feedback but also evaluated for a broader authentic audience.
When these designs align effectively, students show improved learning outcomes that extend beyond the immediate educational context.
Student agency emerges as a central benefit of authentic assessment approaches. Jessop (2023) demonstrates that authentic assessment serves as a catalyst for student agency, transforming them from passive learners to active knowledge contributors. This research reveals that when students are given genuine choice in how they demonstrate learning, they develop greater ownership of their educational experience and show significantly increased engagement levels. Enhanced motivation translates to deeper learning outcomes and improved retention of knowledge and skills over time.
The concept of authenticity itself has evolved beyond simple workplace simulation. Bearman et al. (2023) argue for moving “from authentic assessment to authenticity in assessment,” broadening perspectives to include student voice, choice, and meaningful engagement with learning. Similarly, Ajjawi et al. demonstrate that authenticity in higher education assessment has multiple interpretations and applications, encompassing student identity formation, disciplinary engagement, and professional capability development. This multidimensional understanding challenges educators to create assessments that are genuinely meaningful rather than merely simulative of real-world tasks.
Despite clear benefits, the research acknowledges implementation challenges. Villarroel et al. (2018) found that authentic assessment faces practical obstacles including increased design complexity, greater time investment, and the need for new evaluation approaches. However, Bearman et al. (2023) indicate that these approaches ultimately provide educators with richer, more varied evidence of student understanding, revealing students’ ability to integrate knowledge, think critically, and apply learning to complex situations rather than simply measuring recall or procedural knowledge.
Ajjawi, R., Tai, J., Bearman, M., Boud, D., Dollinger, M., & Hayes, A. M. (2025). The multiplicity of authenticity in higher education assessment. Teaching in Higher Education, 30(3), 583–591.
Ajjawi, R., Tai, J., Dollinger, M., Dawson, P., Boud, D., & Bearman, M. (2024). From authentic assessment to authenticity in assessment: broadening perspectives. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 49(4), 499–510.
Jessop, T. (2023). Student agency and engagement: Transforming assessment and feedback in higher education (1st ed.). Routledge.
Villarroel, V., Bloxham, S., Bruna, D., Bruna, C., & Herrera-Seda, C. (2018). Authentic assessment: Creating a blueprint for course design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(5), 840-854.
Discussions
Given the research evidence, what is one assumption about assessment in your discipline that you might need to reconsider?
Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.