Authentic Assessment in the Informal Setting: How It Can Work for You

Abstract

Recently, authentic assessments have been used extensively in the classroom setting; however, their use in informal settings, such as outdoor education centers, has been very limited. We review several classroom techniques and present examples that illustrate the use of authentic assessment at an ecology education center. We conclude with a discussion of general issues such as the correlation of learning objectives and program content, development and scoring, and other considerations associated with implementation of authentic assessment.

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Notes on contributors

Thomas A. Moorcroft

Thomas A. Moorcroft is an Americorps member: Ecology Education and Assessment, Kristen H. Desmarais is a program specialist in Ecology Education, Kathleen Hogan is an Educational Psychologist specialist, and Alan R. Berkowitz is the Head of Education at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY.