Authentic digital assessment: issues and challenges

Abstract

The term authentic assessment in education has been gaining increasing visibility even though it is subject to diverse interpretations as found in the literature. It is pointed out, however, that the starting point is the enhancement of authenticity in learning and the connection to real or professional life. This article explores these different interpretations by highlighting elements that distinguish them and by exemplifying the use of authentic assessment in digital learning scenarios. Implementing authentic assessment involves defining and designing authentic activities, which raises challenges, particularly at primary or secondary education levels. So, we present a proposal for 5 criteria to assess the authenticity of a given activity: relation to the real world, nature of the activity, complexity, adequacy of the conditions of performance, and adequacy of the assessment. Since the relationship with the real world is the determining criterion, we have defined three degrees of authenticity for application in the different degrees of teaching, accompanied by illustrative examples. Finally, we seek to elucidate how authentic digital assessment shapes the contexts for developing desirable competences in today's society, including digital competences.