Initiating Conversations about the ‘Authentic’ Nature of Assessment

<p>The purpose of this short communication is to support our conversations regarding the educational value of authentic assessment design in practice. We as an Institution, I suggest like many, have begun to reflect more on its value to our learner experiences without necessarily offering an educational backdrop as to what it actually means, and how (and where) authentic assessment may feature within our practices. I have purposefully split these communications into three parts. This first part of the three addresses the nature of authentic assessment, what it means and presents a new framework to assist with assessment choice. Part 2 will offer an accessible toolkit that can act as a catalyst for our conversations and development of authentic assessment. Finally, Part 3 will present a series of case studies that demonstrate how, by using the framework, assessment can be adapted to move towards a higher degree of authenticity.</p>