C. Tiziana Omta

LITC 524

Professional Resource Review

04/17/02

 

Schneider, M. & Clarke, M. (1993). Dimensions of change: An authentic assessment guidebook. Able Network.

 

This book is a project designed to create assessment systems in the various Adult Basic Education programs in Washington State. A number of professionals contributed to this project, including fourteen ABE teachers and approximately seventy students and administrators in four ABE programs. The book is geared toward literacy assessment of adult students. By the effort of both students’ and teachers’ expertise, I feel that this book provides theoretical ideas, as well as activities and discussions that can relate to the reader’s own field.

 

I believe that by providing simple tools to evaluate learning in the classroom, this book can be used as a guideline for beginner and experienced teachers, as well as a way to start conversation with students and reflect on their response. The book contains four chapters of theoretical basis for literacy assessment, and four appendixes (A,B,C, and D) that show over 100 assessment tools which were developed by both teachers and students who participated to the project.

 

Chapter one highlights the definition of authentic assessment and differentiates it from traditional assessment and standardized testing. These concepts are made concrete by teachers’ and students’ journals and thoughts which are reported and described in chapter two. Chapter three conveys interactive ways to guide the reader to develop assessment systems for specific programs. Chapter four describes in detail how an assessment system was developed for a specific program.

 

It is clear that the authors of this book portray authentic assessment as an alternative assessment which is learner centered, is integrated and employs classroom research strategies. Authentic assessment happens when students and teachers find several ways of understanding their progress. Authentic assessment happens in real settings, and it involves purposeful activities.

 

These are some of the most meaningful quotes that best portray the overall purpose of this book :

“Assessment that is authentic involves the teacher and the learner making the meaning of assessment and success together” (p.12).

“Learner centered literacy work places students’ experiences, cultures, and goals at the center of instruction” (p.13).

“Authentic assessment provides a way for teachers who are assessing internally to document their observations and analyses, making them usable” (p.24).

“The best way to assess the student is when they can assess their own learning” (p. 90).