Definition of credible evaluation and examples

Definition of credible evaluation

Validated assessment is one that assesses students for the performance of real-world tasks that demonstrate the meaningful application of key knowledge and skills.

In this assessment the students carry out the tasks using the skills and knowledge from the course, it is basically about making the students solve real-world situations by applying the skills and knowledge they have mastered. 

For example, after a course on people with good manners, the teacher could ask the students to talk about what they would do if an older adult got on the bus when all the seats were filled or how he would solve this problem. 

By using reliable assessment methods, the teacher can make a realistic assessment of the student's ability based on how they apply what they have learned to the task. The course assessment method enables the teacher to embrace innovation and objective judgment. 

Characteristics of a reliable assessment 

• Reliable assessment simulates real-life situations, where students are asked to participate in real-world tasks and activities to demonstrate their knowledge of the course or topic. 
• There are no right or wrong answers in the real assessment, but instead it is shown how students can use their knowledge gained from the course in real world contexts and scenarios. 
• Reliable assessment questions are presented as unstructured problems. 
• Requires creativity and originality In depth, students must think outside the box to create unique solutions to a problem. 
• Reliable evaluation methods are designed for one specific, well-defined purpose. 
• It is complex and action-oriented. Alternative assessments stimulate students to investigate and search for answers. Students need to make use of a variety of skills and data collection methods to find practical solutions. 
• Reliable assessment includes both oral exams such as presentations and written exams with open-ended questions.  
• Students get feedback from the teacher at various points as they engage in assignments, and it allows students to benefit from the feedback and improve solutions and suggestions until they arrive at the most practical and effective answers. 
• The teacher collaborates with the students to create alternative assessments.  

Examples of reliable evaluation 

• notes

The memo conveys data about a particular topic through the use of a first-person point of view. Students gather information and then use their imaginations to make texts from different points of view. Sometimes students can write as a real or imagined historical person for a real or imagined audience. 

• presentations

Presentations are the most popular example of authoritative evaluation, where students are able to discuss their work and validate their ideas in the presence of a mixed audience made up of classmates, teachers, and external stakeholders such as parents and technocrats. 

Presentations build students’ confidence and communication skills and also makes students invest more time and thought before coming up with any new idea, because students use different tools like slides and sticky notes for presentation, they develop their proficiency by using these tools. 

But here the teacher needs to guide the students during the presentation, and can also ask them to prepare and present the slides ahead of time for revision, and also prepare a rehearsal to help them feel comfortable when speaking to the audience. 

• simulation games

Sometimes , the teacher creates a case study with different scenarios that reflect the specific topic or topic discussed in class. Students are then assigned different roles in the case study or asked to play different characters within the scenarios  .

Students receive copies of the case study before the simulation game, this way each student fully understands their role and has access to meaningful information and descriptions of the characters they will be playing in the game.

• Case studies

Each teacher could ask their students to collect case studies of real-life contexts related to a topic, eg in training on gender and reproductive health. Students could conduct an in-depth assessment of maternal mortality rates in their community and present their findings. 

Much work goes into constructing case studies, and students must formulate different open-ended research questions and collect base-time information from members of the research community using various methods such as surveys, interviews, and observation. 

• suggestions

A proposal is a well-thought-out document that shows how the student will solve a particular problem. In this example, the student needs to define his ideas, relate these ideas to specific goals, and justify the methods that will be used to solve the topic at hand. 

This method is good because it allows students to examine their ideas and identify a complete solution.

• official abstracts

These briefs are a formal, structured, professional presentation that is proposed, but written in special language because it is aimed at a specific audience who already knows the problem and may have done some level of research on the topic. 

In many cases a student is required to submit abstracts or an official brief during a seminar or other similar academic events, for example students in applied linguistics can write an official abstract about instrumental phonetics, and extension students can submit an official abstract about a specific event. 

• reports

Students can observe real-life contexts related to a particular topic and report on their observations over a specified period, eg after volunteering at a charity event students can complete a report sheet online.

Advantages of trusted reviews

• Authoritative assessments encourage students to actively participate in the assessment process. 
• Assessments provide verifiable evidence of a student's knowledge and application of that knowledge. 
• Helps students meet real-life challenges, as the teacher applies high-level logical and analytical skills to solve various real-world situations. 
• Trusted assessments provide teachers with a comprehensive overview of student performance in the classroom, reveal students' strengths and weaknesses, and show learning gaps. 
• It integrates assessment and guidance to create a detailed assessment process. 
• Validated assessments help increase a student's problem-solving skills and develop an individual's ability to apply knowledge in real-life contexts. 
• Trusted assessments focus more than just evaluating student performance on accelerating student growth. 
• It enhances teacher-student collaboration and creates positive teaching and learning relationships in the classroom.

Disadvantages of reliable evaluation 

• It is difficult to classify students using reliable assessment methods, because there are no right or wrong answers and it depends on how well students interpret and uniquely address challenges and contexts. 
• Real evaluation is highly subjective and results can be unreliable.
• The validity of reliable evaluation methods is affected by the absence of standard evaluation criteria.
• These assessments are time consuming and labor intensive, especially when they are conducted in a large classroom setting. 
• Reliable assessments usually require detailed, personal, and specific feedback, which can be time consuming.