Abstract
School reform advocates have argued that “authentic” classroom assessments are complex performances or exhibitions that “are designed to be truly representative of performance in the field.” The use of “authentic” implies that such assessments are superior to more conventional assessments. However, proponents of “authentic” assessment rarely present data, evidential or consequential, in support of the validity of “authentic” assessments. Further, as typically conceived, “authenticity” denigrates the importance of knowledge and basic skills as legitimate educational outcomes despite substantial evidence to the contrary. It is suggested that “authentic” be discontinued in future scholarly discussions of classroom assessment.
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