21st CENTURY ASSESSMENT

Characteristics of the 21st Century

Assessment
Responsive
1.

Flexible
2.

Integrated
3.

Informative
4.

Multiple methods
5.

Communicated
6.

Technically sound
7.
 Responsive

Processes for responding to assessment are

thoughtfully develop, incorporating best
practices in feedback and formative assessment.
Feedback is to be targeted to the goal and
outcome. Rather than just a single test grade,
students are informed of progress toward the
attainment of goal. Self-reflection, peer
feedback, and opportunities for revision will be
a natural outcome.
 Flexible
Lesson design, curriculum, and assessment require
flexibility, suppleness, and adaptability. Assessment and
responses may nor be fitted to expected answers.
Assessment need to be adaptable to students’ settings.
Rather than the identical approach that works in
traditional assessment, 21st century approaches are
more versatile. These approaches best fit for the
demands of the learning environment at present since
as students’ decisions, actions and applications vary,
the assessments and the system need to be flexible,
too.
 Integrated

Assessment are to be incorporated into day-to-day

practice rather than add-ons at the end of instructions
or during a single specified week of the school calendar.
Assessment are enriched by metacognition.
Assessment is about stimulating thinking, building on
prior learning, constructing meaning, and thinking
about one’s thinking. It offers opportunities for
students to consider their choices, identity alternative
strategies, transfer earlier learning, and represent
knowledge through different means.
 Informative

The desired 21st century goals and objectives are

clearly stated and taught. Students display their range
of emerging knowledge and skills.
Learning objectives, instructional strategies,
assessment methods, and reporting processes are
clearly aligned. Complex learning takes time. Students
have opportunities to build on prior learning in a logical
sequence. As students develop and build skills, i.e.
learning and innovation skills, information,
communication and technology skills, and life and
career skills; the work gets progressively rigorous.
 Multiple methods

An assessment continuum that includes a

spectrum of strategies is the norm. students
demonstrate knowledge and skills through
relevant task, projects, and performances.
Authentic and performance-based assessment is
emphasized. There is recognition of and
appreciation for the process and products of
learning.
 Communicated
Communication of assessment data is clear and transparent for
all stakeholders. Results are routinely posted to a database along
with standards-based commentary, both of which must be
available and comprehensive at all levels. Students receive
routine feedback on their progress, and parents are kept
informed through access to visible progress reports and
assessment data.

The educational community recognizes achievement of students

beyond the standardized test scores. Large-scale measures,
including all the results of traditional and authentic assessments,
include and report on 21st century skills.
 Technically sound
Adjustment and accommodations are made in the assessment
process to meet the student needs and fairness. Students
demonstrate what they know and how they can apply that
knowledge in ways that are relevant and appropriate for them.

To be valid, the assessment must measure the stated objectives

and 21st century skills with legitimacy and integrity.

To be reliable, the assessment must be precise and technically

sound so that users are consistent in their administration and
interpretation of data. They produce accurate information for
decision-making in all relevant circumstances.
 Systematic

21st century assessment is part of a

comprehensive and well-aligned assessment
system that is balanced and inclusive of all
students, constituents, and stakeholders and
designed to support improvement at all levels.
Decision-making at different phases of
teaching-learning process
Assessment is constantly taking place in educational
settings. Decisions are made about content/subject
matter and specific targets, nature of students and
faculty, morale and satisfaction of both the teachers
and the students, as well as the extent of which
student performances meet the standard and/or
deliver the outcomes expected from them by the
teacher.
Assessment can be used as basis for decision-making at
different phase of the teaching-learning process.
 Traditional and Authentic
Assessment
Paper and pencil tests or quizzes are best examples of traditional
assessment which mainly describe and measure student learning
outcome. Most of the time, teachers still engage themselves in
the utilization of traditional assessment.

Traditional assessment are indirect and inauthentic measure of

students learning outcomes. This kind of assessment is
standardized and for that reason, they are one-shot, speed-
based, and norm-referenced. Traditional assessment often focus
on learner’s ability of memorization and recall, which are lower
level of cognition skills.
 Traditional and Authentic
Assessment
Authentic assessment focuses on the analytical and creative
thinking skills, students to work cooperatively and that reflect
student learning, student achievement, and student attitudes of
relevant activities.

Assessment is authentic when it measures performances or

products which have realistic meaning that can be attributed to
the success in school. Activities, questions and problem with
“real world” satisfy the criterion that it needs to be authentic
intellectual work within the given situation or contextual realism
of the tasks.