Building Teachers' Capacity in Authentic Assessment and Assessment for Learning

This paper reports on an ongoing research project that aims to build teachers’ capacity in authentic assessment and assessment for learning. Using a critical inquiry approach, five Grade 6 teachers from a charter school are engaged in reflecting on their conceptions of assessment. They are also involved in authentic assessment task design during bi-weekly professional learning community meetings. The data sources include focus group, analysis of assessment tasks and associated student work samples, teacher and student interviews. The mathematics authentic assessment co-designed by the teachers and its implications on their conceptions of assessment and on student learning will be discussed.