What are alternative assessments?

Alternative assessments focus on learners creating a response to a question, prompt, or a task. They allow you to see what students can do and can’t do, versus what they know and do not know. They tend to assess how proficient a student is at doing something, rather than simply measuring knowledge.

Examples of alternative assessments include:

  • Working through a case study or scenario
  • Designing a concept map
  • Developing a brochure 
  • Building a portfolio
  • Designing a poster
  • Designing and delivering a presentation

What are features of alternative assessments?

Real world context

The assessment aligns with knowledge and skills that students will use in real-world situations

Higher order thinking skills

Students often engage in higher order thinking skills (e.g. creating, evaluating, analyzing, etc.)

Active Learning

Students actively engage in tasks specific to their field

Complexity

The assessment replicates challenging and complex situations that students have to work through

Holistic Learning

Encourages students to draw upon and combine a variety of skills to reach a solution

Opportunities for Practice

The assessment offers multiple opportunities for students to practice, receive feedback, and refine their work

How has this been done before?

Websites In Your Course

This has been done before and we have examples for you! Students have been asked to create websites, podcasts and games about specific Social Work topics, working with community groups. It was while supporting faculty with these types of alternative assessments that we we realized how much effort and support goes into them and how daunting it would be for faculty to implement a project such as these on their own. With this in mind we created a website that guides you through student and faculty stories, examples of student websites, and a section for faculty which explains how to design and add alternate assignments to their courses.

Access the Course

What resources are available to me?

Inclusive Poster Design Website

Browse this website for student resources that support poster assessments

Video Template

This template allows your students to showcase their videos to classmates and viewers outside TRU by simply filling in a form

Twine Game Example

Learn how to make your first Twine with this fun and interactive website

H5P Game Template

This template allow students to create and showcase their games to classmates and viewers outside TRU

References

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design (2nd ed.). Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Rousseau, P. (2018). Best Practices in Alternative Assessments. Toronto Metropolitan University. https://www.torontomu.ca/learning-teaching/teaching-resources/assessment/#!accordion-1553785922968-alternative-assessments