Applied Assessment is a fundamental part of the Applied Curriculum at Sheffield Hallam University. An Applied approach to assessment, also known as Authentic Assessment, means grounding assessment tasks in real-world contexts, ideally ones related to those in which the students may find themselves in during their career. Rather than being a demonstration of purely theoretical knowledge, an applied assessment approach will require the students to synthesise their understanding and skills to address a problem or undertake a task.
There are a number of benefits to Applied Assessments:
- Developmental -This type of assessment can be used to further enable students to develop and refine their practical and transferable skills, whether disciplinary or more general skills
- Inclusive - Applied assessments can take a range of forms, such as demonstrations of practical skills, production of artefacts, roleplay and presentations, or problem solving, and these are often more inclusive than traditional exams or essays as they allow student to make use of wider skill sets. They can also encourage better performance from students for whom writing under pressure is particularly challenging.
- Constructively aligned - Applied assessments are more likely to address the learning outcomes of a module or course than non-applied alternatives. For instance, is the assessment of a students ability to identify an issue on a hospital ward and take the necessary action more likely to be properly assessed through a simulated emergency situation or an exam?
- Creative - While there is a tendency to describe Applied assessments as being focused on problem solving, an alternative description could be creative. While addressing the problem in the assessment brief, the students can be encouraged to think creatively and come up with novel solutions or responses.
