They are independent of the specific material covered in school curricula. Criterion-referenced tests show the extent to which particular material has been learned by the individual tested. The new assessments. In recent years, traditional tests have proven inadequate, particularly when they are used as the sole basis for assessing educational outcomes. These include the following approaches, which are, in practice, difficult to distinguish.
Alternative assessments examine student products rather than their responses to test items.
These products usually are developed according to specifications, against which they are judged. Examples of such products are portfolios, essays, and work samples. Authentic assessments evaluate pupils' responses to problems that are posed under realistic conditions or in settings that simulate reality. Performance-based assessments require examinees to carry out tasks, rather than respond to questions. The consequences of assessment.