Authentic Assessment in Physical Education: Prevalence of Use and Perceived Impact on Students' Self-Concept, Motivation, and Skill Achievement

Abstract

The dual purposes of this study are to (a) describe and analyze the extent and type of authentic assessment use in public school physical education, and (b) investigate physical education teachers’ perceptions about the impact of authentic assessment on students’ self-concept, motivation, and skill achievement. Public school physical education teachers (N = 210) completed the Mintah Physical Education Authentic Assessment Inventory. Authentic assessment was found to be used extensively in public school physical education. Teacher observation, self-observation, checklists, peer observation, and event task were the most commonly used forms of authentic assessment; portfolio and essay were the least commonly used techniques. Public school physical education teachers in this study perceived that authentic assessment use enhanced positively the self-concept, motivation, and skill achievement of their students. In this study, male and female physical education teachers from 3 grade levels did not differ on the perceived impact of authentic assessment use on students’ self-concept, motivation, and skill achievement.