Authentic Learning and Assessments: Major Components in Transforming Superficial Understanding into Knowledge - Applications to Introductory Biochemistry

Many cognitive and educational researchers agree that hypermedia and multimedia content, if designed correctly, can assist students in understanding the complex scientific systems which are part of our world. Contextualized, authentic learning activities and assessments, combined with computational practice, should enable students to develop a more complete understanding of the material and facilitate transfer of knowledge to related concepts. Our authentic assessments combine textual information with interactive simulations linked to data, which can also be manipulated. The purpose of this paper is to explain how this method of embedded authentic learning is particularly important due, in part, to the fact that it provides contextualized representations of “real world” situation that enhance online learning. We also explain how we approach providing authentic assessment to facilitate learning, as well as to treat learning as an active process (Anderson 1998).