Achieving confidence in competencies through authentic assessment

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent to which student assessments used in two capstone courses in a Master’s in Human Resource Management (HRM) Program were authentic, and encouraged confidence in competencies identified. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was taken to evaluate the perception of lecturers, clients and students regarding authenticity of assessments and the competencies achieved. The authors used a five-dimensional framework for authentic assessment developed by Gulikers et al. (2004) as a basis for an online survey of the students and focus group, reflection of the client and for self-reporting their reflections. Findings It was found that the assessments in the two courses were aligned with the five criteria of the framework for defining authentic assessments developed by Gulikers et al. (2004), however, there were challenges noted by the students and clients. Students reported attaining some of the competencies identified in the HRM graduate competency profile but needing reinforcement for more confidence. While the students felt that they benefitted, one major challenge of the authentic assessments was the heavy workload. Practical implications Graduate programs in HRM may be producing students without the relevant competencies and the confidence to perform, partly because approaches to teaching and learning and in particular design of assessments may not be sufficiently practical. The findings of this study can provide support for more authentic assessments in professional business education programs. Originality/value Few cases studies exist on application of authentic assessments to mastery of competencies in developing countries. This contributes to the discussion on competency-based education and authentic learning, with particular reference to developing country contexts.