Quality assessment is described by the National Forum for Assessment as:
"High-quality assessment must rest on strong educational foundations. These foundations include organizing schools to meet the learning needs of their students, understanding how students learn, establishing high standards for student learning, and providing equitable and adequate opportunity to learn."

I think it is important to look at alternative or authentic assessments in a standardized world. Alternative assessments are qualitative. Some alternative assessments that are more "performance-based assessments" include essays, oral presentations, open-ended problems, hands-on problems, real-world simulations and other authentic tasks. Some examples are portfolios, experiments, mathematical computations, artwork, designs, journals, and performances to name a few.

What types of authentic or alternative assessments are you using? Do you feel that they give you a clearer picture to what your students are capable of? Why are you for or against this type of assessment?

To learn more about alternative assessment and types of assessments visit the following sites:
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/assment/as800.htm
http://www.emtech.net/Alternative_Assessment.html