Authentic assessment is a term which has been coined to describe alternative assessment methods. These methods should authentically allow a student to demonstrate a student's ability to perform tasks, solve problems or express knowledge in ways which simulate situations which are found in real life (Hymes, 1991). This is usually defined as life outside of the confines of the "school," that is, they are found in the "real world." These simulations should express the performance which is found in such real world practices as the work place. These simulations should require a product or performance. According to Eisner (1993), authentic assessment projects should reveal how students go about solving the problems (process) and should have more than one "correct" solution. According to Hart (1994) the assessment strategy which fits this criteria is a combination of:

• performance assessment,
• systematic observations, and
• portfolios.