Instruments and strategies for authentic assessment in school Physical Education: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v73.117462Keywords:
learning, education, Assessment instruments, Teaching practice, FeedbackAbstract
Introduction: Authentic assessment has become a key strategy by proposing instruments and situations that faithfully reflect real practice's demands, contexts, and complexities. However, its implementation in teaching practice reveals tensions related to the quality of the instruments, teachers' assessment literacy, and institutional conditions.
Objective: To analyse how authentic assessment is enacted in school Physical Education, with particular emphasis on the instruments and strategies employed by teachers and the contextual factors that shape its application.
Methodology: A systematic search was conducted in Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and ERIC, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and SPIDER criteria, which led to the selection of 11 empirical studies. The methodological quality of the included studies was appraised using the QATSDD tool.
Results: The findings indicate that authentic assessment is primarily expressed through rubrics, game-based observation, portfolios, and integrative projects. Nevertheless, limitations remain concerning the validity and reliability of the instruments, alongside insufficient coverage of socio-emotional and civic dimensions.
Conclusions: This review offers novel evidence by identifying the gap between the favourable discourse surrounding authentic assessment and its actual implementation in school contexts. It highlights the need to validate instruments, strengthen teachers' assessment literacy, and provide institutional support to ensure the sustainability of such practices.
References
AIESEP (2020). Declaración oficial AIESEP sobre evaluación en Educación Física. https://aiesep.org/scientific-meetings/position-statements/
Ashford-Rowe, K., Herrington, J., & Brown, C. (2013). Establishing the critical elements that determine authentic assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 39(2), 205–222. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2013.819566
Atienza, R., Valencia, A., & Devís, J. (2018). Experiencias de evaluación en educación física. Una aproxi-mación desde la formación inicial del profesorado. Estudios Pedagógicos (Valdivia), 44(2), 127-147. https://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-07052018000200127
Bailey, R., & Pickard, A. (2010). Body learning: examining the processes of skill learning in dance. Sport, Education and Society, 15(3), 367–382. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2010.493317
Barrientos, E., López-Pastor, V. M., Lorente-Catalán, E., & Kirk, D. (2022). Challenges with using forma-tive and authentic assessment in physical education teaching from experienced teachers’ per-spectives. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 14(2), 109–126. https://doi.org/10.1080/25742981.2022.2060118
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2009). Developing the theory of formative assessment. Educational Assessment Evaluation and Accountability, 21(1), 5–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-008-9068-5
Boud, D., & Falchikov, N. (2007). Rethinking assessment in higher education: Learning for the longer term. Routledge.
Cañadas, L. (2022). Procesos de auto-evaluación y co-evaluación en educación física. Una revisión sis-temática. Revista Iberoamericana de Evaluación Educativa, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.15366/riee2022.15.1.009
Casey, A., & Goodyear, V. (2015). Can cooperative learning achieve the four learning outcomes of physi-cal education? A review of literature. Quest, 67(1), 56–72. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2014.984733
Casey, A., Goodyear, V., & Armour, K. (2017). Digital technologies and learning in physical education: Pedagogical cases. Routledge.
Castillo-Retamal, F., Sánchez-Quiroz, A., Montepil-Núñez, R., Quintana-Moya, L., Rojas-Román, M., & Villanueva-Carrasco, E. (2024). Evaluación en educación física: percepción del profesorado desde el territorio escolar (Assessment in physical education: perception of teachers from the school territory). Retos, 52, 610–622. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v52.101527
Darling-Hammond, L., & Snyder, J. (2000). Authentic assessment of teaching in context. Teaching and Teacher Education, 16(5–6), 523–545. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-051X(00)00015-9
Fawns, T., Bearman, M., Dawson, P., Nieminen, J., Ashford-Rowe, K., Willey, K., … Press, N. (2024). Au-thentic assessment: from panacea to criticality. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 50(3), 396–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2024.2404634
Fuentes-Nieto, T., López-Pastor, V. M., & Palacios-Picos, A. (2022). Combinando una evaluación autén-tica y transformativa a través de las TIC en educación física (A combination of transformative and authentic assessment through ICT in Physical Education). Retos, 44, 728–738. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v44i0.91459
George, E., & González-Moreno, P. (2020). Evaluación auténtica como alternativa para la mejora en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de educación física en escuelas primarias. Revista Ciencias de la Actividad Física UCM, 21(2), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.29035/rcaf.21.2.3
Grant, K., Fedoruk, L., & Nowell, L. (2021). Conversations and reflections on authentic assessment. Im-agining SoTL, 1, 146–162. https://doi.org/10.29173/isotl532
Grecic, D., Sprake, A., Thomson, A., Christodoulides, E., & Palmer, C. (2024). The epistemic judgement framework: a reflexive tool for physical education teachers’ professional development to sup-port quality physical education. Frontiers in Education, 9(1480690). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1480690
Gréhaigne, J., Godbout, P., & Bouthier, D. (1997). Performance assessment in team sports. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education, 16(4), 500-516. https://doi.org/10.1123/jtpe.16.4.500
Gulikers, J., Bastiaens, T., & Kirschner, P. (2004). A five-dimensional framework for authentic assess-ment. Educational Technology Research and Development, 52, 67–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02504676
Gulikers, J., Bastiaens, T., & Kirschner, P. (2006). Authentic assessment, student and teacher percep-tions: the practical value of the five‐dimensional framework. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 58(3), 337–357. https://doi.org/10.1080/13636820600955443
Gutiérrez, D., Fisette, J., García-López, L. M., & Contreras, O. (2014). Assessment of secondary school students' game performance related to tactical contexts. Journal of Human Kinetics, 42, 223–234. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2014-0076
Hall-López, J., & Ochoa-Martínez, P. (2020). Enseñanza virtual en educación física en primaria en Méxi-co y la pandemia por COVID-19. Revista Ciencias de la Actividad Física UCM, 21(2), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.29035/rcaf.21.2.4
Hariadi, H., Valianto, B., Akhmad, I., & Syed Ali, S. K. (2025). Implementation study of authentic assess-ment in physical education in Indonesia and Malaysia. Jurnal Cakrawala Pendidikan, 44(1), 102–115. https://doi.org/10.21831/cp.v44i1.71485
Hariadi. (2017). Instrument development of authentic assessment for manipulative fundamental mo-tor skill at elementary school. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 180(1), 12164. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/180/1/012164
Harvey, S., & Jarrett, K. (2013). A review of the game-centred approaches to teaching and coaching lit-erature since 2006. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 19(3), 278–300. https://doi.org/10.1080/17408989.2012.754005
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487
Hay, P., & Penney, D. (2010). Proposing conditions for assessment efficacy in physical education. Euro-pean Physical Education Review, 15(3), 389-405. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X09364294
Hay, P., & Penney, D. (2012). Assessment in physical education: A sociocultural perspective. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203133163
Hay, P. (2006). Assessment for learning in physical education. In D. Kirk, D. Macdonald, M. O'Sullivan (Eds.) Assessment for learning in physical education (pp. 312-325). SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608009.n18
Hinojosa-Torres, C., Blázquez-Sánchez, D., Barahona-Fuentes, G., Espoz-Lazo, S., Zavala-Crichton, J. P., Hurtado-Guerrero, M., Cerda-Miranda, L., Valdivia-Moral, P., & Yáñez-Sepúlveda, R. (2025). Eva-luación de competencias en la formación inicial docente en educación física: revisión sistemáti-ca. Revista Digital de Investigación en Docencia Universitaria, 19(1), e2047. https://doi.org/10.19083/ridu.2025.2047
Hu, A., Liu, Q., & Daniel, B. (2025). El papel de la tecnología digital en la evaluación auténtica: perspecti-vas de los educadores universitarios. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2025.2524095
Kirk, D. (2009). Physical education futures (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203874622
Levy-Feldman, I. (2025). The role of assessment in improving education and promoting educational equity. Education Sciences, 15(2), 224. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020224
López-Pastor, V. M., Kirk, D., Lorente-Catalán, E., MacPhail, A., & MacDonald, D. (2012). Alternative as-sessment in physical education: a review of international literature. Sport, Education and Socie-ty, 18(1), 57–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2012.713860
López-Pastor, V. M., & Pérez-Pueyo, Á. (coords) (2017). Evaluación formativa y compartida en educa-ción: Experiencias de éxito en todas las etapas educativas. Universidad de León
López-Pastor, V. M., Molina, M., Pascual, C., & Manrique, J. C. (2020). La importancia de utilizar la eva-luación formativa y compartida en la formación inicial del profesorado de educación física: los proyectos de aprendizaje tutorado como ejemplo de buena práctica. Retos, 37, 620–627. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v37i37.74193
Lorente-Catalán, E., & Kirk, D. (2015). Student teachers’ understanding and application of assessment for learning during a physical education teacher education course. European Physical Educa-tion Review, 22(1), 65-81. https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X15590352
MacPhail, A., & Halbert, J. (2010). ‘We had to do intelligent thinking during recent PE’: students’ and teachers’ experiences of assessment for learning in post‐primary physical education. Assess-ment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 17(1), 23–39. https://doi.org/10.1080/09695940903565412
Mintah, J. (2003). Authentic assessment in physical education: prevalence of use and perceived impact on students’ self-concept, motivation, and skill achievement. Measurement in Physical Educa-tion and Exercise Science, 7(3), 161–174. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327841MPEE0703_03
Molina, M., López-Pastor, V. M., Hortigüela-Alcalá, D., Pascual-Arias, C., & Fernández-Garcimartín, C. (2023). Formative and shared assessment and feedback: an example of good practice in physi-cal education in pre-service teacher education. Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte, 18(55), 157-169. https://doi.org/10.12800/ccd.v18i55.1986
Monfette, O., & Grenier, J. (2015). Portrait des pratiques évaluatives déclarées par des enseignants d’éducation physique et à la santé au primaire. Canadian Journal of Education Revue Canadi-enne De l’éducation, 38(2), 1–28. https://cje.journals.publicknowledgeproject.org/cje/index.php/cje-rce/article/view/1820
Oliver-Álvarez, M., & Martos-García, D. (2023). Traditional assessment and its consequences. A case in the hegemonic physical education. Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte, 18(58), 27-49. https://doi.org/10.12800/ccd.v18i58.1976
Page, M., McKenzie, J., Bossuyt, P., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T., Mulrow, C., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J., Akl, E., Brennan, S., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M., Li, T., Loder, E., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., McGuinness, L., ... Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
Ravi, M., & Besharat, M. (2025). A holistic consideration of authentic assessments: student perception of assessment design, delivery, flexibility and creativity. European Journal of Engineering Educa-tion, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/03043797.2025.2480116
Sadler, D. (1989). Formative assessment and the design of instructional systems. Instructional Science, 18(2), 119–144. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00117714
Syafruddin, A., Sufitriyono, S., & Sutriawan, A. (2023). Authentic assessment in physical education. JOURNAL RESPECS (Research Physical Education and Sports), 5(1), 103–108. https://doi.org/10.31949/respecs.v5i1.4149
Sirriyeh, R., Lawton, R., Gardner, P., & Armitage, G. (2012). Reviewing studies with divers designs: the development and evaluation of a new tool. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 18(4), 746–752. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2753.2011.01662.x
Tran, T., Tuan, M., & Quyen, D. (2025). Competency-based assessment of high school students in physi-cal education in Vietnam: Perspectives and practices. International Journal of Learning Teach-ing and Educational Research, 24(4), 501–524. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.4.23
Treschman, P., Stylianou, M., Brooks, C., & Sperka, L. (2025). Activating students in feedback and as-sessment processes in physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2025.2510427
Villarroel, V., Bloxham, S., Bruna, D., Bruna, C., & Herrera-Seda, C. (2017). Authentic assessment: creat-ing a blueprint for course design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(5), 840–854. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2017.1412396
Vlachopoulos, D., & Makri, A. (2024). A systematic literature review on authentic assessment in higher education: Best practices for the development of 21st century skills, and policy considera-tions. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 83(101425), 101425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2024.101425
Welsandt, N., Fortunati, F., Winther, E., & Abs, H. (2024). Constructing and validating authentic assess-ments: the case of a new technology-based assessment of economic literacy. Empirical Re-search in Vocational Education and Training, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40461-024-00158-0
Wiggins, G. (1990). The case for authentic assessment. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation, 2(2), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.7275/ffb1-mm19
Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative assessment: Designing assessments to inform and improve student per-formance. Jossey-Bass.
Williams, J., & Penney, D. (2011). Authentic assessment in performance based subjects. Teachers and Curriculum, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.15663/tandc.v12i1.28
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Macarena Hurtado-Guerrero, Sebastián Espoz-Lazo, Rodrigo Yáñez-Sepúlveda, Mario Soto-González, Andrea Castro-Dávila, Dilan Galeano-Rojas, Pedro Valdivia-Moral, Claudio Hinojosa-Torres
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and ensure the magazine the right to be the first publication of the work as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and the initial publication in this magazine.
- Authors can establish separate additional agreements for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal (eg, to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Is allowed and authors are encouraged to disseminate their work electronically (eg, in institutional repositories or on their own website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as to a subpoena more Early and more of published work (See The Effect of Open Access) (in English).
This journal provides immediate open access to its content (BOAI, http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/boaifaq.htm#openaccess) on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors may download the papers from the journal website, or will be provided with the PDF version of the article via e-mail.
