Authentic Assessments in the AP Psychology Classroom: Enhancing Engagement and Understanding Through Personalized Learning

• In Event: Research In Progress Roundtable Session 5
  In Invited Roundtable: Curriculum and Assessment in Science and Vocational Education (Table 3)

Abstract

This explores authentic assessments in the AP Psychology classroom to enhance student engagement, retention, and mastery of complex psychological concepts. By integrating personalized learning strategies such as the Candy Brain Activity, Eggsperiment, and Define/Apply Notes, the research demonstrates how hands-on, inquiry-based learning connects theoretical content to real-world applications. Differentiated instruction, multimodal assessments, and opportunities for reassessment ensure equity and foster resilience, particularly for diverse learners. Preliminary findings from classroom implementation show significant improvements in student outcomes, with increased engagement and average quiz score improvements of 15-20%. A proposed quasi-experimental study will further evaluate these strategies across six diverse high schools in Gwinnett County, an Atlanta, Georgia county. The research aims to inform instructional design in high-stakes environments,

Author

• Virginia C. Harvey, University of Georgia