Most teachers use quizes, tests, exams, and essays to assess competency, but there are so many more ways that a student can show competency. Like Ryan Schaaf said "Although repetition is a tried and true method for learning, performing the same academic exercises over and over again really left a great deal to be desired." Depending on what is being taught, you could use a wide verity of assessment tools to allow the students to demonstrate competency. Some examples are creating games, videos, Google Earth tour, blog, or graphics design. You can let the students' creativity flourish as they do these more creative assessments.
