Performance Assessment

Project

Characteristics

• Students have some choice in selecting or shaping the task

• Requires both the elaboration of core knowledge content and the use of key processes.

• Has an explicit scoring system

• Designed for a larger audience (practical)

• Carefully crafted to measure what it purports to measures

Project

• Assess a PROCESS

• Often assess a product also a performance assessment

• Select a topic that you will be able to evaluate the student’s performance throughout the process (at check points, steps, etc.)

Examples

• Physical activity

– Shooting a basketball

– Playing an instrument

– Performing a lab

• A process

– Writing a term paper

– Bisecting an angle

– Research a historical topic

Typed Paper

• Name

• Specific subject & grade level

• The general behavior (objective)

• The purpose (diagnosis, grading, etc.)

• At least 5 but no more than 15

– Well defined

– Observable performance criteria

– Arranged in their likely order

Paper – scoring

• A rating method with justification

– Include a READY TO USE form

• Method to obtain a single score/grade (even if for diagnosis)

• Description of the setting

– How will it physically take place

– How many students at a time

– What props, materials will be needed

• See activity, page 189

Eric Review:
Performance Assessment

• Rudner, L.M., & Boston, C. (1994). Performance assessment. Eric Review. 3(4), 2-11.

• “testing that requires a student to create an answer or a product that demonstrates his or her knowledge or skills.” (p. 2)

• “Requires the student to be an active participant.” (p. 2)

Performance Assessment Techniques

• Projects

• Group projects

• Interviews/oral presentations

• Constructed-response questions

• Essays

• Experiments

• Demonstrations

• Portfolios

Is it new?

• “Good classroom teachers have used…” (p. 4)

• Super., Legislators, governors, fed.

– Motivator

– More real life

• Researchers, curr. specialists, teachers

– Empower teachers – better tools

– Teach relevant skills

Proponents

• Prompt schools to focus on outcomes

• Data on achievement not just aptitude

• Valid comparisons among schools, districts, and states

• Important results for every level

High-Stakes P.A. Motivators

• National assessments

– Improve education

– Consequences (grad./college admit.)

– Schools/students motivated to improve

• Critics – not improve, may be harmful

– Students with disabilities

– ESL

– Schools with minimal resources

Concerns

• Corruptibility – teach to the test

• Motivation – little value if minimum

• Equity – linguistic and cultural diversity

• Statistic issues – not generalizable

How to get started

• Start small

• Develop clear rubrics

• Expect it to take more time initially

• Adapt to existing curriculum

• Have a partner

• Make a collection

• Assign a high value

• Expect to learn by trial and error