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Classroom Assessment A Practical Guide for Educators by Craig A. Mertler. Chapter 6 Performance-Based Assessments. Introduction. Performance-based assessments (also known as performance assessments) require students to apply knowledge and skills.
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Classroom AssessmentA Practical Guide for Educatorsby Craig A. Mertler Chapter 6 Performance-Based Assessments
Introduction • Performance-based assessments (also known as performance assessments) require students to apply knowledge and skills. • Performance assessments can be used formatively or summatively. • These assessments can be labor- and time-intensive. • They also tend to be quite diverse.
Characteristics of Performance-Based Assessments • Performance assessments: present students with hands-on tasks or other performance-based activities that students must complete individually or in small groups; work is evaluated using preestablished criteria. • consist of two components: • a performance task (actual prompt or activity) • a scoring rubric (scoring guide consisting of pre-established performance criteria) • permit direct observation of student skills and capabilities (very different from pencil-and-paper tests)
Characteristics of Performance-Based Assessments • Performance assessments (continued) • must be linked to instructional objectives • tend to be less abstract than more traditional forms of assessment (more “real world”) • based in the “real world” = authentic assessment • the assessments, by themselves, are meaningful learning activities • concept of performance assessments is not new; used for years in other fields
Characteristics of Performance-Based Assessments • Performance assessments (continued) • basic requirements: • specific behaviors or capabilities should be observed • appropriately measure complex capabilities or skills that cannot be measured with pencil-and-paper tests • tasks must focus on teachable processes • can judge appropriateness of behavior or understanding
Characteristics of Performance-Based Assessments • Performance assessments (continued) • basic requirements (continued): • can judge appropriateness of behavior or understanding, which provides information about strengths and weaknesses • require products of behaviors that are valuable in their own right • tasks should encourage student reflection
Characteristics of Performance-Based Assessments • Performance assessments (continued) • process versus product assessment • Process assessment: specifically targets procedures used by students to solve problems. • Product assessment: results in tangible outcome. • Teachers are usually more interested in one or the other, although the task may require both. • Decisions must be made about focus of the task.
Developing Performance-Based Assessment Tasks • Four essential features to keep in mind—performance assessment tasks should: • Have a clear purpose that specifies the decision that will be made resulting from the assessment. • very crucial step • will results be used for formative or summative purposes? • will focus be on process, product, or both?
Developing Performance-Based Assessment Tasks • Identify the observable aspects of student performance or product that will be judged. • Performance criteria: specific observable standards by which student performances or products will be assessed. • Must be observable. • Again, consider whether focus will be on process, product, or both. • Must be stated clearly. • Criteria should be limited to a reasonable and manageable number.
Developing Performance-Based Assessment Tasks • Provide an appropriate setting for completing the task. • Result in one or more scores that describe the performance. • Selecting existing tasks vs. developing your own
Developing Performance-Based Assessment Tasks Designing Performance Tasks: Step-by-Step Procedure Step 1: Determine the purpose of the assessment. Step 2: Specify the skills and outcomes along with their respective taxonomic level. Step 3: Specify the performance criteria that will be used to judge student work, and identify observable indicators of those criteria. Step 4: Create an authentic and meaningful context for the task. Step 5: Develop a scoring instrument. Step 6: Generate or select exemplary student responses. Step 7: Revise the task, as necessary.
Methods of Scoring Performance-Based Assessments • Typically, there are no simple right or wrong answers; they must be assessed along some sort of continuum. • Focus on degrees (e.g., quality, proficiency, understanding, etc.). • Goal is to try to reduce potential subjectivity in scoring. • Share scoring instrument with students from the outset; provides guidance for students with respect to open-ended nature of performance tasks.
Methods of Scoring Performance-Based Assessments • Checklists: lists of behaviors, skills; indicate whether each behavior or skill has been observed. • Best when used formatively, to provide quick indication of strengths and weaknesses. • Rating scales: permit teachers to indicate frequency or degree to which behavior or skill is exhibited. • Rubrics: rating scales that are specifically used for scoring results of performance assessments.
Methods of Scoring Performance-Based Assessments • Rubrics: scoring guides consisting of specific pre-established performance criteria; are used in evaluating student work on performance assessments. • two types: • Holistic rubric: score assigned to overall process or product. • used when errors in process can be tolerated • used with tasks where there is no definitive correct response • quicker to score, but less feedback
Methods of Scoring Performance-Based Assessments Template for Holistic Rubrics Score Description 5 Demonstrates complete understanding of the problem. All requirements of task are included in the response. 4 Demonstrates considerable understanding of the problem. All requirements of the task are included. 3 Demonstrates partial understanding of the problem. Most requirements of the task are included. 2 Demonstrates little understanding of the problem. Many requirements of the task are missing. 1 Demonstrates no understanding of the problem. 0 No response/task not attempted.
Methods of Scoring Performance-Based Assessments • Rubrics (continued) • Analytic rubric: individual components of the product or performance are scored separately. • Used when more focused type of response is required. • Usually results in several scores, which may be summed to obtain a total score. • Slower scoring process; more detailed feedback.
Methods of Scoring Performance-Based Assessments • Rubrics (continued) • One type of rubric is not inherently better than the other; serves different purposes. • Teachers must decide which format meets their needs and the needs of the task. • Levels of proficiency, etc., may be qualitative, quantitative, or both.
Methods of Scoring Performance-Based Assessments • Rubrics (continued) • Potentially frustrating aspect of rubrics is converting them to “grades.” • No one specific way to accomplish this.
Validity and Reliability of Performance-Based Assessments • Validity • can be enhanced by sharing with students the criteria that will be used to judge their work • must ensure that performance is not task specific • students must possess the necessary prerequisite skills in order to demonstrate the complex skills that may be required by the task • tasks should be fair to all students • Reliability • rubrics should be designed to reduce subjectivity • teachers must avoid their personal biases in scoring tasks
Advantages and Limitations of Performance-Based Assessments • Advantages • Can assess students’ abilities “to do.” • Can assess skills that cannot be assessed through more traditional methods. • Can assess thinking processes as well as products. • Can be used to improve instructional practice. • Limitations • Main limitation is the amount of time involved. • Inefficient when used to assess lower-level skills. • Due to subjectivity, reliability tends to be lower. • Students of lower abilities may experience frustration.
