Chapter 4 Developing Performance-Based Assessments

Observations Teachers, peers, and students can observe skills and provide assessments of performance designed to improve learning. Types of observations are teacher, peer, and self-evaluation.

Teacher Observation Give students a task to perform and then watch to determine if they have achieved mastery. Observation form is used to formalize the assessment process and allow for documentation. Record students’ performances to focus on quality of performance and to verify students’ learning. (continued)

Teacher Observation (continued) Teacher observations can help identify competent bystanders. Students who are not having behavior problems, but they avoid performing in front of others Daily observations can become checkpoints. Use results for future planning. Provide essential information about abilities. Can be used to assess student behavior. Can be used in grading if students are observed multiple times.

Peer Observations Excellent ways to increase feedback by making each student a teacher. Can verify cognitive learning for a skill. Very useful when first learning a skill. When using, Give students a list of criteria. Make sure students know what a good performance looks like. List cues to be used on recording sheet. (continued)

Peer Observations (continued) Suggested order of critical elements: Stance Preparatory position or action Execution Follow-through A recording form is necessary for students. Can be used to evaluate behavior in affective domain. Should not be used as part of a grade.

Self-Evaluation Adults become their own teachers in adulthood; students need to develop skills for self-evaluation. Knowledge of results feedback: Did the ball go into the basket? Kinesthetic feedback lets people know when they are performing skills correctly. Videotaping is one way to document self- assessment. (continued)

Self-Evaluation (continued) Digital photography can be used. Students can self-evaluate their affective domain behavior. Students should never be required to self- assess for grading purposes.

Game Play and Modified Game Play Allows teachers to look at students’ abilities to apply skills and other elements important for game play. Modified games are an essential part of skill development. If assessing skill during game play, students should not be penalized for using poor form in a possibly less than ideal situation. (continued)

Game Play and Modified Game Play (continued) Allows teachers to observe much more than skill competence. Assess small-sided games first and then progress to more complex situations. Modified games can be used for summative assessments. Unit objectives are the basis for a rubric. Create list of skills essential for competent players. 12 to 15 descriptors is a reasonable number to use while assessing game play. (continued)

Game Play and Modified Game Play (continued) Pilot the rubric during some preliminary game play days. With large classes, teachers can assess every student for a few descriptors per day. Game play can also used as formative assessments to allow improvement daily. Statistics can be good indicators of performance.

Role-Play Useful for assessing affective domain behaviors. Allow students to take scenarios and look at them from a variety of perspectives. Teachers assign roles for students. Use a debriefing session after role-play. Can be used to evaluate cognitive learning and psychomotor skills as well.

Event Tasks Performance tasks are completed in one class period. Involves psychomotor activity. Allows teachers to check for levels of understanding with certain concepts. Useful for formative assessments. Provides feedback on student learning. Students must have criteria for performance.

Student Performances Assessments usually done over several days or weeks. Requires students to combine skills and knowledge in a performance (e.g., dance or gymnastics routine). Focuses on a culminating performance. Holistic rubric is appropriate. Videotaping helps ensure accurate assessment.

Journals Provide excellent way to measure students’ knowledge of physical education concepts. Require students to process information at higher levels of thinking. Why, which, and how—excellent words to use while probing students’ learning Why did you choose that event or task? Can assess information in affective domain. Teachers must read journals!

Student Projects Typically take several class periods. Projects can evolve into meaningful end products. Produce a video. Use a folk dance project. Create an instructional tape for younger students to assess sport skills. Develop a magazine. (continued)

Student Projects (continued) Student projects might involve having older students teach games or activities to elementary school students.

Student Logs Students can track skill or fitness improvement over time. Teachers can observe behavior over time. Scoring criteria depend on teacher’s objective. Checklist could be used to evaluate the inclusion of various components. Analytic evaluation can evaluate descriptors. If participation was a goal, logs would show evidence of regular physical activity.