Measuring Complex Achievement Performance Based Assessments

Performance Based Assessment “The Emphasis is on DOING, not merely Knowing – on PROCESS as well as PRODUCT.” “Many highly valued learning outcomes emphasize the actual performance of task in realistic settings.”

Types of Performance Based Assessment A variety of task may be used to assess the skills students have at making and recording observations, summarizing the observations and reaching conclusions. Essays Oral Test Realistic Problem Solving Experiments Artistic Presentations Performance Tasks Product Creation

Authenticity Authenticity is an important goal of performance assessment. Providing realistic context can make problems more engaging for students and help the teacher evaluate whether a student who can solve a problem in one context can solve it in another. Hence, it is desirable to increase the authenticity of task to whatever extent possible.

Objective vs. Performance Based Assessment Objective test items are generally more efficient and more reliable for measuring factual knowledge and the ability to solve well-structured problems. Problem formulation, the organization of ideas, the integration of multiple types of evidence, and originality are all important aspects of performance that may not be adequately assessed by objective testing.

Restricted-Response Performance Task Group Activity Restricted-Response Performance Task

Extended Performance Task Group Activity Extended Performance Task

Advantages and Limitations Can clearly communicate instructional goals that involve complex performances. Can measure complex learning outcomes that cannot be measured by other means. Provides a means of assessing process or procedure as well as the product that results from performing a task. Modern Living Theory. Views students as active participants in the construction of meaning.

Limitations Unreliability of ratings of performances across teachers or across time for the same teacher. Time consuming.

Suggestions for Constructing Performance Task Should be used to assess learning outcomes that are not adequately measured by less time consuming approaches. Limit the resources that students can use in performing a task. Avoid focusing skills that are irrelevant to what is being assessed.

Continued. . . Provide the necessary scaffolding for student to be able to understand the task and what is expected. Construct task directions so that the student’s task is clearly indicated. Clearly communicate performance expectations in terms of the scoring rubrics by which the performances will be judged.

Scoring Rubrics Analytic Scoring: Requires identification of different dimensions of performance that are rated separately. Holistic Scoring: Provides descriptions of different levels or overall performance.

Rating Scales “Rating scales may take many forms.” Numerical Rating Scale: Rater checks or circles a number to indicate the degree to which a characteristic is present. Constant-Alternative Rating Scale: Using words that range from never to always, you indicated the student’s performance.

Continued. . . Descriptive Graphic Rating Scale: Uses descriptive phrases to identify points on a graph. The descriptions are how students should perform at each level. More specific than using just words or numbers. When using rating scales, have a definition associated with each level so that students can see what each level expects.

Uses of Rating Scales As a matter of convenience, these uses may be classified into two assessment areas: (a) process or procedure and (b) product.

Common Errors in Rating Personal Bias: Occur when there is a general tendency to rate all individuals at approximately the same position on the scale. Generosity Error: Occurs when raters tend to use only the top part of the scale. Severity Error: Occur when raters tend to use only the bottom part of the scale. Central Tendency: Rater rates everyone as average.

Continued. . . Halo Effect: Occurs when a rater’s general impression of a person influences their rating. Logical Error: Results when two characteristics are rated as more alike or less alike then they actually are because of the rater’s beliefs of their relationship.

Effective Rating Rating scales should be in harmony with the school and classroom’s objectives. Separate rating corresponding to each learning can enhance the value of the feedback to students. Characteristics should be directly observable. Characteristics on the scale should be clearly defined.

Continued. . . Select the type of rating scale that is appropriate. Between three and seven rating positions should be provided. Ratings from several observers should be combined.

Checklist “A checklist is similar in appearance and use to the rating scale. The basic difference between them is in the type of judgment needed. On a rating scale, one can indicate the degree to which a characteristic is present or the frequency the behavior occurs. The checklist calls for a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ judgment. It is basically a method of recording whether a characteristic is present or not.”

Student Participation in Rating Most devices used for recording the teacher's observations also can be used by students to judge their own progress. Benefits: Better understanding of learning objectives. Recognize the process towards objectives. Can see strengths and weaknesses. Develop increased skill in self-assessment.

Conclusion Both the PROCESS and the PRODUCT resulting form the performance can be assessed. The emphasis on performance assessment should be on measuring complex achievement that cannot be measured well by objective test.