Performance and Portfolio Assessment

Performance Assessment An assessment in which the teacher observes and makes a judgement about a student’s demonstration of a skill or competency in creating a product. Similar terms include: authentic assessment. alternative assessment. portfolio assessment

Performance Assessment Techniques Individual Projects. Group Projects. Interviews and Oral Presentations. Constructed Response Questions. Essays. Experiments. Demonstrations.

Performance Assessment Techniques Individual Projects Comprehensive demonstrations of skills or knowledge. Usually require student initiative and creativity. Trained judges (often teachers) score projects against predetermined standards of quality. Science fair projects are examples.

Performance Assessment Techniques Group Projects Similar to individual projects. A number of students work cooperatively on a complex problem. Trained judges (often teachers) score projects against predetermined standards of quality.

Performance Assessment Techniques Interviews/Oral Presentations Allow verbalization of knowledge. Interviews are particularly effective with younger children. Examples of usage include foreign language assessment, and Solutions to math or science problems.

Performance Assessment Techniques Experiments Primarily used for assessing learning in science. Several national organizations (e.g., AAAS, NSTA, NSF) advocate the use of experiments in classroom assessment of science concepts. Again, trained judges (often teachers) score projects against predetermined standards of quality

Performance Assessment Techniques Demonstrations Give students the opportunity to show their mastery of subject-area content and procedures. In physics, for example, use pulleys, gears, and inclined planes to move objects.

Performance Assessment Techniques Portfolios Collections of student work provide a portrait of individual performance over time. Typically, students are asked to evaluate the work they select for inclusion.

Performance Assessment: Advantages and Limitations Advantages Assessment of complex, higher-order learning targets. Students actively engaged in learning while being assessed. Forces teachers to use multiple criteria. Limitations Weaker reliability. Limited sampling of learning targets. Time-consuming. Not good for assessing knowledge learning targets.

Performance Assessment: Most Serious Limitation Limited Generalizability Students respond to fewer tasks. Makes it difficult to draw inferences about general abilities. –If the performance is successful can we infer that the student would do well on other tasks? –If performance is unsuccessful can we infer that the student would do poorly on other tasks?

Performance Assessments: Three essential components Popham contends, and most experts agree, that a performance assessment should contain the following three components: –Multiple criteria. –Pre-specified quality standards. –Judgmental appraisal. In addition, performance assessments can be either simulated or authentic.

Performance Assessment: Components (Popham) Identify the purpose for the assessment. Identify the learning target. Identify activities that illustrate acquisition of the targeted capability. Identify the types of evidence needed to infer skill acquisition. Identify the standards to be used. Place all this in the rubric.

Performance Assessment: Evaluating the Rubric Does it identify critical components of the learning target? Does it identify “observable” behaviors or outcomes? Is it appropriate for the students being assessed? Does it apply across contexts that call for similar behaviors? Does it specify levels of accomplishment?

Vehicles for Recording Evidence of Skill Acquisition Rating Scales –Assess the degree or adequacy of attainment of the learning target. Checklists –Assess presence or absence of skill acquisition. Anecdotal Records –Assess atypical or unusual behaviors on selected children for future reference.

Portfolios: Advantages and Limitations Advantages Authenticity. Show growth. Empower students. Foster communication. Great instruc- tional tool. Limitations Many uses of classroom assessment are not served well with portfolios. Time consuming. Psychometric problems: –with validity. –with reliability.

Portfolio Assessment Assessment or instruction aid? Types of portfolios: Purposeful portfolios. Document progress. Showcase accomplishments. Evaluate student status. Work-sample portfolios ( Document typical performance). Appraising portfolios (Scored w/ a rubric).

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