Creating Performance Assessments “When students try to solve real-life problems, they see the relevance of schoolwork and are more likely to transfer the content and skills they learn in class by applying them to real problems or challenges” Kay Burke, 2006

If schoolwork is authentic & relevant, students engage in their learning & become active participants in class Alternate Assessment Authentic Assessment Performance Assessment Read pg Define what a performance task is Describe 4 reasons why performance tasks are good for student learning List the characteristics of good performance tasks

Alternative Assessment Any method that differs from paper/pencil test Observations, exhibitions, oral presentations, experiments, portfolios, interviews, projects

Authentic Assessment Observation of a student’s ability to perform a real world/real life task. Students plan, construct, & deliver an original response Students are award of the evaluating criteria/standards

Performance Assessment Teacher observes & makes a judgment about a student’s demonstration of a skill/competency Emphasis is on student’s ability to perform a task by producing their own work with their knowledge & skills

Characteristics of Performance Assessments Students perform, create, construct, produce, or do something Deep understanding and/or reasoning skills are needed & assessed Involves sustained work Students explain, justify, defend Performance is observable Relies on teacher judgment for scoring Multiple evaluative criteria/standards are required Pre-specified quality standards No one single “correct” answer If authentic, performance is grounded in real world contexts

Strengths of Performance Assessments –Integrates assessment with instruction –Learning occurs during assessment –Opportunities for formative assessments –Tends to be more authentic –Students are engaged & actively involved –Alternative ways for students to show knowledge/skills –Emphasis on reasoning skills –Teachers must establish specific evaluative criteria –Student self-assess –Teachers must re-examine their instructional goals

When do you use performance assessments? Students demonstrate a skill Reasoning Communication Psychomotor Students generate a product Product Term papers Reports Projects Other assignments where students use knowledge and skill

Your Performance Task Idea Standard(s) you will be addressing Goal(s) you will be meeting What will the students “do” to demonstrate their gained knowledge, understanding, and skills? What makes it authentic or real to the students? How does it connect to their real life? Time Line Intended Audience

Standard(s) you will be addressing Students will use case studies of individual explorers to compare the goals, obstacles, motivations, and consequences for European exploration and colonization of the Americas

Goal(s) students will be meeting Students will research a given explorer Students will describe how different explorers impacted our world today

What will the students “do” to demonstrate their gained knowledge, understanding, and skills? Students will create a PowerPoint about their assigned explorer using graphics and text. Students will present their PowerPoint to an audience

What makes it authentic or real to the students? How does it connect to their real life? Students will present their PowerPoint to a panel of judges. Students must prove to the judges why their explorer should win the “Explorer of the Century” Award.

Time Line 1 weeks of Social Studies time

Intended Audience Teacher, parents, panel of judges, students in the class

Your Performance Task Idea Standard(s) you will be addressing Goal(s) you will be meeting What will the students “do” to demonstrate their gained knowledge, understanding, and skills? What makes it authentic or real to the students? How does it connect to their real life? Time Line Intended Audience

Creating the Student Direction Sheet An introduction that motivates students A description of the final product A time frame A general statement of assessment