essay test is an example of performance based assessment

• Our Mission

Performance-Based Assessment: Reviewing the Basics

Performance-based assessments share the key characteristic of accurately measuring one or more specific course standards. They are also complex, authentic, process/product-oriented, open-ended, and time-bound.

Recently, I attended a workshop on performance-based assessments. I walked into the workshop a complete skeptic thinking this was just another education fad, but by the end of the first day, I was hooked! I was eager to work with teachers on creating performance-based assessments, but I did a little research first. Here is what I found.

Performance-based assessments have recently experienced a reemergence in education literature and curricula. In the 1990s, performance-based assessments became a valid alternative to traditional multiple-choice tests. In the years that followed, legislative requirements shifted the emphasis to standardized testing, which caused a decline in nontraditional testing methods (Darling-Hammond & Adamson, 2013). Currently, more school districts and universities are seeking authentic measures of student learning, and performance-based assessments have become increasingly relevant.

What is a performance-based assessment?

The definition of performance-based assessments varies greatly depending on author, disciple, publication, and intended audience (Palm, 2008). In general, a performance-based assessment measures students' ability to apply the skills and knowledge learned from a unit or units of study. Typically, the task challenges students to use their higher-order thinking skills to create a product or complete a process (Chun, 2010). Tasks can range from a simple constructed response (e.g., short answer) to a complex design proposal of a sustainable neighborhood. Arguably, the most genuine assessments require students to complete a task that closely mirrors the responsibilities of a professional, e.g., artist, engineer, laboratory technician, financial analyst, or consumer advocate.

What are the essential components of a performance-based assessment?

Although performance-based assessments vary, the majority of them share key characteristics. First and foremost, the assessment accurately measures one or more specific course standards. Additionally, it is:

• Process/product-oriented

Normally, students are presented with an open-ended question that may produce several different correct answers (Chun, 2010; McTighe, 2015). In the higher-level tasks, there is a sense of urgency for the product to be developed or the process to be determined, as in most real-world situations.

How can teachers create performance-based assessments for their students?

Most recently, I worked with a high school math teacher to create a performance-based assessment for a unit on probability. Below is a simplified version of our planning, loosely based on the backward design process:

1. Identify goals of the performance-based assessment.

In this instance, the teacher wanted to challenge her students to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills. She also wanted them to exhibit less codependence and more individuality while completing this assessment. The teacher did not want students to rely on her direction about how to complete each step of the assessment.

2. Select the appropriate course standards.

Once the goals were identified, she selected the Common Core standards to be addressed with this performance assessment. She decided that the assessment should measure students' understanding of conditional probability and rules of probability.

3. Review assessments and identify learning gaps.

This was a very important step. We looked at the current worksheets that students were completing for the unit. Two-way frequency tables were a large part of the assignments. Next, we looked at what was missing and noted that there was very little relevant real-world application. As a result, we decided to create a performance-based assessment that was also reality-based. Moreover, this task would require students to analyze two-way frequency tables along with other charts and graphs.

4. Design the scenario.

After brainstorming a few different scenarios, we settled on a situation where the students would decide if an inmate should be granted parole or remain in prison. This scenario included five key components:

(See the Public Comments Session example below.)

5. Gather or create materials.

Depending on the scenario, this step may or may not be needed. For this particular assessment, we wanted students to calculate the probability of the inmate returning to prison. For their review, I created seven different documents that included pie charts, bar graphs, and two-way frequency tables. All of the information was based on statistics from government agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Prisons and Bureau of Justice Statistics.

6. Develop a learning plan.

We wanted to be careful not to "teach to the test" in preparing students for the performance-based assessment. We needed to strike a balance between teaching the content (e.g., probability given two independent events) and preparing students for the task (e.g., interpreting the validity of a media resource). We brainstormed six different formative assessments that would need to be in place before students completed the performance task. However, we also acknowledged that this part of our plan would need to be constantly reviewed and revised depending on student learning needs.

Example: Public Comments Session

Ashley, an inmate at Texahoma State Women's Correctional Institution, is serving three to five years for embezzlement and assault. After three years, this inmate is up for parole. Once a month, the Inmate Review Board offers Public Comment Sessions. The sessions are open to all interested parties who want to voice their support or opposition to an inmate's release from prison.

You are Ashley's former probation officer, and the warden requested that you attend the Public Comment Session. You have been asked to review the following documents and present your opinion: Should Ashley be released from prison early or stay for the remainder of her sentence? You have been granted three to five minutes to speak to the review board. Your speech must be short, but detailed with strong evidence to support your decision.

• Criminal history report
• Article announcing a new web series on embezzlement
• Blog post about prison nurseries
• Letter to the parole board from the inmate's mother and son
• Newsletter about the incarceration rates in the state
• Press release about a prison-work program
• Research brief on the recidivism rate of nonviolent offenders

I welcome your thoughts about performance-based assessments in the comments section below.

• Chun, M. (2010, March). " Taking teaching to (performance) task: Linking pedagogical and assessment practices ." Change: The Magazine of Higher Education .
• Darling-Hammond, L. & Adamson, F. (2013). Developing assessments of deeper learning: The costs and benefits of using tests that help students learn .
• McTighe, J. (2015, April). " What is a performance task? "
• Palm, T. (2008). "Performance assessment and authentic assessment: A conceptual analysis of the literature." Practical Assessment Research and Evaluation , 13 (4).

• An Overview of Metacognitive Strategies
• Creative Thinking Skills
• Exploring Portfolio Assessment: An Introduction
• o2c-library/governance/arc-organisation-reports/final%20report.pdf
• Classroom Management
• Behavior management techniques
• Classroom rules
• Classroom routines
• Classroom organization
• Assessment Strategies
• Summative assessment techniques
• Formative assessment techniques
• Portfolio assessment
• Performance-based assessment
• Teaching Strategies
• Active learning
• Inquiry-based learning
• Differentiated instruction
• Project-based learning
• Learning Theories
• Behaviorism
• Social Learning Theory
• Cognitivism
• Constructivism
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Analysis skills
• Creative thinking skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Evaluation skills
• Metacognition
• Metacognitive strategies
• Self-reflection and metacognition
• Goal setting and metacognition
• Teaching Methods and Techniques
• Direct instruction methods
• Indirect instruction methods
• Lesson Planning Strategies
• Lesson sequencing strategies
• Unit planning strategies
• Differentiated Instruction Strategies
• Differentiated instruction for English language learners
• Differentiated instruction for gifted students
• Standards and Benchmarks
• State science standards and benchmarks
• National science standards and benchmarks
• Curriculum Design
• Course design and alignment
• Backward design principles
• Curriculum mapping
• Instructional Materials
• Textbooks and digital resources
• Instructional software and apps
• Engaging Activities and Games
• Hands-on activities and experiments
• Cooperative learning games
• Learning Environment Design
• Classroom technology integration
• Classroom layout and design
• Instructional Strategies
• Collaborative learning strategies
• Problem-based learning strategies
• 9-12 Science Lesson Plans
• Life science lesson plans for 9-12 learners
• Earth science lesson plans for 9-12 learners
• Physical science lesson plans for 9-12 learners
• K-5 Science Lesson Plans
• Earth science lesson plans for K-5 learners
• Life science lesson plans for K-5 learners
• Physical science lesson plans for K-5 learners
• 6-8 Science Lesson Plans
• Earth science lesson plans for 6-8 learners
• Life science lesson plans for 6-8 learners
• Physical science lesson plans for 6-8 learners
• Science Teaching
• Performance-Based Assessment: A Comprehensive Overview

This article offers a comprehensive overview of performance-based assessment, including what it is, how it works, and its advantages and disadvantages.

Performance-based assessment (PBA) is an increasingly popular strategy for assessing student learning, offering a comprehensive and holistic approach that measures both knowledge and skills. This type of performance-based assessment requires students to demonstrate their understanding of a concept or topic by applying their knowledge in a practical context. PBA can be used to assess a variety of subject areas, from science to language arts, and has been widely adopted by educators as a valuable tool to measure performance-based student growth and progress. In this article, we will provide an overview of performance-based assessment (PBA), discussing its advantages and disadvantages, as well as exploring strategies for successful implementation of performance-based assessment in the classroom.

Performance-based assessment (PBA) is a valuable method for evaluating student understanding and progress in a performance-based manner. This type of assessment requires students to demonstrate their knowledge in ways that go beyond traditional exams. PBA typically involves activities that assess a student's ability to apply, analyze, evaluate, and create the knowledge they have acquired. These activities can include projects, simulations, role-playing, and hands-on activities. It is important to note that PBA does not replace traditional tests; rather, it provides an alternative method for assessing student learning. When designing PBA activities, it is important to keep in mind the goals and objectives of the assessment. It is also important to consider the context in which the assessment will be conducted.

For example, is it a summative or formative assessment? Is it used to measure mastery of a concept or skill or to assess a student's progress? Once these decisions are made, the assessment can be designed and implemented. Advantages of using performance-based assessment include the ability to assess higher-order thinking skills and provide more authentic evaluation of student learning. It also encourages students to be creative and take ownership of their learning. Disadvantages include the need for more time and resources for planning, implementation, and assessment. It can also be more difficult for teachers to assess students' performance objectively. Implementing PBA in the classroom requires careful planning and designing.

The first step is to identify the desired outcome of the assessment. Next, the teacher should select tasks that are appropriate for the students’ age and skill level. The tasks should be aligned with curriculum goals and be organized in a way that allows students to demonstrate their understanding. The teacher should also provide clear instructions and criteria for success. There are many different types of PBA activities that can be used in the classroom.

These include simulations, projects, portfolios, oral presentations, debates, role-playing, and hands-on activities. Each type of activity has its own benefits and challenges. For example, simulations allow students to apply their knowledge in a real-world context but may require more time and resources than other types of activities. Projects allow students to explore topics in depth but may require more guidance from the teacher. The impact of performance-based assessment on student learning can be substantial.

PBA encourages students to think critically and develop higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. It also encourages students to take ownership of their learning and become more engaged in their studies. Finally, PBA provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of concepts in an authentic way. When using performance-based assessment in the classroom, there are several things teachers should keep in mind. First, it is important to provide clear instructions and criteria for success.

Second, teachers should plan assessments carefully to ensure that they are appropriate for the students’ age and skill level. Third, teachers should provide feedback that is timely and constructive. Finally, teachers should differentiate instruction when necessary to ensure all students are able to participate fully in PBA activities. In conclusion, performance-based assessment is an effective way to evaluate student learning. It encourages students to think critically and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways.

Impact of Performance-Based Assessment on Student Learning

One advantage of PBA is that it allows teachers to assess a student's knowledge in a more meaningful way. Unlike traditional exams that focus on memorization and recall, PBA requires students to show they understand the material by performing specific tasks. This type of assessment can be used to measure a student's problem-solving skills, critical thinking , and creativity. Another benefit of PBA is that it allows for more individualized instruction.

By examining each student's strengths and weaknesses, teachers can tailor the instruction to best meet the needs of each student. This type of assessment also allows for more effective feedback since teachers are able to provide more detailed guidance on how to improve. Finally, using PBA can be a motivating factor for students. When students are given the opportunity to show what they know in a practical way, it can be an empowering experience.

Recommendations for Teachers

2.Provide clear instructions and expectations – Teachers should provide clear instructions and expectations for the assessment. This will help ensure that students understand what is expected of them and are able to complete the assessment correctly.3.Allow for collaboration – PBA can be used as an opportunity for students to collaborate with one another. This can help foster a sense of community amongst students and encourages them to work together to achieve success.4.Monitor progress – Teachers should regularly monitor student progress and provide feedback when necessary. This will help ensure that students are on track and are able to complete the assessment successfully.5.Provide resources – Teachers should provide resources to help students complete the assessment.

How to Implement Performance-Based Assessment in the Classroom

This type of assessment can be used to measure mastery of particular skills or knowledge in a subject. Another option is standardized testing , which measures a student's performance against the performance of other students. This type of assessment can be used to compare students on a larger scale. Once the type of PBA has been decided, teachers must then decide how to assess student performance.

This will depend on the type of assessment chosen, but may include tasks such as writing an essay, presenting a project, or completing a lab experiment. Each task should be designed to measure student understanding of the material and should be tailored to the specific objectives of the course. In addition, teachers must ensure that they provide clear instructions and expectations for each task. This includes setting deadlines, providing feedback, and establishing criteria for successful completion.

What is Performance-Based Assessment?

Projects may involve research, experiments, or other activities that require students to apply the knowledge they have acquired in order to complete the task. Activities and simulations may involve role-playing or game-like scenarios that require students to demonstrate their understanding of a particular concept or process. The advantages of using PBA are many. It allows students to show their mastery of a subject in ways that go beyond simply memorizing facts and answering multiple choice questions.

It also allows educators to assess the student's ability to think critically and apply the knowledge they have acquired in real-world situations. Additionally, it can be used as a form of formative assessment, providing feedback to both the student and the teacher on areas that need improvement. The disadvantages of using PBA include the fact that it can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, as it typically requires more planning and preparation than traditional exams. Additionally, it can be difficult for teachers to grade projects and activities fairly and consistently.

Types of Performance-Based Assessment

Presentations, performance tasks, observations.

However, it can be challenging to implement PBA in the classroom, so it's important for teachers to have a plan for assessing student performance and addressing any challenges that may arise. Teachers should also be aware of the various types of PBA and the impact it can have on student learning and achievement. With careful planning and implementation, performance-based assessment can be a powerful tool for promoting student learning.

• performance

Shahid Lakha

Shahid Lakha is a seasoned educational consultant with a rich history in the independent education sector and EdTech. With a solid background in Physics, Shahid has cultivated a career that spans tutoring, consulting, and entrepreneurship. As an Educational Consultant at Spires Online Tutoring since October 2016, he has been instrumental in fostering educational excellence in the online tutoring space. Shahid is also the founder and director of Specialist Science Tutors, a tutoring agency based in West London, where he has successfully managed various facets of the business, including marketing, web design, and client relationships. His dedication to education is further evidenced by his role as a self-employed tutor, where he has been teaching Maths, Physics, and Engineering to students up to university level since September 2011. Shahid holds a Master of Science in Photon Science from the University of Manchester and a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Bath.

New Articles

• Life Science Lesson Plans for 6-8 Learners

Get life science lesson plans tailored for 6-8 learners. Get tips, ideas and resources to make your lessons engaging and informative.

• Differentiated Instruction: A Comprehensive Overview

This article provides a comprehensive overview of differentiated instruction, including what it is, why it is important, and strategies for implementation.

• Earth Science Lesson Plans for K-5 Learners

Learn how to create engaging Earth Science lesson plans for K-5 learners. Find tips, activities, and resources to teach your students.

• Earth Science Lesson Plans for 6-8 Learners

Learn about earth science lesson plans for 6-8 learners, including how to create and implement engaging lesson plans for this age group.

Leave Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree that spam comments wont´t be published

• Behavior Management Techniques
• Behaviorism: A Comprehensive Overview
• Social Learning Theory Explained
• Summative Assessment Techniques: An Overview
• Formative Assessment Techniques
• Active Learning: A Comprehensive Overview
• Inquiry-Based Learning: An Introduction to Teaching Strategies
• Understanding Cognitivism: A Learning Theory
• Analysis Skills: Understanding Critical Thinking and Science Learning
• Constructivism: Exploring the Theory of Learning

Problem-solving Skills: A Comprehensive Overview

• Classroom Rules - A Comprehensive Overview
• Evaluation Skills: A Comprehensive Overview

Classroom Routines: A Comprehensive Overview

• Effective Classroom Organization Strategies for Science Teaching
• Project-Based Learning: An In-Depth Look
• Understanding Direct Instruction Methods
• State Science Standards and Benchmarks
• Course Design and Alignment
• The Advantages of Textbooks and Digital Resources
• Engaging Hands-on Activities and Experiments
• Backward Design Principles: Understanding Curriculum Design
• Engaging Cooperative Learning Games
• Integrating Technology into the Classroom
• Understanding Classroom Layout and Design
• Lesson Sequencing Strategies: A Comprehensive Overview
• Instructional Software and Apps: A Comprehensive Overview
• Understanding Curriculum Mapping
• Collaborative Learning Strategies
• Indirect Instruction Methods: A Comprehensive Overview
• Understanding National Science Standards and Benchmarks

Exploring Problem-Based Learning Strategies

• Unit Planning Strategies
• Exploring Self-Reflection and Metacognition
• Exploring Goal Setting and Metacognition
• Life Science Lesson Plans for 9-12 Learners
• Differentiated Instruction for English Language Learners
• Life Science Lesson Plans for K-5 Learners
• Earth Science Lesson Plans for 9-12 Learners
• Physical Science Lesson Plans for 9-12 Learners
• Physical Science Lesson Plans for K-5 Learners
• Physical Science Lesson Plans for 6-8 Learners
• Differentiated Instruction Strategies for Gifted Students

Recent Posts

Which cookies do you want to accept?

Join us for our next live demo on Thursday, May 9th to get a closer look at the Otus platform

Assessments

Grading & Reporting

Data & Analytics

Progress Monitoring

Request A Demo

Common Assessments

Standards-based grading, data-driven decisions, multi-tiered systems of support (mtss), portrait of a graduate, family engagement, product updates, implementation & support, partners & integrations, success stories, in the news, the ultimate guide to performance-based assessments.

Guides | 21 minutes

What do teachers do in performance-based assessment?

What is a performance-based assessment.

Performance-based assessments move beyond multiple-choice and written tests in order to determine not only what students know but how they apply their knowledge. Occasionally called authentic assessments, performance assessments emphasize the importance of “real-world” application.

The real-world emphasis of performance assessments occurs not only in the final assessment – are the skills being assessed translatable to skills students would need to use in the real world? –  but also in the ongoing instruction that occurs both before and during the performance assessment.

What are the two types of performance-based assessment?

Generally, there are two broad umbrellas that cover performance-based assessments: performance assessments can end either in some sort of product or some sort of performance .

Typically, a product-oriented performance assessment ends with the students producing some sort of tangible element not only encapsulating the summation of the knowledge they’ve gained but demonstrating that they’ve learned how to apply gained knowledge. For example, a student may grow a garden, create a budget, write an argument, or build a model.

Performance-oriented performance assessments, on the other hand, allow students to interact with an audience to demonstrate their applied knowledge. For example, a student may participate in a debate, perform a piece of music they composed, engage in a mock interview, or teach their class how to cook a meal.

Regardless of which of the two a teacher chooses to end the performance assessment with, it is important that the final grading of either is process-based . True performance assessments value the learning process as much as – if not more than – the final result. The majority of the learning should occur not before the performance assessment begins but along the way.

Additionally, performance assessments highly value processes that move students beyond acquiring knowledge to thinking critically about what they are learning and how they can best apply what they are learning. Whether an assessment ends in a product or performance, students should be able to articulate both how and why they ended their assessment in the way that they did.

What are the key features of a performance assessment?

Proponents of performance assessments argue that traditional tests are passive and do not accurately reflect what a student truly knows and can apply. Thus, performance-based assessments require students to actively engage with the material they are learning in authentic, practical, real-life scenarios.

Although there are no set key features of performance assessments, most writers and educators agree that assessments claiming to be performance-based must include the following elements:

• Performance assessments must be complex . Very rarely in the real world will a person need only one skill to complete a work or life task. Consequently, performance-based assessments must require students to draw from a variety of skills and wells of information in order to complete their assessment. Thus, performance-based assessments are ideal for educators wishing to collaborate across departments and subjects.
• Performance assessments must be authentic to real-world situations. The underlying purpose of performance assessments – and of education itself, according to most educators – is to ensure students are prepared to leave school ready for any challenge. Thus, a solid performance-based assessment will reflect scenarios students may face outside the school setting.
• Performance assessments must be open-ended. Just as we rarely find real-life situations with only one right solution, well-written performance assessments allow students to explore the topic in a way that they could potentially arrive at a number of “correct” solutions, or present a final product in a variety of different ways and still receive full credit.

• Performance assessments must be process-oriented, and often have an end product to present. Similar to the open-ended point, performance assessments are most successful when students have multiple ways of accomplishing them. The best performance assessments provide students with opportunities for exploration, learning, analysis, and other higher-level thinking processes as they complete the task. The final score isn’t entirely about the end result, but rather rests heavily on how students used what they know to get to the end result. Often – although not always – students will have some sort of product to present at the end of their assessment. Although this may be some sort of creative work, it can also be something as simple as a decision or a recommendation. For example, students may have had to compare several different types of job offers in which they analyzed the different types of salaries, health insurance plans, retirement, and other options, and balanced those against their budgets including rent, groceries, and other expenses, as well as their own talents and passions, and decided on which job they should take.
• Performance assessments must require higher-order thinking. In performance assessments, the score does not rest on the final result, as mentioned above. Instead, a large portion of a student’s score comes from the students’ ability to demonstrate that they have the knowledge and skills to complete the assessment successfully. In performance assessments, students must demonstrate problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning skills. Most performance assessments require students to synthesize, apply evidence, analyze, critique, judge, and more in order to pass. This ensures that teachers are able to see that student learning has truly transferred to their ability to apply what they have learned to real-life situations.
• Performance assessments must be graded on a clear rubric. It is important before beginning that students understand exactly what is expected of them, especially as many will have never been given this type of open-ended assessment based on performance before. Students will not be able to successfully explore and create if they don’t clearly understand their boundaries. Additionally, the rubric should have a clear timestamp. Performance-based assessments can range from taking a few hours to a few months. There’s not a correct time frame; however, it must be clear at the outset. It’s not wrong to set up a tight timeframe either; often in the real world, there are very quick time turnarounds to complete projects.

Why are performance-based assessments important?

Due to the constantly expanding reach of technology and its dramatic impact on almost every area of life, job expectations and even jobs themselves are constantly changing and evolving. It’s no longer enough to teach students knowledge; students can find that knowledge with a few clicks of a mouse. Instead, teachers must teach students how to use that knowledge in equally evolving, creative ways. 

Traditional assessments – while helpful for some forms of assessments – simply aren’t enough anymore to ensure students are leaving school well-prepared for real life and the constant changes it brings. 

The major advantage of performance-based assessments, on the other hand, is that they do exactly that. Teachers can be confident that students who pass performance-based assessments are ready to face the challenges of the real world with creativity, analysis, and excellent problem-solving skills because those skills are exactly what performance assessments are designed to impart to students.

Performance assessments require students to take what they have learned and not simply recall it but apply it in a variety of ways to different situations. They provide students with the opportunity to not only find the knowledge they need to solve a problem but find ways to process and analyze that knowledge to make a good – not ‘correct’ – decision.

Moreover, another advantage of performance-based assessments is that students are not focused fully on the end product but on how to get there. This encourages a love of learning, as well as increased metacognition as they process where they are and what they need to learn to get where they want to be. As part of their scoring, they must be able to articulate not only their ‘final answer’ and product but explain how they got there. Performance assessments build communication with others as well as self-reflection, both of which are essential skills in today’s world.

Performance-based assessments encourage students to make good decisions rather than search for the correct answer .

Finally, one of performance assessments’ greatest advantages is that they allow students to see how many different subjects not only overlap but how they are useful and applicable in the real world. This usually has the effect of motivating students to learn and invest effort as they see how the assessments – and the learning that comes along with it – will benefit them in the long run.

It is important that teachers interested in moving toward performance-based assessments understand that it is a significant amount of work in the beginning. It takes far more time to set up than more traditional approaches to instruction and assessment. However, what time teachers may feel like is lost initially is more than made up for during the assessment process. Many teachers find themselves in more of a “guide” position, coming alongside students as the students take ownership of their learning exploration.

To begin a performance-based assessment, teachers must actually think first about the very end goal. What standards and learning objectives do the teachers want to measure? The entire assessment must be designed backward from this starting – or ending – goal.

Then teachers must consider what type of process or product students could complete demonstrating mastery of these standards and objectives. As they design the performance assessment, teachers must ensure the assessment is complex, allowing students the opportunity to apply a variety of skills and knowledge, ideally across subject areas; is authentic, allowing students to practice applying their skills to real-world situations; is open-ended, allowing students to explore a variety of solutions instead of reaching only one narrow “right choice;” is truly process-oriented, allowing students to explore and learn during the process; and requires higher-order thinking, challenging students to move beyond retention towards application.

See How Otus Makes Rubric Grading Easy

It is important then for teachers to create very clear rubrics. These performance rubrics should highlight the standards and skills to be mastered and demonstrated but should leave room for the students to determine at some level how they will demonstrate mastery. There should be some element in the rubric that requires students to explain how they developed their final product, supporting it with evidence and analysis. Rubrics should clearly outline the timeline for the project.

Additionally, teachers may want to brainstorm a variety of formative assessments they can give along the way to ensure students are on the right track. Teachers should have intervention plans in place if students do not perform as expected on the formative assessments.

Once all of these elements are in place, teachers must determine the best way to clearly explain the performance assessment to the students. As many performance-based assessments are done in tangent with a teacher’s instruction, even incorporating that instruction into the assessment, it is usually best to introduce the assessment along with the unit introduction. Often teachers will tie these together with one or more open-ended questions to guide the unit.

It is also important for teachers to take the time to help students understand the authenticity of the performance assessment – how developing the skills across disciplines and applying them to the performance assessment will help them tackle similar real-life situations outside of school. Only then can teachers expect the buy-in helpful in making performance-based assessments such valuable learning tools.

Privacy Overview

Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

Back To Basics: What Is Performance Based Assessment (PBA)?

Updated: July 13, 2022

Published: June 13, 2020

There are a variety of ways to test a student’s knowledge. For some, multiple choice exams and short response questions work well. Yet, these methods may cause test anxiety and fail to showcase how a student solves a problem. For this reason, performance-based assessments may be able to offer better insight as to how much a student understands. Here, we’ll answer “what is performance-based assessment (PBA)?” and break down how to implement performance-based testing in practice.

What Is Performance-Based Assessment?

Serving as an alternative to traditional testing methods, performance-based assessment includes the problem-solving process. These assessments require a student to create a product or answer a question that will demonstrate the student’s skills and understanding.

For this reason, there tends to be no single right or wrong answer. Instead, PBAs require students to actively participate in a task to assess their process. The questions or tasks are designed to be practical and interdisciplinary.

Not only do performance-based assessments provide deeper insight into how well students have learned, they also give them insight into what they understand themselves. With this knowledge, teachers are better able to understand where a student needs extra assistance and can modify their lessons accordingly.

Photo by Hannah Olinger on Unsplash

What essential components does pba include.

Depending on subject matter and goals, there are different ways to facilitate PBA. Yet, there are certain elements that make PBA what it is.

Performance-based assessments meet this criteria:

• Process/product-oriented

By this manner, PBA can have several different right answers because the tasks and tests are open-ended. Like most real-world situations, they are bound by time and consist of a level of complexity such that problem-solving skills are really tested.

A Guide To Performance-Based Testing

Performance-based learning relies on the acquisition of skills and development of work habits. Together, these are paired to be applied to real-world situations.

1. Balance In Literacy

In PBA, rather than asking a student solely if they know something, you may also question how they can use their knowledge. This balances the two to provide the ability to recall knowledge and then classify it for practical usage.

2. Content Knowledge

It’s up to the teacher to pull subject matter directly from the curriculum or to pull ideas from the school or department itself.

3. Work Habits

For success in PBA and overall life, students must master skills like time management, intrapersonal communication, and individual responsibility.

4. Performance Tasks

Tasks are designed to pull everything together. These tasks take work habits, content knowledge, and balance in literacy to create. They become ingrained as a part of learning rather than an after effect.

Examples Of PBA

In theory, PBA makes a lot of sense. But how can you incorporate it into your teaching?

Here are some examples of performance-based testing:

• Elementary School: Pose a question like, “Should our school upgrade our water fountain systems?” Now, that’s a pretty open-ended question with no single correct answer. One way to make it practical is to ask students to record how many kids are using the water fountain per hour. In this way, they can determine need and learn about decision-making.
• Middle School: Create a scenario in which someone commits a crime. Then, run a mock trial in your classroom. This can test a student’s communication skills and reasoning.

Advantages Of PBA

Performance-based assessment is advantageous for both teachers and students. For students, it helps to apply in-class learning to situations outside of the classroom. For teachers, it offers deeper insight into the learning needs of students.

At the same time, they offer a way for students to better measure their own understanding and success. While completing a task or project, a student can see where they are struggling. Then, they can ask specific questions or work harder on enhancing their knowledge.

Photo by javier trueba on Unsplash

How teachers can create pbas: 6 tips.

If you’re a teacher or facilitator designing performance-based assessments, here’s an easy step-by-step guide for doing so.

1. Identify Goals

The first step is designing a test that will challenge a student’s problem-solving and critical thinking abilities. The teacher will want the students to work without direct aid so that they can evaluate where a student’s strengths and weaknesses reside.

2. Course Standards

Most schools and districts have core standards that must be taught within the school year. Take the goal identified above and relate it back to a common core standard.

3. Review Assessments

Look at how students are currently understanding the core standard. This may be from previous test results.

4. Address Learning Gaps

By reviewing assessments, it becomes clear where a student is lacking understanding. So, you can design a performance-based assessment that addresses the learning gap in practice.

5. Design A Scenario

Design a situation that addresses core standards and main ideas that students may be struggling with. You can design a scenario by defining key characteristics, including: setting, role, time frame, product, and audience.

6. Develop A Plan

You’ll have to balance both content and task preparation. Depending on a student’s needs, you may have to be more or less hands-on in describing the problem at hand.

The Bottom Line

Education and learning is as diverse as the student population. The best type of education is one that becomes applicable to real-world situations. That’s why at the University of the People, we design our curriculum to prepare students to enter a career upon graduation and be prepared. Students may have standard tests, but they also get to apply their knowledge to solving complex problems.

In the setting of primary to secondary education, performance-based assessments can play this same crucial role. Instead of relying solely on tests that tend to be multiple choice and fail to show how a student arrives at their answer, PBA offers deeper insight into their thinking process.

The best way to implement PBA is to first have a general understanding of your student’s abilities and areas in which they need improvement. Then, you can creatively design a scenario that puts them to the test.

Related Articles

What Is Performance Assessment?

• Share article

Project-based learning is nothing new. More than 100 years ago, progressive educator William Heard Kilpatrick published “The Project Method,” a monograph that took the first stab at defining alternatives to direct instruction. Predictably, the document sparked a squabble over definitions and methods—between Kilpatrick and his friend and colleague John Dewey.

Not much has changed. Today, despite major advances in ways to measure learning, we still don’t have common definitions for project-based learning or performance assessment.

Sometimes, for example, performance assessment is framed as the opposite of the dreaded year-end, state-required multiple-choice tests used to report on schools’ progress. But in fact, many performance assessments are standardized and can—and do—produce valid and reliable results.

Experts also emphasize the “authentic” nature of performance assessment and project-based learning, although “authentic” doesn’t always mean lifelike: A good performance assessment can use simulations, as long as they are faithful to real-world situations. (An example: In science class, technology can simulate plant growth or land erosion, processes that take too long for a hands-on experiment.)

In the absence of agreed-upon definitions for this evolving field, Education Week reporters developed a glossary based on interviews with teachers, assessment experts, and policy analysts. They’ve organized the terms here generally from less specific to more specific. These terms aren’t mutually exclusive. (A performance assessment, for instance, may be one element of a competency-based education program.)

Proficiency-based or competency-based learning: These terms are interchangeable. They refer to the practice of allowing students to progress in their learning as they master a set of standards or competencies. Students can advance at different rates. Typically, there is an attempt to build students’ ownership and understanding of their learning goals and often a focus on “personalizing” students’ learning based on their needs and interests.

Project-based learning: Students learn through an extended project, which may have a number of checkpoints or assessments along the way. Key features are inquiry, exploration, the extended duration of the project, and iteration (requiring students to revise and reflect, for example). A subset of project-based learning is problem-based learning, which focuses on a specific challenge for which students must find a solution.

Standards-based grading: This refers to the practice of giving students nuanced and detailed descriptions of their performance against specific criteria or standards, not on a bell curve. It can stand alone or exist alongside traditional letter grading.

Performance assessment: This assessment measures how well students apply their knowledge, skills, and abilities to authentic problems. The key feature is that it requires the student to produce something, such as a report, experiment, or performance, which is scored against specific criteria.

Portfolio: This assessment consists of a body of student work collected over an extended period, from a few weeks to a year or more. This work can be produced in response to a test prompt or assignment but is often simply drawn from everyday classroom tasks. Frequently, portfolios also contain an element of student reflection.

Exhibition: A type of performance assessment that requires a public presentation, as in the sciences or performing arts. Other fields can also require an exhibition component. Students might be required, for instance, to justify their position in an oral presentation or debate.

Performance task: A piece of work students are asked to do to show how well they apply their knowledge, skills, or abilities—from writing an essay to diagnosing and fixing a broken circuit. A performance assessment typically consists of several performance tasks. Performance tasks also may be included in traditional multiple-choice tests.

With thanks to: Paul Leather, director for state and local partnerships at the Center for Innovation in Education; Mark Barnes, founder of Times 10 Publications; Peter Ross, principal at Education First; Scott Marion, executive director at the Center for Assessment; Sean P. “Jack” Buckley, president, Imbellus; Starr Sackstein, an educator and opinion blogger at edweek.org; and Steve Ferrara, senior adviser at Measured Progress.

Have we missed any terms that confuse you? Why not write and tell us?

A version of this article appeared in the February 06, 2019 edition of Education Week as Performance Assessment: A Guide to the Vocabulary

Sign Up for EdWeek Update

Edweek top school jobs.

Sign Up & Sign In

What Is Performance Assessment?

• Share article

Project-based learning is nothing new. More than 100 years ago, progressive educator William Heard Kilpatrick published “The Project Method,” a monograph that took the first stab at defining alternatives to direct instruction. Predictably, the document sparked a squabble over definitions and methods—between Kilpatrick and his friend and colleague John Dewey.

Not much has changed. Today, despite major advances in ways to measure learning, we still don’t have common definitions for project-based learning or performance assessment.

Sometimes, for example, performance assessment is framed as the opposite of the dreaded year-end, state-required multiple-choice tests used to report on schools’ progress. But in fact, many performance assessments are standardized and can—and do—produce valid and reliable results.

Experts also emphasize the “authentic” nature of performance assessment and project-based learning, although “authentic” doesn’t always mean lifelike: A good performance assessment can use simulations, as long as they are faithful to real-world situations. (An example: In science class, technology can simulate plant growth or land erosion, processes that take too long for a hands-on experiment.)

In the absence of agreed-upon definitions for this evolving field, Education Week reporters developed a glossary based on interviews with teachers, assessment experts, and policy analysts. They’ve organized the terms here generally from less specific to more specific. These terms aren’t mutually exclusive. (A performance assessment, for instance, may be one element of a competency-based education program.)

Proficiency-based or competency-based learning: These terms are interchangeable. They refer to the practice of allowing students to progress in their learning as they master a set of standards or competencies. Students can advance at different rates. Typically, there is an attempt to build students’ ownership and understanding of their learning goals and often a focus on “personalizing” students’ learning based on their needs and interests.

Project-based learning: Students learn through an extended project, which may have a number of checkpoints or assessments along the way. Key features are inquiry, exploration, the extended duration of the project, and iteration (requiring students to revise and reflect, for example). A subset of project-based learning is problem-based learning, which focuses on a specific challenge for which students must find a solution.

Standards-based grading: This refers to the practice of giving students nuanced and detailed descriptions of their performance against specific criteria or standards, not on a bell curve. It can stand alone or exist alongside traditional letter grading.

Performance assessment: This assessment measures how well students apply their knowledge, skills, and abilities to authentic problems. The key feature is that it requires the student to produce something, such as a report, experiment, or performance, which is scored against specific criteria.

Portfolio: This assessment consists of a body of student work collected over an extended period, from a few weeks to a year or more. This work can be produced in response to a test prompt or assignment but is often simply drawn from everyday classroom tasks. Frequently, portfolios also contain an element of student reflection.

Exhibition: A type of performance assessment that requires a public presentation, as in the sciences or performing arts. Other fields can also require an exhibition component. Students might be required, for instance, to justify their position in an oral presentation or debate.

Performance task: A piece of work students are asked to do to show how well they apply their knowledge, skills, or abilities—from writing an essay to diagnosing and fixing a broken circuit. A performance assessment typically consists of several performance tasks. Performance tasks also may be included in traditional multiple-choice tests.

With thanks to: Paul Leather, director for state and local partnerships at the Center for Innovation in Education; Mark Barnes, founder of Times 10 Publications; Peter Ross, principal at Education First; Scott Marion, executive director at the Center for Assessment; Sean P. “Jack” Buckley, president, Imbellus; Starr Sackstein, an educator and opinion blogger at edweek.org; and Steve Ferrara, senior adviser at Measured Progress.

Have we missed any terms that confuse you? Why not write and tell us?

A version of this article appeared in the February 06, 2019 edition of Education Week as Performance Assessment: A Guide to the Vocabulary

Sign Up for EdWeek Update

Edweek top school jobs.

Sign Up & Sign In

Task and Performance-Based Assessment

• Reference work entry
• First Online: 16 May 2017
• Cite this reference work entry

• Gillian Wigglesworth 5 &
• Kellie Frost 6  

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Language and Education ((ELE))

5186 Accesses

5 Citations

The increasing importance of performance testing in testing and assessment contexts has meant that the behavior of test tasks, how they perform, and how they are assessed has become a considerable focus of research. During the 1990s, performance assessment evolved alongside the multicomponential models of language that were emerging, while, at the same time, detailed frameworks of task characteristics were discussed which provided basis for both test design and test-related research. In second-language acquisition research, tasks have long been an important focus of research although the focus has been different in the testing context where the impact of the properties and characteristics of tasks and how they impact on test scores has been explored, as has the role of raters in the process.

Recently, interests have moved beyond assessing the individual components of language proficiency – speaking, writing, reading, and listening – to include integrated tasks which add a further element of complexity to the assessment process by incorporating more than one skill, for example, reading a passage and completing a writing task based on this. These types of tasks contribute to the increasing authenticity of the assessment for real-life situations but because these types of tasks involve engaging skills and strategies that are not normally included in language testing, further elements of complexity are added. These are currently being addressed through a variety of research studies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Durable hardcover edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Bachman, L. (1990). Fundamental considerations in language testing . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Google Scholar  

Bachman, L. (2002). Some reflections on task-based language performance assessment. Language Testing, 19 (4), 453–476.

Article   Google Scholar  

Bachman, L., & Palmer, A. (1996). Language testing in practice . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Barkaoui, K., Brooks, L., Swain, M., & Lapkin, S. (2013). Test-takers’ strategic behaviors in independent and integrated speaking tasks. Applied Linguistics, 34 , 304–324.

Brindley, G., & Slatyer, H. (2002). Exploring task difficulty in ESL listening assessment. Language Testing, 19 (4), 369–394.

Brown, A. (1995). The effect of rater variables in the development of an occupation-specific language performance test. Language Testing, 12 (1), 1–15.

Brown, A. (2003). Interviewer variation and the co-construction of speaking proficiency. Language Testing, 20 (1), 1–25.

Brown, J. D., Hudson, T., Norris, J., & Bonk, W. J. (2002). An investigation of second language task-based performance assessments (Technical report, Vol. 24). Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Brown, A., Iwashita, N., & McNamara, T. (2005). An examination of rater orientations and test-taker performance on English-for-academic-purposes speaking tasks (TOEFL Monograph Series, Vol. MS-29). Princeton: Educational Testing Service.

Crossley, S., Clevinger, A., & Kim, Y. J. (2014). The role of lexical properties and cohesive devices in text integration and their effect on human ratings of speaking proficiency. Language Assessment Quarterly, 11 (3), 250–270.

Cumming, A., Grant, L., Mulcahy-Ernt, P., & Powers, D. (2004). A teacher-verification study of speaking and writing prototype tasks for a new TOEFL. Language Testing, 21 (2), 107–145.

Cumming, A., Kantor, R., Baba, K., Eouanzoui, K., Erdosy, U., & James, M. (2006). Analysis of discourse features and verification of scoring levels for independent and integrated prototype written tasks for the new TOEFL (TOEFL Monograph Series, Vol. MS-30). Princeton: Educational Testing Service.

Davies, A., Brown, A., Elder, C., Hill, K., Lumley, T., & McNamara, T. (1999). Dictionary of language testing . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Davis, L. (2009). The influence of interlocutor proficiency in a paired oral assessment. Language Testing, 26 (3), 367–396.

Douglas, D. (1997). Testing speaking ability in academic contexts: Theoretical considerations (TOEFL Monograph Series, Vol. MS-8). Princeton: Educational Testing Service.

Douglas, D. (2000). Assessing languages for specific purposes . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Ducasse, A., & Brown, A. (2009). Assessing paired orals: Raters’ orientation to interaction. Language Testing, 26 (3), 423–443.

Elder, C. (1993). How do subject specialists construe classroom language proficiency. Language Testing, 10 (3), 235–254.

Elder, C., & Brown, A. (1997). Performance testing for the professions: Language proficiency or strategic competence? Melbourne Papers in Language Testing, 6 (1), 68–78.

Elder, C., & Wigglesworth, G. (2005). An investigation of the effectiveness and validity of planning time in part 2 of the oral module. Report for IELTS Australia.

Elder, C., Iwashita, N., & McNamara, T. (2002). Estimating the difficulty of oral proficiency tasks: What does the test-taker have to offer? Language Testing, 19 (4), 347–368.

Elder, C., Pill, J., Woodword-Kron, R., McNamara, T., Manias, E., McColl, G., & Webb, G. (2012). Health professionals’ views of communication: Implications for assessing performance on a health-specific English language test. TESOL Quarterly, 46 (2), 409–419.

Ellis, R. (2003). Task based language learning . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Ellis, R. (Ed.). (2005). Planning and task performance in a second language . Philadelphia: John Benjamins.

Ellis, R., & Yuan, F. (2004). The effects of planning on fluency, complexity, and accuracy in second language narrative writing. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 26 , 59–84.

Foster, P., & Skehan, P. (1996). The influence of planning and task type on second language performance. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 18 , 299–323.

Foster, P., & Skehan, P. (1999). The influence of source of planning and focus of planning on task-based performance. Language Teaching Research, 3 , 299–324.

Frost, K., Elder, C., & Wigglesworth, G. (2012). Investigating the validity of an integrated listening speaking task: A discourse based analysis of test takers’ oral performances. Language Testing, 29 (3), 345–369.

Fulcher, G., & Reiter, R. (2003). Task difficulty in speaking tests. Language Testing, 20 (3), 321–344.

Fulcher, D., Davidson, F., & Kemp, J. (2011). Effective rating scale development for speaking tests: Performance decision trees. Language Testing, 28 (1), 5–29.

Galaczi, E. (2014). Interactional competence across proficiency levels: How do learners manage interaction in paired speaking tests? Applied Linguistics, 35 (5), 553–574.

Gebril, A., & Plakans, L. (2013). Toward a transparent construct of reading-to-write tasks: The interface between discourse features and proficiency. Language Assessment Quarterly, 10 (1), 9–27.

Granfeldt, J., & Argen, M. (2014). SLA developmental stages and teachers’ assessment of written French: Exploring Direkt Profil as a diagnostic assessment tool. Language Testing, 31 (3), 285–305.

Harding, L., Pill, J., & Ryan, K. (2011). Assessor decision making while marking a note-taking listening test: The case of the OET. Language Assessment Quarterly, 8 , 108–126.

Huhta, A., Alanen, R., Tarnanen, M., Martin, M., & Hirvelä, T. (2014). Assessing learners’ writing skills in a SLA study: Validating the rating process across tasks, scales and languages. Language Testing, 31 (3), 307–328.

Iwashita, N., Elder, C., & McNamara, T. (2001). Can we predict task difficulty in an oral proficiency test? Exploring the potential of an information-processing approach to task design. Language Learning, 51 (3), 401–436.

Kane, M. (2006). Validation. In R. L. Brennan (Ed.), Educational measurement (4th ed., pp. 17–64). New York: Macmillan.

Kim, H., & Elder, C. (2015). Interrogating the construct of aviation English: Feedback from test takers in Korea. Language Testing, 32 (2), 129–149.

Knoch, U. (2009). Diagnostic assessment of writing: A comparison of two rating scales. Language Testing, 26 (2), 275–304.

Knoch, U. (2014). Using subject specialist to validate an ESP rating scale: The case of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rating scale. English for Specific Purposes, 33 , 77–86.

Kuiken, F., & Vedder, I. (2014). Rating written performance: What do raters do and why? Language Testing, 31 (3), 329–348.

Lee, Y.-W. (2006). Dependability of scores for a new ESL speaking assessment consisting of integrated and independent tasks. Language Testing, 23 , 131–166.

Lewkowicz, J. A. (1997). The integrated testing of a second language. In C. Clapham & D. Corson (Eds.), Encyclopaedia of language and education (Language Testing and assessment, Vol. 7, pp. 121–130). Dortrecht: Kluwer.

Chapter   Google Scholar  

Lewkowicz, J. (2000). Authenticity in language testing. Language Testing, 17 (1), 43–64.

Lumley, T. (2002). Assessment criteria in a large-scale writing test: What do they really mean to the raters? Language Testing, 19 (3), 246–276.

May, L. (2009). Co-constructed interaction in a paired speaking test: The rater’s perspective. Language Testing, 26 (3), 397–421.

McNamara, T. (1996). Measuring second language performance . London: Longman.

McNamara, T. F., & Lumley, T. (1997). The effect of interlocutor and assessment mode variables in overseas assessments of speaking skills in occupational settings. Language Testing, 14 (2), 140–156.

McNamara, T., & Roever, C. (2006). Language testing: The social turn. London: Blackwell.

Mislevy, R. J., Steinberg, L. S., & Almond, R. G. (2002). Design and analysis in task-based language assessment. Language Testing, 19 (4), 477–496.

Mislevy, R. J., Steinberg, L. S., & Almond, R. G. (2003). On the structure of educational assessments. Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives, 1 , 3–67.

Morton, J., Wigglesworth, G., & Williams, D. (1997). Approaches to validation: Evaluating interviewer performance in oral interaction tests. In G. Brindley & G. Wigglesworth (Eds.), Access: Issues in language test design and delivery (pp. 175–196). Sydney: NCELTR.

Norris, J. (2002). Interpretations, intended uses and designed in task-based language assessment. Language Testing, 19 (4), 337–346.

Norris, J. M., Brown, J. D., Hudson, T., & Yoshioka, J. (1998). Designing second language performance assessments . Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.

Norris, J. M., Brown, T. D., & Bonk, W. (2002). Examinee abilities and task difficulty in task-based second language performance assessment. Language Testing, 19 (4), 395–418.

O’Sullivan, B. (2002). Learner acquaintanceship and oral proficiency test pair-task performance. Language Testing, 19 (3), 277–295.

Plakans, L. (2009). Discourse synthesis in integrated second language writing assessment. Language Testing, 26 , 561–587.

Plakans, L., & Gebril, A. (2013). Using multiple texts in an integrated writing assessment: Source text use as a predictor of score. Journal of Second Language Writing, 22 (2), 217–230.

Robinson, P. (2007). Task complexity, theory of mind, and intentional reasoning: Effects on L2 speech production, interaction, uptake and perceptions of task difficulty. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 45 (3), 193–213.

Skehan, P. (1998). A cognitive approach to language learning . Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Skehan, P. (2001). Tasks and language performance. In M. Bygate, P. Skehan, & M. Swain (Eds.), Researching pedagogic tasks: Second language learning, teaching and testing (pp. 167–187). Longman: Harlow.

Skehan, P., & Foster, P. (1997). Task type and task processing conditions as influence on foreign language performance. Language Teaching Research, 1 , 185–211.

Skehan, P., & Foster, P. (1999). The influence of task structure and processing conditions on narrative retelling. Language Learning, 49 (1), 93–120.

Spence-Brown, R. (2001). The eye of the beholder: Authenticity in an embedded assessment task. Language Testing, 18 (4), 463–481.

Tavakoli, P., & Foster, P. (2008). Task design and second language performance: The effect of narrative type on learner output. Language Learning, 58 (2), 439–473.

Upshur, J., & Turner, C. (1999). Systematic effects in the rating of second language speaking ability: Test method and learner discourse. Language Testing, 16 (1), 82–111.

Weigle, S. C., & Parker, K. (2012). Source text borrowing in an integrated reading/writing assessment. Journal of Second Language Writing, 21 , 118–133.

Wigglesworth, G. (1997). An investigation of planning time and proficiency level on oral test discourse. Language Testing, 14 (1), 85–106.

Wigglesworth, G. (2001). Influences on performance in task-based oral assessments. In M. Bygate, P. Skehan, & M. Swain (Eds.), Researching pedagogic tasks: Second language learning, teaching and testing (pp. 186–209). Harlow: Longman.

Wu, W., & Stansfield, C. (2001). Toward authenticity of task in test development. Language Testing, 18 (2), 187–206.

Yuan, F., & Ellis, R. (2003). The effects of pretask planning and on-line planning on fluency, complexity, and accuracy in L2 monologic oral production. Applied Linguistics, 24 , 1–27.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Research Unit for Indigenous Language, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia

Gillian Wigglesworth

Language Testing Research Centre, School of Languages and Linguistics, University of Melbourne, Babel Building, 3010, Parkville, VIC, Australia

Kellie Frost

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gillian Wigglesworth .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

School of Education, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

Elana Shohamy

Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Stephen May

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this entry

Cite this entry.

Wigglesworth, G., Frost, K. (2017). Task and Performance-Based Assessment. In: Shohamy, E., Or, I., May, S. (eds) Language Testing and Assessment. Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02261-1_8

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02261-1_8

Published : 16 May 2017

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-319-02260-4

Online ISBN : 978-3-319-02261-1

eBook Packages : Education Reference Module Humanities and Social Sciences Reference Module Education

Share this entry

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

Performance-Based Assessment: Examples and Insights

Another term I frequently encounter when working on my syllabus, aside from portfolio assessment I previously discussed, is performance-based assessment. I may be using this assessment tool but is it? I embarked on knowing this assessment tool and came up with the following information.

Read on to familiarize yourself more about this oftentimes mentioned term when working as a teacher or professor. Again, note that I highlighted in bold letters the key points in this discussion.

In an era where the traditional methods of assessment are increasingly coming under scrutiny for their limitations, performance-based assessment offers an alternative approach that focuses on the actual skills, behaviors and capabilities of learners or employees, rather than solely on their theoretical knowledge.

Performance-based assessments allow us to evaluate complex competencies, extend beyond simple recall, and provide a more holistic view of an individual’s skills and capacities. This nuanced method of evaluation cuts across various fields, finding applications not only in education but also in professional settings.

Table of Contents

Key features of performance-based assessment, what is performance-based assessment.

Performance-based assessment refers to the method of evaluating and measuring a learner’s skills and competencies by considering their performance in specific, result-oriented tasks . Instead of focusing on theoretical or textbook knowledge, performance-based assessment highlights the learner’s ability to utilize learned knowledge and skills in realistic or practical scenarios.

Performance-based assessment refers to the method of evaluating and measuring a learner’s skills and competencies by considering their performance in specific, result-oriented tasks.

With a learning-centric approach, performance-based assessments are designed to challenge the learner’s critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities. This assessment model becomes an effective tool for teachers and educators to gauge a learner’s knowledge, skillsets, behavior, creativity, and cognitive abilities.

These assessments are important for three reasons, namely 1) promote active learning and skill acquisition , 2) address real-world application of knowledge , and 3) allow for differentiation of assessment . They can be highly engaging for learners who struggle with traditional, paper-and-pencil tests, or for those who need more challenge than those tests offer.

Features of Performance-Based Assessments

Major features of performance-based assessments include complex, relevant tasks that require students to apply their knowledge and skills. They require significant time, effort, and resources, and often result in tangible products or performances. To ensure consistent and fair evaluation, performance-based assessments utilize well-defined criteria or rubrics for scoring.

Advantages of Performance-Based Assessment

Performance-based assessments offer multiple advantages when compared to traditional assessment methods. They provide a more accurate representation of a student’s abilities by allowing them to showcase their understanding in practical, real-life contexts. This sort of assessment encourages higher order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.

Performance-based assessments are also flexible and can be adapted to fit different teaching strategies and learning abilities. They permit student self-assessment and reflection, and promote student engagement and motivation by connecting learning to real-world applications.

Disadvantages of Performance-Based Assessment

There are, also, some notable disadvantages of performance-based assessments. These can be time-consuming and resource-intensive to design and score . Grading performance-based assessments can be subjective, and given their individual nature, it can be hard to compare results across students.

Also, performance-based assessments may not be suitable for all learning outcomes , especially those that require the remembering and understanding of specific facts or processes.

Focus of Performance-Based Assessments

Performance-based assessments are an alternative to traditional evaluations that require students to actively demonstrate their knowledge and abilities. Varying greatly depending on the subject matter and student ability, they often focus on designing and undertaking a task , rather than simply selecting an answer from a list. For instance:

• In science , a student might be asked to design an original experiment . They would then conduct the experiment and write a comprehensive report explaining their methods, findings, and interpretations.
• In literary studies , students might be asked to critically analyze a particular theme or character in a novel or story, supporting their arguments with direct evidence from the text.
• In math , students could be assigned complex real-world problems to figure out. Here, they are required to not only find the solution but also explain their thought process in reaching the solution.
• In social studies , projects could range from creating an accurate timeline detailing specific events to preparing a multimedia presentation highlighting key historical events or figures. These tasks require extensive research, thoughtful organization, critical thinking, and excellent communication skills.
• In professional fields , performance-based assessments can include a range of tasks, such as working through case studies , collaborating on group projects , conducting simulations , giving presentations , or assembling portfolios to demonstrate professional competence.

Despite some limitations, performance-based assessments play a significant role in nurturing a learner’s cognitive, creative, and problem-solving skills, ultimately preparing them better for the real world.

Principles and Types of Performance-Based Assessments

Diving deeper into performance-based assessments.

A clearer understanding of performance-based assessments reveals that they are more than just tasks set for students. This approach to evaluation goes beyond the traditional examination format to assess students’ understanding and practical application of learned concepts and skills.

More than simply focusing on the end result, these assessments place equal importance on the process employed and resources used by the students to derive their answers.

Therefore, this form of assessment underscores active, hands-on participation and is designed to further engage students in their own learning journey.

Principles of Performance-Based Assessments

Performance-based assessments revolve around a set of guiding principles. These assessments must focus on meaningful, complex tasks that students would possibly encounter outside the school setup.

The tasks should be based on a set of clear criteria or rubrics, and they must reveal both the product and the process of learning . It can also involve self or peer reviews for a comprehensive and varied evaluation.

Lastly, it should allow for multiple paths to demonstrate competence, meaning, there should not be a single correct method or answer.

4 Types of Performance-Based Assessments

1. direct and indirect assessments.

Direct assessments involve students demonstrating their understanding by performing a task which is evaluated based on certain standards or benchmarks. For instance, a student may be asked to write a research paper , create a project , demonstrate a scientific experiment , or conduct a presentation .

On the other hand, indirect assessments seek to understand student learning by inference . These include methods like surveys, interviews, and reflective essays where students reflect on their learning process.

2. Authentic Assessments

Authentic assessments aim at evaluating student competencies in real-world contexts. It goes beyond traditional tests by asking students to demonstrate skills and competencies that mimic the challenges they will face in their career or personal life. For example, students in a business course might be asked to develop a marketing strategy for a new product.

3. Individual and Group Assessments

In individual assessments , performance is judged based on individual work , for instance, the writing of an essay or a solo presentation . Conversely, group assessments involve collaboration among students, requiring them to work corporately on a shared task , like a group project or presentation.

4. Formative and Summative Assessments

Formative assessments are continual evaluations that take place throughout the learning process. These checks not only help instructors shape their teaching methods but also provide constructive feedback to students, thereby facilitating their learning and growth. Some commonly implemented formative assessments include quizzes, class discussions, and revisions of drafts .

Conversely, summative assessments are carried out at the completion of an learning period. These measure student learning at the end of an instructional unit by juxtaposing it against a specific standard or benchmark. Examples of summative assessments include final examinations or end-of-unit projects and presentations .

Steps in Developing Performance-Based Assessments

1. develop learning goals for performance-based assessments.

The foundation of performance-based assessments lies in establishing explicit and succinct learning goals. The primary objective here is an assessment of how students or employees can utilize their knowledge in real-world circumstances.

To define these goals, it is crucial to identify the vital skills, knowledge, and capabilities that need to be developed or enhanced by the students or employees. These learning aims should align with the curriculum or job requirements and may include cognitive domains like problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills, or could be directed towards building practical skills or attitudes.

2. Design the Tasks

Once learning goals are set, the next step involves designing tasks that will provide palpable evidence of the essential skills you wish to evaluate. These can be individual or cooperative group tasks.

The tasks should be designed in such a way that they push learners to apply or exhibit the skills they’ve learned in a practical, real-world context. They can range from students participating in science experiments to employees presenting sales strategies .

Consider factoring in the degree of task difficulty to ensure it’s appropriate to the learners’ level, and it fosters their growth and challenges them.

3. Establish Framework and Standards

Subsequently, establishing clear criteria and standards comes into play.

The criteria detail the specific expectations for learners and help assess their performance. For instance, in an essay-writing assignment, the criteria might encompass aspects like grammar, sentence structure, flow of content, etc.

Standards , on the other hand, indicate the level of work quality required to achieve each grade or evaluation score. These should be satisfactorily detailed, represent the learning objectives, and be shared with the learners before they begin work.

4. Evaluate Performance

The final stage involves evaluating the performance of the learners based on initial objectives , applying the established criteria and standards. Performance can be evaluated using rubrics – scoring tools listing specific criteria and providing different levels of quality for each criterion.

This evaluation process should be continuous and formative. It is valuable in providing both quantitative and qualitative insights.

Examples of Performance-Based Assessments in Different Fields

Applications of performance-based assessments.

Performance-based assessments are not confined to academic settings , they are used in corporate environments too. A typical corporate example could be a sales pitch exercise . Employees could be tasked with formulating and presenting a sales strategy for a new product. The assessment criteria would likely encompass their understanding of the intended market , creativity in their approach , clarity in their presentation , and their aptitude for managing critical enquiries about their product or pitch.

These examples highlight the diversity of performance-based assessments, and their ability to accurately gauge a wide range of skills and knowledge. From creating ecosystems to delivering sales pitches, performance-based assessments offer significant and tailored insight into an individual’s capacities.

Academic Settings

In educational settings, performance-based assessments are utilized to evaluate a student’s understanding and mastery of certain skills. They are typically hands-on and require students to apply their knowledge in practical ways.

• Project-Based Assessments : Students are assigned projects that pertain to the subject matter. They are then evaluated based on the project’s accuracy, completeness, creativity, or any other relevant criteria. For instance, in a science class, a student could be asked to design and execute an experiment, and then write a report on their findings.
• Presentations : In this scenario, students can present their understanding of a subject to the class. They may use visual aids, speeches, demonstrations, or even role-playing skits. These presentations are scored based on content, delivery, and the ability to answer questions from peers or the instructor.
• Essays : Essays require students to synthesize their learning into a cohesive argument or narrative. Teachers will evaluate the essay based on its content, organization, clarity, and relevance to the assigned topic.

Professional Settings

In a workplace or professional setting, performance-based assessments help determine an employee’s competency, efficiency, and effectiveness in performing their job responsibilities.

• Performance Reviews : A common method in many organizations, performance reviews evaluate an employee’s job performance over a specified period. The assessment typically involves looking at elements such as accomplishment of goals, quality of work, interpersonal skills, and initiative.
• 360-Degree Feedback : This comprehensive review process involves feedback from all directions: superiors, subordinates, and peers. It evaluates someone on factors such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Skill Demonstrations : In certain occupations, employees might be asked to demonstrate their skills. For instance, a firefighter might go through a simulated rescue drill, a sales representative may be asked to pitch a product, or a graphic designer might be required to design a promotional brochure. Evaluators would then assess the individual’s performance based on predetermined criteria.
• Assessment Centers : An assessment center is a process where candidates are assessed to determine their suitability for specific types of employment, especially for management or military positions. Multiple raters (assessors) evaluate candidates as they go through exercises like leaderless group discussion, in-basket exercise, role play, or other simulations.

Future Trends in Performance-Based Assessment

The advent of technology: digital assessments.

With the surge of technology permeating all areas of life, including education, digital assessments are becoming a predominant method for measuring student performance. This category of assessments brings new modes of evaluation like online exams, digital portfolios, and realistic simulations .

An example could be a student creating a website or driving a digital marketing campaign as part of their course assessment. Tasks like these extend beyond simple theory-testing and instead offer real-world application of learned concepts.

Moreover, they provide solid evidence of a student’s capability to employ industry-relevant tools and technologies.

Shift Towards Holistic Measures

Performance-based assessment techniques are transitioning from traditional exam-result-oriented methods to more holistic measures. This shift involves considering varying sources of evidence to determine a student’s overall performance. Long-form essays, presentations, group projects, or participation in discussions can all contribute to a student’s overall assessment.

For example, in a computer science course, a student’s ability to collaborate, communicate effectively, and problem solve could be assessed through group assignments, presentations, and hands-on projects , as opposed to relying solely on exam results.

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

In the evolving educational scenario, the emphasis is moving towards incorporating critical thinking and problem-solving skills into assessments. This involves presenting students with complex, real-world situations and evaluating how they respond or find solutions.

For instance, students studying environmental science could be given a case study on an endangered species and be required to develop a conservation plan. This type of assignment would allow them to demonstrate their knowledge of ecological principles, their ability to research and analyze data, and their problem-solving and decision-making skills.

Future Perspectives of Performance-Based Assessments

The future of performance-based assessments continues to engage more with real-world situations and problem-solving methods. With a strong focus on collaborative projects and tasks that closely mirror industry practices, these performance assessments are designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

For instance, an upcoming trend in assessment is ‘ gamification ‘, where students learn and are evaluated through game-based tasks. This not only makes learning more engaging but also allows for real-time tracking and feedback.

The potency of performance-based assessments lies not just in their present effectiveness, but also in their future potential. As trends shift toward digitalization and demand for higher order skills soars, performance-based assessment promises to evolve in step, integrating digital tools and emphasizing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Thus, it aligns with the needs of contemporary society, aiming to foster individuals who are not only knowledgeable but are also adept at tackling real-world challenges.

Performance-based assessment, therefore, is not just a means of evaluation—it is an engine for sustainable growth and competence development.

“Performance-based assessment is not just a means of evaluation—it is an engine for sustainable growth and competence development.”

Related Posts

Hidden curriculum: its definition.

Thesis Defense: 10 Tips That Are Proven to Work

How to Use the Grammar Translation Method

About the author, patrick regoniel.

Dr. Regoniel, a faculty member of the graduate school, served as consultant to various environmental research and development projects covering issues and concerns on climate change, coral reef resources and management, economic valuation of environmental and natural resources, mining, and waste management and pollution. He has extensive experience on applied statistics, systems modelling and analysis, an avid practitioner of LaTeX, and a multidisciplinary web developer. He leverages pioneering AI-powered content creation tools to produce unique and comprehensive articles in this website.

• Prodigy Math
• Prodigy English
• Is a Premium Membership Worth It?
• Promote a Growth Mindset
• Help Your Child Who's Struggling with Math
• Parent's Guide to Prodigy
• Assessments
• Math Curriculum Coverage
• English Curriculum Coverage
• Game Portal

Performance-Based Assessments: 4 Tips on How to Use Them in Your Classroom

Written by Victoria Hegwood

Use Prodigy to deliver engaging, differentiated instruction and assessments in math and English. Get started in just a few clicks!

• Teaching Strategies

What are performance-based assessments?

The foundation of performance-based assessments, 4 tips for creating performance-based assessments.

• Examples of performance-based assessments
• How performance-based learning benefits learners

Making assessments work for your students

There are so many ways to evaluate where your students are and how well they are retaining lessons. You may use exit tickets , traditional quizzes, or some other type of assessment . 

Performance-based learning is an active, hands-on approach to student learning at any grade level.  This type of learning shifts away from worksheets and traditional testing models and leans into assessments that offer insight into a student’s understanding. 

It asks questions that don’t have a right and a wrong answer. The questions emphasize the student’s skills and encourage reflection. Student achievement is about producing a product, like a group project, or placing more emphasis on the process. 

This article will provide an overview of performance-based learning and the benefits of this approach. There will also be some tips for implementing performance-based assessments in your classroom.

Performance-based learning and performance-based assessments are a system of learning and assessing a student’s knowledge through a display of skills. 

In this system, student performance is not measured by a multiple-choice test or quiz. Instead, students are given assignments that mimic real-world situations. To successfully complete the assessment they must use content knowledge, higher-order thinking skills and problem-solving skills.

Assessment tasks could include creating a newspaper, acting in a play, or planning a sustainable neighborhood community. Students demonstrate critical thinking as they work through the challenges of these tasks. They are given the opportunity to show what they know rather than simply writing down facts.

Performance-based learning requires more collaboration between students and teachers than other teaching methods . Throughout this ongoing learning process, both teacher and student are able to work together and monitor progress. You will be able to see more clearly where the student is at and make adjustments to assist their learning. 

There is no one way to make the perfect performance-based assessments. What your students need and are learning is unique to your classroom. You can always tweak your lessons as needed.

However, there are a few key elements that make these types of assessments what they are.

Overall, performance-based assessments should be:

• Authentic – The projects should be reflective of tasks that would be encountered in the real world or a workplace environment. 
• Time bound – There is a set time limit for when the project needs to be done. This is similar to deadlines that learners will experience in the real world.
• Open-ended – Students have flexibility in how the task can be completed. There is not just one right answer. 
• Process/Product orientated - The end goal is ideally not just a typed paper. It is something tangible that students can see. There is also more focus on the steps taken to achieve the end goal. 

Performance-based assessments should reflect real life by being complex with the possibility of multiple correct answers. They should also have an urgency to solve the issue within a set period of time. 

For example, check out this example of a performance-based assessment used in a high school classroom below. In this assessment, students were asked to role play as air traffic controllers and use their math skills to assess a dangerous situation.

Ready to implement this method in your classroom but aren’t sure where to start? We’ve got 4 great tips to get you started creating an authentic assessment process.

Implementing a new assessment or teaching style is not easy. There will be bumps in the road, but these tips will help you successfully start using performance-based assessments. 

1. Set clear expectations

Performance-based assessments are more open-ended than traditional assignments and can be challenging for students to finish.

Because of this, it is important teachers make their expectations clear and outline how students will be graded. Share a scoring rubric with the criteria outlined. Previous examples are also helpful for students to use as inspiration. They provide a concrete example of what an ideal submission is or how others that missed the mark could be improved.

2. Start at the end

When planning an assessment, identify the learning objective of the lesson first and then work backward. Think about what is most important for a student to take away from the performance task. Then consider the clearest way that they can show they’ve learned that concept.

3. Practice, practice, practice

Despite the trending popularity of performance-based assessments, it should not be assumed all students will be comfortable with this method.

Use warm-up activities in other lesson plans that are similar to what will be required in the final. Know that students may need multiple attempts at understanding the task before they are able to complete it. Offer practice sessions whenever possible.

4. Leave room to show mistakes

It is important to create a space where students can show their process and where they feel okay with making mistakes.

Similar to the real world, students will not be perfect on the first try. But they should have multiple chances at success. Students need to feel comfortable enough to show their level of understanding and see where adjustments can be made.

Equipped with these tips, you’re ready to get started! Now, on to a few of our favorite types of performance-based assessments. 

Examples of performance-based assessments to spark inspiration

Another perk to performance-based assessments is how creative teachers can be when creating lessons. There are many ways that teachers can fit performance-based assessments in their school district requirements to adhere to common core standards 

Performance-based assessments are versatile; they can be adjusted to fit more traditional summative testing like final projects or just average daily lesson plans. 

Here are 3 examples of performance-based assessments to give you some ideas about ways to incorporate them into your next lesson plan.

Debates are a popular choice in high school and middle school because they allow students to demonstrate many skills. A debating student will need to be competent in researching, reading comprehension, evidence evaluation, public speaking and civic skills.

There are so many topics that students can debate and different ways that a debate can be set up. Regardless of what subject you teach or what your lesson is about, you are sure to find a way to incorporate this activity into your classroom.

Portfolios are a collection of a student’s work throughout the school year. This work could include artwork, written papers or project summaries. You could also choose to include a summary of their grades or completed projects at the end of each quarter. 

This folder will help students and teachers alike in seeing the progress made along the way. Students feel encouraged by the growth that they are able to easily see and reflect on. 

In art or writing classes, a portfolio can also be a useful professional development tool outside the classroom. It can be used to apply to continuing education programs. It will continue to serve the student for years to come.

Performances

Performances may seem like they only have a place in drama class, but that isn’t the case. They can be used in your classroom no matter what subject you teach. 

For example, students can create a song about the parts of a plant or the process of evaporation. They could also write a play about important historical events. 

When using performances in your classroom, it’s essential to outline clear benchmarks, so that students know what elements are needed for success. Write out expectations when possible so that they can be easily referenced.

How performance-based learning benefits your learners

Utilizing performance-based learning as a teaching strategy will encourage student ownership of the subject matter. Students are involved in every step of the process. They are more engaged and motivated because they feel connected to their learning and take pride in their work.

Performance-based learning is also highly customizable . You can tweak projects and expectations for individual students to assist or challenge them. You can collaborate with students to create learning that is applicable to the student as well as the real world.

Performance-based assessments nurture students’ higher-order thinking skills , which are critical for developing an understanding beyond the memorization of basic facts. It sets students up for success outside the classroom.

Performance-based assessments can be a great option to better see the depth of understanding your students have of the material. There are many ways to use performance-based assessments in every grade level and subject area. Students will likely be more engaged and motivated in the learning process. 

Prodigy can be a great solution for teachers looking to offer diverse, differentiated assessments in math and English. Here's how it works:

• Students play Prodigy Math or Prodigy English in class or at home
• They practice and answer skills differentiated to their curriculum progress and individual performance
• Teachers review student performance in their teacher portal, helping them spot learning gaps and set up targeted practice!

And the best bit? It's free for teachers and schools!

Simply set up an account, get your class and watch as your students see practicing math and English from a fun, engaging approach.

See what other teachers say about how Prodigy has helped them save time, meet curriculum goals and engage students!

• school Campus Bookshelves
• menu_book Bookshelves
• perm_media Learning Objects
• login Login
• how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
• hub Instructor Commons
• Download Page (PDF)
• Download Full Book (PDF)
• Periodic Table
• Physics Constants
• Scientific Calculator
• Reference & Cite
• Tools expand_more
• Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

17.6: What are the benefits of essay tests?

• Last updated
• Save as PDF
• Page ID 87692

• Jennfer Kidd, Jamie Kaufman, Peter Baker, Patrick O'Shea, Dwight Allen, & Old Dominion U students
• Old Dominion University

Learning Objectives

• Understand the benefits of essay questions for both Students and Teachers
• Identify when essays are useful

Introduction

Essays, along with multiple choice, are a very common method of assessment. Essays offer a means completely different than that of multiple choice. When thinking of a means of assessment, the essay along with multiple choice are the two that most come to mind (Schouller).The essay lends itself to specific subjects; for example, a math test would not have an essay question. The essay is more common in the arts, humanities and the social sciences(Scouller). On occasion an essay can be used used in both physical and natural sciences as well(Scouller). As a future history teacher, I will find that essays will be an essential part of my teaching structure.

The Benefits for Students

By utilizing essays as a mean of assessments, teachers are able to better survey what the student has learned. Multiple choice questions, by their very design, can be worked around. The student can guess, and has decent chance of getting the question right, even if they did not know the answer. This blind guessing does not benefit the student at all. In addition, some multiple choices can deceive the student(Moore). Short answers, and their big brother the essay, work in an entirely different way. Essays remove this factor. in a addition, rather than simply recognize the subject matter, the student must recall the material covered. This challenges the student more, and by forcing the student to remember the information needed, causes the student to retain it better. This in turn reinforces understanding(Moore). Scouller adds to this observation, determining that essay assessment "encourages students' development of higher order intellectual skills and the employment of deeper learning approaches; and secondly, allows students to demonstrate their development."

"Essay questions provide more opportunity to communicate ideas. Whereas multiple choice limits the options, an essay allows the student express ideas that would otherwise not be communicated." (Moore)

The Benefits for Teachers

The matter of preparation must also be considered when comparing multiple choice and essays. For multiple choice questions, the instructor must choose several questions that cover the material covered. After doing so, then the teacher has to come up with multiple possible answers. This is much more difficult than one might assume. With the essay question, the teacher will still need to be creative. However, the teacher only has to come up with a topic, and what the student is expected to cover. This saves the teacher time. When grading, the teacher knows what he or she is looking for in the paper, so the time spent reading is not necessarily more. The teacher also benefits from a better understanding of what they are teaching. The process of selecting a good essay question requires some critical thought of its own, which reflects onto the teacher(Moore).

Multiple Choice. True or False. Short Answer. Essay. All are forms of assessment. All have their pros and cons. For some, they are better suited for particular subjects. Others, not so much. Some students may even find essays to be easier. It is vital to understand when it is best to utilize the essay. Obviously for teachers of younger students, essays are not as useful. However, as the age of the student increase, the importance of the essay follows suit. That essays are utilized in essential exams such as the SAT, SOLs and in our case the PRAXIS demonstrates how important essays are. However, what it ultimately comes down to is what the teacher feels what will best assess what has been covered.

Exercise \(\PageIndex{1}\)

1)What Subject would most benefit from essays?

B: Mathematics for the Liberal Arts

C: Survey of American Literature

2)What is an advantage of essay assessment for the student?

A) They allow for better expression

B) There is little probability for randomness

C) The time taken is less overall

D) A & B

3)What is NOT a benefit of essay assessment for the teacher

A)They help the instructor better understand the subject

B)They remove some the work required for multiple choice

C)The time spent on preparation is less

D) There is no noticeable benefit.

4)Issac is a teacher making up a test. The test will have multiple sections: Short answer, multiple choice, and an essay. What subject does Issac MOST LIKELY teach?

References Cited

1)Moore, S.(2008) Interview with Scott Moore, Professor at Old Dominion University

2)Scouller, K. (1998). The influence of assessment method on students' learning approaches: multiple Choice question examination versus assignment essay. Higher Education 35(4), pp. 453–472

Good procedure is emphasized when: There is no product The procedure is orderly and directly observable Correct procedure is crucial to later success Analysis of procedural steps can aid in improving product Learning is at an early stage Good product is emphasized when: Different procedures result in an equally good product Procedure is not available for observation Procedural steps have been mastered Product has qualities that can be identified and judged Degrees of authenticity-- Note: More here than in your textbook

LET Reviewer Professional Education Prof. Ed.: Assessment and Evaluation of Learning Part 2

In this website you will find the LET Reviewers in General Education (Gen Ed), Professional Education (Prof Ed) and Major Area of Specialization.

In efforts of this portal to attend on requests from PRCBoard Facebook fan page members, we consolidated some of the questions which may likely help out takers during the exams.

Note: The LET reviewers 2021 below is unofficial and not directly associated with PRC or the Board of Professional Teachers.

September 2021 LET Related Articles

• Main Page: LET Reviewer 2021
• ROOM ASSIGNMENTS: LET September 2021, Teachers Board Licensure Exams
• LET Coverage: Licensure Exam for Teachers September 2021
• Details: September 2021 LET Teachers Board Exam Schedule, Deadline of Filing and Requirements
• How to Pass Licensure Exam? Tips from Board Passers

Below is the LET Reviewer for Professional Education Prof. Ed.: Assessment and Evaluation of Learning Part 2.

We encourage readers/ reviewees to use the comment boxes after the article for discussion. Meanwhile, answers are already incorporated below the questions.

1. Mrs. Pua is judging the worth of the project of the students in her Science class based on a set of criteria. What process describes what she is doing? a. Testing b. Measuring c. Evaluating d. Assessing

2. Mrs. Acebuche is comparing measurement from evaluation. Which statement explains the difference? a. Measurement is assigning a numerical value to a given trait while evaluation is giving meaning to the numerical value of the trait. b. Measurement is the process of gathering while evaluation is the process of quantifying the data gathered. c. Measurement is the process of quantifying data while evaluation is the process of organizing data. d. Measurement is a pre-requisite of assessment while evaluation is the pre-requisite of testing.

3. Ms. Ricafort uses alternative methods of assessment. Which of the following will she not likely use? a. Multiple Choice Test b. Reflective Journal Writing c. Oral Presentation d. Developing Portfolios

4. Ms. Camba aims to measure a product of learning. Which of these objectives will she most likely set for her instruction? a. Show positive attitude towards learning common nouns b. Identify common nouns in a reading selection c. Construct a paragraph using common nouns d. User a common noun in a sentence

5. The students of Mrs. Valino are very noisy. To keep them busy, they were given any test available in the classroom and then the results were graded as a way to punish them. Which statement best explains if the practice is acceptable or not? a. The practice is acceptable because the students behaved well when they were given a test. b. The practice is not acceptable because it violates the principle of reliability. c. The practice is not acceptable because it violates the principle of validity. d. The practice is acceptable since the test results are graded.

6. Ms. Delos Angeles advocates assessment for learning. Which will she NOT likely do? a. Formative Assessment b. Diagnostic Assessment c. Placement Assessment d. Summative Assessment

7. At the beginning of the school year, the 6-year old pupils were tested to find out who among them can already read. The result was used to determine their sections. What kind of test was given to them? a. Diagnostic b. Formative c. Placement d. Summative

8. The grade six pupils were given a diagnostic test in addition and subtraction of whole numbers to find out if they can proceed to the next unit. However, the results of the test were very low. What should the teacher do? a. Proceed to the next lesson to be able to finish all the topics in the course. b. Construct another test parallel to the given test to determine the consistency of the scores. c. Count the frequency of errors to find out the lessons that the majority of students need to relearn. d. Record the scores then inform the parents about the very poor performance of their child in mathematics.

9. Mrs. Nogueras is doing an assessment of learning. At what stage of instruction should she do it? a. Before instruction b. After instruction c. Prior to instruction d. During the instructional process

10. Mr. Cartilla developed an Achievement Test in Math for her grade three pupils. Before she finalized the test she examined carefully if the test items were constructed based on the competencies that have to be tested. What test of validity was she trying to establish? a. Content-validity b. Concurrent validity c. Predictive validity d. Construct validity

11. Mrs. Robles wants to establish the reliability of her achievement test in English. Which of the following activities will help achieve her purpose? a. Administer two parallel tests to different groups of students. b. Administer two equivalent tests to the same group of students c. Administer a single test but two different groups of students. d. Administer two different tests but to the same group of students.

Refer to the situation below in answer items 12 and 13 A teacher set the following objectives for the day’s lesson: At the end of the period, the students should be able to: a. Identify the parts of friendly letter b. Construct a friendly letter using the MS Word, and c. Show interest towards the day’s lesson To assess the attainment of the objectives, Ms. Cidro required the students to construct friendly letter and have it encoded at their Computer Laboratory using the MS Word. The letter should inform one’s friend about what one has learned in the day’s lesson and how one felt about it.

12. Which is NOT true about the given case? a. Ms. Cidro practices a balanced assessment. b. Ms. Cidro’s assessment method is performance-based. c. Ms. Cidro needs a rubric in scoring the work of the students. d. Ms. Cidro’s assessment targets are all in the cognitive domain.

13. If Mr. Paraiso will have to make a scoring rubric for the student’s output, what format is better to construct considering that the teacher has limited time to evaluate their work? a. Analytic Rubric b. Holistic Rubric c. Either A or B d. Neither A nor B

14. The school principal has 3 teacher applicants all of whom graduated from the same institution and are licensed teachers. She only needs to hire one. What should she do to choose the best teacher from the three? I. Give them a placement test. II. Interview them on why they want to apply in the school. III. Let them demonstrate how to teach a particular lesson. IV. Study their portfolios to examine the qualities of the students’ outputs when they were in College. a. I and II. b. II and III. c. I and III, IV d. II, III and IV

15. What should be done first when planning for a performance-based assessment? a. Determine the “table of specifications” of the tasks b. Set the competency to be assessed. c. Set the criteria in scoring the task. d. Prepare a scoring rubric.

16. To maximize the amount of time spent for performance-based assessment, which one should be done? a. Plan a task that can be used for instruction and assessment at the same time. b. Assess one objective for one performance task. c. Set objectives only for cognitive domains. d. Limit the task to one meeting only.

17. Who among the teachers below gave the most authentic assessment task for the objective “Solve word problems involving the four basic operations” a. Mrs. Juliano who presented a word problem involving a four fundamental operations and then asked the pupils to solve it. b. Mrs. Mandia who asked her pupils to construct a word problem for a given number sentence that involves four fundamental operations and then asked them to solve the word problem they constructed. c. Mrs. Malang who asked her pupils to construct any word problem that involves the four fundamental operations and then asked them to show how to solve it. d. Mrs. Pontipedra who asked her pupils to construct any word problem that involves the four fundamental operations then formed them by twos so that each pair exchanged problems and help solve each other’s problem.

18. Which is wrong to assume about traditional assessment? a. It can assess individuals objectively. b. It can assess individuals at the same time. c. It is easier to administer than performance test. d. It can assess fairly all the domains of intelligence of an individual

19. Which statement about performance-based assessment is FALSE? a. It emphasizes merely process. b. It also stresses doing, not only knowing. c. It accentuates on process as well as product. d. Essay tests are an example of performance-based assessments.

20. Under which assumption is portfolio assessment based? a. Portfolio assessment is a dynamic assessment. b. Assessment should stress the reproduction of knowledge. c. An individual learner is adequately characterized by a test score. d. An individual learner is inadequately characterized by a test score.

21. Which is a good portfolio evidence of a student’s acquired knowledge and writing skills? a. Project b. Test Results c. Reflective Journal d. Critiqued Outputs

22. When planning for portfolio assessment, which should you do first? a. Set the targets for portfolio assessment. b. Exhibit one’s work and be proud of one’s collection c. Select evidences that could be captured in one’s portfolio d. Reflect on one’s collection and identify strengths and weaknesses

23. Which kind of rubric is best to use in rating students’ projects done for several days? a. Analytic b. Holistic c. Either holistic or analytic d. Both holistic and analytic

24. Which is not true of an analytic rubric? a. It is time consuming b. It is easier to construct than the holistic rubric c. It gives one’s level of performance per criterion d. It allows one to pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of one’s work.

25. Mrs. Bacani prepared a rubric with 5 levels of performance described in 5-excellent, 4-very satisfactory, 3-satisfactory, 2 needs improvement, 1-poor. After using this rubric with these descriptions, she found out that most of her students had a rating of 3. Even those who are evidently poor in their performance had a rating of satisfactory. Cold there be a possible error in the use of the rubric? a. Yes, the teacher could have committed the generosity error. b. Yes, the teacher could have committed the central tendency source of error. c. No, it is just common to see more of the students having grade of 3 in a 5-point scale. d. No, such result is acceptable as long as it has a positive consequence to the students.

Answers: 1C 2A 3A 4C 5C 6A 7C 8C 9D 10A 11B 12D 13B 14D 15B 16A 17D 18D 19A 20D 21C 22A 23A 24B 25B

This website believes that education is a right, not a privilege. This portal does not claim ownership to any materials posted. Likewise, questions are not influenced by PRC professional regulatory board. The main purpose of the reviewer is to assist examinees who chose to review online.

6. Ms. De los Reyes advocates assessment for learning. Which will she not likely do? A. Formative Assessment B. Diagnostic Assessment C. Placement Assessment D. Summative Assessment The answer should be D because "assessment for learning" includes formative, diagnostic, and maybe placement; while summative assessment belongs to the context "assessment of learning" which is different from the rest of the options.

6.C diagonestic ,formative and summative are forms of assessment.placement is one the importance of assessment.

Item#6. Answer is D not A

answer for #9 is "B" (after instruction) because assessment of learning is summative assessment and it is done after the instruction.

You are right!

Summative Assessments are assessments at the end of a unit or quarter not at the end of a lesson

False information. Assessment after the lesson is not yet summative but formative. Assessment of learning is conducted at the end of unit/quarter.

All your comments guys were right.

#ReliabilityOfTest

Kindly explain why the answer of no. 12 is B? Thank you.

Sa totoo niyan the correct answer for me is letter D.

The rationalization of question no. 23

for no. 9 the correct answer should be letter B since Assessment of learning is using to identify what students have learned, can do and the level of their competency. It is also use to know if the instruction have achieved the desired competencies therefore it should be done AFTER THE INSTRUCTION/DISCUSSION.

It question number 6. The answer should be letter D. Because Placement,Diagnostic, Formative are form of assesment for learning while Summative is Of learning which is done after instruction.

On the item number six, is it really formative assessment and not summative assessment?

good day po, pwede po malaman ang explaination kung bakit letter A at D and answer dito? iba po kasi ang sagot ko dito, thank you. 6. Ms. Delos Angeles advocates assessment for learning. Which will she NOT likely do? a. Formative Assessment b. Diagnostic Assessment c. Placement Assessment d. Summative Assessment 9. Mrs. Nogueras is doing an assessment of learning. At what stage of instruction should she do it? a. Before instruction b. After instruction c. Prior to instruction d. During the instructional process

Base from the reviewer that I have the answer is A. Not D. I hope there is an explanation in every item. Nakakalito minsan kung alin ba tamang sagot.

i think tama po ang D kasi based sa question ang hinahanap is ASSUMPTION. true po ang letter A

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Privacy Policy

All rights reserved 2024 @PRCBoard.com