Performance Assessment

Performance assessment is a tool used to assess the ability of a student to perform a task. Experienced people are asked to rate the individual in their task and judge the quality of the work based on a previously agreed upon set of factors or criteria. This a relatively new form of assessment is thought to provide more accurate results for specific information, rather than asking the student to select an answer from a ready-made list.

This option of testing requires that a student demonstrate their knowledge of the subject rather than choosing from multiple choice answers. For instance, a student may be asked to generate a hypothesis, solve a math problem or converse in a foreign language as a means of assessing their knowledge base as opposed to answering a multiple-choice question.

Several options are available to testers for performance assessments. One of which is open ended or extended response exercises, during which questions are asked of students that must be explored either orally or in writing. For instance, an examiner may ask the student what George Washington would have argued about the causes of the American Revolution?

Another type of performance assessment involves extended assignments that go on over several hours, such as drafting, revising a poem or explaining the results of the science experiments. And the third type of performance assessment involves a collection of different performance-based work, commonly called a portfolio. This is a collection of the best pieces that a student has developed and often gives a good view of the student’s strengths and weaknesses. All of these different categories of performance assessments require active development by the student.

Research today has shown that students who learn actively will learn best. Students show a greater interest in an improved level of learning when they are required to be actively involved. The theory is that performance assessment will require the student to apply the information and therefore engage them in greater learning. Obviously, performance assessments must be based on knowledge that the student has gained in their curriculum and not on some unfamiliar curriculum produced in another system. Research shows that most teachers will shape their teaching in a way to meet the requirements of the test. (1)

The best performance tests are instructional and actively engage the students in a worthwhile learning activity. Sometimes students search them out when they are inherently active learners or look for additional information, sometimes working in teams.

However, even though performance assessments give instructors a better understanding of the student’s abilities and knowledge, they come at a price. Obviously, because of the increased time required, planning and thought between students and teachers several changes have to be made in school systems which choose to institute this type of testing and learning. In the past, students were told what to do and using this model must now start thinking about what must be done.

This model also has a higher risk of being unequal or unfair between all students. Special attention must be paid to technical issues to ensure that all students receive the same options and therefore the same knowledge base. Despite some skepticism that this might work, the New York Performance Standards Consortium has developed an assessment system which has been successful in the state of New York leading to quality teaching that enhances student’s education.

Interestingly, this performance assessment system is one that is used specifically in the workforce. In other words, an employee does not usually get promoted unless their performance and results warrant the promotion. Individuals who wish to be considered for hire must complete a resume that indicates all of their previous successes as a performance assessment. And some employers also require that potential employees undergo stringent testing in order to ensure that they hired the best possible individual.

Performance assessments may require a bit more time, energy and a price from the instructors but they answer the dissatisfaction that school systems and teachers have had about as objectively scored testing based on multiple-choice answers. The criticism is based upon the idea that these multiple-choice questions are not a valid measure of what is important to learn at school and that they emphasize the acquisition and memorization of information and not the ability of the students to regurgitate the knowledge in a way that indicates that they have internalized it.

(1) Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Does Active Learning Work? A Review of the Research
http://www.jhsph.edu/offices-and-services/center-for-teaching-and-learning/