Module 2 - Orientation and Assessment
Assessment
Performance-Based Assessment
Performance-based assessment focuses on students demonstrating mastery of certain ideas and skills via specific assessment “tasks” – like independently filling out a check. Standardized assessments often do not measure achievement of these types of skills. Authentic Assessment is often discussed alongside performance-based assessment. This simply means that the tasks students are asked to perform are similar to those in real life. Using performance-based assessment in addition to standardized assessment gives a more complete picture of student progress.
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“I'm not used to taking these big tests - isn't there some other way you can let me know how I'm doing in class and what else I need to work on?” |
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“We have mixed feelings about standardized tests. The scores from standardized tests, while helpful, do not always reflect what skills a student really has.” |
Take a moment to consider what implications the use of performance-based assessment can have for instruction for adult learners.
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On your worksheet, record your initial thoughts about performance-based assessment. |
For a performance-based assessment, students might create a product (a letter of complaint), or demonstrate a skill under observation (measure and weigh a box for shipping), or explain a process (steps in reaching a decision). Rubrics are generally used to measure how well a student performed during the assessment. A rubric is a scoring tool that lists the criteria for a piece of work. It also articulates gradations of quality for each criterion, from excellent to poor. The results should be discussed to determine how well the student’s goal has been attained or the skill mastered.
Below is a real-life adult education scenario. While you are reading, consider the assessment needs of the class and the instructor’s concerns regarding appropriate assessment.
Real-Life Scenario - Marguerite’s New Class:
Marguerite has stepped in for another adult literacy instructor. She normally teaches mostly teens and young adults focused on obtaining a GED. This new class has a wider age range, including some students who are retired. In reviewing her new students’ folders, she finds that very few are working towards their GED tests. Most are focused on basic literacy skills and life skills to build competence in meeting the requirements of family, civic, and work life. While they have standardized assessment results, Marguerite is interested in alternative assessments to gain information for instruction and to show the students’ progress towards their goals.
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On your worksheet, record your thoughts on the assessment needs of these learners and the instructor’s concerns. |
Click the + sign in the box to the right to see ideas from other Adult Education Instructors. | [?] |
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Students need to understand that these “tasks” are actually performance “assessments” – it is important to involve them in the process of identifying skills and qualities that represent mastery of tasks, and the rubrics for measuring performance. That way they can more easily see the connection between what they are doing and accomplishing their goals.
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Unlike traditional achievement tasks, a student can go back and revise or improve upon what they are doing. Be sure to discuss not only how they did, but also discuss plans for revision, additional learning, and more challenging assessment tasks.
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I build performance-based tasks into my classroom activities – sometimes it is as simple as asking, “In what ways do you think this essay shows you understand how to construct complete sentences?” or “Tell me the steps you used in solving this math problem.” These lead to good discussions of whether or not students feel they are making progress.
In reviewing these ideas, did you find any similar to your own? Did any of them strike you as particularly interesting? Did their answers provide any new insights for your instruction of adult learners?
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On your worksheet, make note of any tips, insights, or new ideas gained from the instructors’ suggestions. |
In Summary:
- Typically, performance-based assessments take more time to develop, implement, and score than more formal assessments and are thus more challenging to implement with a larger number of learners.
- Performance-based assessment may be used in conjunction with standardized assessments.
- Performance-based assessments are particularly useful in assessing student mastery of skills not measured, or not measured clearly, by traditional standardized achievement tests.
- Performance-based assessments are useful in assessing how students apply skills in real-life situations.
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On your worksheet, record any final notes or thoughts, specific ideas you want to remember, plans for further study, etc. |
Click "Next" below or a specific topic on the outline to the left to continue.
References:
Andrade, Heidi Goodrich. (NA). Understanding Rubrics. Retrieved July 7, 2006, from http://learnweb.harvard.edu/ALPS/thinking/docs/rubricar.htm.