Performance assessment:
Evaluating what students can do As different types of learning activities are used different types of assessment strategies may be required. Performance assessment relies on a variety of methods, all of which require students to demonstrate what they know or can do by creating an answer or a product (Office of Technology Assessment, 1992). One situation in which educators have traditionally relied on performance assessment is the culminating task in graduate education: a thesis or dissertation, which is a formal written presentation of the graduate student’s original research. Students must use what they have learned throughout their graduate education to plan and implement a research project, interpret and communicate the results of their research as a written product, and defend their written interpretation in a public forum. Graduate education is intended to prepare advanced students to function as independent scholars, and the process of producing and defending a scholarly product assesses their ability to perform in this capacity.
Other types of performance assessment cover a wide continuum of tasks, ranging from essay examinations to collections of work accumulated over time. You are probably already familiar with essay examinations, in which you have written descriptions, analyses, or summaries to demonstrate your understanding. Research and writing tasks conducted outside of class represent a further step along the continuum. Original research and a related exhibition closely resemble the thesis model used with advanced students. A science fair project is a good example. Exhibitions are culminating experiences in which the knowledge or skill gained over many hours of work is displayed. The public nature of the exhibition requires careful consideration of how best to communicate what has been learned, and this additional processing has further cognitive benefits.
At the far end of the continuum, portfolios offer an inclusive summary of student performance. You are probably familiar with the term portfolio as the collection an artist or architect puts together to demonstrate his or her skills. Student portfolios are similar, containing samples of the student’s best work collected over time. Unlike the items in the portfolio of an artist, those in a student portfolio, such as writing samples, are intended to document improvement.
Technology-supported activities can provide many opportunities for performance assessment. Throughout these resources we offer examples and ideas demonstrating how students can use technology as a tool both to learn and to demonstrate what they have learned. The final products that students create are ideal for performance assessment. Thinking of technology in this way is not the most common perspective, but it is clearly one that is gaining attention and credibility. Performance assessment