Classroom

Assessment
A Practical Guide for Educators
by Craig A. Mertler

Chapter 6

Performance-Based
Assessments

Introduction

Performance-based assessments (also known as

performance assessments) require students to
apply knowledge and skills.

Performance assessments can be used

formatively or summatively.

These assessments can be labor- and timeintensive.

They also tend to be quite diverse.

Characteristics of
Performance-Based
Assessments
Performance assessments: present students with

hands-on tasks or other performance-based

activities that students must complete individually
or in small groups; work is evaluated using
preestablished criteria.
consist of two components:
a performance task (actual prompt or activity)
a scoring rubric (scoring guide consisting of
pre-established performance criteria)
permit direct observation of student skills and
capabilities (very different from pencil-and-paper
tests)

Characteristics of
Performance-Based
Assessments
Performance assessments (continued)

must be linked to instructional objectives

tend to be less abstract than more traditional

forms of assessment (more real world)

based in the real world = authentic

assessment
the assessments, by themselves, are
meaningful learning activities

concept of performance assessments is not

new; used for years in other fields

Characteristics of
Performance-Based
Assessments

Performanceassessments

Characteristics of
Performance-Based
Assessments
Performance assessments (continued)

basic requirements:
specific behaviors or capabilities should be
observed
appropriately measure complex
capabilities or skills that cannot be
measured with pencil-and-paper tests
tasks must focus on teachable processes
can judge appropriateness of behavior or
understanding

Characteristics of
Performance-Based
Assessments
Performance assessments (continued)

basic requirements (continued):

can judge appropriateness of behavior or
understanding, which provides information
about strengths and weaknesses
require products of behaviors that are
valuable in their own right
tasks should encourage student reflection

Characteristics of
Performance-Based
Assessments
Performance assessments (continued)

process versus product assessment

Process assessment: specifically targets
procedures used by students to solve problems.
Product assessment: results in tangible outcome.
Teachers are usually more interested in one or
the other, although the task may require both.
Decisions must be made about focus of the task.

Developing PerformanceBased Assessment Tasks

Four essential features to keep in mind

performance assessment tasks should:
1)

Have a clear purpose that specifies the

decision that will be made resulting from the
assessment.

very crucial step

will results be used for formative or

summative purposes?

will focus be on process, product, or both?

Developing PerformanceBased Assessment Tasks

2)

Identify the observable aspects of student

performance or product that will be judged.

Performance criteria: specific observable

standards by which student performances
or products will be assessed.

Must be observable.

Again, consider whether focus will be on

process, product, or both.

Must be stated clearly.

Criteria should be limited to a reasonable

and manageable number.

Developing PerformanceBased Assessment Tasks

3)

4)

Provide an appropriate setting for

completing the task.
Result in one or more scores that describe
the performance.

Selecting existing tasks vs. developing your

own

Developing PerformanceBased Assessment Tasks

Designing Performance Tasks:
Step-by-Step Procedure
Step 1:
Determine the purpose of the assessment.
Step 2:
Specify the skills and outcomes along with
their respective taxonomic level.
Step 3:
Specify the performance criteria that will be
used to judge student work, and identify
observable indicators of those criteria.
Step 4:
Create an authentic and meaningful context
for the task.
Step 5:
Develop a scoring instrument.
Step 6:
Generate or select exemplary student
responses.

Step 7:
Revise the task, as necessary.

Methods of Scoring
Performance-Based
Assessments
Typically, there are no simple right or wrong answers;

they must be assessed along some sort of continuum.

Focus on degrees (e.g., quality, proficiency,

understanding, etc.).

Goal is to try to reduce potential subjectivity in

scoring.

Share scoring instrument with students from the

outset; provides guidance for students with respect to
open-ended nature of performance tasks.

Methods of Scoring
Performance-Based
Assessments

Rubrics

Methods of Scoring
Performance-Based
Assessments
Checklists: lists of behaviors, skills; indicate whether

each behavior or skill has been observed.

Best when used formatively, to provide quick

indication of strengths and weaknesses.

Rating scales: permit teachers to indicate frequency

or degree to which behavior or skill is exhibited.

Rubrics: rating scales that are specifically used for

scoring results of performance assessments.

Methods of Scoring
Performance-Based
Assessments
Rubrics: scoring guides consisting of specific pre

established performance criteria; are used in

evaluating student work on performance assessments.

two types:
Holistic rubric: score assigned to overall process
or product.

used when errors in process can be tolerated

used with tasks where there is no definitive

correct response

quicker to score, but less feedback

Methods of Scoring
Performance-Based
Assessments

Template for Holistic Rubrics

Score

Description

Demonstrates complete understanding of the problem.

All requirements of task are included in the response.

Demonstrates considerable understanding of the

problem. All requirements of the task are included.

Demonstrates partial understanding of the problem.

Most requirements of the task are included.

Demonstrates little understanding of the problem. Many

requirements of the task are missing.

Demonstrates no understanding of the problem.

No response/task not attempted.

Methods of Scoring
Performance-Based
Assessments
Rubrics (continued)

Analytic rubric: individual components of the

product or performance are scored separately.

Used when more focused type of response

is required.

Usually results in several scores, which may

be summed to obtain a total score.

Slower scoring process; more detailed

feedback.

Methods of Scoring
Performance-Based
Assessments
Templatefor Analytic ScoringRubrics

Criteria
#1

Beginning
1
Description
reflecting
beginning
levelof
performance

Criteria
#2

Description
reflecting
beginning
levelof
performance

Criteria
#3

Description
reflecting
beginning
levelof
performance

Criteria
#4

Description
reflecting
beginning
levelof
performance

Developing
2
Description
reflecting
movement
toward
masterylevel
of
performance
Description
reflecting
movement
toward
masterylevel
of
performance
Description
reflecting
movement
toward
masterylevel
of
performance
Description
reflecting
movement
toward
masterylevel
of
performance

Accomplished
3
Description
reflecting
achievementof
masterylevelof
performance

Exemplary
4
Description
reflecting
highestlevel
of
performance

Description
reflecting
achievementof
masterylevelof
performance

Description
reflecting
highestlevel
of
performance

Description
reflecting
achievementof
masterylevelof
performance

Description
reflecting
highestlevel
of
performance

Description
reflecting
achievementof
masterylevelof
performance

Description
reflecting
highestlevel
of
performance

TotalScore

Score

_________

Methods of Scoring
Performance-Based
Assessments
Rubrics (continued)
One type of rubric is not inherently better
than the other; serves different purposes.

Teachers must decide which format

meets their needs and the needs of the
task.

Levels of proficiency, etc., may be

qualitative, quantitative, or both.

Methods of Scoring
Performance-Based
Assessments
Rubrics (continued)
Potentially frustrating aspect of rubrics is
converting them to grades.
No one specific way to accomplish this.
Rubric Score

Grade

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

A+
A
B+
B
C+
C
U
U
U

Category
Excellent
Excellent
Good
Good
Fair
Fair
Unsatisfactory
Unsatisfactory
Unsatisfactory

Developing PerformanceBased Assessment Scoring

Rubrics
DesigningScoringRubrics:
StepbyStepProcedure

Step1:
Step2:
Step3:

Reexamine the learning objectives to be addressed by the task.

Identify specific observable attributes that you want to see (as well as those you dont want to see)
your students demonstrate in their product, process, or performance.
Brainstorm characteristicsthat describe each attribute.

For Analytic Rubrics

Step6:
Step7:

Collect samples of student work that exemplify each level.

Revise the rubric, as necessary.

Validity and Reliability of

Performance-Based
Assessments
Validity

can be enhanced by sharing with students the

criteria that will be used to judge their work
must ensure that performance is not task specific
students must possess the necessary prerequisite
skills in order to demonstrate the complex skills
that may be required by the task
tasks should be fair to all students
Reliability
rubrics should be designed to reduce subjectivity
teachers must avoid their personal biases in
scoring tasks

Advantages and Limitations

of Performance-Based
Assessments
Advantages

Can assess students abilities to do.

Can assess skills that cannot be assessed through
more traditional methods.
Can assess thinking processes as well as products.
Can be used to improve instructional practice.
Limitations
Main limitation is the amount of time involved.
Inefficient when used to assess lower-level skills.
Due to subjectivity, reliability tends to be lower.
Students of lower abilities may experience frustration.