Performance assessment is the direct, systematic

observation of an actual pupil performance and

rating of that performance according to pre-
established performance criteria. Pupils are asked
to perform a complex task or create a product. They
are assessed on both the process and end result of
their work. Many performance assessments include
real-life tasks that call for higher-order thinking.
(The North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.
NCREL site), (2001)

What is Performance Assessment?
One in which a teacher observes and makes a
judgment about the students demonstration of
a skill or competency in creating a product,
constructing a response, or making a
presentation.

Emphasis on students ability to perform tasks
by producing their own work with their
knowledge and skills.

Examples: singing, playing a piano, performing
gymnastics or completed paper, project
Characteristics of Performance
Assessment
Students perform, create, construct, produce, or do
something
Deep understanding and/or reasoning skills are needed
and assessed
Involves sustained work, often days
Calls on students to explain, justify and defend
Involves engaging ideas of importance and substance
Relies on trained assessors judgments for scoring
Multiple criteria and standards are prespecified
No single correct answer



Strengths &
Weaknesses
of
Performance
Assessments
Strengths Weaknesses
Integrates assessment with
instruction
Learning occurs during
assessment
Provides opportunity for
formative assessment
More authentic
More engaging, active
involvement of students
Emphasis on reasoning skills
Teachers establish criteria to
identify successful performance
Emphasis on application of
knowledge
Encourages student self-
assessment

Reliability may be difficult to
establish
Measurement error due to
subjective nature of the
scoring
Inconsistent student
performance across time may
result in inaccurate
conclusions
Requires considerable
teacher time to prepare and
student time to complete
Difficult to plan for amount
of time needed
PROCESS-ORIENTED
PERFORMANCE-BASED
ASSESSMENT
It is important to assess students
learning not only through their
outputs or products but also the
processes which the students
underwent in order to arrive at
these products or outputs.
Learning entails not only what students know
but what they can do with what they know.

It involves knowledge, abilities, values,
attitudes and habits of mind that affect
academic success and performance beyond
the classroom.
Process-Oriented Learning
Competencies
Information about outcomes is
important. To improve outcomes,
we need to know about student
experience along the way - about
the curricula, teaching, and kind of
students that lead to particular
outcomes.

Assessment can help us understand which
students learn best under what conditions;
which such knowledge comes the capacity to
improve the whole of their learning.

Process-oriented performance-based
assessment is concerned with the actual task
performance rather than the output or product
of the activity.
Competencies are defined as groups
or clusters of skills and abilities
needed for a particular task.
The objectives focus on the
behaviors which exemplify best
practice for the particular task.
Such behavior range from a
beginner or novice level up to the
level of expert.


A performance task enables pupils to
demonstrate their ability to integrate and use
knowledge, skills and work habits in a
meaningful activity. These tasks show how a
pupil uses language in a real-life situation,
rather than just providing information on
pupils theoretical knowledge.
The following are some examples of
performance tasks, divided into products and
performances:

PRODUCTS PERFORMANCES
books (fables, cook books, stories,
flip-flop books, accordion books,
scrolled books, big books, cartoons,
autobiographies, biographies)
song contest, poetry
contest, joke contest
wall display (story train, collage,
poster, ad, bulletin board, exhibition)
game show
computer game, board game, card
game
radio broadcast
advertising campaign multimedia presentation
survey poster presentation
poem/rap/advertising jingle dramatic performance
letter, petition, postcard show-and-tell presentation
PRODUCTS PERFORMANCES
album (alphabet, family,
zoo, holiday)
speech
rules or instructions video clip (news,
weather, interview)
pamphlet (e.g., road safety
rules for parents)
demonstration
(cookery, craft)
3-D model debate
newspaper/
newsletter/article

plan or diagram
storytelling
It has various outcomes; it does not require
one right answer.

It is integrative, combining different skills.

It encourages problem-solving and critical
thinking skills.

It encourages divergent thinking.

It focuses on both product and process.

It promotes independent learning, involving
planning, revising and summation.



The following characteristics should be
remembered when designing a performance
task:
It builds on pupils prior experience.

It can include opportunities for peer
interaction and collaborative learning.

It enables self-assessment and reflection.

It is interesting, challenging, meaningful
and authentic.
It requires time to complete.

(Adapted from Birnbaum, 1997)



An extended performance task may develop
into a project. Following is a definition of a
project adapted from Wiggins and McTighe
(1999, p. 52):
A project is an extended and complex
performance task, usually occurring over a
period of time. Projects usually involve
extensive pupil inquiry culminating in pupil
products and performances which are
assessed using a variety of assessment
tools.

Some examples of projects are included
in the section on Classroom Assessment
Tools:
More information on project work can
be found at http://www.iearn-
canada.org/guideontheside.html and on
the PIE ( Projects in English) website of
the Ministry of Education and the ORT
Network at
http://space.ort.org.il/pie

How to Design
and Assess a
Performance
Task

Step 1.
List the specific skills and knowledge you wish pupils to
demonstrate.

Teachers should identify the goals (i.e., types of
knowledge and skills) pupils are expected to reach in
each teaching unit. This step is quite simple, since the
knowledge and skills a pupil needs are the
Curriculums standards and benchmarks in the various
domains. Once this list is compiled, the teaching goals
to be assessed through performance tasks (as
opposed to other assessment tools) should be
selected.


The process of designing
performance tasks can be
divided into three simple steps.
Step 2. Design a performance
task that requires pupils to
demonstrate these skills and this
knowledge.

Teachers should set tasks that will
demonstrate which language
knowledge and skills have been
developed. The pupils performance
on these tasks should illustrate
what they have learned and the
degree to which they have
achieved the teaching goals.
Performance tasks should be motivating,
challenging and appropriate to pupils
language level and cognitive ability.
Foundation level tasks will be simple and
structured, and as pupils become more
proficient and independent, the tasks will
become more complex and less
structured. As mentioned above, the tasks
should be related to real-life experiences.
See the list of performance task types
above.


Step 3.
Develop explicit performance
criteria and expected performance
levels measuring pupils mastery of
skills and knowledge (rubrics).
Determine criteria for successful task
mastery. The Curriculum specifies
criteria relevant to each domain. The
following section on rubrics will further
clarify this point.

Example:
Task: Perform manicure and pedicure
Objectives: to enable the students to
perform manicure and pedicure.



are descriptive scoring schemes that
are developed by the teachers or
other evaluators to guide the analysis
of the products or process of
students efforts.

- are typically employed when a
judgment of quality is required and
maybe used to evaluate a broad
range of projects activities.


Advantages of using
Rubrics in Assessment
(Adapted from Goodrich, 2000)

Rubrics make teachers and pupils
accountable and aware of the
learning objectives.
The teacher will be able to justify the
grade clearly, with reference to the
criteria. Moreover, involvement of
pupils empowers them, leading to
more focused and self-directed
learning.

Rubrics are easy to understand
and use. They can be referred to
in parent-teacher meetings and
pupil-teacher conferences where
performance is discussed.


Rubrics can improve and
monitor pupils performance, by
clarifying teacher expectations.
Rubrics require the teacher to
clarify his/her criteria and help
define quality (i.e., what the
teacher expects to see in the
final product).
Rubrics can be used as a guide for self/peer
assessment. They promote pupils awareness
of the criteria used in assessing performance.
When the pupils want to ensure they are
meeting the teachers expectations, they can
assess their work using rubrics or request
feedback from peers, based on these
expectations.


Rubrics increase validity,
reliability and fairness in
scoring. They provide for more
objective and consistent
assessment. As criteria
relevant to the task are clearly
defined, similar scores will be
given no matter who is
evaluating the work.

Rubrics provide a profile of pupils
performance, describing strengths and
weaknesses. This is due to the detailed
description of the performance levels.
The teacher will underline or highlight
those parts of the description which
apply to the pupils work.


Rubrics reduce the amount of
time spent by teachers on
evaluating pupils work. Once
the assessment tool has been
designed, it can efficiently
grade even the longest
project.
Rubrics accommodate heterogeneous
classes. All levels are included in the
performance descriptions. In fact, the
more detailed they are, the better they
cover the pupils varying levels. Pupils
can strive to improve performance, as
the requirements for doing so are clear.
Rubrics encourage those pupils who
may be weak in some criteria but
talented in others, since they will not
just be evaluated by a low overall
numerical grade.


The criteria for a scoring
rubrics are statements which
identify what really counts
in the final output.


- Grading essays is just one
example of performances that
may be evaluated using
scoring rubrics.

3.3 scoring
rubrics
Scoring rubrics may be used:

Evaluate group activities
Extend projects and oral
presentations

3.3 scoring
rubrics
Authentic assessment

Checklist may be used rather
than scoring rubrics in the
evaluation of essays.

3.3 scoring
rubrics
Checklist

Enumerate a set of
desirable characteristics
which are actually
observed.

3.3 scoring
rubrics
Benefits of scoring rubrics
in the evaluation process

1. support the examination of the
extent to which the specified
criteria have been reached.
2. provide feedback to students
concerning how to improve their
performances.

General vs. Task Specific.

1
The identification of the qualities and
attributes that the teacher wishes to observe
in the students outputs that would
demonstrate their level of proficiency.
2
determined whether holistic or an
analytical rubric would be more
appropriate
3
The identification and definition of the
criteria for lowest level of performance.
Process of development scoring rubrics
Example
Criteria 1 2 3
Number of
Appropriate hand
gestures

X1
1 - 4 5 - 9 10 - 12
Appropriate facial
expression

X1

Lots of
inappropriate
facial expression
Few
inappropriate
facial
expression
No apparent
inappropriate
facial
expression
Voice inflection X2 Monotone voice
used
Can vary
voice
inflection
with
difficulty
Can easily
vary voice
inflection
Incorporate proper
ambiance through
feelings in the voice

X3
Recitation
contains very
little feelings
Recitation
has some
feelings
Recitation
fully captures
ambiance
through
feelings in the
voice
Descriptors
Descriptors spell out what is expected of
students at each level of performance for
each criterion.

It tells students what performance looks like at
each level and how their work may be
distinguished from the work of others for
each criterion.


Why include levels of performance?
1. Clearer expectations
Students know what is expected of them
and teachers know what to look for in
students performance.

Students better understand what good
performance on the task looks like if levels
of performance are identified.
2. More consistent and objective assessment

3. Better feedback

4. Analytic versus holistic rubrics
An analytic rubric articulates levels of
performance for each criterion so that teacher can
assess students performance on each criterion.
Holistic rubric does not list separate levels of
performance for each criterion. Instead, it assigns
a level of performance across multiple criteria as a
whole.

3 Excellent Speaker
Included 10 12 changes in hand gestures
No apparent inappropriate facial expressions
Utilizes proper voice inflection
Can create proper ambiance for the poem
2 Good Speaker
Included 5 9 changes in hand gestures
Few inappropriate facial expressions
Have some inappropriate voice inflection changes
Almost creating proper ambiance
1 Poor Speaker
Included 1 4 changes in hand gestures
Lots of inappropriate facial expressions
Uses monotone voice
Cannot create proper ambiance
Example of Analytic Scoring Rubric
(for a Writing Sample)
Objective: Write a character study

Scoring Rubric
Ideas 20 points
Creative presentation 5
Variety of character traits presented 10
Vivid mental pictures 5
Organizations 10 points
Logical presentation of topics 2
Definite pattern discernible 5
Conclusion follows from details 3
Development 20 points
All details relevant 10
Use of a variety of literary devices 5
Variety in sentence structure 5
Conventions 10 points
Grammatical constructions 3
Spelling 2
Punctuation 3
Handwriting 2
Example of Holistic Rubric
Objective: Write a paper to persuade the reader to accept clearly defined point of view and
course of action
Holistic Scoring Rubric (a paper on persuading the reader )
1 Little or no evidence of the skill
Inappropriate language for the intended audience
Few or no supporting arguments
Details lacking or irrelevant

2. Competent performance
Clear and appropriate language for the intended audience
Most supporting arguments are plausible and relevant
Most details are relevant
Evidence of some innovative thinking

3. Outstanding performance
Clear, interesting, and appropriate language
Many plausible and relevant supporting arguments
Ideas are creative and well-expressed
When to choose an analytic rubric
For assignments that involve a larger number of
criteria
When to use holistic rubric?
When a quick or gross judgment needs to be
made
If the assignment is a minor one such as brief
assignment (e.g. check, check-plus, or no check)
to quickly review student work.

How many levels of performance should I
include in my Rubric?
No specific number of levels
Will vary depending on the task and your needs
Start with at least three levels and then expand if
necessary.
Example:


Makes eye contact with audience never sometimes always
Makes eye
contact

never

rarely

sometimes

usually

always
Exercises
A. For each of the following tasks, identify at least three
process-oriented learning competencies.
1. Constructing an angle using a straight edge and a compass

2. Writing an essay about EDSA I

3. Performing a play on the importance of national language

4. Role to illustrate the concept of Filipino family values

5. Constructing three-dimensional models of solids from card boards