PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

Designing performance assessment entails critical processes which start from the tasks that the teacher wants to
assess. A well-designed performance assessment helps the student to see the connections between the knowledge,
skills, and abilities they have learned from the classroom, including the experiences which help them to construct
their own meaning of knowledge.
The following steps will guide you in developing a meaningful performance assessment both process and product
that will match to the desired learning outcomes.

1. Defining the Purpose of Assessment

The first step in designing performance-based assessment is to define the purpose of assessment. Defining the
purpose and target of assessment provides information on what students need to be performed in a task given. By
identifying the purpose, teachers are able to easily identify the weaknesses and strengths of the students’
performance. Purpose must be specified at the beginning of the process so that the proper kinds of performance
criteria and scoring procedures can be established. Basic questions which teachers ask in determining possible
learning competencies to be considered are listed below.
Herman (1992)
Basically, the teacher should select those learning targets which can be assessed by performance which fits to the
plan along with the assessment techniques to be utilized for measuring other complex skills and performance.
1.1.  Four Types of Learning Targets Used in Performance Assessment
In defining the purpose of assessment, learning targets must be carefully identify and taken in consideration.
Performance assessments primarily use four types of learning targets which are deep understanding. reasoning,
skills, and products (McMillan, 2007),
 
Deep Understanding
The essence of performance assessment includes the development of students’ deep understanding. The idea is to
involve students meaningfully in hands-on activities to extended periods of time so that their understanding is rich
and more extensive than what can be attained by more conventional instruction and traditional paper-and-pencil
assessments. This focuses on the use of knowledge and skills.
Reasoning
Reasoning is essential with performance assessment as the students demonstrate skills and construct products.
Typically, students are given a problem to solve or ar: asked to make a decision or other outcome, such as a letter to
the editor or schor newsletter; based on information that is provided.
Skills
In addition to logical and reasoning skills, students are required to demonstrate communication, presentation, and
psychomotor skills. These targets are ideally ‘ m to performance assessment.
Psychomotor Skills
Psychomotor skills describe clearly the physical action required for a given tasks. These may be developmentally
appropriate skills or skills that are needed for specific tasks: fine motor skills (holding a pen, focusing a microscope,
and using scissors gross motor actions (jumping and lifting), more complex athletic skills (shooting basketball or
playing soccer), some visual skills, and verbal / auditory skills for yo children. These skills also identify the level at
which the skill is to be performed.
Generally, deep understanding and reasoning involve in-depth, complex thinking about what is known and
application of knowledge and skills in novel and more sophisticated ways. Skills include student proficiency in
reasoning, communication and psychomotor tasks.
Products
Are completed works, such as term papers, projects, and other assignments in which students use their knowledge
and skills.
1.2 Process and Product-Oriented Performance-Based Assessments
In defining the purpose of assessment, the teacher should identify whether the students will have to demonstrate a
process or a product. if the learning outcomes deal on the procedures which you could specify, then it focuses on
process assessment, in assessing the process, it is essential also that assessment should be done while the students
are performing the procedures or steps.
Learning targets which require students to demonstrate process include the procedures of proper handling /
manipulating of microscope, or steps to be done when in an earthquake drill. Mathematical operations, reciting a
poem, and constructing a table of specification are other examples of this target.
Example of process-oriented performance-based assessment in which the main domain is Oral Language and
Fluency (Enclosure No. 4, DepEd Order No. 73, S. 2012):
 
 
Example 1: English Grade 7
 
Content Standard:                  The students demonstrate oral language proficiency and fluency in         various social
contexts.
Performance Standard:           The learner proficiently renders rhetorical pieces.
Task:                                        Oral – Aural Production (The teacher may use dialogs or passages from other written
or similar texts).
 
Specific Competencies:
 

1. Observe the right syllable stress pattern in different categories.

2. Observe the use of the rising and falling intonation, rising intonation, and the combination of both
intonation patterns in utterances.
3. Demonstrate how. prosodic patterns affect understanding of the message.

 
Example 2: Filipino Grade 7
Kakayahan (domain): Pag-unawa sa Napakinggan
 
Pamantayang Pangnilalaman (Content Standard): Naipamamalas ng mga mag-aaral ang pagunawa sa paksa ng
akdang napakinggan.
 
Pamantayan sa Pagganap para sa aralin (Performance Standard): Ang mga mag-aaral av nakasusulat ng talata na
may kaugnayan sa paksa ng akdang napakinggan.
 
Kakayahan:

1. Nakapagbabahagi ng mga nasaliksik na impormasyon.

2. Nakapag-uugnav ng mga nasaiiksik na impormasyon sa paksa ng akdang napakinggan.
3. Natutukoy ang ilang akda o awitin na may pagkakatulad sa paksa ng akdang napakinggan.

 
Usually, the learning objectives start with a general competency which is the main target of the task, and it follows
with specific competencies which are observable on th target behavior or competencies. This can be observed also in
defining the purpose of assessment for product-oriented performance-based assessment.
Sometimes, even though you teach specific process the learning outcomes simply implies that the major focus is
product that the student produces. Nitko (2011) suggested focusing assessment on the product students produce if
most or all of the evidence abou their achievement of the learning targets is found in the product itself, and little or
none of the evidence you need to evaluate students is found in the procedures they use or the way in which they
perform.
Assessment of products must be done if the students will produce a variety of better ways to produce high quality
products, sometimes, method or sequence does not make difference as long as the product’ is the focus of the
assessment.
Examples of learning targets which require students to produce products include; building a garden, conducting
classroom-based researches, publishing newspaper and creating commercials or powerpoint presentation.
 
In the given examples 1 and 2 for English and Filipino Grade’7 domains, product – oriented performance-based
assessment can be stated as:

 Use the correct prosodic patterns (stress, intonation, phrasing, pacing, tone) in rendering various speech
acts or in oral reading activities, and
 Nakasusulat ng talatang nagsasalaysay rig iiang pangyayari sa kasalukuyan ng may kaugnayan sa paksa
ng akdang napakinggan.

 
Below is another example of product-oriented performance-based assessment task.
 
Example 3: Creating a Book Cover Taken from a Digital Camera
 
Performance Task: Creating A Book Cover
 
Competencies: The students should be able to:
 

1. Generate appropriate shots for book cover using digital camera;

2. Use a page lay-out software (MS Publisher) or presentation software (MS Powerpoint);
 3. Create size estimation of image, shapes, and textbox in terms of importance, emphasis and visual hierarchy;
and
4. Demonstrate skills in information design principles such as clarity, balance, relevance, contrast, alignment,
repetition and proximity.

 
Product-oriented competencies require students to demonstrate multiple levels of metacognitive skills which require
the use of complex procedural skills for creating authenti’ product. The discussion on the steps of designing
performance-based assessment shall be focused on the process and product assessments.
 

2. Identifying Performance Tasks

Having a clear understanding of the purpose of assessment, the next step is to identify performance tasks which
measure the learning target you are about to assess. Some targets imply that the tasks should be structured; others
require unstructured tasks. Below are some questions that should be answered in designing tasks:
 

 What ranges of tasks do the learning targets imply?

 Which parts of the tasks should be structured, and to what degree?
 Does each task require students to perform all the important elements implied by the learning targets?
 Do the tasks allow me to assess the achievement dimensions 1 need to assess?
 What must l tell students about the task and its scoring to communicate to them what they need to perform?
o Will students with different ethnic and social backgrounds interpret my task appropriately?

(Nitko 2011)
Performance needs to be identified so that students may know what tasks and criteria to be performed. In this case, a
task description must be prepared to provide the listing of specification of the tasks and will elicit the desired
performance of the students. Task description should include the following: ‘
 
 

1. Content and skill targets to be assessed

2. Description of the student activities
3. Group or individual
4. Help allowed
5. Resource needed
6. Teacher role
7. Administrative process
8. Scoring procedures

 
 
(McMillan 2007)
 
Tasks on the other hand should be meaningful and must let the student he personally involved in doing and creating
the tasks. This could be done by Selecting a task which has personal meaning for most of the students. Choose a task
in which students have the ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills from classroom activities or other similar
ways. These asks should be of high value, worth teaching to, and worth learning as well.
In creating performance tasks, one should specify the learning targets, the criteria by which you will evaluate
performance, and the instructions ‘for completing the task. Include also the time needed to complete the tasks. Be
sure students understand how long a response you are expecting. Some learning targets can be assessed in a
relatively short period of 20 to 30 minutes. But it also depends on the learning targets which necessitate-a longer
time. Examples are conducting opinion survey and gathering of data for research which need more than two weeks
and done outside of the class. With these activities. the results can make a valid generalization of how the students
achieved the learning target.
Participation of groups must be considered also in crafting performance tasks. Some tasks require cooperative or
collaborative learning or in group tasks. With this, the number of tasks must be given an attention as well, as a rule,
the fewer the number of tasks, the fewer targets can be assessed in a given performance.
 
2.1 Suggestions for Constructing Performance Tasks
 
The development of high-quality performance assessments that effectively measure complex learning outcomes
requires attention to task development and to the ways in which performances are rated. Linn (1995) suggested ways
to improve the development of tasks:

1. Focus on learning outcomes that require complex cognitive skills and student performances. Tasks
need to be developed or selected in light of important learning outcomes. Since performance-based tasks
generally require a substantial investment of student time, they should be used primarily to assess learning
outcomes that are not adequately measured by less time-consuming approaches.
2. Select or develop tasks that represent both the content and the skills that are central to important
learning outcomes. It is important to specify the range of content and resources students can use in
performing task. In any event, the specification of assumed content understandings is critical in ensuring
that a task functions as intended.
3. Minimize the difference of task performance on skills that are irrelevant to the intended purpose of
the assessment task. The key here is to focus on the attention of the assessment. Example is the ability to
read complicated texts and the ability to communicate clearly are both important learning outcomes, but
they are not necessarily the intent of a particular assessment
4. Provide the necessary scaffolding for students to be able to understand the tasks and what is
expected. Challenging tasks often involve ambiguities and require students to experiment, gather
information, formulate hypothesis, and evaluate their own progress in solving a problem. However,
problems cannot be solved in a vacuum. Students need to have a prior knowledge and skills required to
address the problem. These prerequisites can be a natural outcome of prior instruction or may be built into
the task.
5. Construct task directions so that the student’s task is clearly indicated. Vague directions can lead to
such a diverse array of performances that it becomes impossible to rate them in a fair or reliable fashion.
By design, many performance-based tasks give students a substantial degree of freedom to explore,
approach problems in different ways and come up with novel solution.
6. Clearly communicate performance expectations in terms of the criteria by which the performances
will be judged. Specifying the criteria to be used in rating performance helps clarify task expectations for a
student. Explaining the criteria that will be used in rating performances not only provides students with
guidance on how to focus their efforts, but helps to convey priorities for learning outcomes.

Example of Process-Oriented performance task on Problem Solving and Decicsion-making:

Example 4 Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Performance Task
 
 
 
Key Competencies:

1. Uses reading skills and strategies to comprehend and interpret what is read.
2. Demonstrate competence in speaking and listening as tools for learning.
3. Construct complex‘sentences.

.
 
Your friend is going through a difficult time. You have tried talking about the issue but to no avail. After much
thought you recall a book you had read where the character went through a similar experience as your friend. How
might the book help your friend deal with the problem? What other sources of information or resources could you
find I; to help your friend? What might be some strategies your friend could use? Use your writing skills to compose
a letter to your friend as to why he should read the book or il resources you have collected. Be sure your letter
contains examples from the readings, your feelings and encouragement.
As a problem solver, devise a plan to meet with your friend to identify possible solutions to the problem after he has
read the materials. Be sure you are considerate of feelings and outline steps you’ll take to make sure your discussion
is one of collaboration.
You will be assessed on your ability to make informed decisions, your ability to create a letter with complex
sentences, your ability to solve problem and your ability to work collaboratively with a peer.
Adapted from Educational Planning, Portland Public Schools
The example below shows performance task for product-oriented performance-based assessment:
 
Competency: Prepare Useful Solution
 
 
Performance Task
Barangay Luntian is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the theme “Kalikasan Ko, Mahal Ko”. The
barangay’captain called for a council meeting to discuss the preparations for the program. As a councilc’ir, you are
asked to take charge of the preparation. of “Natural Beverage” for the guests. This healthful drink should promote
your locally produced fruits or vegetables as well as health and wellness. On your next council meeting, you will
Dresent your plan for the, preparation of the drink and let the council member do the taste testing. The council
members will rate your drink based on the following criteria: Practicality, Preparation, Availability of materials,
Composition of solution (drink
GRASPS: A Model for
Meaningful Assessment

Do you want to make assessment more meaningful in your teaching practice? Less
rote? More engaging? More impactful on students’ current and future lives?

In their 2005 book, Understanding by Design, education scholars, Grant Wiggins and

Jay McTighe, advocate for a different approach to assessment that delineates
between performance tasks assessments and more traditional forms of
assessment. More traditional forms of assessment, or “academic prompts” as
Wiggins and McTighe call them:

 Require students to think critically,

 Involve analysis, synthesis, and evaluation,

 Are scored with rubrics, and

 Usually only occur in academic environments.

While performance task assessments:

 Attempt to simulate problems and situations that arise in a multitude of

work environments not limited to academic environments;

 Allow students to personalize the required product (a project, performance,

etc.) to their own interests and/or learning objectives; and

 Usually require the student to address an audience other than the instructor.

Academic prompts and performance tasks serve different purposes and provide
different ways of demonstrating learning. Both usually engage critical thinking
and/or application of some sort and build on one another in helpful ways. However,
academics often utilize academic prompts more because it is most often how
accomplishment is demonstrated in the unique work environment of the academy.
However, considering that as of 2015, only 2% of the American population has
doctoral degrees, it is imperative that students experience assessments based on a
variety of different contexts (Wilson, 2017).

Designing Performance Task

Assessments
Per Wiggins & McTighe (2006), the root of a performance task is a problem which is
not to be confused with an exercise. An exercise “involves a straightforward
execution of a ‘move’ out of context” (p. 155). In other words, exercises are discrete.
Problems, on the other hand, involve integration of knowledge and skills as applied
to a problem designed to simulate “real-world” scenarios. Problems allow students
to see what they do in the classroom beyond the four walls of the classroom (or
learning management system). Wiggins and McTighe argue that problems provide
evidence of “genuine understanding” (p. 153).

To achieve this kind of understanding, Edmund J. Hansen (2011) provides some

additional guidelines for designing performance task assessments:
  “Be realistically contextualized,

 Require judgement and innovation,

 Ask the student to ‘do’ the subject,

 Replicate key challenging situations in which professionals are truly ‘tested’ in

their field,

 Assess the student’s ability to use a repertoire of knowledge and skill, and

 Allow appropriate opportunities to rehearse, practice, and get feedback.” (p.

149)

Constructing an assignment based on these guidelines can be tricky, but Wiggins

and McTighe’s GRASPS model is an excellent starting point. GRASPS is an acronym
for:

 Goal – states the problem or challenge to be resolved.

 Role – explains who students are in the scenario and what they are being
asked to do.

 Audience – who the students are solving the problem for, who they need to
convince of the validity and success of their solution for the problem.
(Remember, the audience is not limited to the instructor.)

 Situation – provides the context of the situation and any additional factors
that could impede the resolution of the problem.

 Product, Performance, and Purpose – explains the product or performance

that needs to be created and its larger purpose.

 Standards and Criteria for Success – dictates the standards that must be met
and how the work will be judged by the assumed audience.

Once these aspects are addressed, a single, succinct statement can be formed. For
example, here’s a performance task prompt for a literature class focused on comic
books:
As the first group of students in the comic studies course, your job is to help future
students and educators understand comics as a medium. You will have to help
them overcome the common misconceptions that comics are a genre and an
inferior form of literature in order to expand their understanding of what comics
are and can be. In order to do this, you will create an infographic that succinctly
conveys your points in an engaging way. Your infographic should be easy to follow
and visually engaging.

Wiggins & McTighe use the following example from a college physical education
and health class:

Playing the role of a trainer at a health club, you will develop a fitness program,
consisting of aerobic, anaerobic, and flexibility exercises, for a new client. The
fitness plan needs to take into account the client’s lifestyle, age, activity level, and
personal fitness goals. You will be given detailed descriptions of various clients. (p.
160)

What is essential to performance task assessments is constructing prompts that are

traditionally written as “write a paper or answer questions” as problems that
students must solve. To do this, think about the sorts of problems students might
encounter in the types of career they may end up in after school (whether
discipline-specific or not). Consider talking to former students and/or professionals
in the field about the kind of problems they often encounter as a jumping off point
for designing performance tasks assessments for your own course.

References
Center for Learning Experimentation, Application, and Research. (2016). Teaching
Resources for Engaged Educators [online training modules]. Denton, TX: University
of North Texas.
Hansen, E.J. (2011). Idea-Based Learning: A Course Design Process to Promote
Conceptual Understanding. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing. 15-22. Print.

Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle

River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Print.

Wilson, R. (2017, April 3). Census: More Americans have college degrees than ever
before. The Hill. Retrieved from

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