Assessments Tools

Assesment

What is the purpose of a performance assessment?

The purpose of performance assessment is to evaluate the actual process of doing an object of learning. Students are expected to be able to apply knowledge learnt in class to solve problems in the task. Apart from that, students may need to use their thinking skill in order to complete the task.

Performance-based assessments share the key characteristic of accurately measuring one or more specific course standards. They are also complex, authentic, process/product-oriented, open-ended, and time-bound.
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This scenario included five key components:

• Setting.
• Role.
• Audience.
• Time frame.
• Product.

What is the first step in creating a performance assessment?

1. Determine the purpose of the assessment.
2. Specify the skills and outcomes along with their respective taxonomic level.
3. Specify the performance criteria that will be used to judge student work and identify observable indicators of those criteria.
4. Create an authentic and meaningful context for the task.

Performance-based assessments can be tasks that are assigned to students daily or at the end of the unit as a summative test. The performance tasks can come in many different forms depending on what you are working on. Ideas for assessments could be:

• Writing on a culture topic, explaining a grammar rule
• Drawing, sketching – De’VIAor signs
• Research – Learning about Deaf education, Deaf history or famous Deaf people
• Giving a presentation – Showing what they can talk about
• Conversations – Unrehearsed partner or group discussions on an assigned topic like hearing privilege or housing 
• Pictures – Show images to determine classifiers, room arrangements or clothing

Advantages of Performance - Based Assessment

• Direct observation of student learning
• Enjoyable for students 
• Good instructional alignment
• Instructional feedback
• Higher order thinking skills
• Measeures multiple objectives and concepts
• Multiple chances to get it right
• Active student learning

Disadvantages 

• Not good for assessing knowledge learning tagets 
• Time - Consuming 
• Students of lower abilities may experience frustation
• Inconsistent student performance across time may result in inaccurate conclusions

Sample

The number rating stands for the following: 1= Bad 2= Good 3 Pretty Good 4= Excelent

Circle the answer that fits most.

How well does the student present his topic?						Notes/Comments
1	Student is prepared for the presentation.	1	2	3	4
2	Student knows the subject.	1	2	3	4
3	Student is organized and neat.	1	2	3	4
4	Student manages his time well	1	2	3	4
5	Student is creative in developing presentation and activities.	1	2	3	4