Performance-Based Assessment to Measure Understanding

Performance-based assessment, which became a popular alternative to multiple choice tests in the 1990s, has been overshadowed by the recent emphasis on standardized tests. More recently, however, schools are seeking more authentic measures of student learning, and performance-based assessments are making a comeback. Notable author and education consultant, Jay McTighe, defines a performance task as “any learning activity or assessment that asks students to perform to demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and proficiency.” While most performance tasks tend to be focused in areas of the arts and career technology, McTighe argues that performance tasks should be used for all subjects at all grade levels. Performance tasks allow students to be assessed on their understanding of the content and subject matter, requiring them to use higher order thinking skills to demonstrate their learning.

Patricia Hilliard’s recent article, Performance-Based Assessment: Reviewing the Basics, highlights the essential components of a performance-based assessment. In addition to meeting the standards, the assessment should also be:

1. Complex
2. Authentic
3. Process/product-oriented
4. Open-ended
5. Time-bound

Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe’s book, Understanding by Design, is an excellent resource for getting started with performance-based assessment. In this book, they encourage teachers to start their planning with the assessment and then work backwards from there to determine what to teach. Hilliard recommends that teachers create performance-based assessments for their students based on this "backward design" process. Below are some suggestions for getting started:

1. Identify goals of the performance-based assessment
2. Select the appropriate course standards
3. Review assessments and identify learning gaps
4. Design the scenario
5. Gather or create materials
6. Develop a learning plan

Pepper provides a wide range of courses for teachers that allow for creative and authentic assessment opportunities. As you participate in Pepper's online learning community discuss with peers and determine ways to create performance-based assessments for your students. Be sure to check out our wide range of Pepper Courses to further your own professional growth.

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Maker Education: Learning by Doing

Piaget once said, “Knowledge is a consequence of experience.” The constructivist movement, and more recently, project-based learning initiatives, have long proposed the need of an active, engaging learning environment for students. The difference in “Maker” classrooms is that students aren’t just using apps - they’re creating them. 

Maker education is more than just legos and building things. Sylvia Martinez, co-author of Invent to Learn, believes that mathematician, Seymour Papert, could be considered one of the “founders” of the Maker movement. According to Martinez, “Papert's constructionism takes Piagetian constructivist theory a step further toward action. Although the learning happens inside the learner's head, it happens most reliably when the learner is engaged in a personally meaningful activity that makes the learning real and shareable. This shareable construction may take the form of a robot, musical composition, paper-mache volcano, poem, conversation, or new hypothesis.” Creating from knowledge, the heart of the Maker movement, truly makes learning meaningful.

Maker education is not something that’s happening just in schools and classrooms. More and more hands-on learning centers and technology discovery centers are popping up in museums, art studios, and libraries. These hands-on centers, known as “makerspaces”, are taking these community resource locations into the 21st century.

Edutopia’s article, How the Maker Movement Is Moving Into Classrooms, provides an excellent resource of terminology and trends to help educators understand the Maker movement. I would encourage educators to check out this thorough resource for more information.

Your Pepper professional development Courses and Resource Library can help you transition to a more engaged and active classroom. We’re adding new courses and resources regularly, so be sure to check them out.

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STEAM = STEM + Arts

A couple of weeks ago we focused on the importance of creativity in the classroom - both for teachers and students. Creativity is not just reserved for arts education, but is widely being integrated throughout curriculum. Additionally, it’s a 21st century skill employers are looking for in its employees. Creativity - in the form of arts education, is making itself known in the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). There's a new letter in the acronym - A, for Arts - that changes STEM to STEAM. Many believe that educating our students in these areas will be crucial to both their future and the future of our country.

According to Edutopia article, Creativity is the Secret Sauce in STEM, “Researchers have found that play is important for productive thought. Playing with ideas also increases learning. We must encourage playing with concepts to nurture creativity in students. Playing with concepts provides multiple entry points and multiple ways of engagement.” STEAM proponents are all about creative thinking. Students who work and think scientifically must also work creatively and be willing to experiment and try new ideas and ways to make things work. Students must be comfortable with working old concepts in new ways. Careers for the 21st century will require creative, smart-thinking students.

Pepper offers a variety of Science courses to sharpen your STEM skills and allow for creative arts integration, including our Engineering K-2 course. Our Language Arts and Writing and Poetry courses also provide opportunity for integration into Science and Art. We would love to hear how our Pepper teachers are using courses to change the way they teach in the classroom.

Courses available through Pepper will provide a foundation for concepts that will allow teachers to implement a creative classroom approach. Check out our wide range of Pepper Courses and our Pepper Resource Library to further your own professional growth.

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Photo Credit: Terry Williams Graphic Art