Performance Assessments

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Performance Assessments
Earth System Science in the Community
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What is an Example of a Performance Assessment?

• Your challenge is to write a screenplay or
  story, set in your community, that would help
  audiences understand volcanoes. Thank about how
  your story will address the following
• Locations of volcanoes closest to your community.
• Evidence that shows past or recent volcanic
  activity.
• Types of volcanic hazards.
• How volcanoes change the atmosphere, hydrosphere,
  and other Earth systems.

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What does this Performance Assessment Measure?

• Conceptual Understanding of volcanic processes
  and hazards
• Writing Skills

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What is a Performance Assessment?

• A task in which students solve complex problems
  in authentic (real-life) contexts

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What do students do in a Performance assessment?

• Students use authentic language in tasks that
  require interaction similar to those in the world
  outside of the classrooms and schools

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What are the characteristics of a Performance
Assessment?

• Is realistic
• Requires judgment and innovation
• Asks a student to do the subject
• Simulates the contexts in which adults are tested
  in the workplace, community or home
• Assesses a students ability to efficiently and
  effectively use a repertoire of knowledge and
  skills to negotiate a complex task

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Why use Performance Assessments?

• Allows students to express their understanding
  and knowledge development individually
• Attends to differences in learners
• Addresses learning over a period of time

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How should Performance Assessments be Constructed?

• So that comprehension of subject matter and
  thinking behaviors can be demonstrated through
  either oral or written communicative performances

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What are the components of EarthComm Performance
Assessments?

• Goal
• Role
• Audience
• Situation
• Product or Performance
• Standards for Success

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GoalThe purpose behind the performance

• To help audiences understand volcanoes.

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RoleThe job undertaken in the scenario

• Screenplay writer or author.

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AudienceThe group to which the performance or
product is targeted

• People in your community.

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SituationThe context of the scenario

• People in your community are looking to
  understand the hazards and the benefits of
  volcanoes.

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Product or PerformanceWhat is produced as a
result of the project

• A screenplay or story.

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Standards for SuccessCriteria for assessing the
product

• The screenplay or story addresses the following
  items
• Locations of volcanoes closest to your community.
• Evidence that shows past or recent volcanic
  activity.
• Types of volcanic hazards.
• How volcanoes change the atmosphere, hydrosphere,
  and other Earth systems.

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Resources

• Halley, Marjorie Hall, Austin, Theresa Y.
  Content-Based Second Language Teaching and
  Learning, An Interactive Approach. (2004).
  Boston, MA. Allyn and Bacon.
• Wiggins, Grant, McTighe, Jay. Understanding by
  Design. (1998). Alexandria, VA. Association for
  Supervision and Curriculum Development.