Assessment Alternatives

Assessment Alternatives

Performance assessments can be designed to use a wide range of tasks and strategies. Here are some examples:

Computer Adaptive Testing Any assessment, other than multiple-choice questions or worksheets, that requires the student to respond to the assessment items or task with the aid of a computer. For example, the student responds to several questions to determine his or her ability and then is moved into the performance task that best meets the student's ability level.

Enhanced
multiple-choice Any multiple-choice question that requires more than the selection of one correct response. Most often, the task requires the students to explain their responses.

Extended-response, open-ended Any item or task that requires the student to produce an extended written response to an item or task that does not have one right answer (for example, an essay or laboratory report).

Group performance assessment Any assessment that requires students to perform the assessment task in a group setting. For example, a performance assessment as defined in individual performance assessment becomes a group performance assessment when the task is performed in a group and the individual's rating is based on his or her performance as part of the group.

Individual performance assessment Any assessment that requires the student to perform (in a way that can be observed) an assessment task alone. For example, a student may be asked to perform a laboratory experiment or carry out a community service project and write about the results. The performance of the laboratory experiment and the community service project makes this assessment an individual performance assessment versus an extended-response assessment, when the quality of the performance itself and not just the quality of the writing is rated.

Interview An assessment technique in which the student responds to verbal questions from the assessor.

Nontraditional test items Any assessment activity other than a multiple-choice item from which the student selects one response. These items or performances are rated using an agreed-upon set of performance criteria in the form of a scoring guide or a scoring rubric or in comparison to benchmark papers or performances.

Observation An assessment technique that requires the student to perform a task while being observed and rated using an agreed-upon set of scoring criteria.

Portfolio An accumulation of a student's work over time that demonstrates growth toward the mastery of specific performance criteria against which the tasks included in the portfolio can be judged.

Project, exhibition, or demonstration The accomplishment of a complex task over time that requires demonstrating mastery of a variety of desired outcomes, each with its own performance criteria, that can be assessed within the one project, exhibition, or demonstration.

Short-answer, open-ended Any item or task that requires the production of a short written response on the part of the respondent. Most often, there is a single right answer (for example, a fill-in-the-blank or short written response to a question).

SOURCE: The Status of State Student Assessment Programs in the United States. Council of Chief State School Officers/North Central Regional Educational Laboratory, June 1995

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Computer Adaptive Testing	Any assessment, other than multiple-choice questions or worksheets, that requires the student to respond to the assessment items or task with the aid of a computer. For example, the student responds to several questions to determine his or her ability and then is moved into the performance task that best meets the student's ability level.
Enhanced multiple-choice	Any multiple-choice question that requires more than the selection of one correct response. Most often, the task requires the students to explain their responses.
Extended-response, open-ended	Any item or task that requires the student to produce an extended written response to an item or task that does not have one right answer (for example, an essay or laboratory report).
Group performance assessment	Any assessment that requires students to perform the assessment task in a group setting. For example, a performance assessment as defined in individual performance assessment becomes a group performance assessment when the task is performed in a group and the individual's rating is based on his or her performance as part of the group.
Individual performance assessment	Any assessment that requires the student to perform (in a way that can be observed) an assessment task alone. For example, a student may be asked to perform a laboratory experiment or carry out a community service project and write about the results. The performance of the laboratory experiment and the community service project makes this assessment an individual performance assessment versus an extended-response assessment, when the quality of the performance itself and not just the quality of the writing is rated.
Interview	An assessment technique in which the student responds to verbal questions from the assessor.
Nontraditional test items	Any assessment activity other than a multiple-choice item from which the student selects one response. These items or performances are rated using an agreed-upon set of performance criteria in the form of a scoring guide or a scoring rubric or in comparison to benchmark papers or performances.
Observation	An assessment technique that requires the student to perform a task while being observed and rated using an agreed-upon set of scoring criteria.
Portfolio	An accumulation of a student's work over time that demonstrates growth toward the mastery of specific performance criteria against which the tasks included in the portfolio can be judged.
Project, exhibition, or demonstration	The accomplishment of a complex task over time that requires demonstrating mastery of a variety of desired outcomes, each with its own performance criteria, that can be assessed within the one project, exhibition, or demonstration.
Short-answer, open-ended	Any item or task that requires the production of a short written response on the part of the respondent. Most often, there is a single right answer (for example, a fill-in-the-blank or short written response to a question).