MODULE 7 ASSESSMENT IN LEARNING 1 1ST SEM AY 2020-21

CHAPTER 7

PERFORMANCE-BASED TEST

LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Develop performance-based tests to assess elected learning
competencies from the K to 12 curriculum guide.
 construct appropriate scoring rubrics for giving students'
products/performances

INTRODUCTION

Over the past few years, there has been a general dissatisfaction over the results of traditional standardized
objective tests. Concerted efforts have, therefore, been expended to find alternative assessment mechanisms of
measuring educational outcomes and processes and measure more complex processes in education. For example,
multiple choice tests have been criticized because they, purportedly, are unable to measure a complex problem
solving skills, are hopeless in measuring processes the appearing daily classroom activities, gauge the processes
involved in accomplishing the task performance and examine learners' application skills rather than superficial
learning of the material. Educators have therefore focused their attention to finding alternative assessment methods
that would hopefully address this difficulties with a traditional methods of objective assessment. Performance-based
assessment is one alternative assessment technique that has been proposed.

Performance-based, assessment procedures believed that the best way to gauge a student or pupil
competency in a certain task is through observation en setu or on site. Such a belief appears consistent with the
constructivist philosophy in education often taught in courses on Philosophy of Education. A performance-based test
is designed to assess students on what they know, what they are able to do and the learning strategies they employ in
the process of demonstrating it.

Many people have noted serious limitations of performance-based test and their variability to word
subjectivity in scoring and creating or providing the real or closer-to-the task environment for assessment purpose.
However, the concerns for subjectivity may be addressed simply by automating the test. The second issue is
obviously a bigger problem, and there is no guarantee that ideas from one domain will apply to another.

7.1 Performance-Based Tests

There are many testing procedures that are classified as performance tests with a generally agreed upon
definition that these tests are assessment procedures that require students to perform a certain task or activity or
perhaps, solve complex problems. For example, Bryant suggested assessing portfolios of a student's work overtime,
students' demonstrations, hands-on execution of experiments by students, and a student's work in simulated
environment. Such an approach falls under a category of portfolio assessment (i.e. keeping records of all tasks
successfully and skillfully performed by student). According to Mehrens performance testing is not new. In fact,
various types of performance-based tests were used even before the introduction of multiple-choice testing. For
instance, the following are considered performance testing procedures: performance tasks, rubric scoring guides and
exemplars of performance.

7.2 Performance Tasks

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In performance tasks, students are required to draw on the knowledge and skills they possess and to reflect
upon them for use in the particular task at hand. Not only are the students expected to obtain knowledge from a
specific subject or subject matter but they are in fact required to draw knowledge and skills from other disciplines in
order to fully realise the key ideas needed in doing the task. Normally, the tasks require students to work on projects
that yield a definite output or product, or perhaps, following approaches which tests their approach to solving a
problem. In many instances, the tasks require a combination of the two approaches. Of course, the essential idea in
performance tasks is that students are pupils learn optimally by actually doing (Learning by Doing) the task which is
a constructivist philosophy.

As in any other tests the tasks need to be consistent with the intended outcomes of the curriculum and
objectives of instruction; and must require students to manifest (a) what they know and (b) the process by which
they came to know it. In addition, performance-based tests required that tasks involving examining the processes as
well as the products of student learning.

7.3 Rubrics and Exemplars

Modern assessment methods tend to use rubrics to describe student performance. A rubric is a scoring
method that lists the criteria for a piece of work, or "what counts" (for example, purpose, organization, details,
voice, and mechanics are often what count in a piece of writing); it also articulates gradations of quality for each
criterion, from excellent to poor. Perkins et al (1994) provide an example of rubric scoring for student inventions
and lists the criteria and gradations of quality for verbal, written, or graphic reports on student inventions. This is
shown in the succeeding figure as a prototype of rubrics scoring. This rubric lists the criteria in the column on the
left: the report must explain (1) the purposes of the invention, (2) the features or parts of the invention and how they
help it serve its purposes, (3) the pros and cons of the design, and (4) how the design connects to other things past,
present, and future. The rubric could easily include criteria related to presentation style and effectiveness, the
mechanics of written pieces, and equality of the invention itself. The four columns to the right of the criteria
described varying degrees of quality, from excellent to poor.

There are many reasons for the seeming popularity of rubric scoring in the Philippine school system. First,
they are very useful tools for both teaching and evaluation of learning outcomes. Rubrics have the potential to
improve student performance, as well as monitor it, by clarifying teachers' expectations and by actually guiding the
students how to satisfy these expectations.

Secondly, rubrics him to allow students to acquire wisdom in judging and evaluating the quality of their
own work in relation to the quality of the work of other students. In several experiments involving the use of rubrics,
students progressively became more aware of the problems associated with their solution to a problem and with the
other problems inherent in the solutions of other students. In other words, rubrics increase the students' sense of
responsibility and accountability.

Third, rubrics are quite efficient and tend to require less time for the teachers in evaluating student
performance. Teachers tend to find that by the time a piece has been self- and peer-assessed according to a rubric,
they have little left to say about it. when they do have something to say, they can often simply circle an item in the
rubric, rather than struggling to explain the floor strength we have noticed and figuring out what to suggest and
terms of improvements. rubrics provide students with more informative feedback about their strengths and areas in
need of improvement.

Finally, it is easy to understand and construct a rubric scoring guide. Most of the items found in the rubric
scoring guide are self-explanatory and require no further help from outside experts.

(Insert table)

Rubric for an Invention Report

Criteria Quality

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(3) (2) (1) (0)
Most acceptable Acceptable Less Acceptable Not Acceptable
Purposes The report explains The report explains The report explain The report does not
that he purposes of all of the key some of the purposes refer to the purposes
the invention and purposes of the of the invention but of the invention
points out less invention. misses key purposes.
obvious ones as
well.
Features The report details Other report details The report neglect The report does not
both he and hidden that you teachers of some features of the detail the features of
features of the the invention and invention or the the invention are the
invention and explains a purposes purposes they serve. purposes they serve.
explains how they they serve.
serve several
purposes.
Critic Other report The report discusses The report discusses The report does not
discusses the the strengths and either the strengths mention the
strengths and weaknesses of the or weaknesses of the strengths are the
weaknesses of the invention. invention but not weaknesses of the
invention, and both. invention.
suggests ways in
which it can be
improved.
Connections The report makes The report makes The report makes The report makes no
appropriate appropriate clear are connections between
connections between connections between inappropriate the invention and
the purposes and the purposes and connections between other things.
features of the features of the the invention and
invention and many invention and one or other phenomena.
different kinds of two phenomena.
phenomena.
SUB-TOTALS

PAverage: ____________________ Figure 14. Prototype of Rubric Scoring

7.4 Creating Rubrics

In designing a rubric scoring guide, the students need to be actively involved in the process. The following
steps are suggested in actually creating a rubric:

1. Survey models - show students examples of good and not-so-good work. Identify the characteristics that make the
good ones good and the bad ones bad.

2. Define criteria - from the discussion on the models, identify the qualities that define good work.

3. Agree on the levels of quality - describe the best and worst levels of quality, then fill in the middle levels based on
your knowledge of common problems in the discussion of not-so-good work.

4. Practice on models - using the grid criteria and levels of quality, evaluate the models presented in step 1 together
with the students.

5. Use self - and peer-assessment- give students their task. As they work, stop them occasionally for self-and peer-
assessment.

6. Revise. always give students time to revise their work based on the feedback they got in Step 5.

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7. Use teacher assessment - use the same rubric students used to assess their work yourself.

7.5. Writing and Selecting Effective Rubrics

Two defining aspects of rubrics are the criteria that describe the qualities that you and students should look
for as evidence of students' learning and the descriptions of the levels of performance.

7.5.1 Desired Characteristics of Criteria for Classroom Rubrics

Characteristics Explanation
The criteria are:

Appropriate Each criterion represents an aspect of a standard, curricular goal, or

instructional goal or objective that students are intended to learn.

Definable Each criterion has a clear, agreed-upon meaning that both students and teachers
understand.

Observable Each criterion describe is equality in the performance that can be perceived
(seen or heard, usually) by someone other than the person performing.

Distinct from one another Each criterion identifies a separate

aspect of the learning outcomes the performance is intended to assess.

Complete All the criteria together describe the whole of the learning outcomes the
performance is intended to assess

Able to support descriptions Each criterion can be described over a range of performance level.
along a continuum of quality
Figure 15. Desired Characteristics of Criteria for Classroom Rubrics

Figure 15 shows a teacher-made rubric prepared to assess the videotaped: Reading Rainbow style" book talks. (Ann
Tanona a second grade teacher, as lifted from Heide Andrade, 2007, http:www.yahoo.com).

ORAL READING FLUENCY RUBRIC

Name _____________________________ Date______________

1 2 3 4

Expression No Expression A little expression Same expression Lots of

Expression

Phrasing 1 2 3 4

No Expression A little expression Same phrasing Very good

Phrasing

Speed 1 2 3 4

Way too slow or A little bit too Almost perfect Just Right!
way too fast! slow or a little bit but still needs
too fast. practice...

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Source: used with permission from Katrina D. Kimmell, West Hill's Primary School, Kittanning, PA.

Characteristic Explanation
The descriptions of levels of
performance are...

Descriptive Performance is described in terms of what is observed in the work.

Clear Both students and teachers understand what the descriptions mean.

Cover the whole range of Performance is described from one extreme of the continuum of quality to
performance another for each criterion.

Performance descriptions are different enough from level to level that were
Distinguish among levels can be categorized unambiguously. It should be possible to match examples
of work to performance descriptions at each level.

Center the target performance The description of performance of the level expected by the standard,
(acceptable, mastery, passing) at the curriculum goal, or lesson objective is placed at the intended level on the
appropriate level rubric.

Feature parallel descriptions from Performance descriptions at each level of the continuum for a given standard
level to level describe different quality levels for the same aspects of the work.

Figure 17. Desired Characteristics of Descriptions of Levels of Performance for Classroom Rubrics

Criteria Quality
Did i get my audience's Creative beginning Boring beginning No beginning
attention?
Did i tell what kind of Tells exactly what type of Not sure, not clear Didn't mention it
book? book it is
Did i tell something about Included facts about Slid over character Did not tell anything about
the main character? character main character

Did i mention the setting? Tells when and where Not sure, not clear Didn't mention setting
story takes place
Did i tell one interesting Made it sound interesting- Told part and skipped on Forgot to do it
part? I want to buy it! to something else

Did i tell who might like Did tell Skipped over it Forgot to tell
this book?
How did i look? Hair combed, neat, clean Lazy look Just-got-out-of-bed look,
clothes, smiled, looked up, head down
happy
How did i sound? Clear, strong, cheerful No expression in voice Difficult to understand----
voice 6-inch voice or screeching
Figure 18. Book Talk Rubric

7.6. Tips in Designing Rubrics

Perhaps the most difficult challenge is to use clear, precise and concise language. Terms like "creative",
"innovative" and other vague terms need to be avoided. If are you a brick is to teach as well as evaluate, terms like
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these must be defined for students. Instead of this words, try words that can convey ideas and which can be readily
observed. Patricia Crosby and Pamela Heinz, both seventh grade teachers ( from Andrade, 2007), solved the same
problem in a rubric for oral presentations by actually listing ways in which students could meet the criterion. (fig.
19). This approach provides valuable information to students on how to begin a talk and avoid a need to define
elusive terms like creative.

Criterion Quality
Gains attention of Gives details or an amusing Does a two-sentence, Does not attempt to gain
audience. fact, a series of questions, a introduction then starts attention of audience, just
short demonstration, a colorful speech starts speech.
visual for a personal reason Gives a one-sentence
why they picked this topic. introduction then starts
speech.

Figure 19. Rubric for an Oral Presentation

Specifying the levels of quality can often be very challenging also. Spending a lot of time with the criteria
helps but in the end, what comes out are often subjective. There is a clever technique often used to define the levels
of quality. It is centrally graduates the quality levels through the responses: "Yes", "Yes but," "No but," and "No."
For example, Figure 20

Shows part of a rubric for evaluating a scrapbook that documents a story.

Criterion Quality
Gives enough details. Yes, I put in enough Yes, I put in some No, i didn't put in No, i had almost
details to give the details, but some key enough details, but i no details.
reader a sense of time, details are missing. did include a few.
place, and events.

Figure 20. Rubric for Evaluating a Scrapbook (Lifted from Andrade, 2007)

Rubrics are scales that differentiate levels of student’s performance. They contain the criteria that must be
met by the student and the judgment process will be used to rate how well the student has performed. An exemplary
is an example that delineates the desired characteristics of quality in ways students can understand. These are
important parts of the assessment process.

Well-designed rubrics include:

• performance dimensions that are critical to successful task completion;

• criteria that reflect all the important outcomes of the performance task;

• a writing skill that provides a usable, easily-interpreted score;

• criteria that reflect concrete references, in clear language understandable to students, parents, and other
teachers; and other teachers; and others.

In summary, we can say that to design problem based tests, we have to ensure that both processes and end-
results should be tested. The tests should be designed carefully enough to ensure that proper scoring rubrics can be
designed, so that the concerns about subjectivity in performance based tests are addressed. Indeed, this needs to be
done anyway in order to automate the test, so that performance based testing is used widely.

7.7. Automating Performance-Based Tests

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Going by the complexity of the issues that needed to be addressed in designing performance-based tests, it
is clear that automating the procedure is no easy task. The sets of tasks that comprise a performance based test have
to be chosen carefully in order to tackle the design issues mentioned. Moreover, automating the procedure imposes
another stringent requirement for the design of the test. In this section, we summarize what we need to keep in mind
while designing an automated performance based test.

We have seen that in order to automate a performance-based test, we need to identify a set of tasks which
all you do the solution of a fairly complex problem. For the testing software to be able to determine whether a
student has completed any particular task, the end of the task should be accompanied by a definite change in the
system. The testing software can track this change in the system, to determine whether the student has completed the
task. Indeed, a similar condition applies to every aspect of the problem solving activity that we wish to test. In this
case, a set of changes in the system can indicate that the student has the desired competency.

Such tracking is used widely by computer game manufacturers, where the evidence of a game player's
competency is tracked by the system, and the game player is taken to the next 'level' of the game.

In summary, the following should be kept in mind as we design a performance-based test.

• Each performance task/problem that is used in the test should be clearly defined in terms of performance
standards not only for the end result but also for the strategies used in various stages of process.

• A user need not always end up accomplishing the task; hence it is important to identify important
milestones that the test taker reaches while solving the problem.

• Having define the possible strategies, the process and milestones, that is election of tasks that comprise a
test should allow the design of good rubrics for scoring.

• Every aspect of the problem-solving activity that wish to wish to test has to lead to a set of changes in the
system, so that the testing a software can collect evidence of the student's competency.

7.8. Exercises

A. Construct a checklist for a performance test which tests the students' ability to perform the following:

1. using an inclined plane to illustrate the concept of a diluted free fall

2. using the low power objective and high power objective of a microscope
3. opening and using the MS WORD for word processing
4. using MS EXCEL to prepare a class record for a teacher
5. playing the major keys on a guitar

B. Construct a rubric scoring guide for the following:

1. An essay on the "History of the Philippine Republic: 1898-1998"

2. Poem reading "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
3. constructing three-dimensional geometric figures made of cardboard boxes
4. story telling: "May Day's Eve" by Nick Joaquin
5. solving an algebraic verbal problem involving two linear equations in two unknowns in two unknowns
6. writing the alphabet in cursive form
7. interpreting a poem from Robert Frost
8. writing an autobiography
9. research report
C. Differentiate between a performance test and the traditional assessment method of cognitive testing.

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