CHAPTER 4:PROCESS-ORIENTED, PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT

Too often, we tend to assess students’ learning through their outputs or products or through some kind of traditional testing.

This Chapter is concerned with process-oriented, performance-based assessment. Assessment is not an end in itself but a vehicle for educational improvement.

Assessment is most effective when it reflects an understanding of learning as multidimensional, integrated, and revealed in performance over time. Learning is a complex process.

1. PROCESS-ORIENTED LEARNING COMPETENCIES Information about outcomes is of high

importance; where students “end-up” matters greatly.

Assessment can help us understand which students learn best under what conditions; with such knowledge comes the capacity to improve the whole of their learning.

1.1 LEARNING COMPETENCIES The learning objectives in process-oriented

performance based assessment are stated in directly observable behaviors of the students.

The objectives generally focus on those behaviors which exemplify a “best practice” for the particular task.

Task: Recite a Poem by Edgar Allan Poe. “The Raven”.

Objectives: the activity aims to enable the students to recite a poem entitled “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe, specifically to:

1. recite the poem from memory without referring to notes;

2. use appropriate hand and body gestures in delivering the piece;

3. maintain eye contact with the audience while reciting the poem;

4. create the ambiance of the poem through appropriate rising and falling intonations;

5. pronounce the words clearly and with proper diction.

The following competencies are simple competencies:o Speak with a well-modulated voice;o Draw a straight line from one point to another point;o Color a leaf with a green crayon.

The following competencies are more complex competencies: Recite a poem with feeling using appropriate voice

quality, facial expressions and hand gestures; Construct an equilateral triangle given three non-

collinear points; Draw and color a leaf with a green color.

2. TASK DESIGNING

Learning tasks need to be carefully planned.

Identifying an activity that would highlight the competencies to be evaluated, e.g. reciting a poem, writing an essay, manipulating the microscope etc.

Identifying an activity that would entail more or less the same sets of competencies.

Finding a task that would be interesting and enjoyable for the students.

Example: The topic is on understanding biological diversity.Possible task design: Bring the students to a pond or creek. Ask them to find all living organisms they can find living near the pond or creek.

3. SCORING RUBRICSRubrics is scoring scale used to assess students performance along a task-specific set of criteria. Authentic assessments typically are criterion-referenced measures, that is, a student’s aptitude on a task is determined by matching the student’s performance against a set of criteria to determine the degree to which the student's the criteria for the task.

RECITATION RUBRICSCriteria 1 2 3

Numbers of appropriate hand gestures X1 1-4 5-9 10-12Appropriate facial expression X1

Lots of appropriate facial expression

Few inappropriate facial expression

No apparent inappropriate facial expression

Voice in inflection

X2

Monotone voice used

Can vary voice inflection with difficulty

Can easily vary voice inflection

Incorporate proper ambiance through feelings in the voice

x3

Recitation contains very little feelings

Recitation has some feelings

Recitation fully captures ambiance through feelings in the voice

For each criterion, the evaluator applying the rubric can determine to what degree the students has met the criterion, i.e., the level of performance. In the given rubric, there are three levels of performance for each criterion. For example, the recitation can contain lots of inappropriate, few inappropriate or no inappropriate hand gestures.

Finally, the illustrated rubric contains a mechanism for assigning a score to each project. (assessments and their accompanying rubrics can be used for purposes other than evaluation and, thus, do not have to have points or grades attached to them.) In the second-to-left column a weight is assigned each criterion. Students can receive 1, 2 or 3 points for “number of sources.” but appropriate ambiance, more important in this teachers mind, is weighted three times (x3) as heavily. So, students can receive 3, 6 or 9 points (i.e., 1, 2 or 3 times 3) for the level of appropriateness in this task.

DESCRIPTORSThe rubric includes another common, but not a necessary, component of rubrics – descriptors. Descriptors spell out what is expected of students at each level of performance for each criterion. In the given example, “ lots of inappropriate facial expressions,” monotone voice used” are descriptors.

WHY INCLUDES LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE?1. Clearer expectations

It is very useful for the students and the teacher if the criteria are identified and communicated prior to completion of the task.2. More consistent and objective assessment

In addition to better communicating teacher expectations, levels of performance permit the teacher to more consistently and objectively distinguish between good and bad performance, or between superior, mediocre and poor performance, when evaluating student work.3. Better feedback

Furthermore, identifying specific levels of student performance allows the teacher to provide more detailed feedback to students.

ANALYTIC VERSUS HOLISTIC RUBRICSAnalytic

Most rubrics, like the recitation rubric mentioned, are analytic rubrics. An analytic rubric articulates levels of performance for each criterion so the teacher can assess student performance on each criterion.Holistic rubric

In contrast, a holistic rubric does not list separate levels of performance for each criterion.

3 – Excellent Speaker

• included 10-12 changes in hand gestures• no apparent inappropriate facial expressions• utilized proper voice inflection• can create proper ambiance for the poem

2 – Good Speaker

• included 5-9 changes in hand gestures• few inappropriate facial expressions• had some inappropriate voice inflection changes• almost creating proper ambiance

1 – Poor Speaker

• included 1-4 changes in hand gestures• lots of inappropriate facial expressions• used monotone voice• did not create proper ambiance

When to choose an analytic rubric

Analytic rubrics are more common because teachers typically want to assess each criterion separately, particularly in assignments that involve a larger number of criteria.

When to choose a holistic rubric

So, when may use a holistic rubric? Holistic rubric tends to be used when a quick or gross judgment needs to be made.

For example, many writing rubrics are holistic because it is not always easy to disentangle clarity from organization or content from presentation.

Alternatively, if two criteria are nearly inseparable, the combination of the two can be treated as a single criterion in an analytic rubrics.

How many levels of performance should I include in my rubric?

There is no specific number of levels a rubric should or should not possess. It will vary depending on the task and your needs.

Generally, it is better to start with a smaller number of levels of performance for a criterion and then expand if necessary.

Performance on that criterion could be judge along levels of performance:

Makes eye contact with audience

Never Sometimes Always

Makes eye contact

Never Rarely Sometimes

Usually Always

Makes eye contact Never Rarely Sometime

sUsually

Upon applying the three levels of performance , you might discover that you can effectively group your student’ performance in these three categories.

Criteria/Assessment Scale

Excellent (5)

Very Good (4)

Good (3)

Fair (2)

Poor (1)

1. Degree to which the report reflects the objectives of the research

2. Level of creativity

3. Clarity

4. Visual appeal

5. Level of effort

SUB-TOTALS

Total: ________________

Example of Holistic Rubric: Assessing a Research Report

20 and above Most Acceptable

15-19 Very Acceptable

10-14 Acceptable

5-9 Barely Acceptable

Below 5 Unacceptable

Scoring protocol:

EXAMPLE OF DIMENSIONAL/ANALYTICAL RUBRICS: ASSESSING THE ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC OPINIONS ON THE DIVORCE BILLCriteria qualitative assessment style scoreA. Clarity in defining the issue/topic level 0 to 3

_______B. Level of scholarly research done level 0 to 3

_______C. Aesthetic appeal of report level 0 to 3

_______ total score: _______

AssessmentA. Clarity in defining the issue/topic______ 3 the issue was explained in the introductory paragraph ______ 2 the issue/topic was mentioned in the introductory paragraph not clearly explained______ 1 the issue/topic was mentioned in the introductory paragraph but was not explained______ 0 the issue/topic was not mentioned at all.

Score ______

B. Level of scholarly research_____ 3 the report cited different sources of opinion properly analyzed._____ 2 the report cited different sources of opinion but not analyzed._____ 1 the report cited only one or 2 sources of opinions without analysis._____ 0 the report did not indicate sources and there was no analysis.

Score _____C. Aesthetic appeal_____ 3 the report is well written without errors in grammar and syntax._____ 2 the report is well written with lapses in grammar and syntax._____ 1 the report is written in incomplete and incoherent sentences._____ 0 the report is only in outline form.

Score ____TOTAL SCORE ________

Scoring protocol:Total score Verbal7 and above : Most acceptable4-5 : Partially AcceptableBelow 4 : Unacceptable

ExercisesA.For each of the following tasks, identify at least

three (3) process-oriented learning competencies:

1. Constructing a graphic organizer to illustrate child growth and development

2. Constructing three-dimensional models of solid from cardboards:

3. writing an essay about the EDSA III People power revolution

4. Performing a skit on the importance of a national language.

5. Role playing to illustrate the concept of Filipino family values.

B. Choose any five activities below and then construct your own scoring rubrics.

1. Use evidence to solve a mystery2. Devise a game.3. Participate in a debate.4. Infer the main idea of a written piece.5. Draw a picture that illustrates what’s described in a story or

article. Explain what you have drawn, using details from the story or article.

6. Write a research paper.7. Apply a scoring rubrics to a real or simulated piece of student

work.8. Write a Research paper.9. Propose and justify a way to resolve a problem.10.Design a museum exhibit.11.Develop a classification scheme for something and explain and

justify the categories.12.Justify one point of view on an issue and then justify the opposing

view.13.Given background information, predict what will happen if

__________.14.Evaluate the quality of a writer’s arguments.15.Combine information from several sources to draw a conclusion

about something.