Examination of the role of psychometrics in the development of multiple-choice tests and performance-based assessments and consideration of validity and reliability issues leads to this conclusion: Choice of assessments for instruction or large-scale accountability depends on which is more appropriate for the particular purposes. Taxonomic…

A Washington high school's new school-to-work initiative requires students to demonstrate their learning and exposes them to alternative learning venues. Students assemble portfolios that document their learning, summarize their learning before the community, and outline postgraduation plans. Implementation tips are presented. (MLH)

Reviews three distinct research programs in the field of performance-based assessment that have the common goal of understanding its technical qualities and developing design strategies to use such qualities. Highlights common threads in findings that suggest a set of design strategies for future efforts at developing effective performance…

Explains the importance of performance assessment in physical education, addressing two questions that physical educators must consider. The first, what to assess, involves locating and identifying student achievement targets. The second, how to describe performance, includes identifying and describing a vision of success. Two examples from the…

Comments on the discussion by Ginette Delandshere and Anthony Petrosky of the numerical rating of complex performances in the context of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Early Adolescence/English Language Arts assessment. Conceptualizes the discussion in terms of matching information to purpose in testing. (SLD)

Responds to Susan Brookhart's comments on the discussion of assessing complex performances by Delandshere and Petrosky. Notes that the article focused on the meaning and usefulness of scores or ratings in the context of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards assessments. (SLD)

Performance-based (authentic) assessments include genuine, useful, applicable, practice-based, transferable, and demonstrable items. They include skills, knowledge, and attitudes that can be carried beyond the classroom. This paper discusses the importance of learning by doing, explains how to use performance-based assessments, and emphasizes the…

Identifies 10 characteristics of stable systems of performance funding for public colleges and universities based on a survey of state and campus policymakers in 9 of the 10 states with performance funding in 1996. Respondents agreed on the importance of careful choice of performance indicators, recognition of the difficulty of measuring higher…

Examines popular approaches to performance and organizational improvement to see what flaws they contain and how continued practice will impede progress. Discusses benchmarking; quality management/continuous improvement; needs assessment; training; downsizing; reengineering; system(s) approach; and strategic planning. Describes the Organizational…

Introduces an activity for fifth grade elementary students on water, cohesion, and adhesion. Provides a list of necessary materials and includes a checklist for performance based assessment. Recommends follow up experiments for testing cohesive property with different liquids. (YDS)

This article discusses three future directions of early childhood assessment: attention to assessment of progress and growth, adaptation of methods typically associated with ecobehavioral research to assess environmental conditions that affect performance, and continued integration and linkage of assessment and intervention, which will yield more…

Students can use Web-based portfolios in technology classes to display classwork and project work. Developing effective websites gives them an understanding of a range of information-age tools, motivates them to do high-quality work, requires self-assessment and reflection, and teaches design skills. (SK)

Presents advice for preparing a portfolio to document science teaching performance. Includes lesson plans for a teacher education portfolio assignment and a description of useful portfolio components. (WRM)

Only by exploring practical questions with teachers and considering their wisdom concerning brain-based resources can we accommodate multiple ways of knowing, while honoring the demands of curriculum mandates, state requirements, and college entrance expectations. A checklist enables teachers to survey specific approaches (collaboration, cultural…

Presents a framework for assessment of critical thinking of college students. Proposes a multimethod approach focused on assessment of three major components of critical thinking: knowledge, thinking skills, and attitudes. Notes that each component requires its own assessment. Finds this multidimensional assessment framework is a workable solution…