Describes four criteria that can be used to evaluate methods of assessment: (1) "What are the consequences of using the test?" (2) "Is this assessment fair?" (3) "Do the skills and knowledge of this assessment transfer or generalize?" and (4) "Does this assessment cover cognitively complex task?" (KDP)

Current concepts of performance assessment are very promising, partly because they are consistent with approved curriculum practice. The contemporary rationale for performance assessment has been largely uninformed by past ideas and practices. Overreliance on standardized test scores prevails, despite the midcentury core curriculum movement and…

This article describes performance-based assessment as expounded by its proponents, comments on these conceptions, reviews evidence regarding the technical quality of performance-based assessment, and considers its validity under various policy options. (JDD)

A primary school in Cali, Colombia, has implemented major changes intended to give students a more active role in their education. Encouraged by new government guidelines, teachers banished letter grades and began to assess students on mastery of curriculum objectives. During parent-teacher conferences, children speak confidently about their…

A tear-out folder provides information on alternative student assessment versus standardized testing, describing what alternative assessments do and do not consist of and involve. Information on student assessment statewide and nationwide is presented along with a discussion of the costs of alternative assessment. All information is presented in…

Recent incorporation of a performance assessment in Arizona's test mandate provides an opportunity to examine the assumptions and beliefs underlying measurement-driven reform. Efforts to meld cognitive-constructivist beliefs about pupil learning and assessment contradict behaviorist beliefs about changing teachers and reforming schools. Mandates…

The rise of criterion-referenced measurement from 1970 to 1984 was an important period in test development. Since 1984 there has been less research published on criterion-referenced measurement, but there is ample evidence that the concept remains important, especially in the authentic measurement and performance assessment movements. (SLD)

A performance-standard setting procedure termed judgmental policy capturing (JPC) and its application are described. A study involving 12 panelists demonstrated the feasibility of the JPC method for setting performance standards for classroom teachers seeking certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (SLD)

The three standard-setting approaches described in this special issue are summarized and contrasted: (1) judgmental policy capturing; (2) the extended Angoff method; and (3) the dominant profile method. An integrative summary of findings is followed by recommendations for modifying the methods. (SLD)

Relationships among self-efficacy, self-esteem, personal goals, and performance over multiple performance trials were examined for 215 college students. Self-efficacy was significantly predictive of personal goals and performance, but self-esteem was not. Results indicate that the more task-specific the measure, the better the prediction. (SLD)

Discusses the place of authentic assessment in science education and presents one strategy, the Views on Science Technology and Society instrument, for helping teachers understand the extent to which students have achieved the complex learning that modern curricula demand. (11 references) (MKR)

There is renewed emphasis on student assessment in adult literacy. Popular methods are instructor-made tests and performance assessment through observation, portfolios, writing samples, audio- and videotapes, and collaborative projects. (SK)

The Cherry Creek (Colorado) Schools opted for the research assessment as being much more indepth than report writing, which calls up plagiaristic tendencies in many elementary school children. Assessment tasks must be engaging and encourage students to evaluate themselves against predefined standards. Administrators must help teachers develop a…

An integrative and critical review is provided of the guidance available for conducting validity inquiry in the context of performance assessment. Reviewed studies focus on philosophical underpinnings and practical guidelines for conducting validity inquiry. Sections describe the emerging consensus on validity inquiry, components of validity…

Presents an interim vision of a performance assessment model for middle schools that is built on a culture of high expectations, internal accountability, and rites of passage expressed in student portfolios. Despite problems with portfolio work, all students and teachers must have ongoing experience with demanding tasks and high standards. Test…