Saturday, November 26, 2011

Performance Assessments... What Are They And How Do They Benefit Or Not Benefit eLearning?

What is a Performance Assessment?
Basically, it is assessing a performance.  It can be either a direct observation of real-time learner behavior or result of a project that comes close to simulating the learner's behavior. In addition, performance assessments do something else that a typical written assessment does not, that is it measures 'problem-solving' skills.
(Oosterhof, Conrad, Ely, 2008, pp. 142-143 )
  
How can this type of assessment be used in eLearning?
Performance assessments can be ideal in eLearning situations because eLearners are able to demonstrate what they actually have learned about a topic by the process of creating a product or expressing themselves through the use of video, podcast, blog, wiki or other online delivery modality. Performance assessments can be used to measure any type of capability. In other words determine the type of behavior that is being observed and the product being a tangible outcome as a result of completing the process. 

Establishing a scoring plan is also an important part when using performance based assessments in eLearning situations. Rubrics are typically developed and used and must specify the essential qualities of both an unsatifactory performance and satisfactory performance.  In addition, both qualities must be directly observable and attain similar scores from different observers.
(Oosterhof, Conrad, Ely, 2008, pp.158-159; pp. 165-167 ); (Rio Salado College, 2011, lesson 7 lecture notes) 
  
What makes performance assessments truly worthwhile in eLearning? They can...
  • Be Interactive and engaging for both the eLearner and the eInstructor.  
  • Authentic to life tasks or simulations and incorporate a variety of learning styles that are multi-sensory 
  • Be used repeatedly once created or developed.  
  • Provide good insight into a learner's knowledge of a concept or subject
  • Influence what is taught and learned by examining what is assessed.  
  • Be preferable to written assessments for security reasons.
(Oosterhof, Conrad, Ely, 2008, pp. 145-146 )  

What could be possible pitfalls and problems with performance assessments in the eLearning environment?
  • Using new technologies for the sake of trying it without considering what you need the real learning outcome to be.
  • Observing and evaluating performance assessments can be time consuming.
  • Not having the available or correct hardware connections or software necessary to do the performance assessment. 
  • Performance assessments may be less efficient in that they require more time to produce, administer and score.
  • Scoring is subjective and instructors may not interpret the same observation the same way.
(Oosterhof, Conrad, Ely, 2008, p. 147 )  

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