On Performance Assessment

First, educators have to identify a precise set of criteria for evaluating the progress of students. Furthermore, a scoring process also has to be established that match this set of criteria (Wiggins in Brandt 36-7). This component provides performance assessment with a degree of objectivity and reliabilityùone of the key aspects that have made standardized tests so popular among policymakers, educators and the public. Second, several judges should be involved in evaluating the performance of the students in order to ensure "high inter-rater reliability" (Wiggins in Brandt 36). Thus, the subjectivity of the grading of a single teacher will be reduced with the inclusion of other teachers' perspectives. Third, multiple samples of work from the students' portfolios should be evaluated for the assessors to obtain a comprehensive picture of the students' overall performance (Wiggins in Brandt 36). As Wiggins point out aptly, many people do not perform consistently. Therefore, samples of different pieces of work will provide an accurate pi

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ers and the public because they offer an objective and reliable scoring system. Thus, quantifiable data can be produced to demonstrate the students' learning patterns (32). However, as Kohn points out, these superficial standardized tests essentially test the students' memorization skills of individual facts and disregard their critical thinking skills. More significantly, standardized tests have encroached into the classrooms where teachers help students take practice tests in order to increase their chances of success in the actual tests. Teachers are compelled to take time away from their sophisticated and creative lessons in order to practice for the tests. Some states enforce high-stakes testing programs that essentially punish or reward school districts and schools for their performances (32). Fundamentally, these tests transform teachers into unthinking administrators of practice tests whose individuality and creativity are completely disregarded. It is little wonder that the morale of teachers and students has declined significantly in the classroom. Ultimately, test scores are meaningless when they reflect students test-taking skills, not their true potential. In his article, "Tests that Cheat Students," Alfie Kohn a
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Approximate Word count = 1522
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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