Performances Document Student Learning

Measuring Academic Progress series, Part 3 of 3

Welcome to another school year of changed schedules and routines as our students modify their daily lives in response to social distancing and the coronavirus. Most students will be asked to use alternative assessment strategies that include authentic performances in learning.

Alternative Assessment Examples

RUBRICS: Scoring scales for assessing learning using a defined set of criteria ranging from spelling to creativity

CHECKLISTS: A register of essential goals and learning outcomes during learning

LEARNING CONTRACTS: Agreements between students and teachers that describe mutual learning goals, strategies for achieving them, and expected outcomes of learning

SELF ASSESSMENT: Review of learning when considering evidence of learning, progress towards mastery, lingering confusion, and a plan of next steps to improve outcomes

PEER REVIEW: Provides an alternative perspective on learning that relies on rubrics, checklists, or open-ended prompts for feedback and advice

CONCEPT MAP: Graphic models of learning that illuminate the progression of knowledge from essential content, to applications, and creative/constructive processes of learning

PORTFOLIOS: Compilations of learning in an evidence-based system of process, progress, and outcomes

These examples illustrate that there are many ways that students can assess their learning with their teachers.

How to Create Portfolios

For added information on how our children can learn by creating portfolios to assess their learning, you can check the resources on these websites:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/100046/chapters/Determining-the-Basics-of-Student-Portfolios.aspx
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/grades-6-8-digital-portfolios/
https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-tools-creating-digital-portfolios
https://www.kqed.org/education/528577/free-robust-and-unglitchy-digital-portfolios-with-seesaw https://www.today.com/parents/how-homeschool-during-coronavirus-crisis-t176020

You can also order the newly released Student-Engaged Assessment book by Laura Greenstein and Mary Ann Burke with a 20% discount until 12/31/20 by using promo code RLEGEN20 from Roman and Littlefield at https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781475857825/Student-Engaged-Assessment-Strategies-to-Empower-All-Learners.

Happy learning with your children while helping them compile their portfolios of learning!

Laura