Use In Performance Assessment Research Articles

Does Placement Predict Performance? Associations Between Student Teaching Environments and Candidates’ Performance Assessment Scores

In the present study, we examine whether characteristics of student teaching sites and cooperating teachers predict teacher candidates’ edTPA scores. Using data from North Carolina, we find that candidates earn higher edTPA scores if they student-taught in a high value-added school and with a cooperating teacher earning higher evaluation ratings. Evidence also suggests that candidates earn higher scores when they are mentored by a cooperating teacher who is more familiar with performance assessments. Finally, we find that the relationships between student teaching environments and edTPA scores vary by characteristics of the candidate. This study reinforces prior work on the importance of learning environments to teacher development and the importance of preparation programs securing placements in high-quality learning environments. Our results may also have implications for the use of performance assessments by states and preparation programs.

Framework for performance assessment of storm water systems

ABSTRACT The integration of performance assessment may be determinant for water utilities and municipalities to improve their management practices regarding storm water systems (SWS). The use of performance assessment in the SW sector has been incipient, and the need to develop a performance assessment framework (PAF) that constitutes a reference for SWS was identified. The article aims to present a PAF, structured into eight objectives, 25 assessment criteria, and 80 performance metrics, namely performance indicators (PI), focusing on the assessment of SWS functioning, considering different performance dimensions and types of SWS. The PAF aims to promote the establishment of performance assessment systems in utilities, supporting the decision-making process and continuous improvement. The PAF was consolidated by incorporating the views and recommendations of two Portuguese water utilities during the validation process. Data collection process constitutes a barrier to the PAF application given the lack of financial and human resources in water utilities.

Determining the Difficulty and Discrimination Parameters of a Mathematics Performance-Based Assessment

Performance-based assessment (PBA) is different from traditional testing methods in that PBA presents real-life problems for students to solve by integrating critical thinking with their content knowledge and skills. Implementing PBA regularly in mathematics classes is associated with improved student achievement and motivation to learn; however, there are concerns about the general lack of psychometric data to support the use of performance assessments. To address such concerns, this study applied item response theory to estimate the difficulty and discrimination indices of items that comprised a newly developed mathematics PBA. Data were collected by administering the PBA to 750 senior high school students in the Western Region of Ghana. The results indicated that the difficulty and discrimination levels of each item were satisfactory, which suggests that well-designed and properly vetted math PBA items would improve classroom assessments as well as high-stakes tests administered on a large scale. Additional recommendations are included at the end of this paper.

Changing the foundations of faculty development by developing a quality learning environment

IntroductionFaculty development should be based on the tenets of adult education, emphasizing active learning, engagement, relevance, and opportunities for application. The traditional approach, however, has focused on providing content in an instructor-centered fashion, relying predominantly on passive learning with infrequent learner engagement, minimal learner preparation, and poor use of performance assessment to drive growth. PerspectiveBy modeling the principles of educational psychology and adult learning theory (including involving the learner in the design and outcomes of the learning experience, using active learning strategies, and facilitating relationship development between learners and facilitators), faculty development can be transformed into a growth focused Quality Learning Environment (QLE). ImplicationsHere, we call for a redesign of faculty development around the principles of a QLE as an investment in faculty growth and a healthier and more innovative faculty culture. A novel, four-stage approach is offered to support this transformation.

Exploring the Impact of Rater Effects on Person Fit in Rater‐Mediated Assessments

AbstractResearchers have documented the impact of rater effects, or raters’ tendencies to give different ratings than would be expected given examinee achievement levels, in performance assessments. However, the degree to which rater effects influence person fit, or the reasonableness of test‐takers’ achievement estimates given their response patterns, has not been investigated. In rater‐mediated assessments, person fit reflects the reasonableness of rater judgments of individual test‐takers’ achievement over components of the assessment. This study illustrates an approach to visualizing and evaluating person fit in assessments that involve rater judgment using rater‐mediated person response functions (rm‐PRFs). The rm‐PRF approach allows analysts to consider the impact of rater effects on person fit in order to identify individual test‐takers for whom the assessment results may not have a straightforward interpretation. A simulation study is used to evaluate the impact of rater effects on person fit. Results indicate that rater effects can compromise the interpretation and use of performance assessment results for individual test‐takers. Recommendations are presented that call researchers and practitioners to supplement routine psychometric analyses for performance assessments (e.g., rater reliability checks) with rm‐PRFs to identify students whose ratings may have compromised interpretations as a result of rater effects, person misfit, or both.

Validity inquiry process: Practical guidance for examining performance assessments and building a validity argument

Given the increased use of performance assessments (PAs) in higher education to evaluate achievement of learning outcomes, it is important to address the barriers related to ensuring quality for this type of assessment. This article presents a design-based research (DBR) study that resulted in the development of a Validity Inquiry Process (VIP). The study’s aim was to support faculty in examining the validity and reliability of the interpretation and use of results from locally developed PAs. DBR was determined to be an appropriate method because it is used to study interventions such as an instructional innovation, type of assessment, technology integration, or administrative activity (Anderson & Shattuck, 2012). The VIP provides a collection of instruments and utilizes a reflective practice approach integrating concepts of quality criteria and development of a validity argument as outlined in the literature (M.T. Kane, 2013; Linn, Baker, & Dunbar, 1991; Messick, 1994).

Prompting Candidates in Oral Assessment Contexts: A Taxonomy and Guiding Principles.

Prompting is an aspect of oral assessment that deserves more attention. There appears to be considerable variation in how practitioners conceptualise prompting and how it is deployed in practice. In order to unpack the term and promote the validity of its use in performance assessments, we present a taxonomy of prompting as a continuum of types, namely: presenting the task; repeating information; clarifying questions; probing questions; and finally, leading questions. We offer general principles for consideration when using prompting in oral assessment: neutrality; consistency; transparency; and reflexivity. Whenever oral assessment is planned, assessors should be appropriately trained in the type and degree of prompting required, and candidates suitably briefed to know what to expect. Overall, we aim to raise awareness that quite different behaviours tend to be subsumed under the general term ‘prompting’. This paper provides concrete guidelines for implementing the defensible and effective use of prompting in oral examinations, applicable to a wide range of assessment contexts.

Performance assessment and standardization in higher education: A problematic conjunction?

There is unrealized potential in higher education for greater use of performance assessment, particularly in support of teaching and learning: Well-designed performance tasks can elicit evidence regarding what students know and can do with respect to complex learning objectives. At the same time, there is some pressure, at least in the United States, to widen usage of standardized assessments in order to facilitate comparisons among institutions. We distinguish assessments requiring extended performances of some kind from those involving other response formats. Taking student-produced essays as a paradigmatic example, we examine the processes of assessment design and scoring as they pertain to the validity of the inferences drawn from student work products. We also briefly review the history of standardized assessments and the roles they have played in education. Further, we describe how advances in assessment theory and practice have permitted substantial relaxation in the implementation of standardization. Our analysis of these issues in the higher education context draws on empirical evidence regarding both faculty usage of performance tasks (particularly as a means for enhancing the construct validity of an overall assessment) and faculty resistance to the imposition of externally developed, standardized assessments. We also describe efforts undertaken in the United States to strengthen faculty expertise in assessment design, scoring, and interpretation. We conclude that performance tasks have an important role to play in higher education, especially in view of the complexity and depth of the learning goals set for the students. For many purposes, they cannot be replaced by simpler, cheaper forms of assessment. Efforts to facilitate comparability in evaluating institutional outcomes, however, have not borne much fruit despite the substantial investments made. We argue that resources would be better directed at improving the quality of assessments developed and employed by college faculty and suggest how that might be accomplished.

Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis for train-ballasted track–bridge system

ABSTRACTThis paper is devoted to present an integrated uncertainty and sensitivity procedure for use in performance assessments for train–bridge interactions. Firstly, a train-ballasted track–bridge dynamic model with proper consideration of the nonlinear wheel–rail contact geometries is constructed in three-dimensional space; and then the uncertainties related to this system are illustrated, in which the material, geometry, structural damping of bridge superstructure and the temporal–spatial ergodic properties of track irregularities are highlighted; and furthermore, the probability density evolution method accompanied with an advanced number theoretical method is introduced to describe the transmission of probability from excitation input to response output for the uncertainty analysis; finally, the key factors affecting the dynamic behaviours of system components are clarified by the variance-based global sensitivity analysis which has taken the interactions between factors into account. Numerical examples show that the uncertainty analysis algorithm is of high efficiency and accuracy by comparing with the robust Monte-Carlo simulation method; the variability of bridge parameters and track irregularities show remarkable effects on the dynamic indices; and the most sensitive factors are rather different with regard to varied dynamic indices.

EVALUASI KINERJA PRAKTIKUM TITRASI ASAM BASA DENGAN TEKNIK SELF ASSESMENT MAHASISWA FKIP UNIMAL

The aim of this study was to determine the ability performance of FKIP Unimal chemical education students by the using of practicum performance appraisal with self assessment techniques as well as knowing the response of students related to practical performance assessment with self assessment techniques. Self assessment is an assessment of self competence. This study was motivated by the fact that the assessment carried out in practicum activities was still centered on the lecturer and only limited to knowledge that had not been assessed by performance and did not involve students as subjects but only objects of assessment. Type of this study is descriptive qualitative. This study was conducted to describe the findings of the use of performance assessment with self assessment techniques in chemical practicum. The study was carried out at the FKIP Unimal chemical education department for students who took 23 basic chemistry labs. The result was obtained from the instrument of performance appraisal sheets and questionnaire sheets for student responses. Data analysis on the ability of practicum performance and student response of self assessment was analyzed by using percentage techniques. Based on the results of the study showed that the ability of student practicum performance by the assessment of self assessment techniques consisted of very high was about 13.04%; high was about 47.83%; and sufficient was about 39.13%. The student responses to the using of performance appraisal with self assessment techniques showed the results that most students agreed and felt happy with the self-assessment. The conclusion of this study was the students were able to assess performance with self assessment techniques and provide a positive response related to the performance assessment with self assessment techniques.

Performance Assessment as a Diagnostic Tool for Science Teachers

Information on students’ development of science skills is essential for teachers to evaluate and improve their own education, as well as to provide adequate support and feedback to the learning process of individual students. The present study explores and discusses the use of performance assessments as a diagnostic tool for formative assessment to inform teachers and guide instruction of science skills in primary education. Three performance assessments were administered to more than 400 students in grades 5 and 6 of primary education. Students performed small experiments using real materials while following the different steps of the empirical cycle. The mutual relationship between the three performance assessments is examined to provide evidence for the value of performance assessments as useful tools for formative evaluation. Differences in response patterns are discussed, and the diagnostic value of performance assessments is illustrated with examples of individual student performances. Findings show that the performance assessments were difficult for grades 5 and 6 students but that much individual variation exists regarding the different steps of the empirical cycle. Evaluation of scores as well as a more substantive analysis of students’ responses provided insight into typical errors that students make. It is concluded that performance assessments can be used as a diagnostic tool for monitoring students’ skill performance as well as to support teachers in evaluating and improving their science lessons.

How do states integrate performance assessment in their systems of assessment?

This paper reviews state strategies for incorporating performance assessment in policy and practice. Specifically, the paper reviews the use of performance assessment in 12 states in the Innovation Lab Network, a group committed to developing systems of assessment that provide meaningful measures of college and career readiness. This review suggests that states relied on four central approaches for integrating performance assessment in state and local systems of assessment: 1) classroom purposes, 2) graduation requirement, 3) school accountability purposes, or 4) federal accountability. We review these approaches and the benefits and challenges associated with each strategy.

Integrating performance assessments across a PK-20 continuum: A locally developed collaboration

A response to Stosich et al.’s (2018) article reviewing ways in which states have taken up performance assessments, this commentary seeks to extend the focus and use of performance assessments to preservice teacher education. As such, the authors describe statewide initiatives in New Hampshire that are working to integrate performance assessments along a PK – 20 continuum by articulating how Stosich et al.’s key points of educator capacity, context, and assessments for and of learning are developing in one state. This commentary highlights key contextual factors for the lasting implementation of the performance assessments as well as raises critical new challenges and opportunities for understanding this tool as an assessment for and of learning.

Reliability of Squat Jump and Countermovement Jump Performance in Masters Athletes

Reliability of Squat Jump and Countermovement Jump Performance in Masters Athletes Despite their widespread use in performance assessment in younger athletes, the reliability of squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) assessments has not been reported in master’s athletes. The aim of this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of the SJ and CMJ in master’s athletes. Ten master’s athletes (50.8 ± 6.0 years) were recruited and asked to perform SJ and CMJs on two separate occasions six days apart. Moderate to high intra class correlations (0.56 to 0.95) were observed for SJ peak power (PP), peak power body mass-1 (PP BM-1), peak force (PF), peak force body mass-1 (PF BM-1) and peak concentric rate of force development (PCRFD) and jump height (JH). High intra class correlations (>0.8) were observed for CMJ PP, PP BM1, PF, PF BM-1 and PCRFD.

The effects of transformational leadership and organizational commitment on hotel departmental performance

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the effects of hotel general managers’ transformational leadership (TLS) and department managers (DMs)’ organizational commitment (OC) on their department’s performance in upscale hotels in Australia.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by surveying DMs in four- and five-star hotels. The survey instrument included measures of comprehensive sustainable performance, TLS and OC adapted from the literature. The data were analyzed through factor analysis and regression with a resampling method of bootstrapping.FindingsThe findings indicated that TLS influenced hotel departments’ non-financial as well as social and environmental performance dimensions directly and indirectly through OC. However, the mediation effect of OC did not exist for financial performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe key theoretical contribution is the use of performance assessment based on critical success factors of hotel businesses and the bootstrapping regression model.Practical implicationsSenior managers should pay attention to TLS qualities when appointing core managers, provide on-going structured TLS training and concentrate on leading performance dimensions for performance assessment.Originality/valueThis study responds to the call for leadership research to move beyond its emphasis on individual performance and to address performance more holistically by considering its multidimensionality and the processes underlying effective performance.

The Science Teacher’s Opinions about Using Performance Assessment in Elementary Science Education

Since the implementers of curriculum in schools are the teachers, it is imperative that teachers’ opinions are taken into account on new approaches and methods like performance assessment used in science education. Therefore, the views of teachers should be clearly found out. The aim of this research was to determine the views of elementary science teachers towards the use of performance assessment. The research was conducted with 148 science teachers. According to results, however the frequency of using performance assessment during the training is not very high enough, the percentage of teachers who use performance assessment once or twice in an educational year was higher than the percentage of teachers who just use one or not,. The primary reason for teachers to use performance assessment was “transferring learned science subjects in the classroom to its applications in real life,” and “encouraging students to research and collect data.” The most important difficulty they encounter while using performance assessment was “parents’ help.” They thought that parents assist their kids more than teachers expect. They sometimes do the whole assignment on behalf of students. Besides this finding, while evaluating students’ assignments in performance assessment the teachers frequently prefer to use the decisions from their professional experiences and scoring rubrics.

Performance Assessment of Teaching

Recent challenges concerning the quality of teachers and the programs that prepare them have resulted in responses from professional organizations that have been more widespread and intense than in the past (Robinson, 2011; Wiseman, 2012). The Blue Ribbon Panel on Clinical Preparation (BRP) formed by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the merger of NCATE and Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC) into Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) to improve teacher education (Cibulka, 2011), and the Teacher Performance Assessment Initiative which emerged from collaboration between the Performance Assessment for California Teachers (PACT), the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), and American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) member institutions (Robinson, 2011) are examples of ways that professional organizations have responded to the challenges. In general, calls for performance assessments of teaching to provide both formative and summative information about the quality of teachers, teacher candidates, and teacher preparation programs pervade the current discourse on education at every level, including schools and districts, institutions of higher education, state and national policymaking entities, and professional organizations. As a result, a number of performance assessments have emerged that can provide feedback to teacher education programs about the strengths and weaknesses of their candidates as well as evidence for licensure and certification of teachers. For example, Education Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) was designed to provide information for program improvement through the use of a common set of performance assessments for preservice teachers and has also been adopted by states and districts for summative evaluation purposes (http://edtpa.aacte.org/). The multiple performance measures in systems like edTPA improve upon value added models (VAM) by providing information on teaching quality, not just teacher quality or teacher effectiveness, and provide information sooner than might be accomplished by use of VAM alone (Newton, 2010). For this theme issue, we invited research and conceptual articles related to teacher performance assessments specifically as they affect teacher education, including validation studies of measures used in the assessments. We posed a series of questions that we considered important for researchers to address related to performance assessments, including the following: What are the relationships between current performance assessments and teacher education, either conceptually or in terms of outcomes? What do we know about the use of performance assessments in the context of teacher education, and what do we need to know? How do performance assessments of teachers in schools map onto assessment of teacher education programs, or how don't they? What differences may exist across novice teachers and expert teachers with respect to performance assessment, and how does that impact their professional learning? What are the implications of the relationships between for-profit companies, university teacher education programs, researchers, states, and professional organizations with respect to performance assessments of teachers? What is the relationship between assessment criteria and the research on teaching and learning, and what are its implications for teacher education? How do states make decisions to move to statewide teacher assessment systems? What potential conflicts of interest may exist among various stakeholders in performance assessment efforts? How do policies related to performance assessment of teachers affect opportunities for teacher learning? What can we learn from the history of past efforts to evaluate beginning teachers? What is different this time? What do we know about the validity and reliability of performance assessments and why does this matter? …

Crossed Random-Effect Modeling: Examining the Effects of Teacher Experience and Rubric Use in Performance Assessments

Problem Statement: Performance assessments have emerged as an alternative method to measure what a student knows and can do. One of the shortcomings of performance assessments is the subjectivity and inconsistency of raters in scoring. A common criticism of performance assessments is the subjective nature of scoring procedures. The effectiveness of the performance assessment procedure depends highly on the quality and coordination of teacher and rubric. To gain a better understanding of the interaction between teachers and performance assessments, it is crucial to examine the effects of teacher-related factors and how teachers interact with scoring rubrics when grading performance assessments. One of these factors is teachers’ work and scoring experience. When grading performance assessments, the experienced teachers may be expected to grade student performances more objectively through their experience in instruction and evaluation than the teachers with less teaching and scoring experience. Purpose of Study: This study investigates the impact of rubric use and teaching experience on teachers’ scoring behaviors in performance assessments. The effects of teaching experience and rubric use on the consistency of scores assigned by teachers is examined through an empirical study.

Critical appraisal of translational research models for suitability in performance assessment of cancer centers.

Translational research is a complex cumulative process that takes time. However, the operating environment for cancer centers engaged in translational research is now financially insecure. Centers are challenged to improve results and reduce time from discovery to practice innovations. Performance assessment can identify improvement areas that will help reduce translational delays. Currently, no standard method exists to identify models for use in performance assessment. This study aimed to critically appraise translational research models for suitability in performance assessment of cancer centers. We conducted a systematic review to identify models and developed a set of criteria based on scientometrics, complex adaptive systems, research and development processes, and strategic evaluation. Models were assessed for linkage between research and care components, new knowledge, systems integration, performance assessment, and review of other models. Twelve models were identified; six described phases/components for translational research in different blocks (T models) and six described the process of translational research (process models). Both models view translational research as an accumulation of new knowledge. However, process models more clearly address systems integration, link research and care components, and were developed for evaluating and improving the performance of translational research. T models are more likely to review other models. Process models seem to be more suitable for performance assessment of cancer centers than T models. The most suitable process models (the Process Marker Model and Lean and Six Sigma applications) must be thoroughly tested in practice.

Intra- and inter-session reliability of vertical jump performance in healthy middle-aged and older men and women

Despite its widespread use in performance assessment, the reliability of vertical jump in an ageing population has not been addressed properly. The aim of the present study was to assess intra- and inter-day reliability of countermovement jump in healthy middle-aged (55–65 years) and older (66–75 years) men and women. Eighty-two participants were recruited and asked to perform countermovement jumps on two different occasions interspersed by 4 weeks. The middle-aged groups exhibited excellent absolute reliability for flight height, jump height, peak force, peak power, peak force/body mass, and peak power/body mass, with coefficients of variation ranging from 2.9% to 7.2% in men and from 3.6% to 6.9% in women and moderate-to-high intraclass correlations (0.75 to 0.97 in men; 0.77 to 0.95 in women). The older groups displayed good coefficients of variation (4.2% to 10.8% in men and 3.4% to 9.5% in women), but the intraclass correlations were low-to-high (0.43 to 0.84 in men; 0.42 to 0.93 in women). Overall, intra-session reliability was higher than inter-session reliability. Peak power was by far the most consistent variable, whereas flight and jump height had the most marked variability. The minimum detectable change varied from 10.5% to 33%, depending on the variable examined, suggesting important implications for intervention studies.