Publications

DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE PERFORMANCE-BASED LEARNING AND

ASSESSMENT

by:
Kris P. Roman
Teacher II, Limay National High School

Traditional instruction may not be enough to involve our 21st-century students in

empowering them to take accountability for their work and stimulate their higher-order
thinking skills. Active learning, as demonstrated by performance-based learning and
assessment, is a way that teachers can enforce in their own classroom with minimal
planning, preparation, and growth monitoring. When students engage in meaningful and
participative tasks or activities, they are involved in performance-based learning. This
type of learning is intended to assist students in acquiring and applying knowledge,
practicing skills, and developing independent and cooperative work habits. The product
for performance-based learning allows a student to showcase evidence of comprehension
through knowledge exchange.

A performance-based assessment does not have a single correct answer which

makes it open-ended; it should reflect authentic learning outcomes, such as the
production of a newspaper or a class debate. The advantage of performance-based
assessments is that learners who are more positively engaged in the learning process
digest and comprehend the material at a much more profound level. Other attributes of
performance-based assessments include their complexity and timeliness.

Performance-based learning and assessment is a classroom assessment system that

enables students to express their experience and abilities in a learning environment that
encompasses their higher-order thinking skills while also correlating them to real-life
situations. This type of learning is a continuing process that enables student-centered
learning and learning growth monitoring in which teachers and students interact and

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 Publications
recalibrate their learning as needed. In preparing for performance-based learning, take
note that the content and instruction do not need to be modified, but instead of evaluating
students' knowledge of the subject matter, they are allowed to illustrate what they have
gained. The instructor has a complete and direct control over how it is taught, with proper
preparation and planning.

Performance-based learning is being established at all levels of education, from

primary school to high school and beyond. When used in an aligned setting,
performance-based learning could be used alongside traditional teaching. Instructors can
guarantee learners' mastery of content standards and students' learning objectives by
combining traditional and performance learning. Although combining traditional
teaching methods with performance-based learning could take a lot of time, keeping that
all standards are effectively provided, can appear difficult. Once the material for
permitting students to perform what they have learned is developed, the findings and
data collected on student performance will be much more relevant. Specific data and
reflections will assist an instructor in redirecting or re-teaching a student in a timely
manner.

Performance evaluation is based on empirical evidence and judgment. The expert

observes a student performing a task or reviewing student-produced outputs and then
analyzes the quality of the tasks. While performance activities can be developed to require
students to practice their understanding by applying previously acquired competencies
to a new and varied situation, performance tasks always include more than one
acceptable solution, often requiring learners to explain their solutions. Performance tasks
are both an essential part of learning and a means of evaluating student performance
effectiveness.

Students may find it difficult to accomplish performance-based activities. They

must understand what is expected of them and how they will be evaluated from the start.
Examples and models can be useful, but it is more essential to include comprehensive

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 Publications
criteria for evaluating the performance-based assessment. A scoring rubric should
recognize all criteria. Observations are an important part that can be used to give
constructive criticism to students in order to improve achievement. Observations can be
used by both students and teachers. Peer-to-peer student feedback is possible. To track
student performance, a checklist could be used. The primary objective of performance-
based learning should be to improve what learners have learned rather than simply
having them remember facts.

This type of instruction and assessment enables teachers and learners to

personalize their learning and apply it to real-life scenarios. The operation becomes
smooth and interacting as both become more familiar with performance-based learning
and assessments and understand their learning and thinking. Furthermore, academic
achievement will be easier to observe and evaluate.

References:

https://us.corwin.com/sites/default/files/upm-assets/12754_book_item_12754.pdf
https://www.thoughtco.com/ideas-for-performance-based-activities

21 March 2022