Performance Based Assessment and Technology

Creating a real world tasks that allows students to demonstrate mastery of content is becoming more accepted as a way to assess student learning. 21st Century skills, like technology integration, communication, collaboration and critical thinking can also be embedded in the task. Initially, performance based assessments may seem like they would take more teacher time to develop, implement and grade. But in reality, a well designed task with a clear rubric can engage students, produce higher quality work and allow the teacher to spend more time working supporting students.

Most performance tasks include some kind of final presentation or product. Many times students choose to use powerpoints, video or other technology based tools to share what they have done with their peers and teacher.

Here is a list of web based presentation tools that work well with any operating system.

Google Apps - Google Docs presentation, spreadsheet, document and draw all allow students to collaborate on work, share work in real time and publish work to the web.
(http://partnerpage.google.com/fairview.k12.oh.us)

Prezi - A non-linear, non-sequential collaborative tool that allows multiple users to work together on a visually engaging presentation. Teachers can create the basic prezi and share it with a group of students, who can all add to the prezi. The final product can be published to the web.
(http://www.prezi.com/)

Animoto - Create free 30 second video montages set to music by uploading images and video clips to the site. These can be published to the web.
(http://www.animoto.com/)

Glogster - Create virtual posters called glogs. Use the embedded Grab It tool to capture pictures, record audio and record video directly onto Glogster using the webcam on the laptop. Posters can be published to the web. Teachers can get 50 free student accounts with their login. (http://edu.glogster.com)


Students who choose to make a video as a way of sharing what they have learned need to follow a few guidelines. Finished videos can be saved to jump drives preferably as .mov or .avi files. These are viewable by a variety of operating systems and software. They may also be burned to a disc - keep in mind that netbook computers do not usually have disc drives.