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Abstract
A major challenge in social studies instruction is balancing best practices with state-mandated
following review explores the benefits of performance assessments in the social studies
classroom.
LITERATURE REVIEW-DOMAIN B 3
Literature Review-Domain B
Current best practices in education advocate for the active over passive learning in the
classroom. Social studies teachers face immense pressure to cover the required curriculum at
each grade level. According to author Tonya Moon, the implications of this are significant. “If
teachers come to regard standards as checklists of content, then the structure and
interconnectedness of a discipline is lost, and students will likely fail to see the meaning of their
learning, and the usefulness of standards.” (Moon, 2002,p. 54). A useful strategy to avoid this
complete a task using their knowledge, skills and abilities to create a product. This type of
assessment requires students to use “real-world” skills that have value beyond the classroom.
presentation or other product. Performance based tests allow students to demonstrate their
understanding of content and their ability to think critically. Performance assessment requires
students to produce something that is scored against a criteria. According to Moon, “Common to
all performance assessments is the fundamental notion that students are engaged in
conceptualized academic exercises where they are comparing contrasting, summarizing and
predicting; in other words, they engage in the types of thinking that characterizes what
professionals do in the “real world”. Moon, 2002, p. 54). Key attributes of performance
assessments are: tasks that ask for demonstrations of understanding, tasks that represent “real-
life” challenges rather than busywork and tasks that involve higher level thinking. Performance
assessments also must be guided by a rubric that expresses to students what exceptional work
The essential components are a performance-based assessment are that they must
measure course standards, they must be complex, authentic, process oriented, open-ended and
identify goals, select standards and review assessments to identify gaps in learning. As described
by author Patricia Hillard, the most genuine assessment requires students to complete tasks that
Author Tonya Moon provides a sample social studies performance assessment in her
article. As described by Moon, the best type of performance assessments make an impact on
students beyond simply evaluating their competence level in certain subject matters. An example
local newspaper. Students analyze five wars of the 20th century and analyze information to
Differentiation is important within performance assessment. One way this can be done is
through providing students with choice. In regards to the sample activity described above,
differentiation might be in providing students with a role within the newspaper activity that is
best aligned with their abilities. To differentiate between advanced and non-advanced learners,
project prompts can be adjusted. Additionally, differentiation can be furthered by adjusting the
Addressing the academic diversity amongst students can be challenging in the social
studies classroom. Performance based assessments is a way to address this diversity while also
addressing the state-mandates content standards. Performance assessments are also the ideal
assessment for differentiation. Tasking students with completing projects is a powerful learning
tool for students that is both student-driven and has application for the real world.
LITERATURE REVIEW-DOMAIN B 5
References:
Moon, Tonya (2002). Using Performance Assessment in the Social Studies Classroom. Gifted
Child Today. Pages 53-58.