Alternative
Assessment
Any
assessment technique that uses strategies for collecting and analyzing
information different from traditional paper-and-pencil tests.
Assessment
The
collection, analysis, interpretation, and application of information about
student performance or program effectiveness in making educational decisions.
Authentic
Assessment
Assessment
techniques that gather information about students' ability to perform tasks
that are found in real world situations.
Benchmark
The
comparison of student performance against an established standard that
provides information as to the student's progress toward attaining the
standard.
Criteria
A
description of the standard of performance for a particular task.
Criterion-Referenced
Determining
the value of a student's performance by referring to criteria that were
specified prior to the student's performance of a task.
Evaluation
The
collection and use of information to make informed educational decisions.
Formative
Assessment
On-going
assessment within an educational program whose purpose is to improve the
program as it progresses.
Norm
The
midpoint in a set of scores taken from a large number of representative
individuals where 50 percent of the scores are above the norm and 50 percent
are below.
Norm-Referenced
T
value of a student's performance determined by referring to a norm established
by a large number of representative individuals that indicates how a student
performed in relation to other individuals previous performance.
Performance
Assessment
An
assessment technique that determines a student's ability to perform on
assigned tasks rather than on the ability to answer questions.
Performance
Task
A
student demonstration that shows ability to handle complex material in
"real-world" situations.
Portfolio
Assessment
A
collection of student work used to demonstrate student attainment in a
content area. Student progress is determined by reviewing the collected
works in light of previously established criteria.
Program
Assessment
The
determination of an educational program's strengths and weaknesses through
a well-conceived and implemented plan of data collection and analysis.
Reliability
The
consistency of an assessment instrument to obtain comparable scores across
time.
Rubric
A
set of scoring criteria used to determine the value of a student's performance
on assigned tasks. The criteria are written so students are able to learn
what must be done to improve their performance in the future.
Self-assessment
Analyzing
and making decisions about one's own performance or abilities.
Standard
The
content, level, or type of performance expected by students at a particular
point in time or stage of development.
Student
Assessment
The
determination of one or more students' capabilities in a subject matter
made from information gathered on meaningful performance tasks that are
referenced to well-defined, educationally sound performance criteria.
Summative
Assessment
Assessment
performed to determine the overall effectiveness of an educational program.
Validity
The
ability of an assessment instrument to measure what it is supposed to measure.
It is also the appropriate use of assessment information and results.
