The Uses and Limits of Performance Assessment

摘要: In his introduction, Mr. Eisner, who served as guest editor of this special section, puts performance assessment into a broad educational and social context. PERFORMANCE is one the "hot topics" on agenda education reform for good reason. Performance closer measure our children's ability to achieve aspirations we hold them than are conventional forms standardized testing. Indeed, have been influenced by fact that children will inhabit world requiring far more complex subtle thinking needed three or four decades ago. For example, need know how frame problems themselves, formulate plans address them, assess multiple outcomes, consider relationships, deal with ambiguity, shift purposes in light new information. These modes thought be critical society which citizens apt change vocations several times during course worklife,1 mobility has increased adaptability required, choosing action requires consideration diverse sometimes conflicting No longer most jobs, particularly those desirable, require use routine skills rote memory.2 As Edward Haertel informs us article these changing expectations outcomes reflect nonbehaviorist view human nature. When learning was conceived acquisition aggregation reinforced units information, "practice makes perfect" could serve guiding principle teaching. The kind students now being encouraged engage much what Thorndike, father American psychological connectionism, dreamed of. Context matters, judgment counts, opportunity act order try out one's speculations importance. demise behaviorism emergence constructivism nature not only sources conception education. We come realize meaning matters it something can imparted from teacher student. sense, all teachers do "make noises environment." By I mean no main line brains students. shapers environment, stimulators, motivators, guides, consultants, resources. But end, make provide function they construe offer.3 Meanings given, made. And interested enabling their activities school meaningful, merely because grades receive but, important, satisfactions insights efforts possible. also kinds meanings related representation employ themselves decode when others used them.4 Each exist culture visual art, auditory music, quantitative mathematics, propositional science, choreographic dance, poetic language vehicles through conceptualized expressed. A life driven pursuit enriched sought secured multiple. addition considerations, begun recognize aim schooling enable well school. stakes considerably higher. What after outside school; scores generated tests using proxies, alas, found proxies useful making inferences about likely other tests. …