Project Based Assessment

The use of project-based assessment techniques has continued to grow within education curriculums as resources and concepts beyond traditional testing applications have evolved. There can be extensive value to the student's overall learning process with the addition of project-based learning to supplement standard curriculum material. Often the project-based component of a lesson plans can help to make the concepts relatable for students.

Assignments that compile into a project-based assessment are also a technique option for educators looking to review the ability of students to be creative, diverse and authentic with their course work and the experience gained throughout the time frame of the class. Learning is guided by much more than study skills and the completion of worksheets and lesson plans. The ability of teachers to apply additional assessment techniques to determine the level of understanding of a topic can be highly beneficial to the overall development of a student.

Effectively Utilizing Project-Based Assessments

Project-based assessments are an opportunity to utilize and measure the higher order thinking skills of students. A project-based assessment will apply multi-faceted skills to be encompassed into a cumulative project. This can be a singular project at the end of a grading period or it can be done at designated intervals throughout the marking period. The intent is to design the project-based assessment to encompass the lesson plans, teacher worksheets and any additional teacher resources which will ultimately provide a physical example of what was has been learned and what can be applied by the student.

The criteria for the project-based assessment can be as specific or as generic as a teacher designates. A field trip that relates to the course work is potentially a project-based assignment but its effectiveness as an assessment opportunity would require a more direct correlation. Developing rubrics to define the class structure and curriculum design can be an effective means of applying project-based learning skills. Worksheets can help guide a student throughout the process during the semester.

Advantages of Project-Based Assessments

Some benefits of project based assessments include the overall vantage point of subject correlation with industry applications. For example, students learning traditional uses of mathematic formulas or physics theories may benefit from studying the use of these topics in everyday life. The idea behind a value added project-based assessment is to strengthen the understanding of the lesson plans through experiencing the subject matter in a relevant way.

Expressive educational areas such as the arts, are especially an area where the creativity of a project can be largely left up to the endeavors of a student. However, overall the teacher has the responsibility to develop adequate worksheets and lesson plans to support the central ideas or techniques surrounding the projects.

There are many teacher resources available to help with the development of a project-based assessment plan. From rubrics to lesson plans and study skill suggestions, effective methods are available to assist educators with the implementation and execution of these techniques. The ability to guide students towards developing an overall understanding of course work is integral to building on the continuous development of skills and classroom experiences.