Projects. Assessment Resource Kit (ARK)

Projects are extended pieces of work completed over a period of time. They provide contexts for the assessment of general skills, as well as the ability to apply subject-specific knowledge and skills. Some of the general skills that projects demonstrate are collecting and organizing information, solving problems, working in a group, and self-direction. Some learning outcomes are best assessed by observing and monitoring students while they are engaged in project work. Other outcomes are best assessed by observing the end product of project work, the presentation or report. Examples of these outcomes are collecting information, interpreting data, and presenting results. In high-stakes settings, where student projects can influence decisions about their futures, high levels of student-to-student and assessor-to-assessor comparability are desirable to ensure fairness. In developmental assessment, teachers monitor student progress against a map of developing skills, knowledge, and understandings. Different types of projects provide different types of information that teachers can use to estimate student progress on a progress map. The project design process is summarized. A number of illustrations highlight student project examples and important information about using projects in developmental assessment.