Performance assessment can be an integral part of a balanced assessment system. Performance assessments help educators observe how well students can use the information and ideas they have been taught. They also engage students more deeply in learning. However, educators may struggle to find high-quality performance assessments that accurately measure student learning.
The MAC works with educators in a variety of subject areas to develop and test new performance assessments and design professional learning opportunities that support their use of performance assessment.
Current Research and Development Topics
Collaborative Scoring of Performance Assessments
Lack of teacher training in collaborative scoring, and the cost of central scoring, can be major impediments to district use of performance assessments. Yet, teacher scoring of student work is among the most powerful of professional learning experiences. We are addressing these challenges through an innovative collaborative scoring system that can greatly reduce the cost of obtaining objective scoring information from the performance assessments teachers use.
Informed by participant feedback and lessons learned from a collaborative scoring pilot, we worked with MZ Development in 2018-19 to develop the Michigan Collaborative Scoring System (MI–CSS), powered by Oscar Classroom, an online platform for teachers to collaboratively score student responses to performance assessments.
Collaborative Scoring Teams of arts educators formed to use MI-CSS, powered by OSCAR Classroom as part of the Michigan Arts Education Instruction and Assessment (MAEIA) Project, our arts education collaboration with the Michigan Department of Education.
Mi-CSS is also available to a cadre of educators developing performance assessments to support Michigan’s standards in English language arts and mathematics. MI-CSS software has the potential to benefit all disciplines, including arts, sciences, social studies, mathematics, English language arts, health, and world languages.
Michigan Performance Assessment Cadre of Experts (MiPAC)
Cohorts of Michigan Performance Assessment Cadre of Experts (MiPAC) have worked develop and implement performance assessments in their districts/schools in collaboration with the Office of Educational Supports (OES) and Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability (OEAA) of the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).
Experienced, volunteer educators work with MAC and OEAA to develop performance assessments aligned to Michigan’s academic content standards and Model Competencies in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) in grades 3-8. MiPAC participants and other volunteer teachers then pilot the new performance assessments in their districts/schools and scored them using the Michigan Collaborative Scoring System (MI-CSS). Initially, this work will support districts seeking to use a C-BE framework to equip students to succeed in college, career, and community/civic life.
To learn more about the MAC’s Research and Development work, contact Ed Roeber at (517) 816-4520.
Our resource bank contains additional materials and resources to support educators in the effective use of assessment.