FTCE Reading K-12 Practice Exam

What type of assessment is best for measuring students' performance through tasks?

1. Formative assessment

2. Standardized testing

3. Performance-based assessment

4. Summative assessment

The correct answer is: Performance-based assessment

The best type of assessment for measuring students' performance through tasks is performance-based assessment. This approach requires students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills by engaging in real-world activities or tasks that require critical thinking, problem-solving, and application of what they have learned. Performance-based assessments can include projects, presentations, experiments, and other hands-on activities that allow students to showcase their understanding in a practical context. This type of assessment goes beyond traditional testing methods by evaluating a student’s ability to apply their skills in meaningful ways, providing a more comprehensive view of their capabilities. Other types of assessment, such as formative assessments, are designed to monitor student learning and provide ongoing feedback during the instructional process, rather than focus on demonstrating performance through tasks. Standardized testing typically measures students against a common set of benchmarks using fixed questions and formats, which may not effectively capture their practical skills. Summative assessments evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit or course, often relying on traditional test formats rather than task-based evaluations. Thus, performance-based assessment stands out as the most suitable method for assessing students through specific tasks.