Which assessment type requires creating products like essays or projects?

Performance-based assessments are designed to evaluate students' knowledge and skills through the creation of tangible products, such as essays, projects, or presentations. These assessments require students to apply their learning in practical ways, demonstrating their understanding and mastery of particular content areas. By engaging in this type of assessment, students not only showcase their ability to synthesize information but also exhibit critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.

This approach to assessment is particularly valuable in education as it goes beyond traditional testing methods, which may emphasize rote memorization. Performance-based assessments encourage deeper engagement with the material and allow educators to observe how students perform in a real-world context, reflecting their ability to integrate knowledge and skills.

The other assessment types have different focuses. Individual referenced assessments typically center around assessing a student's performance in comparison to their own past performance. Criterion-referenced assessments measure a student's performance against a predefined standard or benchmark, which does not necessarily involve creating products. Norm-referenced assessments compare a student's performance to that of a broader group, focusing on relative standing rather than individual creation. Thus, performance-based assessments uniquely highlight the active production of work as a measure of comprehension and capability.