Strategies for the Development of Effective Performance Exercises

This article contains four sections. The Nature of Assessment section explores the values manifested in the assessment, the clarity of the standards, the need to incorporate cognitive and motivational psychology, and the potential impact of the assessment on classroom instruction. The Properties of Effective Tasks section discusses the structural elements of effective tasks and issues related to students as problem solvers. The Making Tasks Meaningful and Engaging section calls for embedding tasks in "messy" real-world contexts. The Process of Developing Effective Performance Tasks section offers practical suggestions on the issues of who should be involved, sources of ideas for assessment, and how teachers are the critical change agents in achieving world class standards.