Special Report

Projects, Portfolios, and Performance Assessments

February 6, 2019
Special Report v38 20 PerformanceAssessment
The recent backlash against standardized testing is renewing interest in alternative ways to evaluate students’ learning progress. Proponents of these alternative approaches bet that “capstone” projects, portfolios, and performance-based tests can deepen students’ learning and teach them valuable skills for college or the workplace.
But the practices also raise questions: Is an essay a performance assessment? How should students be evaluated in group projects? Will students make it into colleges without traditional grades and test scores? Can digital games tell teachers what students know—or still need to learn? Find out in this special report.