In an educational setting, standards-based assessment is assessment that relies on the evaluation of student understanding with respect to agreed-upon standards, also known as "outcomes". The standards set the criteria for the successful demonstration of the understanding of a concept or skill.
Overview
In the standards-based paradigm, students have the freedom to demonstrate understanding in diverse ways, including (but not limited to) selected response (e.g. multiple choice tests), physical constructions, written responses, and performances. Of course, these are not new types of assessments, nor is the concept of differentiated assessment. The teacher uses all available observations and quantitative information to summarize learning with reference to a specific standard. With these data, a teacher can formulate the steps or actions that can be taken to gain mastery of a particular concept. That is, it aids in assessment for learning.
One of the key aspects of standards-based assessment is post-assessment feedback. The feedback a student receives from this type of assessment does not emphasize a score, percentage, or statistical average, but information about the expectations of performance as compared to the standard. A standards-based approach does not necessarily dismiss a summative grade, percentage, or a measure of central tendency (such as a mean, or median). However, an assessment that does not reference or give feedback with respect to a standard would not be standards-based. There is a large body of evidence that points to the effectiveness of appropriate feedback.
Purpose
The purpose of standards-based assessment is to connect evidence of learning to learning outcomes (the standards). When standards are explicit and clear, the learner becomes aware of their achievement with reference to the standards, and the teacher may use assessment data to give meaningful feedback to students about this progress. The awareness of one's own learning allows students to point to a specific standard of achievement and so strengthens self-regulation and meta-cognition, two skills generally understood to be effective learning strategies.
Framework of the standards-based approach in assessment
A common approach to standards-based assessment (SBA) is:
Identify a key fact or important body of knowledge (e.g. a scientific theory, a mathematical relationship), the essential content and concepts.
Identify the indicators (i.e. evidence) that students will show when the concept or content has been understood.
Choose a collection of assessments that will allow students to demonstrate the indicators. Using a scale or rubric, identify the proficiency of the student with respect to the standard. This progress is made accessible to the learner in order to provide meaningful feedback. Any feedback should be able to provide information on how the proficiency can be improved) and the educator needs to be aware of the effects of praise during feedback. Repeat instruction, assessment and feedback until the student achieves a predetermined level of mastery.
Hallmarks
Standards (i.e. learning outcomes) need to be visible and understandable by students Tasks, activities and assessments should be clear about which standard is being practiced Formative assessment should be used to give feedback to students about their progress towards a standard Assessment in general should be well-designed, accurate and high in validity to be fair and accessible Exemplars should be used to give students an understanding of how achievement against a standard is measured Rubrics should be used to assess performances and constructed responses Selective response (e.g. multiple choice) should be used to assess basic understanding and knowledge (as in Bloom's taxonomy) of a specific standard (or the underlying pre-requisite concepts associated with the standard)