Performance
A performance-based assessment requires a student to perform a task or series of actions, often to the assessor/assessing team and/or a live audience. Performance-based assessments test how well you can demonstrate your fluency and mastery of certain behaviours, actions or movements. They are commonly used within Drama or Creative Arts programmes and are also frequently used within the Health Professions in the form of formalised role-play performances such as OSCEs (Objective Structured Clinical Examinations).
Typically used to….
- assess how well you demonstrate your fluency and mastery of certain behaviours, actions or movements.
- evaluate subject mastery or knowledge (by asking you to show what you can do with what you know).
- evaluate presentation, oral or visual communication skills
- assess stage management or directing skills.
Key considerations when preparing for performance-based assessment
When preparing for performance-based assessment, always refer to the guidelines and requirements provided by your lecturer, keeping the following points in mind:
- Is the performance being used for formative or summative assessment purposes (or both!)
- If your performance contributes to your final grade (i.e. is being used for summative assessment), how much is it worth?
- What criteria is being used to assess your performance? Has a rubric been provided?
- Revise and prepare! Are there any guides/supports that might be useful to review in advance?
- Ask your friends/ housemates to be your 'audience' so you can get used to performing in front of other people.
- Record a practice performance and review it afterwards-what could you improve on?
- Take notes after the performance assessment: what went well? What could you do to improve in the future?
Tools/technologies
Trinity-supported tools:
A student perspective on performance
- Clinical/Oral Examinations: MedicineJohn Allen 3rd year PhD student in Paediatrics and a Graduate Teaching Assistant in Paediatrics, talks about clinical/oral examinations in Medicine.
- DebatesJody Murphy Jody Murphy, BA student in Business, Economics and Social Studies, talks about his experience of debates.
- Oral ExaminiationsChloe Griffin Chloe Griffin, 2nd year BA student in Modern Languages (Irish & French) talks about her experience of oral examinations.