Aaron Eisberg: 7 Effective Assessment Strategies for Project-Based Learning
At New Tech High School in Napa, CA, we are intentional about providing clarity for students, offering timely and relevant feedback, and leveraging formative assessment to drive learning within projects. By aligning assessment strategies with each stage of the learning process, we ensure that students understand their goals, receive constructive feedback at critical moments, and continuously improve their work. This approach not only supports students in meeting high standards but also empowers them to take ownership of their learning journey in a meaningful, project-based environment.
To achieve these goals, we turn to the 7 Strategies of Assessment for Learning. These strategies serve as a structured approach to guide students through each stage of their projects, from understanding initial expectations to reflecting on their final outcomes. By using these methods, we’re able to make learning targets clear, provide feedback that is both timely and constructive, and engage students in meaningful self-assessment. Let’s explore each strategy in detail and see how they can be applied to enhance project-based learning at every phase.
Provide Clear Learning Targets
Description: In a PBL setting, clear learning targets clarify the intended learning outcomes, allowing students to understand exactly what they are working toward. These targets act as a roadmap, helping students stay focused on achieving specific goals and fostering a deeper understanding of the content and skills they’re expected to develop. Providing clear learning targets/intentions lays the groundwork for a strong formative assessment classroom.
Example: In a PBL unit on renewable energy, set explicit goals, such as “Identify the pros and cons of at least three different renewable energy sources.” These objectives might be displayed prominently in the classroom or included in project guidelines. For students, this clarity translates into a sense of purpose, as they understand the why behind their work.
Resource: Understanding by Design by Wiggins & McTighe (2005) underscores the importance of well-defined objectives for meaningful student engagement and knowledge transfer.
Use Examples and Models of Strong and Weak Work
Description: Providing examples of both strong and weaker work enables students to identify what success looks like and understand where common pitfalls may lie. This helps students recognize quality, form high standards, and develop critical thinking skills as they evaluate different levels of work quality.
Example: When starting a project on sustainable living, show students examples of past projects that excelled and those that had shortcomings. A well-designed project might include a thorough analysis of energy consumption, while a weaker one may lack depth or only address a single energy source. By examining both, students gain a concrete understanding of expectations and develop a vision for their own project outcomes.
Resource: Re-Envisioning Rigor- Powerful Routines for Promoting Learning at High Levels by Michael McDowel and Aaron Eisberg. Provides clear, at-a-glance visuals that breaks down routines and and strategies into four steps.
Offer Regular, Descriptive Feedback
Description: Descriptive formative feedback provides students with specific information on what they are doing well and what areas need improvement. Unlike grading, this feedback is formative and aims to support student learning as they progress through their project, allowing them to make timely adjustments. Remember, no one really wanted to be "assessed" but most of us are open to feedback. Even shifting the language from assessment to feedback changes the conversation with students.
Example: During the early stages of a renewable energy project, provide feedback like, “Your research on solar energy is detailed and informative, but consider including comparisons with wind and hydropower to show a balanced view.” This kind of feedback focuses on both the strengths and next steps, making it actionable and encouraging further exploration.
Resource: Brookhart (2008) emphasizes that constructive feedback is key to formative assessment, as it helps students build on their strengths while addressing specific challenges.
Teach Students to Self-Assess and Set Goals
Description: Self-assessment and goal-setting empower students to evaluate their own progress, identify areas for improvement, and develop greater ownership of their learning. Through self-assessment, students learn to reflect on their strengths and weaknesses, setting personalized goals that drive motivation and engagement.
Example: After receiving feedback, students might use a rubric to evaluate their renewable energy project, noting areas where they excel (e.g., depth of research) and areas for improvement (e.g., visual presentation quality). From there, they can set goals, like adding more visuals or refining their argument. This approach teaches students to self-regulate and manage their learning journey.
Resource: Sadler (1989) highlights that self-assessment is essential for developing self-regulation, a skill valuable both in and beyond the classroom.
Design Lessons to Focus on One (or limited) Learning Target(s) or Skill(s) at a Time
Description: By concentrating on one skill or learning target at a time, students can focus deeply on mastering specific aspects of the content. This targeted approach reduces cognitive overload, fosters skill development, and allows for the progressive building of competencies throughout a project. This is a great first step as you continue to layer in more targets and skills.
Example: As students are working on an assignment, use the “Dot Protocol” to have the students do the heavy lifting in the formative assessment process. As students are working, place a dot on the students’ work that signals either a strength or a weakness. Students collaboratively and using exemplars and other resources, discuss why the “Dot” was placed on the student work. Once students have identified why it was placed on the piece of work, students develop next steps associated with the learning target and intentions.
Resource: Re-Envisioning Rigor- Powerful Routines for Promoting Learning at High Levels by Michael McDowel and Aaron Eisberg. Provides clear, at-a-glance visuals that breaks down routines and strategies into four steps.
Teach Students Focused Revision
Description: Focused revision teaches students the importance of improving their work in a structured way. Rather than broadly revising an entire project, students concentrate on specific areas, which makes the revision process more manageable and meaningful. This is an opportunity to leverage adult connections and adults in various industries to provide feedback that replicates how feedback is provided in their industry.
Example: In a project on renewable energy, students might perform a focused revision of their data analysis, ensuring that all statistics are accurately cited and comparisons between energy sources are clear. Later, they may revise the visual components, such as graphs or images, to ensure they enhance the presentation’s clarity and impact.
Resource: Hattie and Timperley (2007) note that targeted revisions help students think critically about their work and encourage deeper learning by focusing on improvement areas one at a time.
Engage Students in Self-Reflection
Description: Self-reflection prompts students to think about what they have learned, how they have grown, and what they might do differently next time. This reflection is a powerful tool for personal growth, fostering self-awareness and helping students internalize their learning experiences. It is vitally important that students know what success looks like in relation to the learning targets. Using exemplars along with sentence frames helps support the formative process and students identify where they are in their learning, where they are going and then the student's next steps.
Example: Throughout the PBL unit on environmental sustainability, students write reflections addressing what they learned about the topic, any challenges they faced, and the strategies they used to overcome these challenges. For instance, a student might note, “I struggled to find unbiased data on wind energy, so I adjusted my approach by consulting academic sources.”
Resource: Gibbs (1988) argues that self-reflection is a vital component of lifelong learning, enabling students to think critically about their experiences and draw lessons for future projects.
Conclusion
To achieve these goals, we turn to the 7 Strategies of Assessment for Learning. These strategies serve as a structured approach to guide students through each stage of their projects, from understanding initial expectations to reflecting on their final outcomes. By using these methods, we’re able to make learning targets clear, provide feedback that is both timely and constructive, and engage students in meaningful self-assessment. Let’s explore each strategy in detail and see how they can be applied to enhance project-based learning at every phase.
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Aaron Eisberg is the Director of the Center for Excellence at New Technology High School in Napa California. Eisberg is an expert in project-based learning, instructional design, and professional development for K-12 educators. With a career that began in K-5 science classrooms, he has since advised schools and systems on creating rigorous instruction and empowering student voice. As the Director for the Center for Excellence at Napa New Tech High School, Aaron leads professional learning and fosters a student-centered culture focused on academic and 21st-century outcomes. He has a passion for problem-based learning and partners with educators globally. Aaron holds degrees in Natural Science and Elementary Education and is a long-standing member of the Buck Institute for Education National Faculty.
