Assessing a TASC lesson
Teacher assessment
If you have a complex problem to solve, TASC will take you through clear and logical stages so you can be confident you've reached a sound solution. Some questions are straightforward 'Who is the Prime Minister?' Others are much more complex 'Is it possible to live on Mars?' These more complex questions ask you to explore different kinds of knowledge to find convincing answers.
TASC has identified eight stages your brain moves through while solving complex questions: gather and organise; identify; generate; decide; implement; evaluate; communicate and learn from experience. To read more about the eight stages, download Introduction to TASC.
When assessing learners’ work and progress for a series of TASC lessons, you can use the criteria below.
Use the criteria in an ongoing way rather than only at the end of the whole process. You might find it helpful to make a grid with each of the criteria down one side and the users' names across the top. You’ll then have a map of how your learners’ thinking skills are developing.
- Does the learner have... ?
- Is the learner able to... ?
- Is there evidence of... ?
Here are particular areas to assess in each section of TASC:
Gather and organise
- Wide knowledge of topic
- Recall of extended information
- Understanding of advanced concepts
- Can organise knowledge in complex groups
Identify
- Full understanding of tasks set
- Able to articulate task clearly
- Able to work to complex objectives
- Able to see what is missing
Generate
- Suggests alternative methods
- Collects a variety of evidence
- Sees different perspectives
- Find a new way
Decide
- Sees the consequences
- Uses evidence effectively
- Selects key ideas
- Plans efficiently
Implement
- Carries through a plan
- Monitors progress
- Changes direction
- Sees the next steps
Evaluate
- Evaluates against criteria
- Sees ways to improve
- Carries out improvements
- Reflects on the task
Communicate
- Explains to others
- Shares what is known
- Selects relevant information
- Presents in different modes
Learn from experience
- Reflects on performance
- Transfers skills
- Retains new knowledge
- Articulates new skills
Learners’ self-assessment
The TASC method promotes learners’ own understanding and assessment of their progress. You can download and print the Assessing my project page for your learners to assess skills they have used and improved during a series of TASC lessons.
Self-assessment could be continuous, scheduled at the end of each session or be done at the very end of a TASC lesson.