Ten Steps to Task Development

1) Be clear about your targets: the skills and knowledge students will demonstrate and the standards you expect students to meet.


• Include a process standard (e.g., writing, speaking, composing) and a core content knowledge standard (e.g., the concept of separation of powers in a democracy or the concept of form in the arts). Consult resources on district/state/national standards.
• Make targets manageable within the scope of the task. Ask yourself, “What knowledge and skills will students develop and demonstrate through this task?”
  
  
2) Be familiar with the critical process traits and key concepts of a strong performance.


• Develop a set of key questions which, when answered by students, will elucidate key conceptual understandings.
• Answer the questions yourself to ensure that the questions are aimed at the understandings you intend.
  
  
3) Create and describe a context in the task that will make it meaningful and engaging.


• The context should be of interest to students.
• The context should clearly elicit performances related to the learning targets.
• The task should be authentic (replicate as nearly as possible what a real-world performance would entail).
• The performance should have a wider audience than just the teacher; that is, someone outside of class who would find the work meaningful.
  
  
4) Write a short description of the task.


• Incorporate key questions into the task statement as appropriate.
  
  
5) Rewrite the task in a clear and concise manner.


• Use language that will clearly specify the various ways that students might communicate about or exhibit their conclusions. Spell out parameters in which students must complete the task.
• List criteria related to: information sources, time elements, collaboration/assistance, presentation format.
  
  
6) Assign the task to students


• Identify or construct scoring guides/rubrics for the standards you are going to assess.
• Discuss the task in class and answer questions.
• Distribute a task sheet to students. Post copies of the task sheet, the scoring guide, and work plan in the classroom.
  
  
7) Develop a step-by-step work plan with the class.


• The work plan should provide students with guidance and assistance in completing the project.
• Break the task into parts and delineate the sequence in which various parts are to be completed.
• You may want students to keep a “processfolio,” which is a collection of all their work–notes, drafts, and final products.
  
  
8) Strive for excellence.


• Show examples of excellent work as models before students start.
• Reinforce with students the developmental process of creating multiple drafts/trials/attempts, with each subsequent draft representing work of higher quality.
• Throughout the process, give students opportunities to reflect on their work and how to improve it.
  
  
9) Provide instruction.


• Offer instruction that supports the development of necessary knowledge and skills, and coach students toward effective performances.
• Throughout the completion of the project, conduct formative evaluations of students’ progress through observation, examination of documents, and student self-assessments. Use this information to give students feedback on how to improve their performance prior to the due date.
  
  
10) Score the task and make necessary revisions.


• Use the scoring guides to give students feedback on how their overall performance reflects mastery.
• If possible, join with other teachers to score a number of tasks together. Doing so will allow you to calibrate your scoring with one another and to clear up any questions that may arise from responses.
• It may be helpful to create a common form on which to record your feedback. In some cases a scoring guide itself provides room for comments.
• Consider both in-class observation of performance followed up with a teacher-student conference on how the project achieved learning targets and reflected mastery.
• Take time to identify the successes and challenges of the task.