Overview
Performance tasks fail when they are complicated without being complex — when they require effort and time but not genuine transfer of learning. A task that asks students to "create a poster about photosynthesis" is not a performance task. It is a recall exercise with craft supplies. A task that asks students to advise a greenhouse operator on why their plants are yellowing, using evidence from their understanding of photosynthesis, is a performance task.
The Performance Task Designer builds authentic tasks where the cognitive demand is real: learners must select, apply, and integrate knowledge to address a problem that does not have an obvious answer. The task is situated in a realistic context, the success criteria are tied to the quality of the reasoning and the product, and the scaffolding decisions are deliberate.
What you get: - Task scenario: a realistic, motivating context that requires genuine application of the target knowledge - Task prompt: exact instructions the learner receives, with no scaffolding that removes the cognitive challenge - Success criteria: what a strong performance looks like, stated in terms of the product and the reasoning - Scaffolding decision guide: what support to provide, to whom, and when — without undermining the transfer demand - Scoring guide: analytic criteria tied to the learning objectives, not the surface features of the product - Differentiation options: how to adjust the task for learners who need more or less challenge without changing the core demand
Built for: K–12 teachers, university instructors, corporate L&D designers, and curriculum developers building units around authentic application of knowledge.