Assessment of Psychomotor Objectives
This document illustrates how a well-written objective assists one in developing valid assessment instruments. Psychomotor objectives are illustrated here.
Psychomotor Performance Target
Overall Goal
Teach gymnasts to walk the length of a balance beam.
Objective Derived From Goal
Given a standard balance beam raised to a standard height, the student (attired in standard balance beam usage attire) will be able to walk the entire length of the balance beam (from one end to the other) steadily, without falling off, and within a six second time span.
Purpose of Assessment
To determine if student is comfortable walking on a balance beam before learning additional skills.
Possible Biases
- The test is normally done only by girls since the sport of male gynmastics does not use the balance beam. Thus, some may consider this test gender biased; but the rules of gymnastics dictate this distinction is necessary.
- Students suffering a temporary physical ailment (e.g. an ear infection) may have difficulty with the task on that day but would be able to perform it when they are healthy. Depending on the certification needs, the instructor may choose to allow the student to take the test on another day.
Assessment Procedure
Sole Test
The student (attired in standard gymnastics attiire) must walk the entire length of a standard balance beam raised to a standard height steadily, without falling off, and within a six second time span. (Note how this part reflects the objective.)
A team of no less than three judges will observe a given individual perform this task three times, using a given scoring rubric to assign a score for each trial. The trial score for each trial is the average of all the judge's scores. The overall score for the individual is the average of the three trial scores.
Validity Defense
- The same psychomotor task is used to assess the desired psychomotor performance.
- This type of assessment is easy to use and provides overt, non-ambiguous results.
Reliability Assessment
- Three judges are used to improve reliability of assessors. (Inter-rater reliability).
- Three trials per individual are allowed to improve reliability over time. (Test-retest reliability).
Assessment Rubric
Directions: Each individual must walk the balance beam. For each individual, use the following scale to assign a value to the individual's performance on the balance beam. Each individual will be given three trials or chances to walk the balance beam. Score each trial individually. After scoring each trial, hold up the numbered card in front of you that corresponds to the score you gave the individual for that trial. Your score will be averaged with the other judge's scores. Note that you must time the individuals; a maximum time of six seconds to walk the beam from one end to the other is permitted.
Scale
- 5 (excellent) - Walks the balance beam flawlessly. Does not need to check balance, does not pause. Completes the walk within six seconds.
- 4 - Walks the beam, but is somewhat unsteady. Completes the walk within six seconds.
- 3 - Walks the beam, but is somewhat unsteady. May pause one or more times. Takes more than six seconds to complete the walk.
- 2 - Walks the beam, but is very unsteady, almost falling off, may pause one or more times, and/or takes more than six seconds.
- 1 - Falls off the beam before completing the walk.
- 0 - Falls off the beam immediately.
Conditions of Assessment
- Assessment occurs only during the walking phase, not during the mount/dismount phases.
- The individual indicates when the assessment should begin.
- The assessment ends as soon as the individual reaches the other end of the balance beam.
- A team of judges consisting of no less than three people will use the provided rubric to assess a given individual. Additional judges are optional.
- Individual judge's scores are averaged to determine a composite trial score for a given performance for a given individual.
- Each individual is given three chances to walk the beam. The combined time for these three chances should not exceed three minutes per individual.
- The average of these three trials (as determined by the judges using the provided rubric) is used to determine the overall score
Scoring Template for an Individual
| Trial Number | Judge #1 | Judge #2 | Judge #3 | Judge #4 | Judge #5 | Judge #6 | Sum of Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trial 1 | |||||||
| Trial 2 | |||||||
| Trial 3 | |||||||
| Overall Score |