“When learning goals change, ways of assessing learning must change as well.” This is the message captured in a recent article in Education Week’s Global Learning blog.

The expectations for learning in our interconnected world are different from those we grew comfortable with over the last century. We now know that for education to be relevant, it must include real-life applications in order to gain new knowledge, exercise the ability to analyze and solve problems, to use technology to acquire information and to develop effective communication skills, and to learn collaboratively and independently. In the United States, two new assessment systems are being developed – as assessment goals are determined and refined, this article looks to what other countries have already implemented to assess these 21st century skills.

Read more to learn about some of Sweden’s goals for developing curiosity and confidence, and assessing these developments through self-assessment and other methods.

What experience do you have with performance-based assessments? How and in what context have they worked?