Access is granted exclusively to past Academy participants who have submitted their own performance tasks.

Watch this space -- coming soon with the re-launch of the Library will be an idea bank of performance task concepts generated by faculty across the country.

Performance Task Library 

Included below are performance tasks created by faculty from across the country who have participated in one of the Performance Task Academies.  Please note that these tasks have not been reviewed or field tested by the CLA measurement scientists for validity and reliability (the way that our official CLA Performance Tasks are); therefore they are provided for inspiration and with the author's permission to be adapted for your own use at your campus.  (Past Academy participants who have submitted a performance task will receive a password to access these files.)  Included in the documents is the contact information for the creators -- please contact them with questions or to seek permission to use their materials.  This Task Library is merely provided as a means to facilitate sharing.

The descriptions below were provided by the faculty authors.

(A1) What Would Aristotle Do?

Topic: You are currently a VP of a Fortune 500 company. You are approximately 50 years old and your spouse has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimers. Your professional goal is to someday be the CEO. Today the CEO approached you about accepting a promotion to Executive VP which is a step in the path to CEO. You must decide within the next week if you will accept the promotion or downshift your career.

Suggested Courses: Philosophy, Finance, Personal Finance,  or Business Ethics

(A2) Air Pollution

Topic: EPA regulators are threatening to fine the city of Valley Town and impose regulations that would cost an average family $2500/year.

Suggested Courses: Environmental Science, Statistics, Sustainable Development

(A3) Art Scene Investigations

Topic: Creation of an art exhibition catalogue involving a jurying process and prestigious award.

Suggested Courses: Seminar course built around this performance task

(A4) Biology Capstone Seminar: Intelligent vs Evolution Debate

Topic: Students must prepare counter-arguments against a proposal to teach Intelligent Design along with evolution using scientific arguments based on evolution.

Suggested Courses: Evolutionary Biology, Capstone Seminar

(A5) Drunk Driving Reduction

Topic: A college must evaluate the severity of alcohol-related behaviors among students, and the likelihood that a particular program would be cost-effective.

Suggested Courses: First Year Student Seminar, Public Policy, Rhetoric, Psychology

(A6) Employment Discrimination

Topic: A class-action sex discrimination lawsuit is being pursued by a group of former female employees of a major retailer.

Suggested Courses: Introductory Economics, Introductory Business/Management, Introductory Law, Women's Studies courses focusing on work or discrimination

(A7) Human Biological Evolution

Topic: The students will collect data on human biological variation. This project shows that students recognize good research design, the importance of carefully collecting data and analyzing the data. 

Suggested Courses: Biology and Physical/Biological Anthropology courses

(A8) Hybrid vs Biodiesel

Topic: The city council is charged with voting on and approving the upcoming lease agreement for the municipal vehicle fleet.  With the recent increases in the cost of fuel and the assumption that fuel costs will begin to rise, the city council wants to adopt a more economical and environmental option over the traditional gasoline vehicles that make up the current fleet. The top two supported options are currently hybrid or biodiesel based vehicles.        

Suggested Courses: Environmental studies, Biology, Political Science, Economics

(A9) Laptops for Freshmen

Topic: The provost of Southern State College is thinking of introducing a new policy that would provide each incoming freshman with a laptop.

Suggested Courses: (not specified)

(A10) Marketing and Search Advertising

Topic: Intern is hired to manage search advertising at a small- to medium-sized business.  The firm has not used search advertising and is relying on your knowledge, analysis, and decision-making skills to successfully launch a campaign on their behalf. 

Suggested Courses: Business, Marketing, Advertising

(A11) Psychology Performance Task

Topic: Students are in the role of a parent deciding whether to enroll their autistic son in an autism-specific camp or a mainstream camp.  

Suggested Courses: Psychology

(A12) Siting a Firehouse

Topic: GIS analyst is tasked with selecting the best location for a new firehouse in a mid-sized city.    

Suggested Courses: Advanced GI Science courses

(A13) Building a Sport Center Complex on Campus

Topic: A campus wants to build a new sports center complex and is choosing between two business plans.   

Suggested Courses: Architecture, Design, Marketing, Communications, Public Policy

(A14) Subsidize or Not? Corn Ethanol

Topic: Principles of Economics students analyze a policy decision using demand and supply models and evaluate additional considerations.

Suggested Courses: Principles of Economics

(A15) David and Goliath

Topic: WalMart would like to build a SuperCenter in a rural community and the issue has come before the local zoning board.

Suggested Courses: Non major-specific

(A16) Cell Phone Use While Driving

Topic: Students write a report defending a pro or con position on a proposed referendum to ban cell phone use while driving.

Suggested Courses: Cognitive Psychology, General Psychology, Public Policy

(A17) Liquid Trust

Topic: A vice president asks the manager of a sales team to look into purchasing Liquid Trust for the sales force in order to boost productivity and send him a memo providing the evidence to justify the purchase for the company.

Suggested Courses: Any course concerned with the evaluation and practical application of scientific claims

(A18) Creationism vs Evolution

Topic: A parent who is a biology professor and Sunday school teacher is asked to respond to a child's inquiry on the difference between creationism and evolution.

Suggested Courses: (not specified)

(A19) Using Technology for International Business Meeting

Topic: The students will survey the technologies of audioconferencing, videoconferencing and webconferencing, compare features, benefits, limitations and costs, make and write a recommendation in the form of a report to the CIO and CEO on the most appropriate and effective technology use for an important international business meeting.

Suggested Courses: Business, and other courses where event management and research competency would be of importance.

(A20) Using Stimulus Funds and What Wii Should Do About It

Topic: This is a case study approach that would allow for multiple disciplines and classrooms.  It uses contemporary problems/issues with popular culture of the current generation of students.  It involves use of stimulus funds and how a governor will use such funds earmarked for weight loss initiatives.

Suggested Courses:  Kinesiology, Communication, Public Service, Logic

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