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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Alternative assessment methods

Overview

  • Influence: Alternative assessment methods
  • Domain: Teaching Strategies
  • Sub-Domain: Feedback
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to accelerate
  • Influence Definition: Alternative methods include oral presentations, progress monitoring, portfolios, and performance methods.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 5
  • Number of studies: 95
  • Number of students: 16,328
  • Number of effects: 111
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.66
  • Robustness index: 3

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Louisiana Education Research Journal Christmann & Badgett A Meta-Analytic Comparison between the Assigned Academic Achievement Levels of Students Assessed with Either Traditional or Alternative Assessment Techniques.  2000 Performance vs traditional 7 5,020 15 0.06
Dissertation Prenkert Effective Schools Research: A Meta-Analysis of Progress Monitoring and the Impact on Student Achievement 2015 Progress testing 11 6,954 13 0.17
Hacettepe Üniversity Journal of Education Basol & Erbay The Effect of Portfolio Use on Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis 2017 Portfolios 24 NA 24 0.83
Eurasian Journal of Educational Research Gozuyesil & Tanriseven A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of alternative assessment techniques 2017 Alternative testing methods 36 NA 36 0.84
Education and Information Technologies Bolat & Tas A meta-analysis on the effect of gamified-assessment tools' on academic achievement in formal educational settings 2022 Gamified assessment tools 17 4,354 23 0.62
TOTAL/AVERAGE 95 16,328 111 0.50
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