Choice in Demonstrating Learning

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Why it works

Students can demonstrate the same understanding in many forms, writing, speaking, creating, building, modeling, and research (including UDL) shows that offering meaningful choice in how students show learning, while holding the same rigorous standard and assessing the same criteria, increases engagement, motivation, and ownership, and lets students who would be blocked by a single format show what they actually know. The keys are that the choices genuinely assess the same learning goal and criteria (not easier vs harder options), that the standard stays rigorous across formats, and that choice serves demonstrating learning, not just variety for its own sake.

The research: UDL; research on choice in assessment.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: offer choice at the same rigor

Teachers leave with multiple paths to the same standard for one assessment.

Pick an assessment with one fixed format.
Design genuine choices for how students demonstrate the learning (write, present, create, build).
Ensure all choices assess the same goal and criteria at the same rigor.
Use shared criteria so grading stays consistent.

Same standard, multiple pathsOffer genuine choice in how students show learning, holding the same rigorous standard and criteria. More students show what they know, without lowering the bar.

Facilitator notes

Offer choices that assess the same goal and criteria, at the same rigor.
Use shared criteria.
Choice serves demonstrating learning.

Choice that lowers the bar or changes the standard isn't fairChoices must assess the same learning at the same rigor, not easier vs harder options. Offer multiple paths to the same standard, with shared criteria.

Adapt it

Elementary: simple format choices, same criteria.
Secondary: choice in demonstration, same rigor.
All settings: multiple paths, same goal and criteria.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Choice in Demonstrating Learning: same standard

Multiple paths, one bar: genuine format choices that assess the same goal and criteria at the same rigor.

The assessment with one fixed format:
The genuine choices for demonstrating the learning:
How all choices assess the same goal and criteria at the same rigor:
The shared criteria that keep grading consistent:
Where choice could help students show what they know:

Make it stick

Same standard, multiple paths:

Offer choice at the same rigor.
Use shared criteria.
Bring a choice-based assessment to the next PLC.

Common questions

Doesn't letting students choose make grading inconsistent?

Not if all choices assess the same learning goal and criteria, at the same rigor. You hold one standard and set of criteria; students choose the format for demonstrating it. Consistency is in the criteria.

Won't some choices be easier?

They should not be, that is the key. Design choices that genuinely assess the same learning at the same rigor, different formats, same standard, not easier vs harder options.

Why offer choice?

It increases engagement and ownership, and lets students who would be blocked by one format show what they truly know. Choice serves demonstrating learning, not just variety.