AP CSP: About Create Performance Task Updates
FAQ
What are the changes to the AP CSP Create performance task for 2023-24?
The Create performance task for 2023-24 will still consist of three components—program code, video, and instead of the written response, a student-authored Personalized Project Reference containing screen captures of their list and procedure. Students are required to spend at least 9 hours of in-class time developing their program code, video, and Personalized Project Reference. Each of these three components need to be submitted as final in the AP Digital Portfolio by April 30, 2024, 11:59 p.m. ET. Components that are not submitted as final will not be sent for scoring. Additionally, if students do not submit their Personalized Project Reference by the above deadline on the AP Digital Portfolio, they will not have this resource available on exam day to complete their written response section.
The written response component of the Create performance task will become part of the end-of-course AP Exam. Students will no longer be asked to submit their written response in the AP Digital Portfolio as a performance task component. Instead, students will be required to spend one hour responding to four prompts that require students to write responses that demonstrate understanding of their personal Create performance task on the end-of-course AP Exam. Each written response prompt corresponds to one of four categories: Program Design, Function, and Purpose; Algorithm Development; Errors and Testing; and Data and Procedural Abstraction. The specific prompts will vary across the different versions of the exam. Students will have access to their Personalized Project Reference when responding to these prompts. More information about what each of these categories consist of can be found in the Exam section of the AP Computer Science Principles Course and Exam Description in September.
Why did College Board decide to change the AP CSP Create performance task in 2023-24?
The AP Program considered the implications of ChatGPT and other similar generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools on the Create performance task. The program collected feedback from educators at both the K–12 and higher education levels to inform the decisions around updating the task. The adjustments made to the Create performance task, specifically transitioning the written response component of the Create performance task to the end-of-course AP Exam, address the AI challenges while still allowing students to demonstrate their learning and skills developed during the creation of their program.
Have the Create performance task changes affected the course content?
The course content has not changed.
Will these changes be reflected in the AP CSP Course and Exam Description this year? If so, when?
The AP Computer Science Principles Course and Exam Description (CED) features changes to the Create performance task.
How will the Create performance task changes affect exam timing?
Students are required to complete at least 9 hours of in-class work on their program code, video, and Personalized Project Reference. For the end-of-course AP Exam, students will have two hours to complete the multiple-choice section of the exam, and one hour to respond to four prompts that require students to write responses that demonstrate understanding of their personal Create performance task on the end-of-course AP Exam. Each written response corresponds to one of four categories: Program Design, Function, and Purpose; Algorithm Development; Errors and Testing; and Data and Procedural Abstraction. The specific prompts will vary across the different versions of the exam. Students will have access to their Personalized Project Reference when responding to these prompts. More information about what each of these categories consist of can be found in the Exam section of the AP Computer Science Principles Course and Exam Description.
Will the exam format change?
The written response prompts for the Create performance task will now be included as part of the end-of-course AP Exam. Students will still be required to develop a program of their choice that meets the list of program requirements found in the student handouts. Students will need to complete and submit as final three components in the AP Digital Portfolio: the program code, video, and instead of the written response, a student-authored Personalized Project Reference. If students do not submit their Personalized Project Reference by the April 30, 11:59 PM ET deadline on the AP Digital Portfolio, they will not have this resource available on exam day to complete their written response section.
The Create performance task section of the end-of-course AP Exam will consist of four prompts that require students to write responses that demonstrate understanding of their personal Create performance task. Each of these prompts will align to one of four categories: Program Design, Function, and Purpose; Algorithm Development; Errors and Testing; and Data and Procedural Abstraction. The specific prompts will vary across the different versions of the exam. Students will have access to their Personalized Project Reference when responding to these prompts.
Students will have 60 minutes to respond to the written response prompts on the end-of-course AP Exam.
Who is creating the Personalized Project Reference?
The Personalized Project Reference is student -authored. Students will create the Personalized Project Reference based on the program they developed for the Create performance task. It will contain screen captures of their lists and procedures.
Will teachers and students have access to updated practice exams? If so, when?
The currently available practice exams are still representative of the multiple-choice section of the AP Exam. In mid-October, each practice exam will be updated to include four written response prompts related to the Create performance task. The specific prompts will vary across the different versions of the exam.
How can students practice for the written response component of the end-of-course exam?
Teachers can assign the topic questions in AP Classroom, the example questions in the course and exam description, and the practice exam questions found in AP Classroom. Teachers should have students complete some of the written response example prompts prior to submitting their Create performance task components as final to the digital portfolio. This will give students the opportunity to discover whether their Personalized Project Reference contains all the required program code segments.
Teachers may not provide feedback on any of the three components for the Create performance task until after it has been submitted as final in the AP Digital Portfolio. Once all three components are submitted as final, teachers are welcome to grade and give feedback on the project and responses to the written response prompts. Teachers are also encouraged to provide students with additional written response prompts as practice for the exam.
Can teachers provide feedback to students on the practice written responses?
Teachers may not provide feedback on any of the three components for the Create performance task until after it has been submitted as final in the AP Digital Portfolio. Once all three components are submitted as final, teachers are welcome to grade and give feedback on the project and responses to the written response prompts. Teachers are also encouraged to provide students with additional written response prompts as practice for the exam.
Are there any updates to curricular requirements?
The only change to the curricular requirements is the number of required in-class hours will now be at least 9 hours.
What resources will I have access to in AP Classroom now that the Create performance task will change?
Updated practice exams will be posted on AP Classroom by mid-October. The AP Program will host webinars regarding updates to the Create performance task in fall 2023. Register for the fall webinar.
For schools participating in digital exams, will there be an update of the test preview in the Bluebook app about AP CSP?
The test preview found in the Bluebook app will contain sample written response prompts. The timeline for this is still to be determined. Updates will be communicated to schools once the timeline is determined.
I want to know more about these changes; will there be webinars to attend?
Webinars on the 2023-24 Create performance task updates will be available later in the fall. Check out the teacher webinar page toregister. The AP Program will also communicate with teachers about webinar registration.
I am an AP coordinator; how will my role change because of the Create performance task updates?
AP coordinators need to complete additional steps in the AP Digital Portfolio to prepare students for the end-of-course AP Exam. More detailed guidelines for AP coordinators will be communicated later this fall on the Exams Requiring Special Prep page.
Will the written response section for the end-of-course AP Exam be available in special format exams (braille, large-print, or ATC)?
College Board is working on options to support special exam formats. Please contact College Board Services for Students with Disabilities for more information at [email protected].
When will the AP Digital Portfolio open for AP Computer Science Principles?
The AP Digital Portfolio will open in fall 2023. A notification will be sent out once the AP Digital Portfolio is available.
When will the AP Digital Portfolio guides for students and teachers be available?
We will post the AP Digital Portfolio Guides for students and teachers on the About the AP Digital Portfolio page later this fall.