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 exam. Students will no longer be asked to submit their written response in the AP Digital Portfolio as a performance task component. On the end-of-course exam, students will respond to two questions related to the code contained in their Personalized Project Reference. The two questions include four distinct prompts: Written Response 1, Written Response 2(a), Written Response 2(b), and Written Response 2(c). Each written response prompt corresponds to one of four categories: Written Response 1: Program Design, Function, and Purpose; Written Response 2(a): Algorithm Development; Written Response 2(b): Errors and Testing; and Written Response 2(c): 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.
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 exam, students will have two hours to complete the multiple-choice section of the exam, and one hour to respond to two questions related to the code in their Personalized Project Reference. The two questions include four distinct prompts: Written Response 1, Written Response 2(a), Written Response 2(b), and Written Response 2(c). Students will have access to their Personalized Project Reference while responding to these prompts. Each written response corresponds to one of four categories: Written Response 1: Program Design, Function, and Purpose; Written Response 2(a): Algorithm Development; Written Response 2(b): Errors and Testing; and Written Response 2(c): Data and Procedural Abstraction. The specific prompts will vary across the different versions of the exam. 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 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 p.m. ET deadline on the AP Digital Portfolio, they will not have this resource available on exam day to complete their written response section.
On the end-of-course exam, students will respond to two questions related to the code contained in their Personalized Project Reference. The two questions include four distinct prompts: Written Response 1, Written Response 2(a), Written Response 2(b), and Written Response 2(c). Each of these prompts will align to one of four categories: Written Response 1: Program Design, Function, and Purpose; Written Response 2(a): Algorithm Development; Written Response 2(b): Errors and Testing; and Written Response 2(c): 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. Each practice exam has been updated to include two 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?
You can now access the following AP Computer Science Principles resources in AP Classroom to help you and your students learn more about the Create performance task components and the AP Computer Science Principles Exam. Keep visiting AP Classroom for additional resources.
Webinar Recording: A recording of the 2023-24 Create Performance Task Updates webinar is now available on the Overview page of the Course Guide section in AP Classroom, under Teacher Resources.
AP Daily Videos: Students can also access the four new AP Daily videos listed below, on the Overview page of the Course Guide section in AP Classroom, under Student Resources.
- Create Performance Task: Overview
- Create Performance Task: Guidelines
- Create Performance Task: Pacing Your Project
- Create Performance Task: Categories and Questions
As with other AP Daily videos, you can either assign these new videos to your entire class or to individual students, or students can watch the videos on their own at any time during the school year.
Practice Questions: The Section II: Create Performance Task: Written Responses practice questions from the AP Computer Science Principles Course and Exam Description have been added to the question bank. You can assign these questions digitally or print them for your students to complete.
Practice Exams: Three Practice Exams containing Section II: Create Performance Task: Written Responses questions can also be accessed from the question bank. You can assign these questions digitally or print them from the question bank or Practice Exam page in the Course Guide section.
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?
A recording of the 2023-24 Create Performance Task Updates webinar is now available on the Overview page of the Course Guide section in AP Classroom, under Teacher Resources. This one-hour webinar, geared toward both teachers and students, addresses the different components of the Create performance task, how they’ve been updated for the 2023-24 school year, and how they relate to the overall AP CSP Exam.
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. Information about the coordinator’s role will be published in the AP Coordinator’s Manual Part II and on the Exams Requiring Special Prep page in January 2024.
Will the written response section for the end-of-course AP Exam be available in special format exams (braille, large-print, or ATC)?
Special exam formats can be ordered for students with approved or pending accommodations requests. There’s special guidance for students testing with some types of accommodations regarding the Printed Personalized Reference that students will use during the written response section of the AP CSP Exam. Review the FAQs about CSP accommodations. If you have questions, 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 is now open.
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 at the end of 2023. A communication will be sent out to teachers when these resources are available.