Skill Based Assessments

Skills• Singing• Playing instruments• Moving• Listening• Composing, Improvising,

Arranging• Notating (perform, read,

write -PRW)

Examples• Check lists • Rating scales• Rubrics• Standardized tests

Knowledge Based Measurements

Types of Knowledge• Factual– Terminology– Symbols (notation)– Instruments– Genres

• Procedural (“How to”)– Assemble an instrument– Build a major scale– Perform a concert

Examples

• Quizzes or tests (written)• Worksheets• Diagrams or graphic

organizers (i.e. flow charts, concept maps, Venn chart)

Assessing Conceptual Understanding

Understanding• Concepts• Principles• Big Picture

Examples• Questioning (divergent)• Journaling• Projects

Other Considerations

• Scheduling assessments • Documenting evidence• Interpreting results– Aggregating Data– Comparing to norms

Challenges & Possibilities

How to Define Growth

• Advancement on levels of Proficiency?

• Achievement on progressive materials?

• Progress from Pre to Post test?

• Ensemble improvement based on festival Ratings?

Current Reality

• Will/cannot measure everything we teach

• May not include all students every year

• Assessment is quantitative– Multiple choice, true/false

[Scantron]– Rubrics possible

• Performance• Essays

Legislation w/o Implementation

• MI: Awaiting Gov’s Council Report by April 30, 2012– Define rating categories (Ineffective, Minimally effective,

Effective, Highly Effective)– Recommend statewide growth tool and teacher evaluation

tool• NY: Performance tests recommended for beginning

band, BUT…– Pre-test in beginning band?– No one who has a vested interested in an assessment may

score it!• Who?? May take up to 5 days to assess all students!

Insuring Integrity• Base assessments on

curriculum, state standards [validity]

• Define and follow testing protocol = consistency [reliability]

• Archive assessment products

• Be proactive in explaining assessments to stakeholders

Possibilities for Music Ed.

• Greater attention to individual learning

• Emphasis on curriculum & standards

• Identify & define music teacher excellence– vs. smoke & mirrors

music education– Models & Mentors

Music Teachers & Standardized Tests

• The MDE will provide: Measures For every educator, regardless of subject taught, based on 2009-10 and 2010-11 data:– Student growth levels in reading and math– Student proficiency levels in math, reading, writing, science,

social studies– Foundational measure of student proficiency and improvement

(same for each teacher in a school)Understanding Michigan's Educator Evaluations, MDE (December 2010)

• How will this data be used for arts educators?• Merit pay??• Solutions = awareness & involvement

Challenges for All Teachers• Students at various achievement levels do not grow at the same

rate.– Less incentive to teach high needs students

• Research indicates that evaluation on testing may not lead to higher scores/achievement.

• Competition among teachers reduces incentive for collaboration.

• Quantitative assessment emphasizes objective knowledge vs. higher order thinking skills.

• Learning cannot be attributed to only one teacher– Private lessons & exposure to musical experience = more growth– Excellent or poor elem. general music instruction may affect growth

in MS or HS

Resources

Resources from NAfME

• Music Teacher Evaluation forum on the NAfME page

• Sample letter to Politicians on the NAfME page

Resources from SMTE & Assessment SRIG

• SMTE Resources and Perspectives on State Initiatives for Teacher Evaluation on the SMTE web page– http://smte.us/teacher-evaluation/

• Assessment Special Research Interest Group Meeting - Friday: 3:45-5:45 p.m. [Grand B]

Arts Education Policy Review Call

Special Issue: Teacher Evaluation and Arts• Education• State-level teacher evaluation policies and their effects on• P-16 arts education• Local and district-level teacher evaluation policies and their• effects on P-12 arts education• Teacher evaluation policies in higher education and their• effects on preservice arts teacher education• Descriptions of innovative approaches to P-16 teacher• evaluation in the arts• Reports of initiatives taken by P-16 schools and/or arts• organizations to advocate for arts-specific teacher• evaluation processes• The deadline for submissions is September 15, 2012.• Submissions and questions can be sent to the Editor-in-Chief,• Colleen M. Conway, at: conwaycm@umich.edu.• For more information about Arts Education Policy Review

Questions/Discussion