An example of Peer Assessment in art & design

An example of Peer Assessment in art & design

This example of peer assessment was designed to develop the ability of students to assess using agreed criteria related to the learning requirements in a specific Year 7 project. This project was also designed to develop the skills of self and peer assessment, critical discussion based on this criteria and the students attitude to learning, so as to inform their judgements about how to progress, both for their own work and for the others in their group. The details of the project are reproduced below, and the following sheets contain some of the guidance materials produced by the teacher for this project and the assessment activities. It should be noted that these and other guidance materials were also reproduced on the interactive whiteboard to help structure and direct the assessment activities in the classroom.

The Project

This project has two main parts. The first part is a painting project that develops understanding and skills of composition through the researching and painting of the elements that create a jungle scene. This uses the work of artists and photographs of real jungles to inform the development of ideas and compositions. The principle focus is on the development of pattern and depth created by layering foreground, middleground and distance, including the effect of dense jungle and distance on colour, scale of mark and painting technique to represent the depth and density of the jungle. A fantastic bird will appear in these paintings, forming a splash of strong colour against the dense patterned background.

The second part involves the research and development of design ideas for the creation of a fantastic bird. Students use the work of artists, nature books and web to research and gather images of birds and fantastic creatures from myth and diverse visual sources. They make drawings in their sketchbooks to inform both the designs for construction and the development of surface decoration.Later in the project, the bird will be constructed in clay and the surface decorated with any materials the students wished to provide and augmented by the departments provision of paint, paper and collage media, feathers, and varied surface colouring media, but which could include e.g. sequins, glitter, yarns and fibres etc.CriteriaStudents were given the criteria for each stage of the self and peer assessment, during each section of the project across the term. This example of the criteria was used to review progress towards the completion of all the design studies for the painting, including the studies of the birds, the elements of the jungle and their use of colour and media within a well ordered composition.The Peer Assessment activity

Students were deliberately arranged in mixed gender triads and not friendship groups. Each triad worked on a table setting out their work and discussing each set independently. Overall, about 15-20 minutes was set aside for the discussion activities. Each member of the triad had a couple of minutes to present all their research and design developments, including sketchbook work and project homeworks to date, to the other two members of the group. At the end of each presentation, the other two members of the group coulds ask questions. The three members of the group would then use the criteria to assess the set of work and give a grade for the work, and the effort/attitude. AND, they would agree a target or set of targets for that student. Each student would record their target/s in their sketchbook, set out as the target for the next 2-3 weeks. This was repeated twice more, so all members of the triad had a peer assessment grade and a target or set of targets.

The teacher circulated and eavesdropped on the discussions, only intervening to ensure fairness and the correct degree of challenge in the activity.

After this activity was completed, the students were arranged in a large circle around the outside of the room with their work set-out in front of them. The teacher asked each student to state their peer assessment grade, their effort/attitude grade and their target/s.

Outcomes:

What is interesting about this activity is the effect that the organisation of the groups has. The mixed gender triads and non-friendship groups make this a serious process. Teachers need to think carefully about the groups, as this is key to the success and response to the outcomes of the process. The triads mean that teachers have plenty of flexibility to create their groups and avoid strong friendships. They also can eavesdrop easily and the discussions can be completed in 15-20minutes. Everyone can contribute and it is not possible for students to avoid full participation.

The following outcomes were found: Students all participated and took the process seriously They used the criteria really well and through discussion developed a very good sense of what was expected and what defined an outcome that met the assessment objectives

Weaker students were well supported and encouraged by the triad and the whole class, with a high degree of care and very helpful discussions about how they could improve. These students indicated they better understood how to improve

Strong students were highly praised and their strengths analysed to the benefits of all others

Lazy students who wasted lesson time or distracted others were prepared to admit their inability to remain on task and agree targets to improve their behaviour, efforts and approach to improving their work. They agreed achievement deadlines and improvements in the standard of their work

All students found the process useful and agreed that they better understood the criteria and project outcomes, but they all agreed that their targets were reasonable and meaningful to them (SMART)

When the lesson resumed, all students settled rapidly and purposefully. The teachers view

The teacher believed this process did cost one lesson per term spread over 2 or 3 assessment activities, but that the payoff is immense and exceeds the cost. Students are more motivated, better behaved, more focussed and much more articulate about the expectations and their own personal targets for improvement.Printed below is one of the Peer Group assessment Sheets. The teacher noted that students were using KS3 grades based on the school system, but this could easily be adapted to use the strands of the level statements. This activity should not seek to agree a Level judgement as insufficient work is considered from too short a period.

With thanks to the art and design department in Reigate School, Surrey