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