Assessment in Art Education Course Syllabus : 2 Credits Online July 1st-31st

Transcription

1 Assessment in Art Education Course Syllabus : 2 Credits Online July 1st-31st Instructor: Jessica Balsley Phone: (515) [email protected] Schedule: This course will be available online July 1st-July 31st. You will be invited to the course 2 days prior to scheduled start date, giving participants time in advance for organization and planning. Because of preview days, interactive learning will begin on July 1st. Course Description: Assessment Strategies are becoming a necessity in today s education world. Art Educators are striving to find creative ways to gain meaningful data to show student learning, growth and achievement. By assessing our students in a variety of ways educators can gain program effectiveness, community support and also gaining a deeper understanding of what our students truly know and are able to do. Through this course, participants will explore current research in assessment in arts education and explore strategies and systems that some of the top schools and programs in the nation are using to assess the arts. Based upon the research and models from the class, participants will leave the course with a comprehensive assessment toolkit they will make and put together that will be ready for direct application into their classrooms. You can t afford not to have data in today s world of teaching- Get the facts, and do it your way- The creative way! Materials Needed: You will need to purchase: Assessment in Art Education by Donna Kay Beattie (A Davis publication from the Art Education in Practice Series). ISBN: Participants will need Internet access. The course will utilize the online platform of Ning to hand in assignments and facilitate discussions. The instructor will provide all other readings and resources. Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the student will: Understand and learn from the different types of assessments being used across the nation. Analyze best practice in arts assessments and learn to write a variety of effective assessments Create a comprehensive assessment toolkit using a variety of strategies to be used directly in their classrooms.

2 Texts and Resources referred to by instructor: Armstrong, Carmen L. Designing Assessment in Art. NAEA Publication Beattie, Donna Kay. Assessment in Art Education. Worcester, MA: Davis Publications, 1997 Dorn, Charles M., Madeja, Stanley S., and F. Robert Sabol. Assessing Expressive Learning. NAEA Publication Stites, Regie, Malin, Heather. An Unfinished Canvas: Review of Large-Scale Assessments in Art Education. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International, McNair, Shannan. Teachers Speak Out on Assessment Practices. Early Childhood Educational Journal 31.1 (2003) Stokrocki, Mary. Reconsidering Everyday Assessment in the Art Classroom: Ceramics and Science. Arts Education Policy Review (2005). Hargreaves, David J., Galton, Maurice J., and Susan Robinson. Teachers Assessments of Primary Children s Classroom Work in the Creative Arts. Educational Research 38:2 (1996). Banks, Marge. Assessment Strategies for Art. Arts & Activities. September Brown, John L. Assessing for Understanding. ArtsEdge. The Kennedy Center. Web. (artsedge.kennedy-center.org) Assessment Resources and Tools. Arts Learning Resources. Arizona Commission for the Arts. Phoenix, AZ. Web, Pistone, Nancy. Envisioning Arts Assessment. Arts Education Partnership Web. Methodology: This course encourages reflective and critical thinking through the use of Internet research, Ning communications and discussions, independent reading, reflective writing, and technology integration.

3 Assignments and Requirements: Please note that many assignments are due on the same date (approx. weekly) for ease in planning for you. You will need to plan ahead to make sure you are pacing yourself and looking ahead in the class as you work through the week s assignments. Assignments are due by MIDNIGHT on the assigned due date. Assignment Discussion Board 1: Community Builder and Introduction Discussion Board 2: Why Arts Assessments? Discussion Board 3: Large Scale Assessments Discussion Board 4: Portfolios Assessment Tool Discussion Board 5: High Tech Portfolios Discussion Board 6: Self Reflection to Assess Discussion Board 7: Formative Assessment Discussion Board 8: Assessing the Artwork Discussion Board 9: Your Assessment Toolkit Due Date Point Value July 5th 50 July 8th 50 July 8th 50 July 15th 50 July 15th 50 July 20th 50 July 20th 50 July 26th 50 July 31st 100 Discussion Boards: (50 Points Each) The discussion board is where we interact and share information. The discussion boards encompass all of our assignments. Responses and interactions will provide class members with the same meaningful experience as a traditional face-to-face class. It is expected that each participant will read and respond to posts as required. You are required to reply to each question posted by the instructor, and respond to at least two other classmates who responded to the question by the due date. Note: You will want to word process all information before submitting on the discussion board. This will ensure you have record of what items were completed. Word processing your work will provide the opportunity to preview and make any necessary adjustments before submitting. Our Online Platform - Ning Expectations The course will use the online platform Ning for all Discussion Boards. The class has no required face to face time. The course uses forums with assigned due dates to interact with class participants and the instructor. All assignments will be handed in within the Ning forum.

4 1. Please complete the discussion boards in order (1-9). Do not forget to upload your profile picture. It is fine to reply to the discussions in a Q and A format based on the assignment s reflection questions, in fact, I would prefer it for ease of reading for our classmates and the instructor. 2. If you would like to view the class content in different formats, you can use the Sort By button on the top right. Sort By Latest Activity will place the most recent posts and activity in the course at the top. Sort By Newest Discussions should show you the class assignments in numerical order. 3. Ning responses aren't your traditional "response" you may think of when you comment on a blog or forum online. Usually we just comment a few sentences and in very poor grammar when we are casually interacting online. The forum in this course is an actual assignment, which is posted directly into the forum. Quality, length and grammar are expected to be detailed and throughout. This is why I recommend you write your reflections in Word or another type of word processing program first, to ensure quality and then simply pasting it into the forum. This also helps if there were ever a technology glitch, you would not lose your content when posting. Some of the assignments can get lengthy. 4. When replying to a classmate please refrain from generalized, one-sentence responses such as Great job with your post, I think you have some great ideas here. I will be looking for quality and depth in your assignments and in your peer responses as well. I may comment and ask you to elaborate on your ideas if I feel the content is not sufficient. 5. Pacing is important in the class. If you are the first one to go through a discussion in the class, you will need to go back and be sure you are replying to others in the class once they have posted. You can work ahead but may want to stay with the pace of the rest of your classmates, again, making sure you are completing posts AND peer responses by the due date. Assessment Toolkit: (100 Points) YOUR ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT Your assessment toolkit is the culminating assignment of this class, and is worth a great deal of your course grade. Each of the Discussion Boards in this course will entail some type of internet research, reading or web quest. Some of the Discussion Boards will also have a TOOLKIT ASSIGNMENT which will guide you in completing final assignment of this course. You will complete a required portion of the toolkit within discussion boards of this class, and each portion will be put together at the end to form your final assignment. As you work, design your toolkit so that it s in separate docs to hand in at each required discussion board, but save everything so you can combine it into ONE doc or PDF at the end of the course, where at that time you will add your reflection and conclusion. I will provide samples to guide you in your work. You will choose lessons or units that you already teach as you make samples for your assessment toolkit. By doing this, you will have resources to use directly in the classroom upon completion of the class. What units or lessons you choose is up to you. Each toolkit assignment can relate to a different lesson if you wish.

5 All participants will have the ability to download all of the toolkits so that by the end of this course you will have 10 or more assessment toolkits with each person s ideas, resources and unique take on assessment in the art room. Additional Requirements: 1. All information discussed in this class is confidential. To ensure confidentiality please refrain from using any student, teacher, or program names. Instead of using names you may refer to subjects in your reflections as Student A, Teacher B, etc. 2. Participate in all Discussion Board postings which include a minimum of one post to each discussion board topic, and at a minimum respond to at least two other participants for each question presented by the instructor. 3. Complete required readings, projects and activities in the order listed. 4. Assignments are due by the specified due date. 5. All assignments and discussion boards will be graded using the rubric provided. Posting and Attaching: Attaching Documents within discussion threads: The following steps provide the process involved when attaching a document to the discussion board threaded post: o Reply to the thread. When you do there will be a button under that says Upload Files o Click that button and you can browse your computer to attach the assignment you wish. o Remember to label the body of the thread and the assignment appropriately.

6 Evaluation Method: Participants will submit assignments when due and participate in Ning discussions. These will be evaluated by the instructor for completeness. Participants will be evaluated on participation in discussion board, assignments, activities. The Final Assessment Toolkit will be submitted to Madonna University to approve your credit. You are encouraged to work on these assignments in their numerical order. COURSE RUBRIC The following rubric will be utilized for evaluation of all Course Discussions and Assignments Task Discussion Boards: Amount of Information Proficient 50 Points Student posted well developed and thought invoking responses to the Discussion Board on or before the requested due date and time. Student response coordinates with the discussion topic. Discussion is positive in manner. Developing 35 Points Student posted response on or before requested due date and time. Response lacks effort and thought. Discussion is somewhat positive in manner. Beginning 25 Points Student did not post response on the Discussion Board before the requested due date and time. Discussion lacked positive reflection. Points Discussion Boards: Mechanics of Written Reflections No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. A few grammatical spelling or punctuation errors. Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. Assessment Toolkit Proficient 100 Points All required topics were covered. Detail and care was given in writing each section of the toolkit. Toolkit was formatted in one large document, and spilt into all required headings including a cover sheet and reflection. Developing 75 Points Some required topics were covered. Some detail and care was Beginning 50 Points Toolkit was missing several key sections and was presented in a disorganized given in writing each section of the toolkit. manor. Missing Toolkit was formatted depth of content. in one large document, and was somewhat organized and may have included a cover sheet and reflection.

7 Course Content Discussion Board 1: Community Builder and Introduction Due: July 5th Welcome to Assessment in Art Education! Let's get to know one another! Please tell us about yourself including: District/ Subject/ Grade level you teach Hobbies, interests, family, etc. What are you looking forward to learning about assessment and the arts? What are your assessment strong points? What are your weak points? Have a discussion and get to know one another! I will enjoy reading all of your posts. Discussion Board 2: Why Arts Assessments? Due: July 8th What is all the buzz about assessments? Why are assessments important and becoming increasingly more critical in the arts? In Assessment in Art Education (our text) please read the Introduction and Chapter 1 (pp.1-11) Next, Read the following articles. They talk about the importance for and behind Art Assessments Based upon the readings, respond in the discussion board with three reasons you think Art Assessments are important and and why. Please be sure your responses are detailed and use at least one specific example from the reading (specify which reading) for each of your reasons. Feel free to add in personal stories, or other examples as well. Reply to two of your classmate s posts in the discussion board. NO Assessment TOOLKIT Assignment for this Discussion Board Discussion Board 3: Large Scale Assessments Due July 8th Several Districts and programs around the country conduct large scale arts assessments to assess how the arts are doing at state and national levels. In this assignment you will: Read Pages 1-5 in An Unfinished Canvas A review of Large Scale Assessments. (attached) Look over the Large Scale Assessment PDF (attached). This is an document I put together which reviews large scale arts assessments from around the nation. The links in this PDF are live when you click Learn More. Visit each program s website and dig deeper to find more information on each one. After your research, please write a reflection comparing and contrasting the different types of large scale arts assessments you found in either of the handouts. Use the following questions to guide your reflection. Do you feel one program best assesses the arts on a large scale over the others? Describe it in detail and why?

8 Do you feel these assessments give a true picture of what students know and are able to do in the arts? Does your state or district have a large scale assessment? If so, compare it to the examples here. What are the benefits / drawbacks of large scale assessments? The assignment can be copied and pasted direction into the discussion board. Please word process before you post to ensure accuracy. Respond to two of your classmates ideas in the forum. TOOL KIT ASSIGNMENT #1: NAEP Style Questions Attach this portion to your Discussion Board 2 Thread. Save this document, it will be part of your FINAL Assignment. For this toolkit assignment, I would like you to look specifically at the NAEP assessment (in the Art Assessment PDF). NAEP utilizes Multiple Choice, Constructed Response and Performance, which gives students a variety of ways to show what they are able to do. For your first toolkit assignment, I would like you to write an assessment that could be given at the end of a course or unit that you teach. This could even be a semester final. Elementary folks may want to choose and upper grade for this. Write a very simple assessment that only has 3 questions, One Multiple Choice, One Constructed Response (short answer) and one small performance task. Please see the NAEP samples to guide you. Make sure your questions are deep and provoke higher order thinking. Please explain in this document what grade level you will be using this for, and how you plan to utilize it. Set the stage for us. Attaching Documents within discussion threads: The following steps provide the process involved when attaching a document to the discussion board threaded post: o Reply to the thread. When you do there will be a button under that says Upload Files o Click that button and you can browse your computer to attach the assignment you wish. Discussion Board 4: Portfolios as an Assessment Tool Due July 15th The portfolio is a tool widely used in the arts as a successful assessment tool. Although the task can be daunting, many models exist that show ways to break down the process of using a portfolio to assess student artwork. In this assignment you will complete: Readings Look over the PDF A Portfolio Assessment for Visual Literacy. This document overviews one district s portfolio review process. Read (pp ) in our text, Assessment in Art Education which talks about Portfolios. Look over the Portfolio Assessment PDF. This document reviews programs and districts across the country who use a portfolio to assess. The links in this PDF are live. Visit each program s website and dig deeper to find more information on each one. After completing the readings and research, complete the following reflection in the discussion board. After reading A Portfolio Assessment for Visual Literacy do you think this is a successful model? What were some parts that stood out to you that you might take away from this model?

9 What other model stood out to you as a successful model for using portfolios? Explain. Please name one particular school or model in your response. Do you think a portfolio is a valid method of assessment for an art student? How would you compare it to the large scale assessments we have seen in the previous assignment? What are the benefits / drawbacks of using portfolios as an assessment tool? The assignment can be answered in Q and A format, and put directly into the discussion board. I suggest word processing before you post. Make sure responses are detailed and well thought out. TOOL KIT ASSIGNMENT #2: Portfolio Checklist Attach this portion to your Discussion Board 3 Thread. Save this document, it will be part of your FINAL Assignment. For this toolkit assignment, I would like you to look specifically at the resources from Project Zero (In Portfolio PDF) and p. 17 in Assessment in Art Education, our text. This resources both include checklists that can be used with a portfolio for teacher assessment. Looking at this checklist, as well as the other resources, I want you to create a portfolio checklist for one of your grade levels or courses that you teach. Think about all the things you do with the students over this course or grade level. What is the most important for you to compile at the end of the year to showcase your students performance and knowledge in art? What format will work best for your needs? What will you evaluate and how will you do it? Be sure to tell us in your toolkit what course or grade level you have developed this for, and how you see yourself using it with the students, as well as provide your checklist. Attach this to your DB 3 reply from above. Attaching Documents within discussion threads: The following steps provide the process involved when attaching a document to the discussion board threaded post: o Reply to the thread. When you do there will be a button under that says Upload Files o Click that button and you can browse your computer to attach the assignment you wish. o Label your Document with (YourNamePortfolioChecklist) when you attach. Discussion Board 5: High Tech Portfolios Due July 15th Portfolios are no longer limited to folders and papers. Technology is now commonly used as a tool in portfolio assessment. Portfolios are at work in digital or electronic formats in the performing arts as well. MP3s, videos, and online web tools allow students to create portfolios where they can represent their learning. The following handout Digital Portfolio Handout gives you an extensive and comprehensive list of places that student and professional art is, and can be, displayed on the internet. Choose three of the resources you think are the strongest, or you would be most likely to use. In your discussion reply, talk about the three you chose, why you picked them and your thoughts on portfolios in the digital age. What are the barriers to using technology to showcase student art? What are the benefits? NO Assessment TOOLKIT Assignment for this Discussion Board

10 Discussion Board 6: Self Assessment as a Reflective Tool Due July 20th Assessment can be defined in several ways-students assessing themselves is a form of arts assessment and can t be ignored if teachers want to produce reflective students who think critically about their artistic decisions. First, Read the following article, which talks about why self reflection is so important in the arts. Second, Read pp in Assessment in Art Education. This section talks about student self reflection as an assessment tool and provides several examples of self reflection exercises and structures. In the discussion board, please talk about self reflection. How you you think it benefits students? Do you currently use student self reflection in your classroom? If so, how. If not, what is preventing you from doing so? What are some of the most successful methods of student self reflection you have used or seen? Respond to two of your classmate s in the forum. TOOLKIT ASSIGNMENT #3: STUDENT SELF REFLECTION Attach this portion to your Discussion Board 3 Thread. Save this document, it will be part of your FINAL Assignment. Using the above models as a guide, choose two different projects or assignments you currently do with your students, and write reflection questions / activities you students could complete or participate in based upon these two lessons as a Self Reflection for your students. Be sure to tell us what about the two projects, and follow with the reflection questions/ or details of the activities. The two activities should allow students to reflect upon their artwork or the artwork of a peer. Attaching Documents within discussion threads: The following steps provide the process involved when attaching a document to the discussion board threaded post: o Reply to the thread. When you do there will be a button under that says Upload Files o Click that button and you can browse your computer to attach the assignment you wish. o Label your Document with (YourNamePortfolioChecklist) when you attach. Discussion Board #7: Formative Assessment Due July 20th Up until now in this class, we have talked mostly about assessment that are summative in nature, giving us an overall view of what the student has learned at the end of a unit or year of study. Now, we will dive into the types of assessments that may happen along the way in your

11 art classroom. Formative Assessment is ongoing checks for knowledge and skill. You do not wait until the end of the unit or lesson to assess formatively, but instead assess students in the middle of the lesson to check to see what they still may need from you, the teacher, to succeed at the standard, lesson or objective. This is a new form of assessment for many teachers, but is so important in order to be responsive to student needs. For this discussion you will: Read pp from Donna Kay Beattie s Book Assessment in Art Education as she talks about formative assessment, and includes several examples of formative assessments Read the following article on the importance of formative assessment Reply in the discussion board your feelings on formative assessment. Do you think formative assessment is as important as summative methods, or more important? Why? What were two things you learned from the reading you didn t realize before about formative assessment? What are you currently doing for formative assessment in your classroom? What would you like to improve on regarding formative assessment? TOOLKIT ASSIGNMENT #4: FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT MENU Attach this portion to your Discussion Board 3 Thread. Save this document, it will be part of your FINAL Assignment. Because formative assessment should be continuous and ongoing, the same type of assessment will not work every time. You as the teacher need to be in tune to what information you want to know from your students and how you want to obtain it, so you can use it to drive your instruction. The above reading gave you examples of formative assessments. Using the information from your research, as well as these samples, please create a formative assessment menu. I find a menu is a nice format because it gives you several ideas on one sheet of paper and gives you option to choose the best assessment that fits your needs at that time. Please be detailed describing your formative assessment choices in your menu. Your menu should have at least 5 different options that could be used for formative assessment in ANY lesson (general) or for a particular lesson of your choice (Specific) I have attached a sample formative assessment menu for you to view to guide you as you work. Attaching Documents within discussion threads: The following steps provide the process involved when attaching a document to the discussion board threaded post: o Reply to the thread. When you do there will be a button under that says Upload Files o Click that button and you can browse your computer to attach the assignment you wish. o Label your Document with (YourNameFormativeAssessmentMenu) when you attach. Discussion Board #8: Assessing the Artwork Due July 26th Please read Chapter 7 in Assessment in Art Education. (pp ) Page 116 in Beattie s text contains a step by step process of Assessment Guidelines.

12 After reading Chapter 7, Please answer the following questions in the discussion board: Do you ever take the time to plan out assessments in this detail? Why or Why Not? How could doing a large assessment such as this promote and help your program? Is the art enough, or do art educators need assessments and data to validate their program? Reply to these questions in Discussion Board 8. Be sure to respond to at least two class mates in the discussion board. Toolkit Assignment #5: Your Assessment Plan You will now design an Assessment Plan from top to bottom based upon the reading from Discussion Board 8. Think of what you would like to assess in your classroom. Please write up a complete Assessment Plan using page 116 as your outline. Please include all categories from page 116 and label them accordingly. Again, you can choose to assess something you already do, or create a new assessment as something you would like to do. They key is to make sure you can use this assessment plan in your classroom when you leave this course. Attaching Documents within discussion threads: The following steps provide the process involved when attaching a document to the discussion board threaded post: Reply to the thread. When you do there will be a button under that says Upload Files Click that button and you can browse your computer to attach the assignment you wish. Label your Document with (YourNameAssessmentPlan) when you attach. Discussion Board #9: Final Assignment: Your Assessment Toolkit Due July 31st You will be attaching your final assignment, The Assessment Toolkit to this forum. This assignment will be submitted to Madonna University to approve your credit. The Assessment Toolkit should contain the assessment toolkit assignments from our discussions as well as a few more items which I will detail below. Because you ve been working each Toolkit assignment along the way, compiling and posting this final assignment should be quite easy. Use the checklist below as you put your Toolkit together into ONE LARGE DOCUMENT. The grid below will be your checklist to make sure you have included all of the Toolkit Assignments. Cover Page (First Page) You will need to add a cover page that states your name and a little bit about what you teach. Also include in this cover page some reflections upon why you think assessment is important in art education. You can refer back to older Discussion boards for this material. Cover page should be at least one typed page. 4,3,2,1 Reflection (Last Page) Please write a reflection on your experiences creating the toolkit and how the toolkit relates to your teaching and new learning. Reflection should be at least one typed page. What are 4 new things you learned about assessment through this course? What are 3 three things you are sure to use with your students in the fall from this course? What are 2 things that you still wonder about assessment? What is 1 thing you will never forget? Again, assemble all of these toolkit assignments into ONE LARGE DOCUMENT OR PDF and attach to the discussion board. Be sure to save it (YourNameAssessmentToolkit) when you attach.

13 Cover Page Toolkit Assignment #1 Toolkit Assignment #2 Toolkit Assignment #3 Toolkit Assignment #4 Toolkit Assignment #5 4,3,2,1 Reflection Toolkit Assignment NAEP Style Questions Portfolio Checklist Student Self-Reflection Formative Assessment Menu Your Assessment Plan Included? Look over the toolkits of 2 of your classmates, giving them feedback on their reflections in particular. Grading : Each assignment will be assessed according to the rubric. In addition, to earn Madonna University Credit, I will be submitting your Assessment Toolkits to Madonna University to approve your credit. Late Work Policy: All assignments are due by the date noted. Late work will receive half credit unless alternate arrangements have been discussed with the instructor in advance. Assessment Toolkit must be attached by the last day of class (July 31st) in order to receive Madonna University Credit. Americans with Disabilities Act: If you are a person with a disability and require any auxiliary aids, services, or other accommodations for this class, please contact me to discuss your accommodations.