Assessing Expressive Learning - A Practical Guide - C. Dorn, et al., (LEA, 2004) WW

203 Pages·2004·4.46 MB·English

ASSESSING EXPRESSIVE LEARNING

A Practical Guide for Teacher-Directed
Authentic Assessment in K–12 Visual Arts Education

Charles M. Dorn
Stanley S. Madeja
F. Robert Sabol

Assessing Expressive Learning

A Practical Guide for Teacher-Directed
Authentic Assessment in K–12 Visual
Arts Education

Assessing Expressive Learning

A Practical Guide for Teacher-Directed
Authentic Assessment in K–12 Visual
Arts Education

Charles M. Dorn
Florida State University

Stanley S. Madeja
Northern Illinois University

F. Robert Sabol
Purdue University

LAWRENCE ERLBAUM ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS
2004
Mahwah, New Jersey
London

Senior Acquisitions Editor:
Naomi Silverman
Editorial Assistant:
Erica Kica
Cover Design:
Gail Rubini
Cover Layout:
Kathryn Houghtaling Lacey
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Text and Cover Printer:
Sheridan Books, Inc.

This book was typeset in 10.5/12 pt. Arial Roman, Bold, Italic and Condensed.
The heads were typeset in Arial Bold Condensed.

Copyright © 2004 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat,
microfilm, retrieval system, or any other means, without prior written permission of the
publisher.

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Publishers
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Dorn, Charles M.
Assessing expressive learning: a practical guide for teacher-directed, authentic
assessment in K–12 visual arts education/Charles Dorn, Stanley Madeja, F. Robert Sabol.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8058-4523-2(casebound : alk.paper)--ISBN 0-8058-4524-0 (pbk. : alk.paper)
1. Art--Study and teaching (Elementary)--United States. 2. Art--Study and teaching
(Secondary)--United States. 3. Educational evaluation--United States.
I. Madeja,
Stanley S.
II. Sabol, Frank Robert, 1949-
III Title.

N353 .D67 2003
707.1´273--dc21

2002040840
Books published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates are printed on acid-free paper, and
their bindings are chosen for strength and durability.

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To all the nation’s pre-K–12 art teachers who have dedicated their best efforts
to ensure that America’s school children will learn to feel positively about themselves,
their expressive powers and their creative abilities in art.

PREFACE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
The Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
The Florida Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
The Illinois Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
The Indiana Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Project’s Rationale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Organization of the Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

CHAPTER 1 THE ASSESSMENT CONTEXT

The National Assessment Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Impact of the Standards Movement on Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Enter the National Assessment of Educational Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
The Role of the Art Teacher in the Assessment Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Large-Scale Studies of Assessment in the Art Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Why Do Art teachers Assess? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
What Types of Assessments Do Art Teachers Use? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
What Assessment Training Have Art Teachers Had? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
What Attitudes Do Art Teachers Hold About Assessment? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Attitudes about Purposes of Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Attitudes about Implementing Assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Attitudes about Assessment Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
General Attitudes about Assessment in Art Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Negative and Positive Effects of Assessment in Art Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
The Art Classroom Assessment Context . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Selecting Criteria for Evaluating Works of Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
What Factors Contribute to Such Changes and Why? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Examining Criteria Used to Evaluate Works of Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
A Study of Art Teachers in the ATI Project and Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
How Art Teachers Select Evaluation Criteria for Studio Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Criteria Art Teachers Use to Evaluate Students’ Artwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Criteria Art Teachers Use to Evaluate Students’ Performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
How Criteria Used to Evaluate Student Artwork Changed Over Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Asking Students About Assessment in Art Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Criteria Students Use to Evaluate Artwork at School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Students’ Art Making at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Criteria Students Use to Evaluate Artwork Made at Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Looking at Artists and Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Criteria Artists Use to Evaluate Their Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Criteria Artists Use to Evaluate Other Artists’ Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Comparing Criteria Used by Art Teachers, Art Students, and Artists to
Evaluate Works of Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
Considering the Nature of Evaluation Criteria Identified in Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Identifying Similarities and Differences Among Evaluation Criteria Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Reflections about Assessing Studio Production in Art Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

vii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Study Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

CHAPTER 2 ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES FOR SCHOOLS

The Politics of the Assessment Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
The Competition to Perform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
Relationship Between Evaluation, Assessment, and the Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Does Assessment Drive the Curriculum? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
State-Wide Testing Programs and Their Effects on the Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
The Negative and Positive Effects of the Top-Down Evaluation Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
The Need for Alternate Models for School-Based Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Alternative Models for Assessment of Expressive Learning in the Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Quantifying Art Products in the Art Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
The Portfolio as an Alternative Assessment Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Journal Portfolio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
A teacher’s Portfolio or Log . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Controlled Task Portfolio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
International Baccalaureate Schools Portfolio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
The Advanced Placement Portfolio in the Visual Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
Electronic Portfolio Assessment Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Assumptions About the Process of Visual Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
The Process of Visual Modeling of Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
The Acquisition of Knowledge Stream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Reaction Stream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Interpretation and Analysis Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Visual Modeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Sample Electronic Portfolio Based on the MVMIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
Study Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

CHAPTER 3
THE CHARACTER OF EXPRESSIVE LEARNING AND ITS
ASSESSMENT

The Pressures for Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
The Art Teacher’s Role in Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75
What We Need to Assess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Art Learning as Part of the Total Curriculum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Combining Critical and Creative Modes of Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Creative Thinking and Creative Performing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Discovering Alternative Modes of Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79
The Quantification of Qualitative Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Art Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81
Art Learning Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Art Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82
Students Needing to Know That and How to Do That . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83
Students Learning to Know What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84

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viii

Students Learning to Know How . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
Assessing Expressive Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Setting Assessment Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Knowing What Performances to Assess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
Assessing Expressive Performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Assessing Program Knowledge and Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Assessing Conceptual Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Making Assessment Manageable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
The Development of Test Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88
The Art Teacher’s Involvement in Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Assessing What Art Teachers Teach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
The Art Learning Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89
Learning Through Doing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
Study Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92

CHAPTER 4 TEACHER TRAINING AND STUDENT PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT

Aims of the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
The Study Design and Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93
Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Teacher Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
Project Assessment Goals and Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94
State art content standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
The Local School District Art Context Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
The Construction of the Assessment Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .97
Converting Art Content and Achievement Standards to Assessment Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Authentic Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98
Developing Authentic Performance Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Specifying Performances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100
Using Rubrics in Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
The Design of the Scoring Rubrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Teacher Training in the Use of Rubrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114
Deciding What Would Be Judged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
The Gestalt Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Score Spread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Portfolio Assessment Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Insuring score spread . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Interjudge Reliability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Discrepancies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Field Tests of the Project Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Results of the Field Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Conclusions of the Field Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120
Project Portfolio Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Workshop Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126

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