Assessment of an Arts-Based Education Program: Strategies

and Considerations

Noelle C. GriffinLoyola Marymount University and CRESST

CRESST Annual ConferenceSeptember 8, 2005

HistoryArtful Learning Program

Leonard Bernstein Center for Learning

The Artful Learning Program

Based on the work of the late composer

Implemented through the Grammy Foundation

Artful Learning Program

Arts-based education model

Best School Practice Components

Teacher as Expert

Currently implemented in 9 states, 23 schools

Evaluation Overview

3 year evaluation project

Focus on implementation process, and the impact of school and teacher-level factors

Quantitative data

Qualitative data

Original Data Collection Plan

-Student achievement data

-Survey of teacher practice

-Implementation interviews

-Professional development evaluation

Limits of “Traditional” Approach

-Standardized test data: focus on basic reading/math skills only, “trailing” indicators at best

-Lack of applicable student assessment instruments

-Ignore teacher transformation

Delving Deeper into Teacher Experience

Teachers

• Teacher attitude

• Teacher practice

• Teacher collaboration

Students

• Motivation

• Content Retention

Led us to explore collective teacher efficacy during Y3

Collective Teacher Efficacy

Teachers’ beliefs in the shared ability as a group to achieve goals/tasks

(1) Analysis of the teaching task (Task Analysis)

(2) Assessment of teaching competence (Group Competence)

*Integrated into quantitative and qualitative data collection

Task Analysis

-The process of analyzing what is required for the school to be effective in the process of teaching.

Sample Items

“The lack of instructional materials and supplies makes teaching very difficult.”

“The quality of school facilities here really facilitates the teaching and learning process.”

Group Competency

-The assessment of quality and competence of the teaching staff.

Sample Items

“If a child doesn’t learn something the first time, teachers will try another way.”

“Teachers in this school do not have the skills to deal with student disciplinary problems.”

Dependent & Independent Variables

Dependent Variables

     Total Efficacy

     Group Competency

     Task Analysis

Independent Variables

    Grade Level Taught

·    Teaching Experience (years)

·    Professional Development

·    School-Level Collaboration

·    Shared Leadership

·    Artful Learning Program Use (years)

·    Extent of Artful Learning Implementation

Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale Multiple Regression Findings

Shared LeadershipShared Leadership

Teaching Experience(number of years)

Teaching Experience(number of years)

Grade Level TaughtGrade Level Taught

Total Efficacy

Total Efficacy

Group CompetencyGroup Competency

Task AnalysisTask Analysis

*All Significant relationships are negative*No significant relationship to other Artful learning implementation variables

Interview Findings

Teacher experience

Experiences of primary vs. secondary teachers

The role of shared leadership: importance of structural support

Tailoring an Approach to Student Learning: Available

Resources

-Artful Learning Units: Structured archives of student work

-Artful Learning teams, cadres, and other teacher-based organizational structures

-Regular training opportunities

-Pre-existing “rubric” approach

Example: Artful Learning Classroom Rubirc

Example: Artful Learning Student Rubric - In Progress

Alternative Assessment Approaches

-Use classroom rubrics to assess teacher work/curriculum

-Develop more comprehensive rubrics for student work to assess quality of student learning

-Use scoring rubrics for both evaluative and formative assessment purposes

Considerations/Roadblocks

-Refinement of rubrics: elaborated and usable

-Selection of student data

-Reliability and validity considerations

-Training and on-going technical support

Links

-Grammy Foundation & Leonard Bernstein Center

www.grammy.com/foundation/

-CRESST

www.cresst.org