Philosophical and Qualitative Perspectives on Assessment in Music Education

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
David J. Elliott ◽  
Marissa Silverman ◽  
Gary E. McPherson
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Education Evaluation ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Education Assessment ◽  
Conceptual Nature

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an introduction and overview to the aims of the Oxford Handbook of Philosophical and Qualitative Assessment in Music Education. Why philosophical and qualitative perspectives on assessment in or for music education? While there are numerous quantitative research projects that investigate assessment in or for music education, which are certainly important, they typically do not help us understand (which this volume does) the fundamental conceptual nature of and assumptions about music education assessment and music education evaluation across global contexts, which in turn shape and drive why and how students, and their actual and potential creativities, are harmfully or ethically impacted.

The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical and Qualitative Assessment in Music Education

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Community Music ◽  
Music Teaching ◽  
Education Assessment ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World

The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical and Qualitative Assessment in Music Education offers global, comprehensive, and critical perspectives on a wide range of conceptual and practical issues in music education assessment, evaluation, and feedback as these apply to various forms of music education within schools and communities. The central aims of this Handbook focus on broadening and deepening readers’ understandings of and critical thinking about the problems, opportunities, “spaces and places,” concepts, and practical strategies that music educators and community music facilitators employ, develop, and deploy to improve various aspects of music teaching and learning around the world.

Design and Analysis for Quantitative Research in Music Education

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Miksza ◽  
Kenneth Elpus
Keyword(s):  
Education Research ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Music Education ◽  
General Education ◽  
Research Design ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Traditional Design ◽  
Design Type ◽  
To Come ◽  
Analytical Approaches

This book is an introduction to quantitative research design and data analysis presented in the context of music education scholarship. The book aims for readers to come away with a familiarity of prototypical research design possibilities as well as a fundamental understanding of data analysis techniques necessary for carrying out scientific inquiry. The book includes examples that demonstrate how the methodological and statistical concepts presented throughout can be applied to pertinent issues in music education. For the majority of Part I, the strategy is to present traditional design categories side by side with explanations of general analytical approaches for dealing with data yielded from each respective design type. Part II consists of chapters devoted to methodological and analytical approaches that have become common in related fields (e.g., psychology, sociology, general education research, educational policy) but are as yet not frequently exploited by music education researchers. Ultimately, this work is motivated by a desire to help scholars acquire the means to actualize their research curiosities and to contribute to the advancement of rigor in music education research throughout the profession at large.

The Philosophy of Assessment in Music Education

2019 ◽  
pp. 32-55
Author(s):  
Roger Mantie
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Authentic Assessment ◽  
Music Educators ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Common Theme ◽  
Education Assessment ◽  
Consequential Validity ◽  
Mandated Testing

Philosophies of assessment are rare, perhaps even more so in music education. This chapter, arranged in five “movements” intended to reflect various ways of examining assessment issues, considers prominent themes emerging from the music education assessment literature, such as accountability, authentic assessment, consequential validity, legitimacy, mandated testing, metaphor, power-knowledge, and self-determination. The author asks questions such as, To what extent should philosophical commitments be voluntary versus compelled? To what extent should music educators be able to collectively determine educative values and to what extent should others (policymakers, local communities) have a say in what should constitute valuable learning in music? A common theme throughout the chapter is the urge for caution and reflection so that well-intended assessment efforts do not undermine cherished goals for music education.

Assessment in Music Classes in China

2019 ◽  
pp. 338-357
Author(s):  
Dennis Ping-Cheng Wang
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Historical Background ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Education Assessment ◽  
Music Assessment ◽  
Chinese Music ◽  
Curriculum Guidelines ◽  
Valid Assessment

This chapter outlines the historical background and current development of music education assessment in China. Following the revision of the national curriculum guidelines in 2011, the chapter analyzes (1) the value of the national standards at different school levels, (2) how the national standards affect teachers and schools, and (3) how much the teachers read/follow the guidelines in China. This chapter investigates and examines how assessment policy and practice are used in Chinese music classrooms from elementary, middle, and high schools. Furthermore, it discusses how local music teachers assess their music students and the effectiveness of the national curriculum guidelines used in music classes. The author determines that the current practice of music assessment at all school levels in China is too basic and not diversified. Designing a valid assessment that allows students at all levels to demonstrate their learning outcomes seems to be necessary for music education in China.

International Perspectives on Assessment in Music Education

2019 ◽  
pp. 511-527
Author(s):  
Alexandra Kertz-Welzel
Keyword(s):  
Public School ◽  
Music Education ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Education Assessment ◽  
Teaching Philosophies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Assessment Culture ◽  
International Perspectives ◽  
Musical Knowledge ◽  
Music Education Policy

Music education is part of the public school curriculum in many countries, as either a compulsory or an elective subject. While it offers many young people an opportunity to acquire musical knowledge and skills, it also has its challenges. Being part of the public school curriculum results in a need for assessment in music education. While some problems related to assessment are similar internationally (e.g., concerning music as art), assessment in different countries varies. It depends on various factors such as the general assessment culture, the goals of education, music education policy, individual teaching philosophies, and school culture. By utilizing approaches from comparative music education, philosophy, and sociology of music education, this chapter analyzes music education assessment policies and practices in different countries. By scrutinizing global similarities and differences, it proposes new approaches to assessment that may help address some of the challenges the global music education community faces today.

Designing Online Laddering Studies

2012 ◽  
pp. 193-215
Author(s):  
Thorsten Gruber ◽  
Alexander E. Reppel ◽  
Isabelle Szmigin ◽  
Rödiger Voss
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Urban Planning ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Environment ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Research Technique ◽  
The Social ◽  
Rich Data

Laddering is a well-established research technique in the social sciences which provides rich data to help understand means-end considerations otherwise hidden from quantitative research. It does this through revealing relationships between the attributes of individuals, objects or services (i.e., means), the consequences these attributes represent for the respondent, and the values or beliefs that are strengthened or satisfied by the consequences (i.e., ends). This chapter describes how qualitative researchers can successfully apply laddering in an online environment. Through an explanation of the different stages of the online laddering process, the authors hope to encourage researchers to use this technique in their urban planning research projects. To illustrate the benefits of the technique, the authors describe a research study that successfully used the laddering technique in an online environment. The chapter concludes with the discussion of the limitations of using laddering online and suggests avenues for future research.

Brazilian Policies on Education Assessment

2019 ◽  
pp. 322-338
Author(s):  
Sergio Figueiredo ◽  
Luciana Del-Ben
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Educational Levels ◽  
Education Assessment ◽  
Evaluation Procedures ◽  
Internal Coherence ◽  
Assessment Procedures ◽  
Education Process

This chapter presents and discusses policies on education assessment in Brazil. A major evaluation system is examined regarding higher education (undergraduate and graduate). This evaluation system provides general guidelines and criteria for educational levels, and organizes evaluation procedures in diverse documents. Part of these documents includes evaluation in music education. The purpose of this chapter is to critically analyze documents that refer to the assessment of Brazilian education, discussing how such documents are interpreted and applied in practice. In general, the documents have internal coherence, and the main objective is to contribute to the quality of Brazilian education. However, the documents do not always interact with each other, which contributes to the partitioning of the assessment procedures throughout the education process.

Music Education Assessment and Social Justice

2015 ◽  
pp. 512-524
Author(s):  
Martin Fautley
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Music Education ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
World Music ◽  
Western World ◽  
Music Curriculum ◽  
Education Assessment ◽  
Music Making ◽  
School Music ◽  
Music Classrooms

This chapter considers the role that assessment, particularly formative assessment, has to play with regard to social justice purposes in education. It disentangles the notion of assessment from that of testing. Valorization of music is highly significant, as what is valued tends to be what is assessed. This can result in the disenfranchising of world music, pop, rock, and jazz on a daily basis in music classrooms all over the Western world; so this chapter problematizes the content of the music curriculum, too, asking whether that which can be labeled “school music” has any relevance beyond itself. To counter these problems, this chapter suggests the use of feed forward, which takes place during music making, privileging process over product. It suggests that the principal purpose of assessment should be to improve learning in music, not to simply provide data for systemic purposes.

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