A Profile of High-Stakes Assessment Practices in Music Teacher Education

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe high-stakes assessment practices in the field of music teacher education. Furthermore, I sought to compare institutional capstone assessment practices with state licensure requirements. Research questions involved the status of high-stakes assessments of general, content, and pedagogical knowledge, as well as high-stakes teacher performance assessments (e.g., edTPA). Participants in this study included faculty representatives ( N = 274) from National Association of Schools of Music–accredited music teacher education programs across all 50 states. The majority of participants indicated that preservice candidates were required to pass a test of general knowledge as a gatekeeper to acceptance into the music teacher licensure program, as well as a variety of other examinations prior to graduation. More than one half of participants reported that their institution required music teacher candidates to complete a teacher performance assessment (e.g., edTPA). Alignment between state and institution requirements was varied.

The Molecular Biology Capstone Assessment: A Concept Assessment for Upper-Division Molecular Biology Students

Measuring students’ conceptual understandings has become increasingly important to biology faculty members involved in evaluating and improving departmental programs. We developed the Molecular Biology Capstone Assessment (MBCA) to gauge comprehension of fundamental concepts in molecular and cell biology and the ability to apply these concepts in novel scenarios. Targeted at graduating students, the MBCA consists of 18 multiple-true/false (T/F) questions. Each question consists of a narrative stem followed by four T/F statements, which allows a more detailed assessment of student understanding than the traditional multiple-choice format. Questions were iteratively developed with extensive faculty and student feedback, including validation through faculty reviews and response validation through student interviews. The final assessment was taken online by 504 students in upper-division courses at seven institutions. Data from this administration indicate that the MBCA has acceptable levels of internal reliability (α = 0.80) and test–retest stability (r = 0.93). Students achieved a wide range of scores with a 67% overall average. Performance results suggest that students have an incomplete understanding of many molecular biology concepts and continue to hold incorrect conceptions previously documented among introductory-level students. By pinpointing areas of conceptual difficulty, the MBCA can provide faculty members with guidance for improving undergraduate biology programs.

A Capstone Assignment to Measure Student Competencies as a Program Assessment Tool

The requirement of multiple measures for program assessment set out in the 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) may be challenging for social work programs as the evaluation shifts to student competencies and practice behaviors. This article offers a thorough description of a competency- based capstone project as one program assessment tool for the measurement of all 10 core competencies and 41 practice behaviors. The capstone, using a simulated case necessitating many of the skills required in practice, is second only to field instruction as a competency measure. Appendix A includes an actual capstone assignment as a relevant evaluation tool. Identifying student strengths and weaknesses is an essential component of the capstone assessment. Students begin the capstone after the completion of two field experiences and the majority of the social work curriculum.