Christina Fackler MUSE 258 Sound Connections: A Comprehensive Approach to Teaching Music Literacy 2010 Chapter 9: Assessing Literacy

Don P. Ester Definition, Purposes, and Characteristics of Effective Assessment Measurement: process of collecting objective and quantifiable data Evaluation: Using this and additional qualitative info to make subjective judgments about relative achievement Assessment: Includes both measurement and evaluation Assessment is both formal and informal 2 primary purposes of assessment o Provide formative data focused on monitoring progress and guiding future learning o Provide summative reports describing the current level of achievement Reliable measurement is consistent over time Valid measures what it is supposed to measure Methods of Assessment Daily Assessments o Individual Assessments during echoing o Seating chart data sheet o Opportunity chart o Subjective activities o Constructive criticism only Cumulative Assessments o 2 primary forms o Skill Summary Reports o Skill Tests Course Grades Summative evaluation Base on content achievement This chapter answered a lot of questions that have baffled me for a while now. I always thought assessment in music classes were difficultbut really, there are great ways to assess well. Music classes are conducted quite differently than, say, a math classbut it does not mean assessment is impossible. I will definitely be using these methods in my future classroom.