Explanation of Assessment Grading Criteria and Scoring
For both the pre and post-assessment of our students we utilized the Poudre School District (PSD) Growth Assessment Rubric; making the pre and post assessments identical. The PSD rubric is broken down into three categories: planning and ideation, creation and exploration and reflection and connection. Each section of the rubric is weighted equally and aligns to the state standards and grade level expectations (GLEs). Because the rubric aligns so well to state standards and GLEs it is too broad to specifically identify or address individual unit goals or lesson objectives. However, because the unit goals and lesson objectives are based on and targeted towards the state standards and GLEs the rubric is able to encompass the overall goals of each lesson and unit. Below is the alignment of the rubric to the standards and GLEs. Observe and Learn to Comprehend: Characteristics and expressive features of art and design are used to identify and discuss works of art. This aligns to the rubric section “reflection and connection”. In this section of the rubric we are evaluating the student’s ability to evaluate and analyze so that they can make personal connections between what they know and works of art. In this section we are also evaluating their use of artistic language including the characteristics and expressive features of art and design. Envision and Critique to Reflect: Artists, viewers and patrons make connections among the characteristics, expressive features and purposes of art and design. This also aligns to the rubric section “reflection and connection”. As stated above, in this section we are evaluating the student’s ability to make connections and use artistic language including the characteristics and expressive features of art and design. Invent and Discover to Create: Demonstrate basic studio skills. This aligns to the rubric section “creation and exploration”. In this section we are evaluating the students ability to engage in the creative process through demonstration of basic studio skills like sophisticated use of materials and techniques as well as perseverance and engagement. Relate and Connect to Transfer Works of art connect individual ideas to make meaning, This aligns to the rubric section “planning and ideation”. In this section we are evaluating the students ability to formulate individual ideas and communicate them intentionally through their artwork to create meaning.
Pre and Post-Assessment Instruments
We utilized the Poudre School District (PSD) Growth Assessment Rubric for both the pre and post assessment, attached below.
Pre and Post-Assessment Results
Attached below is a document containing the student's completed pre and post assessment rubrics including photos of the work assessed in each case.
Below are graphs showing student growth based on pre and post assessment results.
Discussion of Pre and Post-Assessment Results
“What do these assessments show about the learning that did or did not occur in the unit?”
These assessments allow an educator to measure and determine the growth of students over a long period of time. The advantage is that this assessment focuses on growth across multiple lessons, as opposed to other forms of assessment where, the focus is generally on a specific lesson and the accompanying goals or objectives. This means that the educator is able to focus on the overall goals of the unit as a whole. The disadvantage is that because the assessment is so broad it doesn't address the individual goals of a lesson or assignment and how well a student met those. It also means that it is too broad to address all aspects of the unit rather focusing on the largest of those. Finally, because the assessment is so broad is doesn't show as accurate of a picture of how each student met an objective rather it is a measure of whether they did or did not.
Assessment Data Results for Each Student:
Student 1: This student showed significant growth in both planning and reflection while expanding on the skills he already had in creation. This student got very involved in the story behind his artwork becoming a leader in his class and as a result received one of the highest scores.
Student 2: This student showed great potential and improved in all areas, however he was not always fully engaged with his artwork. In the last assignment the student began to really engage with his work and needs continue doing so.
Student 3: This student was consistently on task and engaged with her work. Although a few absences set her behind she made great improvement in reflecting on her process and work.
Student 4: This student did an excellent job of persisting through challenges. Due to absences she was not able to finish her artwork yet she utilized her time to revise her plans and move forward showing advancement in all areas.
Student 5: This student is very detail oriented focusing on the story behind his artwork and all the different components of his story. However, he needs to focus on conveying his story in his artwork incorporating his details into the piece. This student also improved in all areas showing great improvement in reflection.
Student 6: This student stays focused and on task during work time. His focus allows him to make revisions to his artwork as he goes expanding on his original vision. He showed improvement in all areas particularly planning and reflection.
Student 7: This student shows great potential with a lot of ideas however he is easily distracted by other students. He improved in all areas particularly in reflection but needs to focus on his own artwork and vision rather than the ideas and artwork of his peers.
Student 8: This student showed significant growth in all areas receiving one of the highest scores. This student really focused on the goals of the each project, experimenting with materials and became very involved in executing each element to create a cohesive artwork.
Student 9: This student also received one of the highest scores showing significant growth in all areas. This student really focused on the big themes of the unit tying each lesson together. This student also focused on the details of her vision and used work time efficiently.
Student 10: This student also received one of the highest scores showing significant growth in all areas. This student also really focused on the big themes of the unit tying each lesson together. This student stuck to her initial plan throughout the unit showing consistency.
Student 11: This student became very involved in exploring the materials, sometimes at the cost of her planning. This student improved in all areas showing the most growth in creation and reflection.
Student 12: This student started off strong but only showed small improvements in each area. This student is excited and engaged in the art making process however she often forgoes the assignment and her chance to grow to create the art she wants to make utilizing the same materials, techniques and symbols each time.
Student 13: This student received one of the highest scores showing significant growth in each area. While this student is not always on task she has a clear vision and pays great attention to executing her plan well while incorporating important details.
Student 14: This student showed improvement in all areas, particularly planning and reflection. This student did a great job of making appropriate revisions but needs to experiment more with different materials.
Student 15: This student also showed significant and consistent improvement in all areas. He became very involved in the 3D project and revised his plan to make it more complex. This student really embraced each project and utilized each new skill as he moved forward.
Student 16: While this student showed improvement in planning and reflection there was no improvement in creation. Rather than making changes and moving forward after he missed several classes this student focused on his peer’s work. This student shows great potential and needs to focus on his own ideas rather than those of his peers.
Student 17: This student improved in all areas and did a great job of making revisions to her plans as she moved forward and faced new materials. This student is very detail oriented and can sometimes get caught up in the details of her work slowing her overall progress.
Student 18: This student improved in all areas particularly in reflection. This student did a great job of following through with his plan; experimenting with new materials to make them work for him.
Discuss evidence from lesson assessments that supports or contradicts pre and post-assessment findings:
For the most part students scored better on lesson assessments than they did on the post assessment. Because the post assessment is an average measure over a long period of time it doesn't account for individual areas where students made huge improvement or showed great growth. For students who made steady, consistent improvement their post assessment scores were more in line with their lesson assessments. However, for students whose growth was inconsistent or they moved back and forth between higher and lower scores their post assessment was lower. While the post assessment gives a good idea of student growth over time it doesn't accurately account for the nature of learning as constantly moving back and forth.
Strengths and Weaknesses of Assessment Plan
Strengths: One of the strengths to the assessment plan is that we used an identical rubric for both pre and post assessment. This allowed us to see the same factors change over the course of the unit and was very beneficial. Another strength of the assessment plan is that the pre and post assessment rubric strongly connected to the state standards. Each section of the rubric corresponds to one or more of the state standards allowing us to see how effectively we are communicating those to our students. We also used lots of methods of assessment during class to see where our students were at, such as group activities, discussions, individual process critiques, etc. which allowed us to readdress necessary concepts and know how to move forward.
Weaknesses: One weakness of the assessment plan is that the categories of the pre and post assessment are very broad. While we were constantly assessing our students in other ways, such as group activities, worksheets, and individual process critiques, those methods of assessment didn’t give very tangible statistical data. Those methods of assessment gave us a great view of where our students were at in that moment and what we needed to do in the next class but we should have included more assessments to measure student growth over longer periods of time.