Readings #7 due 10-20-11

Bauer- Authentic Assessment in Instrumental Music Education
3 sites in this article that look interesting to me are, Bauer, W.I. (2005) Music technology and assessment,  Johnson, D.W., and Johnson, R.T (2004) Assessing students in groups, and Salkind, N.J. (2006). Tests and measurements for people who (think they) hate tests and measurement. I chose the Bauer because I'm really into technology and what the latest technology or computer is out there so it seemed like an article that would interest me. I choose the Johnson because I want to learn more about assessing students in groups. I feel like if I had a group of children and had to grade them all at the same time doing the same thing I would get focused on one thing or one person so the article seemed like it could help me. And I choose the Salkind because I personally hate taking tests so it seemed like it related to me so I feel like I would like reading it.

One of the websites I choose was the Authentic Assessment Toolbox site. This article has information and examples of standards, tasks, rubrics, portfolios, and workshops. As a future educator this could be important because authentic assessment is becoming increasingly more popular and not knowing much about it this website is a great source to quickly learn and find examples of what I need. I could use this type if I was teaching a theory class or say a history class and gave a multiple-choice test.

Another website I choose was SmartMusic. This website is a site selling a computer program called SmartMusic and has many different videos showing what the product is and what it does. SmartMusic is a computer program that has almost any music you could possibly be looking for and allows students to listen to themselves and see which notes and rhythms they missed. I could use this in the future as a teacher by assigning homework for students to practice and email their recordings or logs of using the software.


Frederick Burrack- Enhanced Assessment in Instrumental Programs
This article was about different was to assess student other than attendance and the sound of the final production. Other assessments than can be used are student-self assessment and large group assessment. Self-assessments can be used where a student records themselves and listens to the recording and makes comments and reactions to their own playing. Large group assessment is where students listen to the recording of the whole group playing and assess the group themselves and share what they think they need to work on.

I'v done both of these methods in my schooling. In college conducting class we use self-evaluation a lot. We record our conducting tests and then have a couple days to watch them and make comments on what we see ourselves doing and what we need to improve on. In high school we would listen to recordings of the concerts the next class day after it happened. We would share out loud what we heard and what we liked and what we didn't like from the recording

I think both of these methods are very useful methods. I really enjoy the self-evaluation personally. I use it a lot both in conducting and playing. If you record yourself playing and listen to it back you will hear things that you don't hear while your playing because you might be focused on other things such as right notes and rhythms. Recording and listening allows you to focus on phrasing and things you just cant hear that well while playing.

Cambell- Chapter 13
This chapter is about different types of assessment, ways to implement effective assessment, models of assessment, and ways to grade. Types of assessment are diagnostic, formative, summative, evaluation. The ways to implement effective assessment is for teachers to identify goals, and turn those goals into outcomes. Models of assessment are checklists, rating scales, and rubrics. Other ways to assess is self-assessment and journals.

In high school I have been assessed in all of these ways. The models of assessments that I have seen while I have been in school are rating scales and rubrics. While in school one of the most effective assessment that worked for me personally was the self-evaluation. I felt like I was able to quickly assess what was wrong in my playing and I was able to hear thing that I wouldn't have heard with out recording and listening to myself.

I like all of these types of assessments. I think they all work very well. I like the many options because some thing work better for some students. I don't really understand the checklists though. I don't think checks are an accurate grade. I think its easier to give a number or a grade, it is easier to add up in the end.