Student assessment and feedback: I taught it, but did they learn it? - Pedagogy Saturday VII

American Music Teacher, Oct-Nov, 2003 by Patricia J. Flowers

Relationship of Goals and Assessment

Most music studios are characterized by teachers who work hard to reach their pupils and by students who become more proficient on their instrument during the course of instruction. When these two behaviors occur in tandem--teachers teaching and students learning--we assume a relationship. More specifically, we infer a cause-and-effect relationship. We conclude students are learning because teachers are teaching them, and for the most part it is true. Nonetheless, we recognize all teaching does not result in learning, no matter how effective it might appear on the surface; and we know that not all learning is a result of direct instruction. In fact, one of the hardest things to do is to "un-learn" a bad habit that was picked up incidentally. Or, on the positive side, we sometimes encourage students to improvise or play by ear, releasing them from specific tasks and nudging them toward independence. Teachers teach and students learn, but the relationship is delicate and easily misconstrued without checkpoints along the way to make sure the student actually is learning what was intended. These checkpoints come by many names: assessment, testing, measurement, competition, diagnostics, progress reports, adjudication, examination, evaluation, dependent variables or management by objective. Dictionary definitions of "evaluate" include "to reckon up; ascertain the amount off to express in terms of something already known" (Oxford English Dictionary) and "to examine and judge concerning the worth, quality, significance, amount, degree, or conditions of" (Webster's Third International Dictionary). For the purpose of this discussion, we will use the following definition: To evaluate is to find worth in a person or thing, particularly in relation to what is useful and important in life. (1) What do students, parents and teachers find useful and important about playing an instrument? What is its measure?

The following profile of a typical piano family is taken from a large-scale national survey conducted about ten years ago. (2) Most students said they chose piano lessons because "I just wanted to play" or because "My parents wanted me to." The cost of this choice (in 1992 dollars) was about $250-2,000 per year. What should be the return on this investment? While students mentioned some possible extramusical benefits of piano instruction, the main advantage was personal pleasure ("It makes me happy."). Many students believed they played their best at home alone, where no one could hear them. Even within the context of home practice and weekly lessons, there exist natural opportunities for progress evaluation. In the survey sample, nearly all piano parents listened to their children practice sometimes, although it is doubtful that many were analytical listeners.

While most teachers wanted the parents to listen, fewer wanted them to assist with practice. Although they were not directly involved in home or lesson music making, more than 75 percent of parents did discuss the child's progress with the teacher at least sometimes. Outside of home practice, there were additional opportunities for natural assessment through public performance, although this varied widely. Nearly half of the pupils in the survey sample reported performing in front of others three to eight times per year, usually at home or the teacher's studio. Formal recital performance was less frequent, and performance in competition was even less frequent. In summary, students took lessons because they wanted to and because playing piano made them happy. They thought they played best when alone (Is that when they were happiest?). Parents spent a fair amount of money, were marginally involved at home, deferred to the teacher on progress reports and supported their children through occasional performances where they either did well or not, as defined by public reaction.

Students, teachers and parents may have different expectations for music lessons, which is a good reason to clarify goals at the outset and over time. Looking at piano instruction from the other end of life, older adults have reflected that learning to play a keyboard instrument was a most desired opportunity. (3) In hindsight, they thought learning to play the piano independently was useful and important in life. These goals must drive assessment and evaluation.

Performance Objectives

Setting goals focuses on long-term aspirations, but more immediate objectives and criteria are needed to motivate and gauge the steps along the way. While the child and parents help set the goals, it usually is the teacher who analyzes all the components required for success. It is a big and important step to go from "I want to play because it makes me happy" to "The student will practice thirty minutes per day, use correct fingerings consistently, name notes and rests in a theory book, improvise an acceptable melody over IV (7) I chords in three keys and sight read simple melodies." The teacher must trust that meeting these objectives will lead to happiness, and the student must trust the teacher to break down instruction into manageable chunks.