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Using Rubrics as an Assessment Tool in Your Classroom

Angela Leonhardt General Music Today 2005 19: 10 DOI: 10.1177/10483713050190010104 The online version of this article can be found at: http://gmt.sagepub.com/content/19/1/10

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Using Rubrics as an Assessment Tool in Your Classroom

By Angela Leonhardt
Angela Leonhardt teaches music at Bulverde Creek Elementary School, San Antonio, Texas. E-mail: Angeladon@aol.com

eaching elementary music today holds many joys, but there are serious challenges for new and seasoned teachers alike. Among the current challenges is the focus on No Child Left Behind and the state mandated testing that is so prevalent in our schools. We must ask: Where do music educators fit into this new educational spectrum? How can music educators show that we are not leaving children behind in their development as musicians? The obvious answers might be found in staff development and continuing education courses as we strive to bring our students new ideas and fresh ways to master musical concepts. For me, however, the journey began with a look at the existing assessment practices in my classroom. With limited time to cover music curricula, assessment is often put aside because teachers feel the focus should be on rich student experiences in making music. School-board members and other educational policy makers are not convinced of the efficacy of arts education based on feelings or rich student experiences (Wilson 2000). Consequently, music educators have an obligation to demonstrate as fully as possible what their students learn. As a result of this obligation, authentic assessment strategies should allow students to be engaged in music making while also meeting the teachers requirements to assign grades based on content mastery in a standards-based curriculum. Traditional music assessments have included pencil-and-paper tests, tests that involved rote memorization, and recall tasks. These types of assessments were often criticized for taking the information to be assessed out of context of what had been learned. Authentic assessment has been identified as an evaluation of students abilities in realworld contexts (Wiggins 1990). Authentic assess-

ment in a music classroom might include tasks that require students to demonstrate music knowledge and skills to problem solve, create an answer, or create a product. Often, authentic assessment will involve students making their own musical decisions within specified guidelines to create a product or solve a musical problem. These musical decisions are based on previously learned skills, music facts, and personal preference. By involving students in musical decisions, authentic assessment can motivate them and provide them with ownership of their musical growth. While different students may approach the same composition project in various ways, each student is making musical decisions that are meaningful to him or her. We should assess students because it provides feedback on student learning for both the student and for the teacher. While basic music vocabulary, history, or stylistic knowledge is necessary to make informed musical decisions, it is not the only thing we should be focused on in our classrooms. Our goal as music educators should be to equip our students to be lifelong music makers. When students can connect isolated facts they have learned with real-world examples that they actively participate in, learning becomes more meaningful and students will take ownership of their musical growth. When authentic assessment is used as a tool, it ties musical activities together while adding depth to the curriculum. Music classes then become skill driven rather than mere schedule fillers. All of these possible outcomes can become advocacy tools that demonstrate the value of music instruction. While many music educators would agree with the above statements, the next challenge becomes assessing large numbers of students in short peri-

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ods of time while still keeping music making as a top priority in the classroom. Some music educators may find authentic assessment tasks overwhelming and fall back on assessment based solely on behavior or participation. The downside of behavior or participation as the basis for assessment is that students, parents, or administrators may not have a clear understanding of the skills accomplished in any given lesson. Just because a student is participating or behaving appropriately does not mean he or she is learning. Establishing a foundation for future success in music making requires more than mastery of an isolated rhythmic pattern or recall of significant dates in musical history. Time is a factor when using authentic assessments. Initially, implementing authentic assessments takes more time. It is a new skill, a new way of looking at your teaching and assessment practices, and that will take some time and reflection. The advantages of students participating as musicians at various skill levels far outweigh the time spent at the start. If you are just starting on a journey to include more authentic assessment experiences in your classroom I suggest that you start small. Through articles such as this one and other resources, explore the different types of authentic assessment. Try to implement one authentic assessment for an upcoming grading cycle. When reflecting on the experience, include your students viewpoints as well. The cornerstone of authentic assessment is involving students in the learning experience. If you decide to use the rubric model, ask your students at the completion of the teaching and assessment cycle what they thought of the whole experience. Use the information gathered from your students and from your own reflection to find the authentic assessments that are best for your classroom. Not only will your students gain a greater understanding of music making in real world situations, but your curriculum will reflect a newfound focus on the state and national standards. For music to be considered a discipline in the core curriculum, we must demonstrate that our curriculum is based on skill-driven standards. A mix of assessment methods provides a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their learning.

Rubrics as Authentic Assessments

Authentic assessment models have often included the use of self-evaluation forms, narrative descriptions, demonstrations, portfolios, and rubrics. Many activities that are currently used in music classrooms can be easily modified to provide an authentic assessment opportunity. An in-depth look at each model of authentic assessment is beyond the scope of this article. There are many excellent resources to help music educators evaluate the various models for use in the classroom. Rubrics have the flexibility to meet program and community needs while giving objective reports to parents, students, and administrators. A rubric has been described as a form of alternate assessment using a scoring guide to evaluate student performance (Moskal 2001). As students prepare for an assessment task, the explicit guidelines serve as a working guide for the student. Using a rubric provides a clear outline of the task from the beginning, providing a process for the student to learn from personal experience. Burbridge (1998) suggests that the use of rubric strategies adds a needed depth to assessment in music. She asserts that when rubrics are used, the quality of direct instruction increases. Traditional assessments may measure the development of music knowledge, but rubrics have been suggested as an assessment tool for learning in the context of music making and musicianship. The National Standards for Arts Education (Consortium of National Arts Education Associations 1994) are performance based. This suggests that students should not only learn about music but also be required to make music (Burbridge 1998). Many new music materials are being developed to include authentic assessment, including rubrics, but educators can just as easily generate their own rubrics. The key to designing original rubrics is to determine the concept or skill that will be taught before creating the rubric. National, local, and district standards, as well as student generated ideas, have helped identify these concepts for the evaluator. First, determine the isolated skills or concepts

Steps for Creating an Original Rubric

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intended for evaluation. Three to five evaluation components has been identified by many authors as the ideal number to be included in any rubric (Hickey 1998; Brophy 2000). Less than three components not only failed to provide sufficient guidelines for students in their performance preparation, but also did not give the evaluator a solid base for making quality performance judgments. More than five components often overwhelmed students in their preparation and, in real time performance assessments, took too long for the evaluator to complete. Developing a set of rubrics is essentially a backwards look at lesson planning. Instead of identifying songs, games, and performance pieces that you would like your students to complete, you are starting with the end in mind. For example, stating that you would like students in a fourth-grade classroom to play a BAG recorder selection using correct rhythms, correct fingerings, and good tone quality is starting with the end in mind. You have first identified and isolated the skill intended for evaluation: playing a recorder selection. Subsequently, three evaluation components were selected based on state and national standards yet to be covered in the sequence of study. Finally, a recorder selection is chosen for study based on the evaluation criteria. Within the framework of authentic assessment, the teacher may also select multiple recorder selections that meet the criteria. Students then have a choice, based on musical preference, of which piece they will use for their final presentation and assessment. As the recorder selection is taught, both students and teacher know what the goal for skill mastery is (see Steps for Creating an Original Rubric).

in the analysis of the final products of students efforts. Scoring grids often take on the look of a rating scale of 15 or descriptive categories that detail levels of attainment such as beginning, developing, or competent (Scott 2001). Neither the point system nor the descriptive categories has been identified as better than the other. Each individual assessment situation will determine which type of scoring your choose to use. Within our present education system, number or letter grades are assigned each grading term in music classes, just as in math, science, and social studies. Each evaluator must decide how using rubrics within the assessment framework will translate into grades in the grade book. Point system scoring in a rubric could be easier for evaluators to translate to the grading system already in place on their campus; however, there are other ways to report to students, parents, and administrators the results of an assessment task. For example, if descriptive categories were chosen in a rubric assessment, the evaluator could send a copy of the students assessment grid home as a progress report of skills worked toward and mastered in music class. This type of progress report makes learning visible beyond a simple letter grade. If we expect parents and other adults to value learning in music, then we must communicate clearly what our students have learned (Stauffer 1999, p. 29). To develop a scoring grid, the evaluator needs to clearly identify qualities that demonstrate a highly proficient performance, as well as those that reflect a lower proficiency level. Graduated criteria descriptors should be constructive rather than worded with negaSteps for Creating an Original Rubric 1. Determine concept or skill to be taught. 2. Isolate 35 evaluation components. 3. Design scoring grid with graduated levels of proficiency. 4. Determine performance pieces, songs, or games that would best help students demonstrate the evaluation components. 5. Locate materials for assessment and record keeping. 6. Share rubric with students prior to final assessment.

Scoring

Scoring grids provide descriptors at various proficiency levels to delineate what is expected, allowing students to focus on improving those aspects. A rubric scoring grid should be created to correspond with the components identified for assessment. This grid provides a graduated level of proficiency for each component that was initially identified (see figure 1). A scoring grid is a tool that guides the evaluator

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tive connotations. For example, proficient and expert could be used as labels for the best performances, apprentice and rookie for the worst (Hickey 1998). Along with the creation of any rubric, the evaluator must determine not only whether any materials are needed for the rubric assessment but also how records of the assessment can be kept. These materials could include audio or video recording devices, separate scoring sheets, standard grade books, specially designed seating charts, or the use of outside evaluators (Brophy 2000). In most cases, the assessment task will be evaluated by the music teacher during regularly scheduled music classes, but there may be projects that the music teacher would like evaluated by a colleague on the campus or the music community outside campus for a different perspective on the students performance. If you determine that an outside evaluator would be used, then audio or video recording devices would probably be necessary, unless the outside evaluator could attend your music class during specified times. The use of an outside evaluator would create the need to address several issues. Why is the outside evaluator needed? What role will the evaluator play in creating the assessment task? Will the assessment task also be evaluated by the music teacher on campus? What understandings and expectations does the outside evaluator bring to the assessment task, and how does that compare with the music teacher that traditionally evaluates the students performance? The use of an outside evaluator in assessment tasks is an issue that should be approached with much thoughtful communication among all parties involved. Finally, the evaluator should share the rubric with the students and inform them of the specific skills that will be assessed. By doing this, the evaluator has identified the expectations set forth at the various skill levels of the rubric. This is often posted for students to refer to frequently as they practice the skills set forth and focus their practice sessions. All students have different ways of processing information. For one student, information posted in a logical and organized manner will aid in the way that he or she processes. For another student, the ability to explore various skill levels within the framework of practice sessions is helpful; these stu-

dents need to try it all before they settle on what is best for them. The very nature of rubics as an authentic assessment tool gives both of these students the ability to learn in a way that is best for them. Both students clearly know what the desired expectation is from the beginning, leading them to engage in directed self-evaluation throughout the learning process: At this moment, where do I fit, and where do I need to go? It is also helpful for the evaluator to refer to the posted skills to bring individual students or groups back on task as needed and offer pre-assessment help on individual components that are still being mastered. The consistent use of this type of authentic assessment in music classrooms strives to hold all students to higher standards because there is a clear outline of the task from the beginning. As students move through the preparation for assessment, they are learning through their own experience based on the challenges set before them.

Benefits of Using Rubrics

With the consistent use of rubrics, my students have more opportunities for musical performances as they attain a deeper understanding of the subject area. Each performance can also increase students Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) as they are encouraged to discuss the performance using correct musical language while supporting their individual musical beliefs and reasonings. No longer is memorizing isolated music facts the only measure of students learning. Rather, with rubrics, students are challenged to apply what they have learned musically in real world settings. If the study of musical form has been the focus, can the students demonstrate their understanding of form by creating a simple composition within the form guidelines being studied, or can they manipulate simple rhythmic or notation patterns to demonstrate form in a creative and musical way? These types of activities move beyond simple recall tasks and ask the student to demonstrate at a higher level of understanding what musical form looks like. In the recorder example used earlier, can the other students in class participate by also evaluating the various student performances? If students are

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allowed to evaluate other musical performances, they are also being encouraged to think musically about these performances. In the notes and fingerings category, students must understand what correct rhythms and fingerings look like, not only in their own performance but in the performance of others. They are also encouraged to understand more deeply what constitutes tone quality at the expert level. They understand the skills needed to create tone quality at various levels based on their own experience with creating tone quality. As a teacher, I can explain and demonstrate what good tone quality is, and students will have a surface level understanding. It is when students pick up the recorder and put the explanation into practice that they begin to explore how they personally will create a good tone. Taken to another level, when asked to evaluate the tone quality of anothers performance, students are engaged as musicians to use their higher-order thinking skills. As a result of using HOTS, students understanding of music and musicianship will increase. These in-class performances have the secondary benefit of allowing students to demonstrate appropriate audience behavior. When student performance is assessed using rubrics, evaluation does not take students by surprise. From the beginning, a clear outline shows the connection between the demonstration of a skill level and the expectation for attaining that skill. As a teacher, I can use rubrics as a tool to communicate educational goals precisely and concretely to teachers, students, parents, and administrators. The use of rubric assessment in my classroom provides snapshots throughout the year of how students are progressing in the mastery of musical skills, while also providing a guide for areas that need to be retaught for student success. A secondary outcome of the use of rubrics has been the increase in student involvement. Taking rubrics to the next level has included the use of student-generated rubrics. This process helps students better understand and become actively involved in the educational cycle: concept, teaching, mastery, and assessment (Eppink 2002). This form of student involvement often motivates students and encourages them to place a higher value on

their personal growth in music. With guidance from the teacher, students follow the same process of identifying components to be assessed and assigning graduated levels of proficiency. Finally, the student or student groups could be assessed either by the teacher or by peers based on the criteria set forth by the students themselves (see figure 2). For me, the main advantage of this type of assessment is that the students take an increased role in their musical learning. My classroom has been transformed into a partnership, with student and teacher moving towards an active role of assessment. With enough practice in the use of teacher generated rubrics and adequate teacher guidance, students should be able to smoothly transition into this type of self-assessment. If selfassessment is successful, the musical experience becomes much more meaningful for them. Engaging students in directed self-evaluation provides a foundation for future learning on their own. I want to equip my students with the ability to be lifelong music makers, not just music makers in my classroom. The hardest part for me as an educator is the willingness to relinquish a certain amount of control within the rubric creation and assessment. Finally, these types of assessments have served as a motivational tool for students, as we clearly present a challenge to them and then strive to provide them with the skills to meet that challenge. This increased motivation encourages higher values for each students personal growth in music as he or she gains a deeper understanding through increased involvement. Students are likely to excel in school when their overall participation in school increases. No child should be left behind in his or her development as a learner of math, history, English, or science. As music educators, we must also strive to leave no child behind as a musician who actively participates in music making.
Brophy, T. S. 2000. Assessing the developing child musician: Guide for general music teachers. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications. Burbridge, A. 1998. Assessment: Pencil, paper & per-

References

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formance too! Connections, 13(1): 911 Consortium of National Arts Education Associations. 1994. National Standards for Arts Education. Reston, VA: MENC. Eppink, J. A. 2002. Student created rubrics: An idea that works. Teaching Music 9(4): 2832. Hickey, M. 1998. Assessment rubrics for music composition. Music Educators Journal 85(4): 2632, 52. Moskal, B. M. 2001. Scoring rubrics: What, when and how? [Electronic Version] Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation 7(3). Retrieved March 20, 2002, from http://ericae.net/pare/getvn.asp?v=7&n=3. Scott, S. J. 2001. A task-centered approach to performancebased assessments. General Music Today 14(3): 1014. Stauffer, S. 1999. Beginning assessment in elementary general music. Music Educators Journal 86(2): 2530. Wiggins, G. 1990. The case for authentic assessment. Practical Assessment, Research and Evaluation 2(2). [Electronic Version] Retrieved April 4, 2002, from http://ericae.net/pare/getvn.asp?v=2&n=2. Wilson, B. 2000. Assessment in visual and performing arts. In K. Seidel, ed. Assessing student learning: A practical guide (pp. 116). CD-ROM. Cincinnati, OH: Alliance for Curriculum Reform.

Figure 1. Scoring grid with graduated levels of proficiency:

Objective: Play a BAG recorder song with correct rhythms, correct fingerings, and good tone quality
Student name Amanda S. Joe M. Celina P. 4 4 3 Rhythms Fingerings 3 4 3 Tone quality 2 3 1 Total points 9 11 7

Categories/ Point value Rhythms Fingerings Tone quality

Expert 4 points All rhythms correct All fingerings correct Expert

Satisfactory 3 points 12 errors 12 errors Satisfactory

Developing 2 points 34 errors 34 errors Developing

Apprentice 1 point 5+ errors 5+ errors Apprentice

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Figure 2. Student generated rubric

Objective: Students create their own instruments using recycled materials

Expert Sound Overall look Makes good sound Decorated, looks good, care taken by inventor Name assigned to instrument matches sound it creates Satisfactory Makes sound Some decoration Developing Makes inconsistent sound Minimal decoration, not much care taken by inventor Apprentice Makes no sound No decoration

Name

Name assigned somewhat matches sound

Name assigned No name does not match assigned sound instrument makes

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