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Assessment Portfolio
Rachael Gros

Kansas State University

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Assessment Tools
Rubric
A rubric is an assessment tool that breaks down an assignment into
specific parts. These are parts on the graded on a scale with specific
criteria for each number of the scale. This can be very effective in a
Music classroom. When grading playing tests you can use a rubric that
includes the different parts of playing music such as note accuracy,
articulations, and dynamics.

Implementation:
To make this tool reliable and valid special attention needs to be paid
to the criteria set. For validity, what you focus on in class needs to be
the focus of the playing test. If you focus on note accuracy that should
be the focus of the playing test, if you focus on dynamic range that
should also be a focus of the test. Reliability is also along these same
lines. Criteria need to be very specific and relate to what you are
focusing on in your classroom. If you do not focus on correct notes but
then test note accuracy you results will vary widely.

Paper and Pencil Test

A paper and pencil test is a tool that assesses cognitive knowledge of
students. This tool can be effective when testing theory, history, or
other musical knowledge. For example if you are doing a unit of basic
music theory to make sure all students can read music, then having a
test where you ask them to name note names and write scales would
be an effect paper and pencil test.

Implementation:
To make this tool reliable and valid the content tested must be what
has been taught in class. Validity depends on make it relate to what
students are learning. If you have been learning basic notation and
reading, testing over music history would make the test invalid.
Reliability is going to depend on when the test is taken and the
environment of the classroom. For example, if this test is given during
a high stress time the scores may be skewed.

Portfolio
A portfolio is a collection of examples of student achievement. These
can vary from collections of papers, assignments, or all materials used
in a class. This can be used in a music classroom for any unit that
involves multiple assignments that continually grow. For example, on a
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unit for improvisation you could have students plan out more and more
complex improvisations. You could also have them include research
done for the history and technique involved in improvisation.

Implementation:
The validity and reliability of the Portfolio is going to be based on how
you assess the portfolio and what is included in the portfolio. To make
it valid, it needs to relate to what is happening in class. If you ask them
to include an article that is not related to the unit it is not valid. The
reliability factor comes in when you assess the portfolio. The criteria
must be communicated to the students throughout the course of the
unit and it must be clear and concise.

Journaling
Journaling is a way for students to express their thoughts and feelings.
This allows the teacher to assess learning of each student and collect
data on how each student learns and classifies as important. This can
be useful in a music classroom for practice logs. Having students
document and examine their own practice sessions will help students
begin to assess themselves.

Implementation:
Reliability and Validity for journaling has to focus more on assessing
quantity over quality than in other assessment tools. For Validity it
needs to be something that affects what is going on in class. Having
them do a practice log over music not being performed in class is not
valid. Reliability has to come from the assessment of the journaling.
The criteria used will most likely have to be more about length, time
spent on practicing and minimum number of points talked about than
about the content addressed. Since students all think and express
themselves differently you cannot expect them all to talk about the
same things while journaling.

Checklist
A checklist is an easy to quickly assess students for learning. If they
meet the criteria they have performed successfully. This can help in a
music class when a teacher is doing checkpoints for student
development. If a student fits all the criteria then they are successful.
For example, a checklist can be used for a students preparedness and
participation grade. Do they have all their supplies, is their music
marked, did they play in class today? Having students ready and
prepared for class will help them learn more efficiently and not waste
time.
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Implementation:
Checklists can be useful as long as they are valid and reliable. Validity
comes in when it covers topics you cover in class. For example, to
make your classroom environment strong you elect to spend a short
amount of time on student preparedness for rehearsals. Doing a simple
checklist to assess each students preparedness can be a simple but
effective way to assess students. For reliability, the criteria must be
specific and unbiased. For example, if a student cannot afford a binder
for their choir music will you supply one for them if they are expected
to have one?

Rating Scale
A rating scale is similar to a checklist in that it has specific criteria but
allows the assessor to give the level the student is at for each criterion.
This style of assessment can be useful in a classroom when a quick
survey is needed. Quick questions such as, on a scale of 1-10 how well
did we perform the dynamics, allows the teacher to assess where they
students are cognitively. Using this method to assess students allows
them to give or get feedback quickly but the feedback is not in depth.

Implementation:
Rating scales can have trouble creating reliability but not as much for
validity. For validity simple asking questions about topics in class
makes it valid to the students. They need to be clear, concise, and
specific to be effective. Reliability is harder. Since reliability is about
creating a test that doesnt vary over time, the rating scale must valid
and it needs to be specific on the criteria and rating values used. For
example, using a statement such as the student showed musical
expression and gave a rating scale of 1-10 is not a good rating scale.
First of all what is meant by musical expression and how does it relate
to a 1-10 score? A better statement would have been, does the student
perform different articulation marks throughout the piece when the
different articulations are notated and having a scale of never,
sometimes, or almost always. This is more effective because if a
student is performing different articulations the teacher should be able
to hear the difference and be able to discern how often it is happening.

Graphic Organizer
A graphic organizer comes in many shapes and sizes and can be a
good way to assess how students are learning the material and if they
are learning it in an acceptable fashion. In a music classroom you could
use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two different pieces that
are being played. After discussing and analyzing the two pieces, having
students put their thoughts onto paper will help the teacher assess
what they learned.
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Implementation:
Testing reliability and validity for graphic organizers can be simple. For
validity in a Venn diagram, are you asking them to compare something
they have discussed or analyzed? Have you given them set choices to
compare and contrast, such as rhythms, notes, form or other musical
concepts? For reliability it is a little more complicated. Remember that
reliability has to do with scores that are unaffected by time and
environment. So for a Venn diagram having a minimum to maximum
number of points to be made can help make it more reliable. If student
have a specific set of options to compare and contrast and they only
have to do those options the variance on answers and score will be
less than if they are just given a blank Venn diagram.

Pre- Test and Post-Test

Pre and post tests are a growth measurement. Typically they are the
same test given at the beginning of a unit and at the end of a unit to
assess how much students learned and how much growth occurred.
This can be critical in a music classroom. We need to be able to assess
where are students are so that we can develop an effective curriculum
for them. This assessment can be as simple as sight-reading and piece
and performing it on a concert. It can also be on paper with any unit
such as music history or music theory.

Implementation:
Pre and post test have validity in that they are directly measuring what
is going to be taught and what was taught. When they become invalid
is if you do not cover the material that was tested in the pre test. This
makes the measure of the post test invalid. This is also true for
reliability. If you are measuring growth in a classroom over a specific
unit the tests the pre and post test must measure the same
information and that information has to be taught in-between the two
test. Also if it is used in sight-reading to performance context the
measuring tools must remain the same. If you measure dynamics and
note accuracy on the sight-reading you must measure those on the
performance.
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Assessment Examples
Rubric
1 2 3 Score
Dynamics The student The student The student
showed little demonstrated demonstrated
to no use of the swell use of multiple
dynamic pedal and swell pedals
contrast manual dynamics and
changes with manual
small changes.
interruptions or
mistakes
Articulation The student The student The student
s demonstrate demonstrated demonstrated
d one two different more than two
articulation articulations. different
throughout articulations.
the piece
with no
changes
Note Student Student Student
Accuracy displays less displays 50- displays 80-
than 50% 80% accuracy 100% accuracy
accuracy in in notes in notes.
notes
Total:
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Paper and Pencil Test

1. Name the four notes of the treble clef spaces from bottom to top.

2. Name the five notes of the treble clef lines from bottom to top.

3. Name the four notes of the bass clef spaces from bottom to top.

4. Name the five notes of the bass clef lines from bottom to top.

5. Name the sharps in order.

6. Name the flats in order.

7. Write a C major scale on the staff provided and name all the
notes.
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Portfolio

Improvisation Compilation

1. Include all melodies used in improvisation

2. Include all written out improvisations

3. Include all reflections done over the improvisations

4. Include all articles done in research over improvisations

5. Overall organization will be taken into account when determining

grades.

Journaling
Journal Entry #2

In the space provided reflect on the three topics discussed today and
how they relate to the piece we are studying and performing in class.
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Checklist

Yes No
Does the student have
a pencil?
Does the student have
their music?
Does the student have
their instrument
ready?
Did the student
participate in
discussion held in
class?
Did the student
disrupt the class in
any way?

Rating Scale

Never Sometimes Almost Always

Did the student
perform the
written
articulations?
Did the student
give expression
in the form of
swell pedal use?
Did the student
perform manual
switches were
appropriate?
Did the student
affect time to
provide
phrasing?
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Graphic Organizer

Compare and contrast our two performance pieces using the four
topics discussed today in class. Work with a partner to discuss melody,
harmony, rhythm, and articulations.
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Pre-Test and Post-Test

Music History Test

1. Name 3 composers that lived before 1900.

2. Name three different time periods of music.

3. Name 3 composers that lived after 1900.

4. Name 2 forms used in music (ex. Sonata form, do not use this

example)

5. Name your favorite musical or opera.

6. Name your favorite piece of music that you have played in an

ensemble.

7. Name your favorite song to listen to during free time.

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Citations
Raiber, Michael, and David Teachout. The Journey from Music
Student to Teacher: A Professional Approach. New York: Routledge,
2014. Print.