Instrumental music assessment: current practices in ...

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INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC ASSESSMENT: CURRENT PRACTICES IN INDIVIDUAL MUSIC ASSESSMENT

A thesis presented by

Steven E. Carey to

The School of Education In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Education Dr. Chris Unger Advisor

College of Professional Studies Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts March 2017

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Abstract Assessment is necessary in all of today's classrooms. More than ever, developing systems of assessment that allow students to show growth and encourage mastery of skill development is incredibly important to students, teachers, administrators and parents. This study explored the current assessment practices of teachers of instrumental music. The study was guided by the following research questions:

1. What forms of assessments are being utilized by band teachers to guide student performance and provide them with adequate feedback for growth?

2. How are these assessments useful, as perceived by these band directors? 3. How do these assessments benefit their students, as perceived by band directors? This qualitative study included interviews with three New Jersey band directors and a review of assessment documents provided by participants. The Learning for Mastery framework of Bloom (1968) was the lens that guided this study. This study found that each director varied the types of assessments used, provided valuable feedback to students, modified a student's educational program based on data, and were relevant to skills being taught in the classroom. These findings could help educators and administrators develop individual assessment practices that encourage student growth and adequately demonstrate student growth to stakeholders.

Keywords: Assessment, Music, Band Directors, Mastery, Skill Development, Evaluation, High Schools

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Acknowledgements I would like to extend many thanks to my advisor, Dr. Chris Unger. Without his help throughout the process this study and resulting document would not have been possible. The feedback he provided proved to be incredibly valuable through the completion of this study. I would also like to thank Dr. Kelly Conn for serving as the second reader and the assistance and feedback she provided. Additionally, I would like to extend a thank you to Dr. Thomas Conway for serving as my outside reader and providing much needed support and encouragement as this process came to a close. Without my family and their unconditional love and support none of this would have been possible. I would like to thank all of them for being there for me whenever I needed it through this journey. I am eternally thankful for all of their love and support. Lastly, I would like to thank all of my colleagues and study participants for sharing their experiences with me and making valuable contributions to this study.

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Table of Contents Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................6

Problem Statement .................................................................................6 Significance of the Research Problem ............................................................8 Positionality Statement ..............................................................................9 Research Questions .................................................................................12 Theoretical Framework ...........................................................................12 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature .....................................................................16 Assessment Strategies ..............................................................................16 Portfolio Assessment ..............................................................................18 Use of alternative and self-assessments .........................................................25 Computer Assessments ...........................................................................25 Summary ...........................................................................................30 Chapter 3: Research Design ..............................................................................31 Research Questions .................................................................................31 Participants .......................................................................................32 Recruitment and Access ...........................................................................33 Data Storage, Collection and Analysis .........................................................33 Trustworthiness ....................................................................................35 Protection of Human Subjects .....................................................................35 Chapter 4: Research Findings ..............................................................................36 Summary of Study Sites, Participants, and Data Collection .................................36 Research Question #1 ..............................................................................41 Research Question #2 ..............................................................................49

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Research Question #3 ..............................................................................54 Summary of Findings ..............................................................................56 Chapter V: Discussion of Research Findings ............................................................58 Revisiting the Problem of Practice ...............................................................58 Discussion of Key Findings .....................................................................58 Discussion of the Findings in Relation to the Theoretical Framework .....................62 Discussion of the Findings in Relation to the Literature Review .............................63 Limitations .........................................................................................66 Conclusion .........................................................................................67 Significance of the Study ........................................................................68 Implications for Practice ...........................................................................69 Validity .............................................................................................69 Recommendations for Future Studies ............................................................70 Personal Reflection ..............................................................................71 References ....................................................................................................73 Appendix A: Interview Guide ...........................................................................78 Appendix B: Recruitment Email ........................................................................80 Appendix C: Sample Signed Consent Form ...........................................................81

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