Assessment:
As
I think about my project and the relationship that already existing between
STEM and STEAM. I feel the STEM group may rely on the arts and they
are just not recognizing it.
In
the Arts we create a hypothesis. In doing so we ask what the
thing should look like. We create thumbnails, storyboards, sketches, notes,
doodles and the like.
We research to
figure out what to do and try to figure out how to do it.
Artists
think about the materials they want to use and often research them. Specific
materials are needed, as artists- teachers we need to choose our medium and the
materials that are needed? In procedure artists and scientists differ
most. A ridged procedure versus one that embraces accept, happy mistakes, acts
of GOD if you are so inclined. We make careful observations, which are
followed by experimentation. This leads the artists- students into new
paths and new discoveries take place. The work begins to engage the
student in dialogue. As the dialogue between the artist-student and the object
changes as the piece transforms. Art teachers demonstrate their learned and
practiced techniques, before the students practice through studio work, This
gives students the necessary steps to begin their journey of problem solving.
Sometimes the work takes on its own life. We critique the results and we begin
again form there. Our result is our product. It is a measurable result. How do
we measure it? We design a simple rubric.
The
Measurable Result is assessed
The
tool is a rubric and could even be a bubble sheet.
Rubric
key:
5=
extremely well done above expectations
4=
It works and meets expectations
3=
has the basics and meets most expectations
2.
=Almost there needs work meeting only some expectations
1.
=No clue or needs improvement
Rubric
1.
Does it solve the problem?
2.
Does it make you think and respond?
3.
Does it contain elements of design and composition?
4.
Does it elicit a response or reaction?
5.
Does it demand attention?
6.
Is it original?
Artists
and scientists often think in many similar ways using a similar scientific
method, compliment and bounce off one another adding greater understanding to
problems and solutions of the world. Artists are pragmatists.
Assessment
must be formative taking into account where the students start and where they
go. This can be observed and documented by photographs of their
work, by notation and by their formal written critiques of their work.
I
have my students write a formal critique for each project as follows:
Critique
guidelines
Description
Description
is looking closely, absorbing, seeing, looking and describing all the details.
Description
is objective and begins by discussing the subject matter. You might begin with
a photograph being black and white or color. Do not take any details for
granted.
Once
you have stated the subject elaborate on what you see. Describe what
people are wearing or doing, the kinds of leaves, trees or berries even the
type of rock formations or appearance of the trees, rocks or grasses. Look them
up if necessary.
Reflection
This
section will focus on emotions and interpretations that the images evoke for
you as the viewer and creator. What is the context of the
picture? What does it make you think about and remind you of?
How does it make you feel? Create a story about the image from
looking at the image.
Formal
analysis
After
looking carefully at the image and considering its emotional and interpretive
properties the formal analysis is next.
That
is a description of as many of the elements and principles of design (maximum 5
minimum 3) as you can apply to the image. Start with the elements that are most
strongly represented. For example, how do the lines and shapes create
frames or direct your attention? What do they direct your attention
toward? How is contrast used? What draws your attention the most in the
image? How is the image balanced etc. This is also a valuable assessment
tool.
