Thursday, July 10, 2014

Thoughts on Assessment



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.





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