Study Unit 5 - Lesson planning

On the 18th of October 2021, I am writing my final blog post regarding a study unit. The semester is ending; we still have a few projects and examinations to finish, but the hurry isn't as intense as it was at the start. Study unit 5 has taught me about the kind of music activities that are appropriate for various lesson phases, as well as how to think about a music lesson's flow and assessment. This was a fantastic unit to end the blog with. It was the final unit, and the information and abilities I obtained throughout study units 1–4 had a significant impact on my performance in this final unit.

·    What could the possible reasons be that assessment is neglected in Performing Arts and Music in the Foundation Phase?

Assessing the creative outputs of student learning has always been a conundrum for educators, and it will remain so if we consider imagination as one of the most essential underlying characteristics of artistic involvement. In arts education, assessment is, of course, a continual process. Teachers' daily formative judgments, which help students advance toward their learning goals, are crucial to any effective art education program. Summative evaluation, on the other hand, is the driving force behind the program's direction and specifies what is most essential to learn. Formative assessment is usually a private conversation between the student and the teacher, but summative evaluations are frequently a public event. The topic of how to create standards in nations where art is recognized as a core subject is an ongoing discussion that has made its way into the public sphere.

For years, educators have debated which philosophies should be used to guide the selection of visual arts curriculum, as well as which ideas and skills should be taught. It makes logical to design evaluation techniques that enhance rather than negate the situational variables that are likely to encourage creative activity if we know what they are. We already know that innovative activity is more likely to happen. If students are encouraged to follow their interests thematically, if they are willing to experiment with ideas and take risks in the quest for answers to challenges, and if physical conditions promote the concept of creative" flow,"

Many children are culturally illiterate and lack the ability to produce and communicate creatively because of schools' neglect of arts instruction. A comprehensive school program should include learning about how civilizations are related, performing arts, design, the art of writing, and media art such as film, television, and radio. Arts education has traditionally been limited to instruction in music, drawing, painting, and crafts, but a comprehensive school program should include learning about how civilizations are related, performing arts, design, the art of writing, and media art such as film, television, and radio.

The main reason that evaluation in Performing Arts and Music is ignored in the Foundation Phase, in my opinion, is because these topics have been restricted by educators.

Other reasons may include a lack of teacher confidence, inadequate places and/or resources, and a focus on verbal and written analysis as a teaching strategy.

Basic arts education, like other school courses, must be taught systematically by trained teachers and encompass topics such as art history, critical theory, and concepts, as well as invention, production, and performance. Knowledge of the arts, as well as talents in them, must be put to the test.

·       Please explain how you would advocate for and heighten awareness about the importance of assessment when speaking with your HOD about your concerns in this regard.

Evaluation in the arts necessitates many of the same elements that assessment in any other subject area necessitates. Good arts assessment necessitates time for deliberate implementation, professional development for instructors who will use and administer the exams, and alignment with district, state, and national arts standards. Assessment in the arts supports and enhances teacher teaching as well as student development.

ü  In arts education, "doing" and "creating" are essential components. Arts knowledge, as well as the process of creating art and the artwork itself, may all be evaluated. Knowledge, process, and production are all interwoven, and each must be reflected and accounted for in the evaluation system.

ü  The appraisal of arts education is genuine. In other words, it evaluates students' work in the same way as "real-world" work is evaluated. While pencil-and-paper testing has its place, most arts evaluations are based on more complicated and in-depth analyses of student work. Portfolios, personal reflection, and critique are examples of genuine evaluation strategies.

What does quality arts education assessment look like?

o   An unwavering commitment to excellence

High expectations for student work should be set and conveyed explicitly. ​

o   Judgment

Artwork should evoke a wide range of reactions.

o   The significance of self-evaluation.

Self-evaluation is something that artists do. Student artists should be included in this process as well.

o   A variety of assessment methods

Multiple kinds of assessment capture details that a single technique might overlook. Each assessment tool adds to our understanding of students' learning and work by providing fresh data and insights.

o   Ongoing evaluation

Assessment should be integrated into the learning process and carried out throughout the school year (rather than at a single moment in time). The cyclical process of invention, analysis, and modification benefits student artists tremendously.

 

Whether feedback is positive or negative, students must learn how to use it to their advantage.