Exceptional Art Education Assessment Running head: EXCEPTIONAL ART ED CATION A!!E!!

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Research Proposal o# a Pro#essional De$elopment !eries #or Art Teachers% Application and Accommodation to Assessment Ru&rics #or the Exceptional Art !tudent

Chad Allman

ni$ersit' O# Central (lorida

Exceptional Art Education Assessment Research Proposal o# a Pro#essional De$elopment !eries #or Art Teachers% Application and Accommodation to Assessment Ru&rics #or the Exceptional Art !tudent Introduction

The use o# authentic assessment and the application o# grading ru&rics are current practices that art teachers utili*e to sho+ indi$idual student gro+th in the process and production o# creating art, -rading ru&rics are assessment tools that art teachers can design to &rea. do+n complex pro/ect criteria into small chun.s o# accomplishments, These small 0accomplishments1 might deal +ith the structural integrit' o# #orm2 the theme or content o# the art+or.2 the application o# a 3Principle o# Design% or a re#lection o# the student%s per#ormance, The ru&ric ma' also ser$e as a guide #or students2 parents and school administrators to +hat 'ou speci#icall' expect 'our students to accomplish on a speci#ic pro/ect2 unit or class, 4ith the positi$e e##ect that ru&rics are ha$ing on student per#ormance in art2 there are still gaps in the use o# these assessment tools +ith all students, The gro+ing access and inclusion o# students +ith special needs into the art classroom has led to inconsistent practices &' art teachers across the &oard, O#ten times art teachers do not ha$e the con#idence or experience and .no+ledge to create appropriate special needs accommodations and modi#ications to the ph'sical en$ironment and5or the curriculum, Purpose/Justification of this Study The purpose o# this stud' is to design assessment tools 6such as ru&rics and re#lections7 that can &e used to help art teachers thought#ull' modi#' their existing ru&rics to accommodate the needs o# the exceptional art student, The assessment tools +ill &e pro$ided in a series o# +or.shops at the district le$el throughout a school 'ear, Data +ill

Exceptional Art Education Assessment &e collected and anal'*ed to pro$ide ans+ers to the e##ecti$eness o# the assessment tools in the artistic de$elopment o# the exceptional student, Research Question/ Hypothesis The 9uestion that +ill guide this research stud' is as #ollo+s: 4hat e##ect +ill a training session on the de$elopment o# ru&rics #or the exceptional art student ha$e on teacher preparation and student de$elopment in art: It is #oreseen that +ith proper assessment modi#ication training2 a large percentage o# the teachers +ill sho+ an increased con#idence in the assessment o# students +ith $arious emotional2 mental and ph'sical disa&ilities, It is also h'pothesi*ed that a modest percentage o# the students o# these teachers +ill sho+ gro+th in artistic de$elopment2 moti$ation and s.ills, Definitions Ru&ric ; A scoring tool that la's out the speci#ic expectations #or an assignment, "oti$ation ; A su##icient +illingness to participate, !.ill Ac9uisition ; A target s.ill and the extent to +hich competenc' in the s.ill is demonstrated, Expressi$e ; $isuall' demonstrating ideas2 #eelings and experiences, A##ect ; The impact that art+or. +ill ha$e on a student%s emotion2 moti$ation2 &eha$ior2 etc, Indi$idual Education Plan ; A plan o# accommodations and goals #or a student +ith specials needs,

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Exceptional Art Education Assessment Re$ie+ o# Literature Art Education and Rubrics The use o# grading ru&rics as a #orm o# assessment in art education is #airl' ne+ o$er the past couple o# decades, An historical re$ie+ o# assessment in art education o$er

the past one hundred 'ears &' -ru&er = >o&&s 68??87 did not mention the +ord 0ru&ric1 once, >istoricall'2 some proponents o# art education ha$e $ie+ed assessment in arts to &e the least important purpose &ehind teaching art to children, -ru&er = >o&&s 68??87 state the #ollo+ing: The strength o# the child@centered and sel#@expressi$e educational mo$ements2 inspired in the earlier part o# the centur' 6&' among other +ritings2 those o# (reud and De+e'7 still pre$ailed, As a result2 there +as less emphasis placed on assessment o# student art products, 6p, )<7 4ith the current state o# accounta&ilit' in education through #ederal mandates such as -oals 8??? and No Child Le#t Aehind2 art education no longer has the luxur' o# #ocusing on the emotional and de$elopmental a##ects that art pro$ides #or the child +ithout some .ind o# ph'sical assessment data, The current increase in the de$elopment and application o# scoring ru&rics as an assessment tool in art education is a response to the gro+ing le$el o# student and teacher accounta&ilit', The application o# ru&rics during the process o# creating art and the scoring o# the art+or. product itsel# is an e##ecti$e tool in pro$iding speci#ic #eed&ac. to students2 parents and administrators o# +hat might &e highl' de$eloped in the creation o# a student%s art+or. or +hat might &e lac.ing, In short2 0Ru&rics can &e particularl'

Exceptional Art Education Assessment

ser$icea&le to in#orm students o# +a's to impro$e their learning and to in#orm teachers o# +a's to impro$e their teaching1 6"cCollister2 8??82 p,BC7, One extremel' important role that the ru&ric pla's in assessment in art education is its #ormati$e role o# pro$iding #eed&ac. during the process o# creating art+or., 0As a communication tool2 the ru&ric encourages acti$e learning and the artistic de$elopment o# students &' pro$iding language #or assessing process and product1 6Connell' = 4ol#2 8??D2 p, 8E?7, O#ten times2 art teachers grade the student%s art+or. at the end o# the pro/ect and discuss aspects onl' seen in the art+or. itsel#, I# student learning is to ta.e place2 +e must &e a&le to help the student during the process o# &uilding &ecause these are the moments that +ill ha$e a direct impact on the #inal dra+ing2 painting2 sculpture2 etc, "cCollister 68??87 states: The ru&ric2 +hether generated +ith a class or pre$iousl' constructed +ith an earlier class2 can assist the teacher in learner inter$ention, Inter$ention can occur +hen a student is #altering or uncertain and experiencing di##icult' ma.ing transitions #rom less@sophisticated to more sophisticated +or., 6p, BE7 The student and teacher interaction +ith the ru&ric during the process o# creating art+or. ena&les the student to ma.e constant decisions on ho+ he or she is currentl' accomplishing the art learning goals #or that particular pro/ect or #or the goals o# the o$erall class, 4ithout this #ormati$e sel#@assessment2 the student ma' miss one or more .e' elements o# learning in art, Use of the I.E.P in Assessment Rubrics Through personal re#lections and dialogue +ith #ello+ art teachers it is assumed that o#ten times the exceptional art student is not properl' assessed, It is a common

Exceptional Art Education Assessment practice #or art teachers to /ust gi$e a general grade #or an exceptional student%s art+or. out o# con#usion o# +hat should &e graded or out o# sheer pit', O#ten times2 parents2

teachers and administrators /ust +ant the student to ha$e a #un and positi$e experience in art that sho+s good to a$erage grades, It is assumed that the student might not &e a&le to sho+ more a&ilit' or speci#ic le$els in learning gains, Is this reall' the case or are +e /ust unprepared as art teachers to implement a more speciali*ed approach to assessing exceptional student art+or.: This stud' is directl' #ocused on the use o# detailed ru&rics in the assessment o# the process and product o# &uilding art+or., One o# the main #actors that needs to &e addressed #or teachers to &e a&le to e##ecti$el' create these ru&rics is the understanding and implementation o# the exceptional student%s Indi$idual Education Plan 6I,E,P7, There are man' ad$antages to re$ie+ing a student%s I,E,P, &e#ore considering +hat goals +ill &e esta&lished and e$entuall' assessed, "orreau = Anderson state that 0&' adding planning and e$aluation procedures included in the IEP2 art teachers can assure master' o# the s.ills needed to achie$e mature artistic expression1 6"orreau = Anderson2 )GEB2 p, ))7, This pro#ound statement tells us to go to the source that gi$es us the most in#ormation a&out the goals and accommodations o# the studentH the I,E,P, 4h' not go to the one source that is prepared &' exceptional education pro#essionals #or that one speci#ic student: The I,E, P, +ill pro$ide descriptions o# cogniti$e2 ph'sical or e$en emotional goals, The art teacher +ill need to cross@re#erence those speci#ic goals +ith the goals +ithin the art curriculum to create goals uni9ue to the student, "orreau = Anderson agreed that an I,E,P, can 0assure personali*ed programs #or disa&led students and ele$ate

Exceptional Art Education Assessment the &asic s.ills o# art1 6p,))7, !peci#ic examples o# goals #or art and exceptional education +ill &e incorporated in the example ru&rics in this proposal, Assessin the E!ceptiona" Art Student There are $arious exceptionalities that the art teacher must consider +hen assessing the special@needs student, !tudents +ith emotional disa&ilities +ill re9uire a di##erent set o# accomplishments than the student +ith se$ere ph'sical or motor disa&ilities, (or this reason2 it is important to loo. at the goals and accomplishments o# the indi$idual student and ta.e caution in comparing the student to the goals o# other

students, >enle' states2 0assessment tools must &e de$eloped that address all #acets o# the child%s #unctioning2 including moti$ation2 s.ill de$elopment2 &eha$ior2 aesthetic expressi$it' and a##ect1 6>enle'2 )GG82 p, 8B?7, These #acets that >enle' re#ers to as 0The (i$e Domains1 6)GG87 +ill &e used in this stud' at $arious le$els in relation to the le$el o# cogniti$e2 emotional or ph'sical handicap o# the art student, This assessment approach is student@centered and pro$ides the teacher +ith #eed&ac. that +ill allo+ the teacher to re#lect upon $arious artistic or de$elopmental s.ills the exceptional art student is pro#icient or de#icient in, This teacher re#lection +ill result in modi#ications o# #uture assessments to meet the needs o# the indi$idual student, This #orm o# assessment can &e $ie+ed as authentic assessment #or it pro$ides the student +ith the po+er to set appropriate goals and accomplishments, These assessments 0ma.e explicit +hat the students% +or. is /udged on2 and2 in e##ect2 are standard@setting rather than standard@ testing in their character1 6Dorn2 8??82 p, B87, !tate and national standards are o#ten $ague in the speci#ic s.ills that are expected o# the a$erage art student, 4h' not set the appropriate standards to that o# the studentH or in this case2 the exceptional student,

Exceptional Art Education Assessment "ethodolog' Research #ethodo"o y The research methodolog' that +ill &e utili*ed in the research stud' is action research, A description &' (raen.el = 4allen explains that 0Action research is most

appropriate +hen teachers or others in$ol$ed in education +ish to ma.e something &etter2 impro$e their practice2 deal +ith a trou&lesome issue2 or correct something that is not +or.ing1 6 (raen.el =4allen2 8??C2 p, FD)7, Action research is per#ect #or this stud' &ecause it is a 9ualitati$e method that can &e assimilated into teachers% e$er'da' curriculum, -roup re#lections and dialogue &' the participants at this local +or.shop are incorporated into the curriculum to &e tried2 tested and hope#ull' true, Lastl'2 in action research there is the de$elopment o# an action plan to implement into teachers% curriculum and assessment de$elopment, This speci#ic plan ena&les teachers to pro$ide the &est practices possi&le #or assessing exceptional art student de$elopment, Samp"e of Participants Aecause random sampling is so di##icult on such a small local le$el2 the sampling o# the stud' +ill &e dictated &' the $oluntar' participation o# art teachers in the local district, Results are not going to &e generali*ed &ecause the purpose o# this stud' is to implement exceptional education assessment strategies at the local le$el, Instrumentation The art teachers that participate in this 'ear@long action research group +ill &egin &' completing an entrance sur$e' that as.s man' speci#ic 9uestions a&out current practices in assessing exceptional students% art+or. and per#ormance in the classroom,

Exceptional Art Education Assessment The nature o# the 9uestions +ill &e demographical2 attitudinal2 #actual and h'pothetical, An example o# this sur$e' is listed as Appendix A, During one o# the earl' pro#essional de$elopment sessions2 the teachers +ill complete a ru&ric@&uilding 9uestionnaire that +ill as. them to identi#' speci#ic details

a&out a student%s &ac.ground and per#ormance in the art classroom, The teacher +ill also choose grading categories or identi#iers that +ill &e used in the creation o# the ru&ric #or that particular student, Re$ie+ Appendix A #or an example o# this teacher 9uestionnaire, Another instrument that +ill pla' an important role in the assessment o# the exceptional art learner is the actual ru&ric that the teachers ha$e created, Teachers +ill &e pro$ided an example o# a ru&ric created #or a student +ith limited sight and a &lan. ru&ric that can &e used as a starting point, The example +as created using the 9uestionnaire a&o$e to sho+ the process and #actors in +hich the ru&ric +as authenticall' created speci#icall' #or the student +ith limited sight, An example o# the &lan. ru&ric Appendix C and limited sight student ru&ric Appendix D is listed at the conclusion o# this paper, The art teachers +ill also .eep a re#lection /ournal on the implementation o# the accommodation ru&rics used +ith exceptional art students throughout the 'ear, The teachers +ill create re#lecti$e 9uestions #or /ournal entries at one o# the pro#essional de$elopment meetings at the &eginning o# the 'ear to help guide their thoughts and pro$ide a structure +ithin to collect meaning#ul data as it relates to the success or #ailure o# student learning and implementation o# the assessment ru&rics, Procedura" Detai"s$ Procedures #or this stud' +ill change during the actual implementation o# the action research group, A list o# general details o# +hat2 +hen and ho+ is as #ollo+s:

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )? Art teachers in the count' in +hich I teach +ill &e contacted through email a&out the action research group that +ill stud' the e##ects o# assessment ru&ric training on exceptional student art learning, I +ill coordinate a list o# potential participants through the count' art coordinator and contact the coordinator in charge o# sta## de$elopment #or the count', I +ill also contact the count' coordinator in charge o# E,!,E, to help design meaning#ul experiences +ith the participants, The action research group +ill meet #our times o$er the span o# one school 'ear &eginning at pre@planning and ending at post@ planning, At the #irst training session o# the group the participants +ill ta.e a sur$e' 6Appendix A7 that as.s 9uestions a&out their current thoughts and practices #or assessing students that are designated E,!,E, through an I,E,P, The sur$e' +ill &e used as a spring&oard #or discussion and a plan o# action +ill &e created &' the participants #or the extent o# the school 'ear, The second training session +ill #ocus on >enle'%s 0(i$e Domains1 and the use o# student I,E,P, in#ormation in the creation o# an accommodation ru&ric #or a speci#ic student currentl' enrolled in each o# the participants% class, The participants +ill utili*e the ru&ric@&uilding 9uestionnaire 6Appendix A7 to help guide them into creating their #irst exceptional student ru&ric #rom the training session, A &lan. ru&ric 6Appendix C7 and a completed example ru&ric 6Appendix D7 +ill &e pro$ided as support materials, The participants +ill discuss the potential e##ects o# the ru&ric2 possi&le changes and potential methods #or re#lection and data collection,

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )) The third training session +ill #ocus on speci#ic results that the teachers ha$e recei$ed #rom the implementation o# the ru&rics, Discussion +ill #ocus on possi&le pro&lem@sol$ing changes to speci#ic ru&rics, The #inal session +ill ha$e the participants ans+er an exit sur$e' that +ill stem #rom the same 9uestions as the &eginning sur$e', Discussion +ill #ocus on the o$erall experience and e##ecti$eness o# the action research group and the use o# the assessment ru&rics, Interna" %a"idity$ There are some threats to the internal $alidit' o# this stud', One o# the most common threats to a stud' that progresses o$er a long period o# time is the mortalit' threat, It is possi&le that some o# the participants might come to the &eginning sessions and #ill out the entrance sur$e'2 &ut not come to the last session to #ill out the exit sur$e', This +ill need to &e something that is addressed +hen the participants &egin to tr' to control this threat, Implementation and attitudinal threats are possi&le &ecause the main researcher +ill &e a participant5#acilitator in the action research group, I +ill &e collecting and interpreting data, This can lead to a &ias in anal'sis and interpretation o# the results, Data Ana"ysis$ The main data anal'sis o# this action research group +ill &e a comparison o# the entrance and exit sur$e's the participants ha$e completed, The sur$e' ans+ers +ill &e anal'*ed on the percentages o# responses #or each ans+er and the comparison o# each respondent%s ans+ers #rom the entrance and exit sur$e', Conclusions +ill &e dra+n #rom the data and the results +ill &e compared to the h'pothesis,

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )8

Conclusion In conclusion2 the use o# assessment ru&rics has increased o$er the past decade in the art classroom, Teachers o#ten &rea. do+n a class pro/ect into small accomplishments that measure the student%s understanding and per#ormance o# each tas. at hand, O#ten times2 art teachers +ill not use the same ru&rics or an' ru&rics at all +hen assessing an exceptional student%s art+or., Teachers o#ten #eel incompetent in the modi#ication o# the ph'sical classroom and the curriculum, This proposal has suggested that ru&rics that are &ro.en up into accomplishments that are re#lecti$e o# the art teacher%s goals and the student%s I,E,P, goals +ill raise exceptional student learning in art and art teachers% con#idence in the assessment o# the exceptional art learner, The #ormat o# an action research group through a series o# local pro#essional de$elopment sessions on &uilding ru&rics #or the exceptional learner is a great +a' to implement meaning#ul student@&ased assessment techni9ues, (our sessions and support through email and &logs +ill help teachers #ine@tune their ru&rics and understand that the ru&rics can e$ol$e o$er time to match up +ith ne+ goals #or the exceptional art learner, Data +ill &e collected through a teacher entrance and exit sur$e' to pro$ide in#ormation that can support the h'pothesis o# this research proposal, Although action plan research is not intended to &e generali*ed2 the results o# this stud' +ill pro$ide strong results that +ill change the participants% $ie+s and practices o# assessing the exceptional art student, I# these changes can &e made2 e$en at a small le$el2 the exceptional art student%s a&ilities +ill rise in all ph'sical2 cogniti$e and artistic areas,

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )<

Re#erences Carrigan2 I, 6)GGB7, Attitudes a&out persons +ith disa&ilities: A pilot program, Art Education. BD6C72 )C@8), Connell'2 ", = 4ol#2 J, 68??D7, The art o# ru&rics: painting &' num&ers, &eachin Artist Journa". F6B72 8DG@8EE, Coo.2 A,-2 Cameron2 D,L, = Tan.ersle'2 ", 68??D7, Inclusi$e teachers% attitudinal ratings o# their students +ith disa&ilities, &he Journa" of Specia" Education. B?6B72 8<?@8<E, Dorn2 C,", 68??87, The teacher as sta.eholder in student art assessment and art program e$aluation, Art Education. FF6B72 B?@BF, (raen.el2 I,R, = 4allen2 N,E, 68??C7, Ho' to desi n and e(a"uate research in education, 6Cth ed,7 Aoston: "c-ra+@>ill, -ru&er2 D,D, = >o&&s2 I,A, 68??87, >istorical anal'sis o# assessment in art education, Art Education. FF6C72 )8@)D, -ua'2 D,", 6)GGB7, !tudents +ith disa&ilities in the art classroom, >o+ prepared are +e: Studies in Art Education. <C6)72 BB@FC. >enle'2 D,R, 6)GG<7, E!ceptiona" chi"dren) e!ceptiona" art, 4orcester: Da$is Pu&lications, >illert2 ", !, 6)GGD7, The pro&lematic nature o# art teachers% e##orts to adapt instruction #or special needs students, ",!, Thesis2 Nor&ert College, Jei#er@Ao'd2 J, = Jra#t2 L, ", 68??<7, Inclusion polic' in practice, Art Education. FC6C72 BC@F<,

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )B "cCollister2 !, 68??87, De$eloping criteria ru&rics in the art classroom, Art Education. FF6B72 BC@F8, "orreau2 L, = Anderson2 (, E, 6)GEB7, Indi$iduali*ed education programs in art: &ene#it or &urden: Art Education. <D6C72 )?@)B, !alend2 !, I, 68??87, -rading students in inclusi$e settings, &eachin E!ceptiona" *hi"dren. Ian,5(e&,2 E@)F,

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )F

Appendix A Entrance !ur$e' )7 4hat is 'our age: A7 8B@<F A7 <C@ BF C7 BC@FF D7 FC@CF 87 Do 'ou ha$e a degree in: A7 Art Education A7 !tudio Art C7 OtherKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK <7 >o+ man' 'ears ha$e 'ou held an art teacher certi#icate: A7 )@)? Lears A7 ))@8? Lears C7 8)@<? Lears D7 <) or more Lears B7 >a$e 'ou e$er completed a course 6Pre@ser$ice or In@ser$ice7 in Exceptional !tudent Education: A7 No A7 Les2 I completed KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )C Please ans+er 9uestions on a scale o# ) to B, 6) M 0Not True at All12 8 M 0!ome+hat True12 < M 0True1 and B M 0Extremel' True17 )7 I ha$e a lot o# experience teaching art to students +ith special needs, ) 8 < B

87 I #eel con#ident teaching art to students +ith special needs, ) 8 < B

<7 !tudents +ith special needs can achie$e the same results as students +ithout, ) 8 < B

B7 I am con#ident in the +a' I assess students +ith special needs, ) 8 < B

F7 I +ould lo$e to teach more exceptional students i# the' allo+ed me, ) 8 < B

C7 I am $er' s.illed in understanding a student%s I,E,P, ) 8 < B

D7 I implement recommendations #rom students% I,E,P,%s on a regular &asis, ) 8 < B

E7 "' school pro$ides me +ith the support that I need in the assessment o# m' exceptional students, ) 8 < B

G7 I assess all o# m' students in the same manner, ) 8 < B

)?7 I ha$e made changes in the criteria in +hich I assess exceptional students in the past,

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )D ) 8 < B

)7 >o+ do 'ou currentl' assess 'our exceptional students% art+or.: A7 (ormati$e A7 !ummati$e C7 Tests D7 Letter -rades E7 Ru&rics (7 Port#olios -7 Per#ormance >7 OtherKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK 87 4hat #actors ma.e up 'our assessment criteria: A7 Expressi$e Nualities A7 (ormalistic Nualities C7 Cra#tsmanship D7 !.ill Ac9uisition E7 E##ort (7 Per#ormance o# tas.s -7 OtherKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK Appendix A
Ru&ric Auilding #or the Exceptional Art !tudent Ru&rics are a great +a' to assess student per#ormance and production in art, Creating thought#ul ru&rics #or students +ith $arious cogniti$e2 emotional or ph'sical disa&ilities can lead to greater le$els o# student learning2 moti$ation and s.ills in art, se the #ollo+ing re#lecti$e 9uestions and examples to help 'ou #ine@ tune 'our ru&rics #or current and #uture exceptional art students, )7 4hat is the current status5condition o# m' exceptional art student:

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )E

87 Do I ha$e a current I,E,P, #or this student: <7 >a$e I o&ser$ed the student creating art in the art classroom: I# so2 +hat situations ha$e &een di##icult #or the student:

B7 4hat are #our to six accommodations and5or goals suggested in the I,E,P, that I +ould incorporate into this particular ru&ric:

F7 4hat assessment #actors o# >enle'%s 0(i$e Domains1 +ould I li.e to use #or the assessment o# this student and 4h': "oti$ation2 Aeha$ior2 Aesthetic5Expressi$it'2 !.ill Ac9uisition2 A##ect:

C7 4hat grading #actors o# m' current grading ru&rics +ould I li.e to use in this ru&ric and 4h':

D7 Do I +ant to pro$ide Points2 Percentages or !atis#actor' ran.ings in the scoring o# this ru&ric:

E7 Create a list o# all grading #actors and determine a +eight and range o# points #or each #actor, se the example &lan. ru&ric or create 'our o+n ta&le,

Appendix C

Exceptional Art Education Assessment )G

Appendix D

Exceptional Art Education Assessment 8?

Exceptional Art Education Assessment 8)