Module 2: Assessment in Creative Arts

© 2006 Curriculum K-12 Directorate, NSW Department of Education and Training

What do you draw on to inform your assessment?

Assessment strategies

•The evidence is drawn from both the processes and finished works

•It also includes what students say and write about their own works and others' works

What sort of process would the teacher go through to begin the

discussion of consistency?

• establishing relevant criteria• analysing work samples• making judgements

Consistent teacher judgement in creative arts

• assessment criteria• assessment strategies

Workshop activity

Assessing student achievement in visual arts (drawing) in Early Stage 1

This activity is taken from the ES1 COG unit “Me” and is supported by work samples from the AGQTP project supporting the implementation of the Curriculum, Planning and Assessing Framework.

What do you want the students to learn?Students learn to communicate ideas through understanding and using the conventions of the symbol systems or language of each artform.

In this task – “Me” portraits:Students develop observational and technical skills (using drawing tools) to draw a likeness of self.

Students understand that artists represent themselves in artworks, using visual symbols and conventions.

In this task – “Me” portraits:Students make two drawings informed by their investigation of self and recognise the relationship between artist and artwork.

What are you going to get the students to do (or to produce)?

Foundation statements: visual arts

Foundation statement: ES1 visual artsStudents make pictures and other artworks using the media and materials given, representing both real and imagined situations. They appreciate that artists make artworks and they begin to describe some aspects of artworks.

OutcomesVAES1.1 Makes simple pictures and other kinds of artworks about things and experiences• makes two drawings of themselves (self-portraits)

Lesson outcomes and context

Self-portrait drawing 1Materials provided, no direction

Self-portrait drawing 2Subject: faceObserve features, observe details

Work samples

Criteria for assessment

The student:• talks about their own work and the work of artists focusing on details and intentions• includes details and main features in their drawings (self portraits)

Assessment strategies

The teacher:• observes students while drawing their self-portraits• analyses collection of work samples (drawings)• compares first and second self-portraits• observes student oral presentations about their self-portraits and portraits by artists

Work samples

Work samples

Why does that learning matter?Learning in arts: explores personal, cultural and social values; develops the literacy to read the signs, codes and conventions within each of the artforms; offers opportunities for creative action, imaginative and emotional response and creation of shared meanings.

In this task – “Me” portraits:

• students begin to build visual literacy and capacity to create, share and value visual artworks.

In Dance, students:• compose their own dances• perform dances• appreciate their own dances and those of others • experience dance in a range of contexts• use the elements of dance (action, dynamics, time, space, relationships and structure) in communicating meaning.

What are you going to get the students to do (or to produce)?

In Drama, students:• experience different types of drama forms (improvisation, movement, mime, story telling, readers theatre, puppetry, mask, video drama and playbuilding)• make drama collaboratively by taking on roles and creating imagined situations• perform drama by actively engaging in drama forms. • use the elements of drama (dramatic tension, contrast, symbol, time, space, focus and mood) to convey meaning• appreciate their own dramatic works and those of others.

What are you going to get the students to do (or to produce)?

In Music, students:• perform music of different styles and from different times and cultures• sing, play, move, and organise sound into musical compositions using musical concepts• listen to and discuss their own music and that of others• organise sound into musical compositions using musical concepts• learn about musical concepts including duration, pitch, dynamics, tone colour and structure.

What are you going to get the students to do (or to produce)?

In Visual Arts, students:• engage with different types of artworks (forms) including drawing, painting, sculpture and three-dimensional forms, ceramics, fibre, photography and digital works• make artworks informed by their investigations of the world, using expressive forms, and with consideration of audience• appreciate their own work and that of others by recognising some of the relationships between artists, artworks and audiences and some of the ways the world can be interpreted.

What are you going to get the students to do (or to produce)?

How well do you expect them to do it?• Foundation statements and outcomes and indicators provide an idea of standard

In this task – “Me” portraits:Students should include facial features following observation of their own faces. With teacher guidance, students should be able to add finer details of eyes, ears nose, mouth and hair. Students should be able to talk about their own work and others’ work and understand that artists also make portraits.