An Empirical Study of Formative Assessment in the Arts

• In Event: 58.059 - Classroom Assessment: Formative Assessment

Abstract

This study examined the effects of formative assessment on students’ achievement in the arts using data from the second year of an arts education intervention. Sixty-seven schools were randomly assigned to a treatment or control condition using a stratified process by school level (elementary, middle, high) and discipline (dance, music, theater, visual arts). Our sample of analysis included 3220 students (treatment=1624). ANCOVA suggests a small, positive effect of formative assessment on students’ achievement in the arts (Cohen’s d=.13). A factorial ANCOVA examining effects by discipline and school level indicated that, in the majority of subgroups, students receiving formative assessment tended to do better than those who did not. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Authors

• Angela M. Lui, University at Albany – SUNY

• Heidi L. Andrade, University at Albany - SUNY