Performance Assessment and Rubric Design

All music educators need training regarding how to create high-quality performance-based assessments and corresponding rubrics to (1) measure student learning in the classroom, (2) compare and rank students in an audition context, and (3) respond to and support student learning. The purpose of this chapter is to show that content standards and assessments, together, define intended outcomes of student learning. Teachers and assessment developers must determine the purpose for the assessment and the desired inferences regarding a student’s understanding or skills as the first step in the assessment process. Upon determining the desired inference, teachers and assessment developers must center the creation of assessments on the answers to three key questions: What knowledge, skills, or other attributes of student performance should be assessed? What evidence will demonstrate those knowledge and skills? What tasks will elicit those evidence pieces from students?