Assessment Tools

The Autonomy Rubric for Teachers

The Autonomy Rubric for Teachers (PDF, 200KB) is Arts Impact’s on-going teacher learning feedback tool. It was designed to give Artist Mentors an objective, neutral format for discussing growth in teaching the arts with teachers, and to give teachers a way to plan for further professional development. This 14-point rubric tracks teacher autonomy in planning, teaching and assessing the arts. The A.R.T. was developed as part of the first Arts Impact U.S. Department of Education Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination grant.

Performance-Based Assessment Tools

Arts Impact uses a variety of performance-based assessment tools to measure teacher and student learning, including criteria-based checklists, peer reflection, self-evaluation, and weighted rubrics. Evidence of student learning is also collected in the form of artwork, performance/presentations, photographs and video.

Criteria-Based Checklist & Student Self-Evaluation: (PDF, 19KB) This example includes both a criteria-based checklist, completed by the teacher, and a student self-evaluation form.

Peer Reflection: (PDF, 19KB) This form is just one example of how students can be involved in observing and recording criteria. Peer reflection can be used in combination with other assessment tools.

Weighted Rubric: (PDF, 43KB) In this example, a four point weighted rubric scale is used in both a teacher checklist and a student self-evaluation. A side-by-side comparison of the teacher and student checklists is an effective method for determining the clarity of criteria in the lesson.

Program Surveys

A series of pre-Institute, post-Institute, and post-Mentorship surveys provide a continuum to assess teacher change in the following areas as a result of Arts Impact training:

  • Frequency of teaching arts
  • Approaches to teaching the arts
  • Beliefs and confidence in teaching the arts
  • Understanding of concepts in the arts

View the surveys