By means of evaluations, tests and examinations, the students are assessed in an adequate way providing insight to students and lecturers into students’ performance in order to determine whether the students have achieved the intended learning outcomes of the programme or parts thereof.
Judgement: good
The judgement is based on the below observations and considerations. I Learning assessment: practice
All courses mainly use practice-related assignments apart from theory-based tests. The students work on these assignments individually or in groups. They then use N@tschool in order to communicate the results of their assignments to the teachers (request for feedback) and/or students (peer review) since they also make up part of the feedback process. Lecturers assess the results and send the students feedback through N@tschool. If the results meet the assessment criteria, the assignment is given a pass mark. Codarts considers learning
assessment through theory-based tests as to be important and helpful but they consider learning assessment through assignments as to be pivotal in assessing the students’ performance. The audit panel fully support this approach.
Students compile a portfolio of completed assignments for the course Philosophy of
Art/Conceptualization in N@tschool. The assessment criteria for the assignments included in the portfolio are recorded. So students are informed about these criteria in advance, which enhances the integrity of the assessment process.
The courses Artistic Research and Final Thesis have the status of final assignments. For both courses, Codarts defined guidelines for:
the creation process of the artistic research or thesis,
the stages/phases seen in this process, including the results of the different stages/phases, the moments when, and the way in which feedback is organized, from the teacher’s
perspective as well as that of the peer review group (fellow students), the (interim) reporting or the organization of the final product, and
the assessment criteria that must be met by the creation process and the final product, the public presentation where, in the presence of the committee with a representative from
the working field, the final assessment is made.
the criteria and standards set out beforehand in the relevant document form the framework for the assessment and are therefore the indicators of the desired graduation quality. By allowing the working field to participate in the public presentation, the programme also guarantees this aspect of the graduation quality.
With the aid of the final products (final versions of all completed assignments) saved in N@tschool, students show that they have acquired the necessary competencies. The students’ opinion of the testing and assessment system is positive. The completed assignments can be used very well in their own professional practice. The criteria and standards are relevant to professional practice and are feasible to meet (with sufficient effort and current levels of guidance).
The students state that meeting the criteria and standards within the allocated time is rather pressured, due to their limited knowledge and experience of research, reporting and
conceptualization at the start of the programme. This means that students take a little more time than allocated, but they do so with great enthusiasm. In evaluation discussions, students indicate that the MEA-programme gives them a broader view of art and arts education, which can be used well in their current practice, and that the programme also provides them with opportunities in the longer term to move on in the arts sector or elsewhere.
©Hobéon® Certificering⏐ Advisory Report Accreditation professional master course Education in Arts – Codarts, 28 July 2010 ⏐ 28 II Learning assessment: quality care
The quality of the ‘learning assessment’ is subject to some preconditions:
1. The Education and Examination Regulations set out the formal rules, procedures and criteria for testing and examination;
2. The Exam Board monitors constantly the design of the learning assessment methods and the learning assessment practice.
3. The Register of Courses contains the module descriptions, which include a specific description of the testing methods (module learning outcomes, forms of testing) and assessment criteria.
4. The learning assessment is carried out by two lecturers.
5. The professional field is actively involved in the learning assessment.
6. Prior to the learning assessment students are fully informed about methods and criteria. III Learning assessment: feedback
Students always receive written feedback that addresses the competencies and how they have been achieved. If students fail an assignment, they get written feedback about what is missing and what needs to be done to demonstrate the stipulated competences. Such structured, specific feedback is a key feature of a competency based curriculum because it demonstrates progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes. The audit panel is very positive on this feedback process.
IV Conclusion
The learning assessment methods and criteria, explicitly laid down in the Register of Courses, are fully in line with the learning goals / attainment targets. The assignments the audit panel examined, are from a ‘learning assessment‘ point of view relevant and valid. The assessment
process is well-structured and, also according to both the lecturers and the students,
©Hobéon® Certificering⏐ Advisory Report Accreditation professional master course Education in Arts – Codarts, 28 July 2010 ⏐ 29