Atee.2022.35

https://doi.org/10.22364/atee.2022.35 | 525-538 | PDF | © University of Latvia, 2023

Rubrics as a Tool for Objective Assessment in Art Education

Austra Avotina, Valeria Froloviceva
Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art of University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

Abstract. The paper describes the importance of a rubric as an assessment tool in art education. The assessment of a work of art, for example, a landscape or a portrait painting usually consists of a combination of objective information and a subjective point of view, which makes it difficult for educators to assess students’ learning outcomes. The use of rubrics is considered an innovative way for educators not only to measure the student’s comprehension and skills but also as a teaching method to increase learners’ engagement in order to bring the creation of art to the forefront of the learning process within school art education.
The relevance of the subject of this paper is defined by the changes in the evaluation system during the ongoing education reform in Latvia. The rubric, as an assessment tool in Latvia, was first introduced in 2020 as a part of the reform of the school curriculum. Rubrics for creative art assignments observe the main stages of the learning process, including sketching, expression of original ideas, creative work, documentation of the creation process and self-evaluation. It can be used for both, summative and formative assessments of learning outcomes. The criteria are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Visual Literacy which was developed by The European Network of Visual Literacy. Therefore, the research aim is to determine the optimal way to evaluate students’ work in art lessons within the framework of school art education.
The research involved two stages of data collection. During the first stage (2021) there was conducted a survey of 60 Latvian secondary school teachers that identified several problematic issues concerning the evaluation criteria. In the second stage (2022) the in-depth analysis was performed to investigate the connection between the feedback from educational practice and recommended rubrics in new curricula.

Keywords: art education, assessment, formal education, rubric, analytical rubric, learning process

About the authors

Austra Avotina – Dr. ed. associate professor at the University of Latvia Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art. She is a researcher in art education, an author of monographs, study books and articles, participated in international projects as an expert: e.g. ESFP – Development of visual art teachers professional and pedagogical competence; the Implementing competency-based curriculum project in Latvia (Skola2030) and represented interests of the University of Latvia in European Network of Observatories in the Field of Arts and Cultural Education linked to UNESCO (ENO).

Valeria Froloviceva – obtained The Master of Education degree and is continuing education in the doctoral study program Education Sciences at the University of Latvia, Faculty of Education, Psychology and Art. Currently works as a high school culture and art teacher and as an expert in ESF project “Competency approach in the curriculum” in Latvia within which develops and implements digital learning materials for culture and art subjects in the high school.

In:
To Be or Not to Be a Great Educator, 2022. Proceedings of ATEE Annual Conference
Riga: University of Latvia Press, 2023. 985 p.
Ed. L. Daniela
ISBN 978-9934-36-019-0 
https://doi.org/10.22364/atee.2022