Particularly within Fine Art education, the integration of diverse assessment methods holds significant importance in nurturing our students’ potential and creativity, critical thinking skills, and ability to navigate focus through uncertainty for example. Undertaking Workshop 5 on ‘Assessment of/for learning’, provided me with invaluable insights into the purposes and principles of assessment, and how creatively we might provide feedback from both the assessed and the assessor’s perspectives.
The discussions on the engagement of our reading resources was interesting, selecting Phil Race’s briefing on ‘Self, Peer, and Group Assessment’ (2001), emphasized the importance of formative assessments, crits, self-assessment, and summative assessments in facilitating deeper learning experiences. As a Painting tutor at Camberwell College of Arts, I have encountered challenges and opportunities inherent in Fine Art education, particularly in attempting to be objective, trying to fill in the assessment gaps, ensuring students understand assessment criteria and feel comfortable providing feedback to their peers.
Race’s emphasis on student empowerment and active engagement deeply resonated with my own teaching philosophy, which celebrates fostering autonomy and nurturing independent growth among students. The need for a flexible and inclusive approach to assessment and feedback, as highlighted in Race’s briefing, aligns well with the complexities of Fine Art education.
Having been engaging with colleagues at UAL and exploring various perspectives on assessment practices has broadened my understanding. One key learning is the importance of providing clear criteria and expectations to students while still allowing for artistic exploration, as emphasized in Addison’s work on assessment practices in Art education.
Additionally, the significance of fostering inclusivity within crits and peer feedback sessions, was highlighted to me in Sherwood’s (2022) UAL report on ‘Crits and inclusive learning’, further underscored the need to address the (top down) teacher power dynamics and create opportunities for all students to actively participate.
Inspired by Race’s work, I am committed to experimenting with alternative ways of conducting self, peer, and group assessment within my teaching practice. This includes promoting reflection among students, facilitating peer feedback sessions with tutor engagment, and engaging in further approaches related to assessment practices in Fine Art education.
Going forward, I am committed to applying these insights gained from the workshop, the readings, and conversations with colleagues to enhance my assessment practices. My plans include experimenting with different types of formative assessments, crits, incorporating more opportunities for self-reflection and peer feedback, exploring ways to address the vagueness of assessment criteria, and perhaps even advocating for more conversational feedback on summative assessments.
Incorporating the variety of diverse assessment methods is essential for fostering student growth, creativity, and critical thinking skills. Hopefully createing supportive learning environments where students feel empowered to take risks, explore new ideas, and engage in meaningful dialogue around their work and others.
The incorporation of self, peer, and group assessment practices in higher education I believe offers numerous benefits for both students and tutors. By applying the principles outlined in Race’s briefing, educators can enhance student engagement, foster critical thinking skills, and promote lifelong learning among students.
As I continue to grow in refining and adapting my teaching practice, I am intreigued to explore new approaches to assessment that empower students and enrich their learning experiences in the rich history of Painting.
Refrences:
Race, P. (2001). A briefing on Self, Peer, and Group Assessment, Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN Generic Centre)
Sherwood, C. (2022). Crits and Inclusive Learning at UAL. https://www.arts-su.com/pageassets/campaigns/policy/crits-inclusive-learning/Crits-and-Inclusive-Learning-at-UAL.pdfng-at-UAL.pdf]