Outcomes Assessment for Music
OUTCOMES
Music graduates will understand and demonstrate:
- Knowledge of music cultural heritage and history
- Appreciation for musical creativity, reasoning, and the aesthetic value of music
- Knowledge of organization and structures of music
- Analytical skills necessary for listening, performing, and teaching
- Skills necessary to perform music from a variety of periods, styles, and genres
- Necessary abilities to communicate musically, verbally and in writing
- Awareness of diversity of musical ideas throughout the world's cultures
- For Music Education students: Success in meeting ISU teaching standards
ASSESSMENT MEASURES
- Continuation Examination taken at the end of the sophomore year,
to assess performance and academic achievement relative to career/academic
goals
- Alumni and Graduating Student Surveys
- Exit Interview with the department chair
- Regular assessment of public performances (semester juries, ensemble concerts)
- Senior final project (solo recital, composition recital)
- For Music education students - Student teaching, lab band/lab choir and other practicum experiences, and successful completion of music education interview/review and portfolio
- Music Department curriculum retains accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
ASSESSMENT METRICS
Outcome #1: Knowledge of music cultural heritage and history
Relevant Course: Required music history courses
Assessment: Passing grades on core courses*, Graduating
Student Surveys, Exit Interview, NASM review**
ASSESSMENT METRICS
Outcome #2: Appreciation for musical creativity, reasoning, and
the aesthetic value of music
Relevant Course: Required theory, history, and performance
courses
Assessment: Passing grades on core courses*, public performances,
NASM review**
ASSESSMENT METRICS
Outcome #3: Knowledge of organization and structures of music
Relevant Course: Required theory courses
Assessment: Passing grades on core courses*, Continuation
Examination, Graduating Student Surveys, Exit Interview, public performances,
NASM review**
ASSESSMENT METRICS
Outcome #4: Analytical skills necessary for listening, performing,
and teaching
Relevant Course: Required aural skills, pedagogy, performance,
and music education courses
Assessment: Passing grades on core courses*, Continuation
Examination, public performances, NASM review**
ASSESSMENT METRICS
Outcome #5: Skills necessary to perform music from a variety
of periods, styles, and genres
Relevant Course: Required performance courses
Assessment: Public performances including the Continuation
Examination, semester juries, and the Senior Recital, NASM review**
ASSESSMENT METRICS
Outcome #6: Necessary abilities to communicate musical ideas
to enrich the community’s cultural consciousness
Relevant Course: Required performance courses
Assessment: Passing grades on performance courses*, public
performances, NASM review**
ASSESSMENT METRICS
Outcome #7: Awareness of diversity of musical ideas within European
and non-European musical cultures
Relevant Course: Music 120, concert listening and seminar
requirements
Assessment: Passing grade on Music 120*, NASM review**
Other Assessment Comments
*Course Evaluations Faculty distribute student course evaluations
for all courses at the end of every semester. Student comments on these
evaluations are considered by faculty when planning course and curricular
revisions. The comments are also included in faculty portfolios for review
by peers and the department chair during annual performance reviews.
**NASM review All of the outcomes expectations listed above are part
of the standards assessed in the NASM review. The department wrote a Self-Study
in 2003 documenting how the program meets these standards and other areas
reviewed by NASM. We hosted two NASM visitors in October 2003. Their report
and an optional response from the department were submitted for consideration
by the NASM Commission on Accreditation for the June 2004 meeting. The
Commission voted to continue the department as a fully accredited member
of NASM, indicating that all standards were being met.
Results:
- Graduating student surveys indicate that students feel adequately
prepared by the breadth of their studies at ISU for graduate study in
music or for careers (especially in teaching). Overall comments in senior
exit interviews are very positive. Students generally supported changes
made recently in piano, music theory, and history classes.
- 87% of students who took their Continuation Exams during spring semester
2004 passed the performance (repertory) section of the exam. Two were
required to perform again on a jury or recital before being considered
for Music 319. 33% were required to repeat the sight-reading portion
of the exam.
- The Music program is accredited by NASM.
- When asked if any courses currently required should not be required,
93% of recent graduates responded that all required courses were important.
- When asked if any courses should be added to the program, 1/3 of
the students in music education suggested adding or strengthening the
methods courses.
Program change based on results:
- Core courses in the music history and music theory sequences have
been revised recently.
- Additional diversity requirements will be added beginning in fall
2004 as part of concert and seminar attendance requirements.
- Piano proficiency expectations have been strengthened.
- A review of methods courses will be undertaken in 2004-5.
- Policies for the continuation exam have been tightened, with clear
guidelines and published deadlines being enforced.
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