Taking a Walk with the Model Cornerstone Assessments (MCAs) Dr. Robert Sabol Purdue University

An Overview of the Standards

The standards are based on the work of Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe in Understanding by Design (2005).

The standards were designed to reflect the principles and ideas detailed in the NCCAS document, Philosophical Foundations and Lifelong Goals for Artistic Literacy. The standards include common Anchor Standards for Dance, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts.

The standards have been published in a web-based environment. – Clickable – Searchable – Showcasing evidence of student work – Examples of student work – Model Cornerstone Assessments – Creation of your “own account” to build your personalized view of the standards

Dance - Media Arts - Music - Theatre - Visual Arts Available at:

Artistic Processes included in the New Standards Creating new artistic work. Presenting/Performing/Producing an existing work. Responding to artistic works and performances as audience/consumer. Connecting artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and contextual knowledge.

The New National Core Arts Standards Model Philosophical Foundations and Core Arts Standards

The New National Core Arts Standards Model Philosophical Foundations and Core Arts Standards Artistic Processes: Creating, Presenting/Performing/Producing, Responding, and Connecting

The New National Core Arts Standards Model Philosophical Foundations and Core Arts Standards Artistic Processes: Creating, Presenting, Responding, and Connecting Enduring Understandings

The New National Core Arts Standards Model Philosophical Foundations and Core Arts Standards Artistic Processes: Creating, Presenting, Responding, and Connecting Enduring Understandings Essential Questions

The New National Core Arts Standards Model Philosophical Foundations and Core Arts Standards Artistic Processes: Creating, Presenting, Responding, and Connecting Enduring Understandings Essential Questions Common Anchor Standards

The New National Core Arts Standards Model Philosophical Foundations and Core Arts Standards Artistic Processes: Creating, Presenting, Responding, and Connecting Enduring Understandings Essential Questions Performance Standards or Tasks Common Anchor Standards

The New National Core Arts Standards Model Philosophical Foundations and Core Arts Standards Artistic Processes: Creating, Presenting, Responding, and Connecting Enduring Understandings Essential Questions Performance Standards or Tasks Model Cornerstone Assessments Common Anchor Standards

Supporting materials include a glossary with definition of terms used in the standards.

Model Cornerstone Assessments

MCAs were modeled after “Cornerstone Tasks” developed by Wiggins and McTighe.

Introducing the Model Cornerstone Assessments Model Cornerstone Assessments accompanying the new standards are samples or models teachers can use as examples when they create their own cornerstone assessments or they may be used as intact assessments.

Model Cornerstone Assessments are designed to reflect Artistic Processes (Creating, Presenting/Performing/ Producing, Responding, and Connecting) Introducing the Model Cornerstone Assessments (continued)

Model Cornerstone Assessments may address all of the Artistic Processes (Creating, Presenting/Performing/Producing, Responding, and Connecting) or they may address one or more of the Artistic Processes. Introducing the Model Cornerstone Assessments (continued)

Model Cornerstone Assessment have been created for grades bands 2, 5, 8 and for the three performance levels of Proficient, Accomplished, and Advanced at the secondary school level. Introducing the Model Cornerstone Assessments (continued)

Model Cornerstone Assessments were written by teams consisting of members of the standards writing teams and other arts educators. Introducing the Model Cornerstone Assessments (continued )

Model Cornerstone Assessments: 1. Are grounded in the standards. 2. Are performance tasks that are completed over time rather than on demand. 3. Are curriculum embedded, as opposed to externally imposed. 4. Recur across the grades, becoming increasingly sophisticated over time. Model Cornerstone Assessment Characteristics

5. Establish authentic contexts for performance. 6. Assess understanding and transfer via genuine authentic performances. 7. May be used both as rich learning activities and assessment instruments. 8. Integrate 21st Century Skills (e.g. critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication) with subject area content. Model Cornerstone Assessment Characteristics (continued)

9. Evaluate performance with established rubrics. 10. Engage students in meaningful learning while encouraging the best teaching. 11. Provide content for a student’s portfolio so that they graduate with a resume of demonstrated accomplishments, rather than simply a transcript of courses taken. Model Cornerstone Assessment Characteristics (continued)

Model Cornerstone Assessment Model Title and Short Description of the Assessment

Model Cornerstone Assessment Model Title and Short Description of the Assessment Strategies for Embedding in Instruction

Model Cornerstone Assessment Model Title and Short Description of the Assessment Strategies for Embedding in Instruction Detailed Assessment Procedures

Model Cornerstone Assessment Model Title and Short Description of the Assessment Strategies for Embedding in Instruction Detailed Assessment Procedures Key Vocabulary, Knowledge, and Skills

Model Cornerstone Assessment Model Title and Short Description of the Assessment Strategies for Embedding in Instruction Detailed Assessment Procedures Key Vocabulary, Knowledge, and Skills Strategies for Inclusion

Model Cornerstone Assessment Model Title and Short Description of the Assessment Strategies for Embedding in Instruction Detailed Assessment Procedures Key Vocabulary, Knowledge, and Skills Strategies for Inclusion Differentiation Strategies

Model Cornerstone Assessment Model Title and Short Description of the Assessment Strategies for Embedding in Instruction Detailed Assessment Procedures Key Vocabulary, Knowledge, and Skills Strategies for Inclusion Differentiation Strategies Resources, Scoring Devices

The Model Cornerstone Assessment Template

Detailed Assessment Procedures [clear outline of procedures necessary to obtain comparable work from multiple teachers - i.e., coding and file format for preservation of student work (mp3, PDF), etc.] Knowledge, Skills and Vocabulary [focusing on concepts required to successfully complete the task] Key Vocabulary Knowledge and Skills [other than Key Vocabulary] Students will: Strategies for Inclusion (Specially designed instruction and support for students with disabilities to provide equitable learning opportunities. This may be filled in by individual teachers based on their own students’ needs.) Resource: Differentiation Strategies (Instructional approaches that respond to individual student needs and strengths to maximize student learning and success.) Resources (download April 26, 2014): Scoring Devices [rubrics, checklists, rating scales, etc. based on the Standards and Traits] Task Specific Rubrics

Note: The first column will vary depending on discipline specific approach to work. Build as many rows as needed for this task. Assessment Focus Artistic Process or Process Components Enduring Understandings Essential Questions Anchor Standards Key Traits Performance Standards (Advanced) Insert Artistic Process if applicable (using process components) Creating Insert Artistic Process if applicable (using process components) Presenting/ Performing/ Producing Insert Artistic Process if applicable (using process components) Responding Insert Artistic Process if applicable (using process components) Connecting

Additional Model Cornerstone Assessments for grades Pre-K, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 are being developed. All Model Cornerstone Assessments will be posted on the NCCAS website when completed.

NCCAS received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to conduct benchmarking of the Model Cornerstone Assessments. Work on the grant began this summer. Benchmarks will be published on the NCCAS website next summer.

Digging into the Model Cornerstone Assessment

Questions How are the standards being assessed? What is the role of the student? What is the role of the teacher? How is evidence being produced to show students have met standard(s)? How does the assessment relate to the Artistic Processes of Creating, Performing/Producing/Presenting, Responding, Connecting? How does this MCA connect to your teaching practice? To what your students learn? To how you measure student learning?

What will work in your state? How can you get started with the MCAs? What do you plan to do with MCAs when you get back?

Questions?