Executive Summary
The Eastman School of Music’s process of student learning assessment seeks to demonstrate that students have acquired knowledge, skills, and competencies consistent with institutional and National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) educational goals. Clearly articulated statements of expected student learning outcomes for all levels were developed in 2010. These outcomes are consonant with the mission of the Eastman School of Music, which is as follows:
- To create a musical community that is rich with cultural, social, and intellectual diversity.
- To give the student an intensive professional education in his or her musical discipline.
- To prepare each student with a solid foundation in music and an expansive education in the liberal arts.
- To develop an informed and inquiring mind that enables each graduate to engage the fundamental issues of his or her art and to become an effective cultural leader in society.
- And, through its community and continuing education programs, to offer the highest quality music instruction and performance opportunities for students of all ages
In addition, Eastman’s student learning outcomes appropriately integrate with each other, and are aligned with the NASM Student Learner Competencies.
Evidence is collected yearly and examined on a three year cycle. Representative types of evidence include:
- Direct Evidence: Admissions data over a five year period (application numbers, offers, enrollment), total degree enrollment over a five year period, time to degree, student jury data, music academic core course data (Music Theory and Music History), and yearly reports from department chairs.
- Indirect Evidence: A program-specific Student Exit Survey given to all students completing their course of study in a given calendar year. This survey asks questions about the student’s specific program-level learner goals and the specific music academic core goals (Music Theory and Music History).
A meeting is scheduled with each department during the fall semester to discuss direct and indirect data, including what the students in the department report they learned, and to identify action items that will improve teaching and learning. Responsibility for follow-up is assigned to individual faculty members. Follow-up on the action items occurs in the spring semester and outcomes are collected in a spring semester meeting with each department. The evidence, data collected from the departmental meetings, and reports on action item follow-up are collected and shared with the appropriate curriculum committees, Eastman senior administration, and senior-level institutional administration. Over the course of the year, the University Committee on Educational Effectiveness Assessment also discusses these reports, assessment data, and the action items.
The Eastman School of Music’s associate dean academic and international affairs and director of institutional research and assessment is responsible for ensuring that a process of continuous improvement takes place across the school, and that each program measures student learning goals. Data collection occurs throughout the year and is archived in the Office of Academic Affairs. In addition, data from Admissions and the Registrar’s Office are requested as needed. Faculty for the Music Academic Core (Music Theory and Music History) have developed systematic methodologies for ensuring data collection at the course and departmental level. Undergraduate jury results are reported to the Office of Academic Affairs by each department’s administrative assistants at the conclusion of each semester.
All programs at the Eastman School of Music have adopted the NASM Student Learner Competencies for program-level student learning assessment. In addition, all data are collected in the Office of Academic Affairs, and faculty review the data for specific programs on a rotating basis. Institutional research data are reviewed over a five-year period, while specific student learning outcomes assessment data has been available since 2010. Reports encompassing all data are produced by the director of institutional research and assessment on a three-year rotating cycle based on the degree level. Faculty whose programs are being evaluated attend a departmental forum in order to review and discuss the data and decide on any action items they deem appropriate. Those action items that improve current academic programs and lifelong learning opportunities for students are assigned to a faculty member or the department chair to investigate or implement, and the director of assessment documents the outcome of the action items in a subsequent report.
All programs at the Eastman School of Music have implemented a continuous process of student learning outcomes assessment since 2010 and have assessments in place in order to collect and monitor the data. Units are regularly reviewing their assessments to ensure that student learning is being evaluated properly. Analysis of assessment data inform curricular change to continuously improve the teaching and learning experience at the Eastman School of Music.
