Assessing performance: What if there is no wrong and no right?

Abstract

Performance assessing: What if there are no wrongs and no rights?

What happens when you ask your students to employ fundamental theories, concepts and techniques in practice-based settings to develop their overall artistic growth through experiential exploration of the creative process? So you give them the tools to be accurate, the technique to be competent and the license to be creative!

In performing and screen arts we deal on a daily basis with students working collaboratively to create work that is original and often pushes the boundaries. We find ourselves as assessors conflicted by the fact that their brief is so wide that we often struggle to categorise what we are witnessing!

A rigorous approach to the performance project as a whole is the the key. This involves multiple levels of competency for the student to demonstrate throughout the whole project, connection points with supervisors, and a multi-faceted assessment structure which includes an expert panel to ensure that every student is treated as the individual that they are.

In this session a panel of assessors from the department will present our take on assessing students who are allowed to copy from their peers, rely on others input to their work and where there is not always a right or a wrong.