Elín Gunnlaugsdóttir

Entrance

In this article, we will try to answer the question of how to use the formative assessment teaching methods, often called assessment for learning, in private composition teaching, and the subject is the result of a course at the Faculty of Art Education, Iceland University of the Arts in university pedagogy that I participated in in the fall of 2023.

In recent years, I have taught instrumental composition in private lessons at the Iceland Academy of the Arts, mainly at the bachelor's level but also at the master's level. Composition students in the bachelor's and master's programs at the Faculty of Music of the Iceland Academy of the Arts study composition in group lessons on the one hand, where emphasis is placed on teaching certain composition methods and on the other hand in private lessons where students and teachers have a fairly free hand. However, a requirement is made that all composition students deliver at least one work per semester, with the exception of students in the first semester of the bachelor's program. The students' works are then performed at concerts, usually by fellow students, while at the master's level professionals perform the works.

Composition learning in private lessons is by its very nature very student-centered The student comes up with an idea for a piece and with the help of the teacher, he develops the work further until it is ready The teacher is, by its very nature, more in the role of a mentor than an actual teacher although he certainly possesses a certain expertise and experience that he conveys. The methods of formative assessment should therefore be particularly suitable for composition teaching, as formative assessment is by its very nature a student-centered approach. My intention in this article is to examine whether the methods of formative assessment could be useful in order to make the teaching and feedback in composition more targeted. It should be noted that feedback includes not just teacher feedback, but also student feedback and self-evaluation, as formative learning is inherently democratic.^[1]

In order to be able to apply the formative assessment to the composition teaching, an attempt is made to clarify what is involved in composition teaching, and the article (Authentic Assessment in Music Composition: Feedback That Facilitates Creativity” is used there”^[2] By Daniel Deutsch.

To get a comparison with Daniel Deutsch's article, Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan's article, How Composers Approach Teaching Composition: Strategies for Music Teachers.”, will also be used”^[3] The approach of Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan is very similar to that of Daniel Deutsch, although they never mention in the article that they think of composition lessons based on formative assessment, but are based more on the writings of Alan Belkin and especially in his book A Practical Guide to Music Composition.^[4]

Along with the writing of articles, I have kept a diary of composition lessons in the spring of 2024, but this semester I have worked systematically with the methods of formative assessment in my composition teaching. This is a kind of employee research and at the end of the article I will explain that work better.

what is a waystory evaluation?

But what is formative assessment or guided learning? Here, these two terms will be used equally as the sources cited use either the term formative assessment or guided learning In formative assessment, the results of assessment are used to support students' progress in learning The assessment thus becomes a roadmap for continuing learning. Competency criteria are also of great importance here because the teacher needs to be clear about what qualifications the student needs to have after graduation If the teacher does not know, it is difficult for him to assess the student and provide the correct feedback.^[5]

Guided assessment is thus the opposite of final assessment, but the final assessment provides information on academic performance when it is completed.^[6]

Guided learning has been used a lot in primary schools in the country, and in 2021 the book was published Guided learning, why, how, what? by Nanna Kristína Christiansen and the book discusses how guided learning has been used and developed in Reykjavík primary schools. The book is likewise a very good summary of what guided learning is.

Having said that, one could conclude that guided learning is a good way of teaching at younger levels, but that something else applies to higher education, After a brief online examination, however, it turns out that a great many foreign universities make use of guided learning in their teaching The article by Deutsch, Authentic Assessment in Music Composition: Feedback That Facilitates Creativity”^[7] also supports this theory and it will be used as a basis in this article together with the book on guided learning mentioned above. Guided learning really has nothing to do with age because it is ”, learning culture where students and teachers have a growing mindset, belief in themselves, ability to analyze their own learning awareness (e. meta-cognitive skills) and it is understood that everyone can make more progress.^[8]

Basic aspects of guided learning

A good learning culture is very important in the guidance program A good learning culture involves the teacher realizing that he has a great influence on the students, communication is democratic, there is good cooperation between teachers and they make sure that the learning is in accordance with the needs of the student students are also not afraid to discuss their learning and are not afraid to make mistakes, they have faith in their own abilities and know that resilience in learning is important.^[9]

Other basic aspects of guided learning include organization, interest, learning objectives, performance criteria and models, dialogue and question techniques, and feedback The intention is to review these basic elements and examine how they can be used as a guard in guided learning in composition.

In all learning, the mindset of a student and a teacher is very important and it is part of the learning culture. A growth mindset can be growing (e. growth mindset) or fixed mindset. However, with a growing mindset, a mind that sees potential for growth is meant and a person with a fixed mindset believes that the learning opportunities are predetermined based on things like, for example, intelligence. Students with a growing mindset welcome challenges, learn from criticism and generally show more resilience in their studies. Students with a fixed mindset avoid challenges, give up quite easily and do not take criticism well. The same student can have a growing mindset in one field and fixed in another. It is quite clear that a growing mindset is important in art education. The student needs to have faith that he can develop and the teacher needs to have faith in him as well.

In his article, Daniel Deutsch emphasizes that ”composition teachers always see their students' work as a real composition and not as an exercise in composition.^[10] Students are then more likely to be driven by interest in the project and their own creativity (internal motivation) rather than the final assessment (external motivation) which in this case could be the opinion of others on the work.

At the beginning of the course, composition students need to be aware of what expectations are placed on them. Qualification criteria and learning goals need to be clear Students need to be able to create in a safe space and not be afraid to make mistakes.^[11] By having the framework clear and freedom of creation within it, they gain this security.

The three levels of study in composition teaching

Before proceeding further, it is good to look at what is involved in composition teaching In that context, an article will be examined^[12] Daniel Deutsch and in addition article Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan, How Composers Approach Teaching Composition: Strategies for Music Teachers”^[13], but it has been mentioned before. In his article, Daniel Deutsch describes the three elements covered by the composition teacher's feedback. These are: Compositional technique, overall musical appeal, originality. In composition, compositional technique, all recording and finishing techniques, but also sketch work and the development of composition methods, in overall appearance the style (regardless of stylization), the work is monotonous or varied, what is the mood in the work and so on. When talking about originality, it is more about whether the work resembles practice than actual composition; in other words, whether the student's voice (composer) can be distinguished in the work.

For good results to be achieved in all these aspects, Daniel Deutsch divides the composition process into three stages In his article, he assumes that the composition teaching is student-centered and based on formative assessment. Will be done here through the three stages that David Deutsch accounts for^[14] and they compare to what Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan write in their article^[15] but they have similar definitions to Daniel Deutsch when they talk about the composition teaching process they divide into three and call: beginning (1) continuation (2) and end (3).

According to Daniel Deutsch leaves first level the study takes place at the beginning of the semester, but then conceptual work begins, the teacher and the student discuss how the student's work wants to compose and for what instrument composition. For most young composers, this is an exciting time because usually they don't lack ideas Sometimes even the ideas can become too many and then the teacher can help them choose one idea to work with.

Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan^[16] don't quite agree with this In the chapter on the beginning, they believe that students often lack ideas, and in those cases the teacher can help the student by coming up with some open ideas for a piece By open ideas we mean ideas that call for a sequel, the ideas don't have to be limited to melodies but can also be worked with pitch, rhythm, tint and tonal strength The student can then choose from these ideas what he likes best and work with it Targetedly working with concepts related to the beginning of works, those partners also consider helpful when starting work writing.

Á second level Daniel Deutsch says that it is time for processing and it can prove difficult for many students At this stage, it is the role of the teacher to help the student develop the ideas A student and teacher look at several ways to further develop the work, sketches and plans are made. In the end, the student then chooses the path he likes best. Sometimes it helps for the students that the teacher analyzes what they are doing and they can then work on based on that analysis. It is very important in this regard that the students realize that they always have a choice as to whether they follow the teacher's advice or not. It is important that the students feel that they have autonomy over their own learning, but that is fundamental to guided learning and formative assessment.

Here Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan mostly agree with Daniel Deutsch They emphasize that students master having a good flow in their work and learn ”, how they can create and maintain a good context”^[17] in his compositions. Here, purposeful work with musical concepts can be helpful but also concepts from storytelling and even movies.

When the work is almost finished, it begins third level the study according to Daniel Deutsch The overall look of the work is evaluated. Some parts may need to be extended or shortened. Students here have the opportunity to assess whether they have managed to express what they intended (self-assessment). At this stage, minor changes are often made. If the work is for an instrumental group, then instrumental voices (parts) are written at this stage of the study.

When the work is finished, it is important to summarize what has been done (e. summatic assessment). Such an assessment can help the student put himself and the work in a larger context. At this point, it can also be useful to meet fellow students and receive peer assessment.

In their article, Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan discuss the difficult task of completing a composition They also emphasize that students learn to underpin the end of their workIf this is not done, there is a risk that the works will be completed quickly and that the end will miss the end is, after all, the last thing the listener hears and often gives a deeper meaning to other things that have happened in the work.

The three levels that the authors of the article talk about here is something that most of us who teach composition know. The conceptual work at level one, where everything is possible, although the individual student also struggles there and then the processing at the second level, which can often be stressful. The third level is the final step and then the students” diligence is often tested in finishing notes and voices. In the composition program at the Iceland Academy of the Arts, the student receives a written review at the end of the second year and it could be said that this is what Daniel Deutsch calls, a, summatic assessment”. In this review, composition teachers usually summarize the work of the winter, say what has been done, what was successful and what could be further developed and or worked on. It can be said that the winter feedback is summarized in one subject.

The three levels of study with regard to formative assessment

Daniel Deutsch writes this analysis above based on formative assessment, but Clint Randes and Mark Sullivan build, more as mentioned before, on the pedagogy of Alan Belkin. Those fellows put a lot of effort into the discourse in the lessons, but it is also one of the factors that a lot is put into formative assessment. Discourse means, for example, that the teacher asks ”, correct language questions, i.e. questions that lead students forward in the study.^[18] But let's take a closer look at what else can be taken from guided learning to make composition teaching more efficient.

Organization is one of the main components of the guidance program It involves regularizing classes and also making students know what is expected of them, they need to know the learning criteria of the program so they know where they are heading When discussing organization, it is worth paying attention to the subtitle of the books Guided learning, why, how, what? When we look at the interrogative pronouns in the subtitle, one can ask oneself why composition students should attend private composition lessons? What can they learn in private lessons rather than, for example, just in group lessons. How? can refer to how a student and teacher can take advantage of the classes What are the roles of the student and the teacher in these classes. What is what shows that the goal has been achieved. Is it the composition that is created or is it the work on it. The learning criteria of the course are a good way to assess the final result and see if goals have been achieved. Why? often more pertaining to the school's administrators, although it is not unlikely that the student and teacher will also ask themselves this question The question is also the question of the question pronouns how the classes are used and what however, coming out of them is entirely the responsibility of the teacher and the student.

Interest, learning objectives, (success) criteria and models is another important aspect of guided learning In this aspect, it is how the learning is presented and how much students have to say In private composition lessons, students' interest rarely needs to be stimulated, however, students' interest may decline if it is difficult to negotiate or they do not understand the teacher's comments. Then it can be good, to promote progress in learning to increase the student's interest in the work of others. The teacher's interest in the student's work is also very important.

The learning objectives of the guidance program are usually not based on the final result, much more the way to it This is good to keep in mind and is called the success criteria, which can be either open or closed. Closed criteria are a reminder that something has to happen, but in open standards students have a choice Discourse in lessons is therefore obviously very important. It is better, for example, to say, you could do...” (open) rather than, do...” (closed). The student must find that he always has a choice.

Viewing models are part of a guided study This actually means looking at other people's work and learning from it This is something that is often done in the composition lesson Viewing and listening to other composers' compositions is essential for all composition students because it most often helps them develop and position themselves and their music In viewing other people's compositions, new ideas can also be sparked.

Dialogue and Question Technology is a large part of the guided learning and also of the compositional learning Often composition teachers talk about that , the conversation with the student is good” and then most likely means that there is a mutual understanding between the teacher and the students and that the dialogue in the classes leads to progress in the study In composition classes, the teacher often asks the student about the work he is composing A good question technique involves, among other things, giving the student time to answer and helping him articulate his thinking It is also important not to ask closed questions It is better to ask questions that encourage the student to think and promote his interest.^[19] Here, the ideas of the guided learning are called Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan's ideas about good rhetoric in composition classes.^[20]

The last part that will be discussed here and is a large part of the guided learning is feedback. It is very important that students receive good feedback during the composition program. , Re-transmission is by its very nature about guiding the student from the place where he is in the program and to his learning goal, i.e. the skills he is acquiring.”^[21]

In this regard, it is important that teachers realize what effect the feedback may have on the student Thus, feedback pertaining to the student's self is not good, as for example saying ”, this was the best work at the concert” Here the student's external motivation is being fostered and it does not produce much feedback which, however, relates to the study and deals with the next steps after a piece of music has been performed, much more benefits the student and strengthens his intrinsic motivation.

Self-assessment is part of the feedback, and for composition students it is good to train in it This can be done, for example, by looking at their older works and thus figuring out what the progress is and what can be further developed Here it is nice to note that in the book of the composer and composition teacher Arnold Schönberg (1874-1951) Fundametals of Music Composition (1967), which was published after his day, is a special chapter that he calls Advice for self-criticism^[22], in that chapter, there are many things that composition students can take advantage of even if they are writing music in a completely different style. An example of what Schönberg thinks is good to do when looking at their own works is to analyze the ideas, to fit unnecessary decorations that can interfere with the flow of the work, but also to be careful not to do monotony. Schönberg advises students to make many sketches and above all to listen carefully. I think that most of us who teach composition can accept these tips, and in fact it can be said that by training students' self-evaluation well, the teacher ultimately makes himself unnecessary and presumably that is the final goal of composition teaching.

Feedback from students to teachers is also important. Feedback may consist of students explaining their needs, but it also consists in their success and even in unspoken words.

Peer assessment is one type of feedback and something that could be used more in composition teaching.

Peer assessment calls for students to meet and talk about what they are doing In peer assessment, it is necessary to talk about how the feedback is given because it must not be hurtful A very good method is to first mention two good things and then one thing that could be better or could be developed, this method is sometimes called: Two stars and one wish. It is important that students see feedback from their peers as , an opportunity and not a personal criticism.”^[23]

Conclusion

This article has reviewed what is involved in composition teaching with formative assessment as a guide The result is that what is most important in the study is that the learning culture is good and the growing mindset manages to characterize the teaching work The learning needs to be well organized and students need to know what requirements are made to them (qualification criteria). Their interest in the study must be maintained and the path must be well-protected (learning goals/competence of competence). It is good to use the work of others in the teaching (models) Conversations between teacher and student need to be open and one should be careful not to ask closed questions. The feedback is one of the most important factors, and both refers to feedback from the teacher, self-evaluation and peer evaluation.

From this result, I have worked this semester At the beginning of the second semester, the program was organized.

The dates of concerts were reviewed and when the works needed to be ready Peer evaluation took place at the beginning other than when the students met and presented the works they wrote in the fall semester to each other The aim is to have another such class in mid-April At the beginning of these classes, the best way to have the feedback is reviewed and the students are asked to first mention two things that they think are good, and then one thing that could be developed or examined more closely The first class went very well and was useful for the students.

At the time of writing, most students are in the second level (the processing stage) as Daniel Deutsch chooses to call this period.^[24] I've usually spent the longest time at this stage and this semester I've spent more time looking at other people's work than I've done before (using role models) I've found it to be a good idea and help students position themselves I also feel it helps students to develop their work further I've also done more of analyzing students' ideas and work and it's been good for students but also me as a teacher I've also tried to have the discourse in the spirit of formative assessment and used more descriptive and analytical language This has seemed to translate into better dialogue in the classes When it comes to the final completion of the works, I intend to use more diverse methods of feedback, peer assessment as mentioned before and also self-assessment.

Final words

It is clear that dramatic changes are not being made to the composition teaching. In fact, more is being looked at how it is carried out, recording what works well and what could be done better. It can be said that this semester for me is used to take the first steps in employee research (e. action research).^[25] But the first part of that research involves gathering data and this is done by keeping a journal of the teaching The journal writing is then examined and thoughtful, and the next steps in the teaching are determined based on that The students have been informed about this and given their consent.

Title of this article , The way is the goal” is a translation of the German expression ,Der Weg ist das Ziel” and the expression is attributed to the Chinese philosopher Confucius The expression has been interpreted in such a way that the path to the goal is often more interesting than the goal itself, it could also be laid out as being worth paying attention to what happens along the way, enjoying it and learning from it I feel that this saying summarizes well what is involved in formative assessment and guided learning. Being alert and open to what happens in teaching and learning sharpens all vision and makes learning and makes learning more enjoyable and hopefully better The ultimate goal of composition teaching must be for students to become independent artists. The path to that extent needs to be well guarded, and it is my belief that the methods of formative assessment and guidance learning are good for that.

Bibliography:

Books:

Elsa Ingibjörg Pálsdóttir, Diverse ways of assessment: to evaluate what we want students to learn (Reykjavík: Iðnú, 2011).

Nanna Kristin Christiansen, Guided learning, why, how, where? (Reykjavík: Nanna Kristín Chirstiansen, 2021).

Schönberg, Arnold, Fundamentals of Music Composition, edited by Gerald Strang and Leonard Stein (London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1967).

Websites:

Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan, ,,How Composers Approach Teaching Composition: Strategies for Music Teachers”, Sage Journals, Volume 99, Issue 3 (March 2013), retrieved March 19, 2024, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0027432112471398

David Deutsch, ,,Authentic Assessment in Music Composition: Feedback That Facilitates Creativity”, Sage Journals, volume 102, Issue 3 (March 2016), retrieved January 13, 2024, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0027432115621608

Hjördís Þorgeirsdóttir, , Guided learning increases students” participation and autonomy in their studies” School threads, school development enthusiasts' magazines, retrieved January 25, 2024.
https://skolathraedir.is/2023/12/08/leidsagnarnam-eykur-thatttoku/

,,Guidemat”, Main curriculum, https://adalnamskra.is/greinar/leidsagnarmat

Nanna Kristín Christiansen, , What is guided learning?” The school guard, 1st tbl. 2019, retrieved January 8, 2024. https://www.ki.is/um-ki/utgafa/frettir-og-pistlar/skolavardan/2021/hvad-er-leidsagnarnam

^[1] Nanna Kristin Christiansen, Leistorytelling, why, how, whatð? (Nanna Kristín Christiansen, Reykjavík, 2021), p. 11

^[2] Daniel Deutsch, ,Authentic Assessment in Music Composition: Feedback That Facilitates Creativity”, Sage Journals, Volume 102, Issue 3 (March 2016), retrieved January 13, 2024. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0027432115621608

^[3] Clint Randles and Mark Sullivan, ,,How Composers Approach Teaching Composition: Strategies for Music Teachers”, Sage Journals, Volume 99, Issue 3 (March 2013), retrieved March 19, 2024, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0027432112471398

^[4] Alan Belkin (1951) is a Canadian composer, he taught music theory and composition at four universities in Montreal, Canada, but has retired and is now only working in composition.

^[5] Nanna Kristin Christiansen, ,,What is a guided learning ethan, Skolavard, 1st tbl. 2019, retrieved January 8, 2024. https://www.ki.is/um-ki/utgafa/frettir-og-pistlar/skolavardan/2021/hvad-er-leidsagnarnam/

^[6] Elsa Ingibjörg Pálsdóttir, Fjcompletely changed ways to reachmsmati: to evaluate what we want students lewe (Iðnú, Reykjavík, 2011)

^[7] D. Deutsch, ,,Authentic Assessment in Music Composition: Feedback That Facilitates Creativity”

^[8] Nanna Kristin Christiansen, Guided learning, why, how, what?, p. 11

^[9] Nanna Kristin Christiansen, Guided learning, why, how, what?

^[10] D. Deutsch, ,,Authentic Assessment in Music Composition: Feedback That Facilitates Creativity”

^[11] Nanna Kristin Christiansen, Guided learning, why, how, what?

^[12] D. Deutsch, ,,Authentic Assessment in Music Composition: Feedback That Facilitates Creativity”

^[13] C. Randles and M. Sullivan, ,,How Composers Approach Teaching Composition: Strategies for Music Teachers”

^[14] D. Deutsch, ,,Authentic Assessment in Music Composition: Feedback That Facilitates Creativity”

^[15] C. Randles and M. Sullivan, ,,How Composers Approach Teaching Composition: Strategies for Music Teachers”

^[16] C. Randles and M. Sullivan, ,,How Composers Approach Teaching Composition: Strategies for Music Teachers”

^[17] C. Randles and M. Sullivan, ,,How Composers Approach Teaching Composition: Strategies for Music Teachers”

^[18],,Guidemat”, Main curriculum, https://adalnamskra.is/greinar/leidsagnarmat, retrieved March 28, 2024

^[19] Nanna Kristin Christiansen, Guided learning, why, how, what?

^[20] C. Randles and M. Sullivan, ,,How Composers Approach Teaching Composition: Strategies for Music Teachers”

^[21] Nanna Kristin Christiansen, Guided learning, why, how, what?, p. 148

^[22] Arnold Schoenberg, Fundamentals and Music Composition, edited by Gerald Strang and Leonard Stein, (Faber and Faber limited, London, 1967)

^[23] Nanna Kristin Christiansen, Guided learning, why, how, what?, p. 160

^[24] Daniel Deutsch, ,Authentic Assessment in Music Composition: Feedback That Facilitates Creativity”

^[25] Hjördís Þorgeirsdóttir, , Guided learning increases students” participation and autonomy in their studies, Skstrap threadir, the magazine of the association of interestólks um skola throh, retrieved January 25, 2024. https://skolathraedir.is/2023/12/08/leidsagnarnam-eykur-thatttoku/.