Summary of Action Research

Jayde Vaillancourt

1. Original RESEARCH QUESTION

Does student self-observation and self-assessment through

the use of videography impact dance performance and choreography more than teacher feedback alone?

RELEVANT RESEARCHCapacity Building series (Ministry)-Student self-assessment:-Assessment practices starting to

change-Building larger repertoire of

assessment tools and strategies-Self-assessment shown to significantly

raise student achievement

RELEVANT RESEARCHBenefits of self-assessment:For students:-more skilled at adjusting what they are doing to

improve the quality of their work-increased responsibility of their own learning-more opportunities for self-reflection-reduces achievement gaps-develops critical thinking skills-develops problem-solving skills-reduction in disruptive behaviour

RELEVANT RESEARCHBenefits of Self-Assessment For teachers:-increase in student engagement-access to information, otherwise

unavailable, about student effort and persistence

-students begin to internalize instructional goals and apply them to future efforts

2. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

What I did:• Final Exam• Performance/

Choreography• Choreography analysis• Theory

2. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

What I did:• Performance/

Choreography• Students (Grade 9

and 10’s)• Choreograph 1

minute dance piece• Solo or Duet• 3 classes given same

task

2. SUMMARY OF FINDINGSCRITERIA• Criteria decided as a collective (student input)• Student focus in their routinesCRITERIA GUIDELINESA) Use of levels (high, medium, low)B) 5 elements of dance

• Time• Body• Space• Energy• Relationship

C) Performance/ExpressionD) Creativity

2. SUMMARY OF FINDINGSPROCESS

1- Class time given to work on pieces

2- All classes practice performance

3- Performances filmed

4- Culminating activity done in the past…Difficult to mark students without video review

5- Reviewed videos as a class….Assessment/Feedback sheets given out

Self-assessment & teacher feedback

Self-assessment & teacher feedback• 2 classes participated

• Students asked to improve/change pieces based on both teacher feedback and self-assessment

• Sheets used while working

teacher feedback

teacher feedback• 1 class did not do “self-assessment”

• Originally were not to watch video

• Students asked to improve/change pieces based only on teacher feedback

• Sheets used while working

Observations• Feedback and self-assessment sheets collected after every

work period

• Class that did not self assess were more anxious for teacher feedback sheets than other classes

• Class that did not self assess put a lot more value on the teacher feedback form than class that did self assess

• Classes who used both forms seemed to have used sheets less and less each class

…they seemed more confident earlier regarding changes etc…

Final Product• Final performance/Filming• Students more prepared• Improvement and changes noted• Compared videos (Initial vs Final)• Students who had both feedback sources made more changes

Student self-observation and self-assessment through the use of

videography DOES impact dance performance and choreography more than teacher feedback alone

3. How has your action research changed your classroom practice

• Will incorporate in future practices

• Followed similar exam format last year…added practice/feedback section this year

• Positive feedback from previous students who did a similar exam

• Higher performance results in comparison to last year

• Nature of my course…self-assessment is great to incorporate

• Use of mirrors etc…

4. Next steps :

• Implement into classroom to a larger degree

• Incorporate self-assessment into other activities in classroom

• Found websites that have self-assessment ideas and checklists for dance (Incorporate classroom next year)

REFERENCES

Mcmillan, J.H, and Hearn, J. (2008). Student Self-Assessment: The Key to Stronger Student Motivation and Higher Achievement. Educational Horizons. v.87. p. 40-49. http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/search/

The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat Capacity Building Series. “Student Self-Assessment”. Special Edition #4. December 2007.