Many of the tools available for the evaluation in the school context, strongly focus on performance indicators and on the objective evaluation of results (e.g. French Évaluation-Bilans, Finnish Oppimistulosten kansallinen arviointi, Spanish Evaluaciónes General de Diagnóstico).
While fully recognizing the value and importance of such tools, Movement believes that the assessment of impact of non-traditional music teaching practices should focus more on the learning processes (e.g. cognitives, psycomotor, verbal, of expression) and on the micro changes that each student might experience, e.g. in participation and cooperation, while also including impact on its background (e.g. families). The idea behind this approach is that meaningful changes and results for students follow different, individual patterns and that the teaching/learning process should be based on the attitude and desire of the child to participate in the project, regardless of their technical ability. In this setting, errors and mistakes are part of a broader learning experience and support the multiplication of experiences that allows for collaborative problem solving directly managed by the child.
Being able to show (measurable) results to stakeholders and decision makers and advocate for the opportunity of investing in a certain domain and methodology will be an important side effect of the Impact Kit.
Target Groups
Primary Targets: Educational Staff of the Partners Organizations
Directly involved in the design of the Curriculum: 2-5 educational staff members from each partner organizations: Fondazione per la Scuola and Università della Valle d’Aosta will be involved with 2/3 experts each, other partners with 4-5 each.
The input from local schools will be granted through the connections with Fondazione per la Scuola – Pequeñas Huellas in Turin (5 schools), IV Circolo Didattico Piacenza (1 school) and CHMI in Helsinki (3 schools).
Directly involved in the in-class testing phases: from 4 to 10 teachers for each school (full partner, associated or external) and 4-6 musicians from Asociacion Crecer con la Música, Central Helsinki Music Institute for a total of around 55 teachers and 20 professionals.
Secondary Targets: Students
Designed modules will be tested in pilot activities involving between overall 105 and to 1050 students (total of the 2 years testing) in each local hub (Piacenza, Turin, Helsinki, Madrid) aged 6 to 12 including students facing social disadvantages (see more details in the following section).
Expected Impact
Movement Impact Kit will provide easy-to-use guidelines that will support partners in measuring the progress and the impact of actions linked to the implementation of IO2 Curriculum in school settings
Movement partners expect that the implementation of IO3 will:
- allow professionals (around 60 professionals) to assess the Curriculum validity (and added value also in respect to previous practices);
- assess students’ improvement linked with the offer of a specific set of actions;
- encourage evaluation culture and evidence based decision making within partners context;
support the broad argument of investing in non-traditional Music education in the school context.
Innovative Features
- Measurement beyond achievements and performance: focused on the process, progress and micro-changes and acknowledgement of the variability of starting points of each student and of personal attitudes;
- Versatility: creation of a specific tool, tested in different setting (needs, level of sensitivity, levels of engagement of local/national relevant authorities) and with different targets (local specificities of students group composition including socially marginalized categories e.g. migrant origin – all Hubs, disabilities – in particular Piacenza, minorities – in particular Torino and Madrid, cultural and social disadvantage and poverty – all hubs);
- It allows organizations to be involved in the evaluation of their own practices;
- It will help to promote an innovative Evaluation Culture among partners and stakeholders in a sector that, today, seems having a different kind of sensitivity.
Transferability Potential
The broad context of validation will facilitate comparisons among different settings (local hubs), also by highlighting the differences derived from various approaches and contexts.
Movement partners constitute a comprehensive representation of different environments and conformations of alliances between educative bodies, therefore allowing for a product innovation adaptable to very different contexts that can be transferable beyond the partnership borders.
The use of Impact Kit has a very high potential as it can be expanded to other area of intervention, within and outside music teaching context (e.g. other artistic curricula, social development activities targeted at students, other educational offers, sports activity...).
Covid-19 Emergency Strategy
The kit design can be done in remote while the testing phases can follow the curriculum testing and, if needed, be transferred online or remotely. Fondazione per la Scuola and Università della Valle d’Aosta can count on a strong experience in impact assessment and will support partners in the definition of relevant strategies adapted to potential restrictions.
Activity Leader and Partner Roles
Activity Leader: Fondazione per la Scuola supported by all project partners.
