Modeling authentic multivariate assessment in art and design teacher education curriculum

Abstract

Assessment is a critical construct in programing and instruction. It is one of the means of accountability that is conceived within the broader context of authentic performance. This paper discusses assessment strategies that are being used in art and design teacher education programmes amid ongoing curricula reforms in teachers' colleges in Zimbabwe. Findings reveal that colleges are using diverse assessment strategies to index student performance. These include critique of student exhibitions, portfolio assessment, pre-issue examinations, and controlled examinations, all of which are operationalised within an internal and external moderation framework and dialogical engagement among stakeholders. The study proposes the inclusion of candidate interviews and deliberate student self-assessment as part of a comprehensive art programme to enhance the development of higher-order cognitive and metacognitive skills that are critical in enhancing aesthetic judgment and performative art.