A Study on Middle and Secondary School Music Teachers' Perceptions of Student Assessment Professionalism

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of middle and secondary school music teachers regarding their expertise in student assessment, aiming to understand their assessment professionalism and provide basic information for exploring ways to enhance it. Methods A survey was conducted with 168 current secondary school music teachers nationwide, and the data was analyzed using the SPSS 25 program, employing frequency analysis and descriptive statistical analysis. To examine the relationship between teachers' general characteristics, their perceptions of evaluation, and their expertise in student assessment, t-tests and one-way ANOVA were performed. Results Most music teachers believed that assessment is important and that appropriate methods should be chosen according to the purpose of assessment. They considered practical assessments (performance assessments) and practical written assessments as the most suitable methods, and they frequently used these methods in practice. However, they identified maintaining consistency in grading as a challenge. The most important assessment competencies were seen as understanding assessment methods and developing assessment tools. Music teachers believed they had high professionalism in areas such as assessment planning, execution, utilization of results, and ethics. Assessment professionalism was higher among female teachers and high school teachers, while teachers with shorter teaching careers had lower levels of professionalism. They also recognized that assessment professionalism varied depending on their perceptions of assessment. Conclusions First, there is a need to develop objective assessment tools. Second, it is important to provide training on assessment theories and practical experience for teachers with limited teaching experience. Third, the professional expertise of teachers in assessment can be enhanced when they accurately understand and apply the purpose and methods of assessment, so training and support for this are necessary.