| External
Assessment, usually referred to as standardized assessment,
refers to all student testing developed and used by sources
outside of the tested student's school. Examples of external
assessment include criterion-referenced tests such as the Texas
Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS); achievement tests, such
as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the Stanford Achievement
Tests; and college entrance tests such as the SAT and ACT.
In addition
to their role in public accountability systems, the results
of external assessments can be used by theatre educators to
inform their instruction. By interpreting data in the context
of their personal knowledge of students and by using data
in conjunction with internal assessments, teachers gain additional
tools for understanding and promoting their students' learning.
Conversely,
fine arts education may strengthen students' performance throughout
their school careers. Music lessons have been shown to improve
preschoolers' spatial concept formation, which is crucial
for higher brain functions such as complex mathematics (Frances
Rauscher, PH.D., Gordon Shaw, Ph.D., University of California,
Irvine). Additionally, there is a direct correlation between
improved SAT scores and the length of time spent studying
the arts. Those who studied the arts four or more years scored
59 points higher on verbal and 44 points higher on math portions
of the SAT than students with no coursework or experience
in the arts (Profiles of SAT and Achievement Test Takers,
The College Board, compiled by MENC, 1995).
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