Philosophical and Qualitative Perspectives on Assessment in Music Education

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an introduction and overview to the aims of the Oxford Handbook of Philosophical and Qualitative Assessment in Music Education. Why philosophical and qualitative perspectives on assessment in or for music education? While there are numerous quantitative research projects that investigate assessment in or for music education, which are certainly important, they typically do not help us understand (which this volume does) the fundamental conceptual nature of and assumptions about music education assessment and music education evaluation across global contexts, which in turn shape and drive why and how students, and their actual and potential creativities, are harmfully or ethically impacted.