The Assessment of Adult Music Learning in the United States

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a foundational perspective on assessment as it relates to adult music learners. The discussion includes a brief overview of the recent growth of adult musicianship as whole, followed by analysis of adults as music learners, the contexts in which their engagement occurs, and the process used in the instruction of adults, including key differences between these settings and those found in much of public school music education. The discussion continues with the proposal of self-regulated learning as a foundational model for assessment practices with adult musicians, and the chapter concludes with suggestions for future avenues for research and investigation.