ABSTRACT 
Reliability and Validity of Student Assessment in a Performing Arts Institution in 
Jamaica 
 
Phylis Margaret Drummond-Hemmings 
 
This research investigated the degree of reliability and construct validity of 
assessment instruments used in the performing arts, also students’ perception of 
how assessment was conducted in the performing arts. The specific areas 
investigated were: different types of assessment methods used in the schools, 
differences in actual scores given by students and those by their instructors, and 
instructors’ inter-rater reliability. 
For this research, a mixed method approach (a pragmatic epistemology approach) 
was utilized where data from students and instructors were collected using 
questionnaires, interviews and observations. The statistical tests used were 
ANOVAs, t-tests, Mann Whitney U and the Friedman Test.  
The findings indicated that articulation between objectives and assessments for 
the courses in the performing arts differed by schools and Inter-rater agreement 
was inconsistent among markers in the Schools of Music, Dance and Drama. It    
was found also that students rated their work higher than the instructors did, but 
both self and peer assessments were similar in scores. Marking was equitable 
based on gender, however there was a tendency for markers to grade students of 
their gender higher, but the tendency at the school of drama was for the male 
students to be marked higher by both genders. Students and instructors had a 
common understanding generally, on the concept of assessment but differences 
were noted based on the gender of the instructors, their years of experience, and 
employment status (full-time / part-time). 
These findings serve to inform faculty and relevant administrators of the school  
on issues affecting validity and reliability of assessment used in the institution. It 
could  lead  to  the  reform of assessment policy in the performing arts schools.  
Since limited research has been done locally, further research could be conducted 
within Jamaica, the Caribbean or wider society on similar or related studies in 
order to add to this body of research. 
Keywords:  Phylis  Margaret  Drummond-Hemmings,  validity of assessment, 
reliability of assessment, performing arts assessment, student assessment, 
assessment instrument