
Evaluating the Impact of Visual Arts Teachers’ Assessment Strategies on Lifelong Learning in Practical Artworks in Senior High Schools in the Ashanti Region, Ghana
Issue: Vol.6 No.8 Article 22 pp.1571 – 1584
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256822 | Published online 25th July, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Lifelong learning skills are critical in Visual Arts education, equipping students with the ability to adapt to the creative industry’s evolving demands. This study thus explored the impact of Visual Arts teachers’ assessment strategies on lifelong learning in Senior High Schools in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Employing a mixed-methods research approach, including questionnaires and interviews, data was collected from 90 respondents out of a total sample of 107 from selected Senior High Schools in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, i.e. Serwaa Nyarko Girls Senior High School, Kumasi Anglican Senior High School and Kumasi Academy Senior High School. The findings revealed that a combination of assessment strategies—including portfolio assessment, observation of works in progress, finished product evaluation, and exhibition assessment—is more effective in evaluating student learning than relying on a single method. This holistic approach ensures comprehensive skill development, as students may excel in different assessment types. Additionally, transparent assessment criteria and detailed feedback play a crucial role in enhancing student motivation and engagement. Conversely, an overreliance on product-based evaluation hinders the development of lifelong learning skills, limiting students’ ability to reflect, improve, and innovate. The study emphasizes the importance of adopting diverse assessment strategies and investing in teacher professional development to improve Visual Arts education. These findings have significant implications for educators, policymakers, and researchers, guiding efforts to enhance assessment practices and foster continuous learning in Visual Arts education.
Keywords: Visual Arts Education, Assessment Strategies, Lifelong Learning, Practical Artworks, Teacher Professional Development
Andrade, H. “A Critical Review of Research on Self-Assessment in the Visual Arts.” Studies in Art Education 60, no. 2 (2019): 120–37.
Andrade, Heidi, and Ying Du. “Student Responses to Criteria‐referenced Self‐assessment.” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 32, no. 2 (April 2007): 159–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602930600801928.
Andrade, Heidi, and Anna Valtcheva. “Promoting Learning and Achievement Through Self-Assessment.” Theory Into Practice 48, no. 1 (January 2009): 12–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405840802577544.
Barrett, T. “Studies Involving Students’ Learning through Art.” Studies in Art Education 48, no. 3 (2007): 257–74.
Black, Paul, and Dylan Wiliam. “Assessment and Classroom Learning.” Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice 5, no. 1 (1998): 7–74.
Boughton, D. “ Museums, Exhibitions, and Art Education: Rethinking Assessment.” Studies in Art Education 54, no. 3 (2013): 233–48.
Bresler, L. “ What Does It Mean to Teach Art in the Context of Education for a Democratic Society?” Art Education 58, no. 5 (2005): 6–12.
Brookhart, S. M. “ How to Create and Use Rubrics for Formative Assessment and Grading.” ASCD, 2013.
Creswell, John W, and Vicki L Plano Clark. Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research. Sage Publications, 2017.
DeLuca, C. “Assessment in the Arts: A Review of the Literature.” Studies in Art Education 51, no. 2 (2010): 135–54.
Dweck, C. S. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Random House, 2006.
Earl, L. M., and S. Katz. “ Rethinking Assessment: A Framework for Professional Judgment.” Journal of Educational Change 7, no. 2 (2006): 147–64.
Edusei, K. “ Reforms in the Visual Arts Curriculum in Ghanaian Secondary Schools.” Winneba: University of Education, 2004.
Eisner, E. W. The Arts and the Creation of Mind. Yale University Press, 2002.
Epstein, Joyce L. “School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools.” ADOLESCENCE-SAN DIEGO- 37 (2002): 435.
Field, A. Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics . 5th ed. SAGE Publications, 2018.
Fredricks, Jennifer A, Phyllis C Blumenfeld, and Alison H Paris. “School Engagement: Potential of the Concept, State of the Evidence.” Review of Educational Research 74, no. 1 (2004): 59–109.
Gibbs, Graham, and Claire Simpson. “Conditions under Which Assessment Supports Students’ Learning.” Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, no. 1 (2005): 3–31.
Gikandi, J.W., D. Morrow, and N.E. Davis. “Online Formative Assessment in Higher Education: A Review of the Literature.” Computers & Education 57, no. 4 (December 2011): 2333–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2011.06.004.
Gruber, H. “Assessment in the Arts: A Review of the Literature.” Studies in Art Education 39, no. 2 (1998): 132–46.
———. “Evaluation of Student Learning in the Arts.” Arts Education Policy Review 96, no. 2 (1994): 2–7.
Gruber, H., and J. Hobbs. “Evaluation of Student Learning in the Arts: A Review of the Literature.” Arts Education Policy Review 104, no. 2 (2002): 2–8.
Gulikers, Judith T M, Liesbeth Kester, Paul A Kirschner, and Theo J Bastiaens. “The Effect of Practical Experience on Perceptions of Assessment Authenticity, Study Approach, and Learning Outcomes.” Learning and Instruction 18, no. 2 (2008): 172–86.
Guskey, Thomas R. “Professional Development and Teacher Change.” Teachers and Teaching 8, no. 3 (August 25, 2002): 381–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/135406002100000512.
Harlen, W. “Teachers’ Summative Practices and Assessment for Learning—Tensions and Synergies.” Curriculum Journal 16, no. 2 (2005): 207–23.
Hattie, John, and Helen Timperley. “The Power of Feedback.” Review of Educational Research 77, no. 1 (March 1, 2007): 81–112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487.
Hetland, L., and E. Winner. The Art of Possibility: Transforming Teaching and Learning through the Arts. Teachers College, 2001.
Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). “Strategies for Widening Participation in Higher Education: A Guide to Good Practice.” Higher Education Funding Council for England, 2001.
Hounsell, D. “Towards More Sustainable Feedback to Students.” In Rethinking Assessment in Higher Education: Learning for the Longer Term, edited by D Boud and N. Falchikov, 101–13. Routledge, 2007.
Kay, William K. Pentecostalism: A Very Short Introduction. Vol. 255. Oxford University Press, USA, 2011.
Kuttner, P. J. “ Assessing Creative Learning: A Review of Literature on Arts-Based Education.” Arts Education Policy Review 116 (2015): 153–61.
Locke, Edwin A., and Gary P. Latham. “Building a Practically Useful Theory of Goal Setting and Task Motivation: A 35-Year Odyssey.” American Psychologist 57, no. 9 (September 2002): 705–17. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.57.9.705.
Marshall, J. “Assessment in Art and Design Education: A Critical Review.” International Journal of Art & Design Education 36, no. 1 (2017): 5–18.
Moss, C. M., S. M. Brookhart, and B. A. Long. Administering and Managing the Classroom Environment. Pearson Education, 2011.
Nyquist, J. D. “ The Benefits and Challenges of Using Student Peer Review in the Arts.” Arts Education Policy Review 105, no. 1 (2003): 2–8.
Price, Margaret, Karen Handley, Jill Millar, and Berry O’Donovan. “Feedback : All That Effort, but What Is the Effect?” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 35, no. 3 (May 2010): 277–89. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602930903541007.
Quayson, E. Education Reforms in Ghana: Achievements and Challenges. Ghana Education Service, 2006.
Reeves, Thomas C. “Alternative Assessment Approaches for Online Learning Environments in Higher Education.” Journal of Educational Computing Research 23, no. 1 (July 1, 2000): 101–11. https://doi.org/10.2190/GYMQ-78FA-WMTX-J06C.
Sadler, D. R. “ Formative Assessment and the Design of Instructional Systems.” Instructional Science 18, no. 2 (1989): 119–44.
Shepard, L. A. “ The Role of Assessment in a Learning Culture.” Educational Researcher 29, no. 7 (2000): 4–14.
Shute, Valerie J. “Focus on Formative Feedback.” Review of Educational Research 78, no. 1 (March 1, 2008): 153–89. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654307313795.
Singh-Pillay, Asheena, Douglas Sibusiso Sotsaka, and Jose P Abraham. “Interconnectedness Of Engineering Graphics And Design Teachers\’Understanding Of And Teaching Of Assembly Drawing.” PONTE International Journal of Science and Research 73, no. 6 (2017).
Wiliam, Dylan. Embedded Formative Assessment. Solution Tree Press, 2011.
Wilson, B. “ Creativity, Assessment, and the Arts.” In Handbook of Research and Policy in Art Education, edited by E. W. Eisner and M. D. Day, 199–219. Alexandria, Virginia: National Art Education Association, 2015.
Zeidner, Moshe. “Test Anxiety in Educational Contexts.” In Emotion in Education, 165–84. Elsevier, 2007. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012372545-5/50011-3.
Dr. Atta Kusi Ankrah is a Lecturer at Kumasi Technical University. His research focuses on how assessments of Visual art students’ practical works should be conducted. He is a curriculum Developer currently working on the curriculum for the Diploma students in his Department at the University. He is also a specialist in item writing.
Mr.Victor Nimoh Boateng serves as an Assistant Lecturer in Art Education at St. Louis College of Education, Kumasi. As a passionate interventionist, he leverages art-based strategies to support individual learners and underrepresented groups. His research explores the intersections between art, technology, and Ghanaian culture, advocating for culturally responsive pedagogy enhanced by digital tools.
Mr. Kenneth Osei Yeboah is a lecturer in Communication Design at Kumasi Technical University, Ghana, with a keen focus on design education, curriculum development, and visual communication research. He holds an MPhil in Communication Design and has led notable studies on graphic design finishing quality, therapeutic art practices, and modern photography techniques.
Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim is an academic and researcher from Tamale, born in Old Tafo, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He teaches in the Fashion Design and Textile Studies Department at Kumasi Technical University. Ibrahim is pursuing a PhD in Art and Culture at the Department of Music at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW). He holds multiple degrees, including an MPhil in Fashion Design Technology from KNUST and an MTech in Fashion Design and Textile Technology from UEW. His research focuses on textile design, fashion design, creative design, fashion history, critical thinking, and sustainability.
Ankrah, Atta Kusi, Victor Boateng Nimoh, Kenneth Osei Yeboah, and Mohammed Ibrahim . “Evaluating the Impact of Visual Arts Teachers’ Assessment Strategies on Lifelong Learning in Practical Artworks in Senior High Schools in the Ashanti Region, Ghana,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.8 (2025): 1571 – 1584. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256822
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).









