Hacking the Music Theory Classroom: Standards-Based Grading, Just-in-Time Teaching, and the Inverted Class

[1.1] One can argue that "hacking" is an essential element of what we do as researchers and pedagogues.(1) At its core, hacking involves taking what already exists, and then adding small or large improvements to make it work better for you. A hacker is neither wholly derivative nor wholly original; hacking entails both an indebtedness to those who have come before and a willingness to question existing methods and perspectives.[1.2] At the 2013 meeting of the Society for Music Theory, the four of us presented three "hacks" to the music theory class: standards-based grading (SBG), just-in-time teaching (JiTT), and the inverted classroom. Standards-based grading connects student grades to specific learning objectives, provides students with direct and specific information to guide their study, and often involves less grading time for the instructor than traditional methods do. The inverted class moves information transfer and memorization outside of class time so that students' time with their peers and professor can be devoted to more difficult, cognitively demanding tasks. Just-in-time teaching uses fast, concept-oriented quizzes (usually online) before class meetings to guide and motivate student engagement outside class, as well as gauge which concepts require more attention in class.[1.3] None of these pedagogical techniques are our own creations. Rather, in the spirit of hacking, we have taken these three techniques, developed and rigorously tested in other fields, and applied them in our own music classes. When we have discussed these music theory pedagogy hacks with others-at SMT, regional conferences, and FlipCamp Music Theory, on Twitter, etc.-the number one response is not "show me the data," but rather "what would it look like in my class?" A number of pedagogical studies have already demonstrated the positive impact of these hacks in a wide variety of academic fields. The question, then, is how to apply these now-established innovations in our classes, particularly in the undergraduate theory/musicianship core.[1.4] In Part I of this article, we review the scholarly literature on these three hacks and explore their advantages for college-level students. In Part II, we describe in detail how the four of us have integrated these techniques into the core theory/musicianship sequence at four very different kinds of music programs: a traditional school of music within a large state university, a large private institution with a focus on jazz and commercial music, a department of music in a mid-sized university, and a small, private university with music classes that combine theory and aural skills.Standards-Based Grading[2.1] Standards-based grading (SBG) is a system of assessment and record-keeping that explicitly links course goals with assignments and provides both students and instructors with a wealth of information. In their survey of various approaches to assessment, Guskey and Bailey write that "standards-based grading facilitates teaching and learning processes better than any other grading method" because it is data-rich and provides clarity to students and instructors (2001, 91). SBG is criterion-referenced as opposed to norm-referenced (Smith 1973, O'Donovan et al. 2001), meaning that students are assessed and grades are assigned in reference to a set of standardized criteria or learning objectives, rather than according to class rank. Instead of rewarding students who outperform their classmates, a standards-based approach to assessment has across-the-board student success as its goal (Stiggins 2005). Criterion-referenced grading can also help create a supportive learning environment that encourages collaboration and peer instruction, as opposed to norm-referenced systems, which involve competition between students.[2.2] SBG at its core involves laying out a list of learning objectives for each student-the skills and concepts that instructors, departments, or accrediting bodies want students to master during the semester or unit of study. …