Developing an Assessment Framework for the Major Skill Course to Enhance Student Competency in the Context of Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music

Abstract

The Major Skill course is a core component of undergraduate music curricula, playing a central role in developing students’ technical performance, artistic expression, and professional readiness. This development project aims to design an assessment approach that is clear, transparent, and aligned with students’ competence levels at each academic year—encompassing technical proficiency, artistic interpretation, and learning that responds to individual contexts. The process comprised a review of the institute’s existing assessment system, benchmarking against international standards (e.g., ABRSM, Trinity, LCM), and collaborative workshops with faculty members. These steps led to a new structure that integrates pedagogical and andragogical principles to support participatory learning and development-oriented assessment. The outcomes are: criteria that define year-specific expectations; a context-appropriate evaluator weighting system; a Centralised Rubric System that uses qualitative descriptors to create a shared language among evaluators; and a four-year Learning Development Plan that can be practically applied both in teaching and in systematic quality development at the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music.