- Trial lecture starts at 10am
- Public defence starts at 12 noon
Title of trial lecture: Will be made known 14 days before the doctoral trials
Read the thesis in NVA here: https://hdl.handle.net/11250/5276176
Disputation chair: Vice Dean, Professor Anne Haugland Balsnes
Assessment committee:
- Ingolv Haaland, Associate Professor, University of Agder (internal and chair of the committee)
- Opponent Runa Hestad Jenssen, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education and Arts, Nord University
- Opponent Jens Knigge, Professor, Faculty of Education and Arts, Nord Univerisity
Supervisors in the doctoral work:
- Supervisor Professor Nina Sun Eidsheim
- Supervisor Professor Tor Dybo
- Supervisor Professor Michael Rauhut
Summary of thesis
How are exam concerts assessed in higher education within popular music? What does assessment mean for students training to become professional vocalists? These are among the questions explored by Bodil Kvernenes Nørsett in her doctoral dissertation.
Through interviews with students and examiners, and analysis of documents from three educational institutions, Nørsett investigates how assessment functions in practice—and how it can be improved. The study reveals that the exam concert is not only a platform for demonstrating skills and learning outcomes, it is also a significant part of the learning process. Assessment can be a powerful tool for professional development, but it must be clear, relevant, and open to dialogue.
A central finding in the dissertation is that students and examiners often have differing perspectives on what is important in a vocal performance. While students emphasize expression and communication, examiners tend to focus on the balance between technique and musicality. This points to a need for assessment practices that more fully incorporate students’ experiences and reflections. The dissertation also shows that feedback is crucial for learning, yet the concept is often absent from the official documents that govern assessment practices. This reveals a gap between what happens in practice and what is outlined in formal guidelines.
Drawing on theories of sustainable assessment and learning, Nørsett contributes new insights into how assessment can be further developed in higher music education. The research is particularly relevant for popular vocal pedagogy and the field of popular music, highlighting the unrealized potential of the exam concert as a learning arena.
What to do as an online audience member
The disputation is open to the public. To follow the trial lecture and the public defence online, register on Zoom.
https://uiano.zoom.us/j/62371601414?pwd=9ot07rpt7TCiets3NXSZGIWkCYkWS8.1
We ask online audience members to join no earlier than 10 minutes in advance. After these times, you can leave and rejoin the meeting at any time.
Opponent ex auditorio:
Deadline for the public to pose questions is during the break between the two opponents.
Questions ex auditorio can be submitted to disputation chair Dean Marit Wergeland marit.wergeland@uia.no .