Research Summary: Adaptive Digital Portfolio Assessment yields sustained equitable arts gains: a longitudinal randomized controlled trial with mixed-methods integration

A longitudinal randomized controlled trial in West Java, Indonesia, evaluated the Adaptive Digital Portfolio Assessment (ADPA) framework over 12 months. The study, involving 1,200 senior secondary students, demonstrated that the ADPA intervention group achieved significantly steeper growth trajectories in artistic competence, indicating a potential solution for assessment inequities in arts education, particularly in the Global South.

Why it matters

This research provides evidence for the effectiveness of an adaptive digital assessment framework in improving educational outcomes and equity in arts education within developing regions. Such findings are critical for informing policy and investment decisions regarding digital tools for learning and assessment on a broader scale, potentially influencing pedagogical approaches and resource allocation in education systems.

Key insights

• The Adaptive Digital Portfolio Assessment (ADPA) framework was designed to address assessment inequities in arts education.
• A 12-month longitudinal randomized controlled trial was conducted with 1,200 senior secondary students across 60 schools in West Java, Indonesia.
• The ADPA intervention group showed significantly steeper growth trajectories in artistic competence.
• The study utilized Latent Growth Curve Modeling, Mediation Analysis, and Moderated Mediation to track artistic competence and psychological pathways.
• Qualitative Reflexive Thematic Analysis (n=135) was integrated to provide mechanistic depth to the findings.
• The research was part of a broader national study across multiple Indonesian provinces.

Source

Frontiers in Education — https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1777033