Download Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre and Dance

Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
How do we know what or if students are
learning by their participation in department
produced dance concerts or theatre
productions????????
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
ASSESSMENT!!!!!
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• What questions do we need to ask in order to
yield useful information about student
learning?
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• Align assessment with accreditation standards
(implicitly and explicitly)
• Align assessment with university, department,
and program goals
• Align assessment with student learning
outcomes in the performance courses.
• This is “vertical” alignment.
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• University Level Competencies
– Competency 1: Winthrop graduates think
critically and solve problems.
– Competency 2: Winthrop graduates are
personally and socially responsible.
– Competency 3: Winthrop graduates understand
the interconnected nature of the world and the
time in which they live.
– Competency 4: Winthrop graduates
communicate effectively.
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• Theatre and Dance Mission Statement
• The mission of Winthrop University’s Department of Theatre
and Dance is to foster individual students' aesthetic,
intellectual, and creative development within the context of a
liberal arts education as they pursue a Bachelor of Arts in
Theatre or in Dance. Through class instruction, private
coaching, mentoring, and performance, the department
advocates both theoretical and creative explorations to
achieve an understanding of the social, political, historical,
and technological aspects of theatre and dance. We strive to
afford opportunities for students to develop a significant level
of competency in one emphasis in theatre (performance,
design/technical, K-12 teacher certification) or in dance
(performance, K-12 teacher certification).
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
Dance Program Goals
• To provide opportunities for students to develop a significant level of competency
in one of two aspects of the dance field—performance or K-12 teacher
certification.
• To provide appropriate preparation in history, theory, pedagogy, and technique as
a foundation for professional careers or advanced study in dance.
• To educate students about the value and creative power of collaboration in all
artistic endeavors.
• To nurture artistic leadership in students through opportunities to choreograph,
design, stage manage, and participate in internships and professional
organizations.
• To enable students to develop a variety of skills as performers and technicians that
will allow them to participate in the creation of quality performances in a variety
of venues.
• To prepare students for successful careers as educational leaders in public and
private K-12 education.
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
Dance Student Learning Outcomes
• Students should attain competency of at least intermediate level in the respective required
technique series in the B.A. Dance degree curriculum.
• Students should integrate dance technique in ways that facilitate performance in a variety of
dance styles.
• Students should demonstrate openness to new ideas, new ways of working and new ways of
moving and respond to these opportunities in accordance with this value.
• Students should demonstrate the ability both to understand the craft of choreography and to
experience the choreographic process as the creator of a dance work.
• Students should view dance from a cultural-historical perspective that recognizes the
multiple forces that impact the art form.
• Students should demonstrate knowledge of the science of dance movement and apply that
knowledge to foster longevity of the dancer
• Students should demonstrate effective strategies for entry-level dance teaching in selected
dance forms/styles.
• Students should demonstrate performance skills commensurate with personal technical
ability and appropriate to a particular choreographic work.
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
Theatre Program Goals
• To provide a developmentally sequenced curriculum of studio and theory
courses that exposes students to a breadth of skills, knowledge, and
critical thinking about the creative processes of theatre and the nature of
the theatrical event.
• To develop basic knowledge of the major authors, periods, movements,
ideas, and trends in drama and theatre.
• To nurture artistic leadership and understanding of production processes
through opportunities to perform, direct, teach, design, and stage
manage.
• To promote collaborative experiences that develop students’
communication skills, appreciation of diversity, and flexibility in all artistic
and interdisciplinary endeavors.
• To develop advanced competence in one or more theatre specializations
(performance, design/technical, musical theatre, K-12 certification).
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
Theatre Student Learning Outcomes
• Students should demonstrate a fundamental understanding
of and appreciation for the creative processes of theatre,
the socio-historical contexts and the nature of the
theatrical event.
• Students will achieve basic skills in performance and
production.
• Students should demonstrate a sense of commitment and a
positive attitude that will foster the creative process.
• (Certification Emphasis): The student will be an effective
decision maker in directing the education of students.
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• After students complete a performance in a
production, they fill out a reflective selfevaluation (indirect assessment).
– Completion is required to earn credit for the
performance
– The prompts were designed to generate data
about the level of achievement students are
attaining towards the above goals and student
learning outcomes.
– See handout #1
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
Prompts on the student self-reflection essay
1. How did you meet any challenges you
encountered in this practicum? What lessons did
you learn from this process?
2. What three insights did you gain about artistic
leadership by completing this role, task or job?
3. What three things did you learn about
collaboration in the performing arts by
completing this role, task or job?
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
Prompts on the student self-reflection essay
4. How do you feel that you improved your knowledge
of dance and/or theatre by completing this
practicum?
5. If you were to complete a second practicum in this
role, task or job, what would you do differently?
6. Was there anything that you now feel you should
have known about this role, task or job before you
attempted to complete a practicum in it?
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
Prompts on the student self-reflection essay
4. 7. Describe at least three things you learned about
yourself as you worked on this practicum?
8. How has your work on this practicum affected your
career goals?
See handout #2 for selection of student comments on
the self-evaluation.
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• Indirect Assessment--The department invites
graduating seniors to complete an online exit
survey
– The survey collects data about students’
perception of their achievement towards program
goals and student learning outcomes.
– See handout #3
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• Selected prompts from the exit survey
– Do you feel you had adequate opportunities to
work in the following situations?
•
•
•
•
•
Performer
choreographer/director
Designer
stage manager
running crew
– (where collaboration, leadership, problem-solving,
gaining competency in skills all occur)
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• The exit survey also prompts students about
careers
– They discuss their career ambitions when they
entered and when they exited the program.
– They discuss the guidance they received from
faculty members about careers.
– They discuss the learning experiences that gave
them preparation for their chosen careers.
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• The exit survey prompts students to discuss
their growth in specific areas included in the
mission statement:
– Individual growth
– Achieving competency in one area of dance or
theatre
– Attaining breadth of learning
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• Starting in 2012, the exit survey prompts
students to discuss their achievement towards
the four ULCs
– “Please describe briefly one experience you had in
your major that helped you . . .”
– See handout #4 for selection of student responses
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• Other indirect assessments
– Post-show discussions
• Faculty members, student performers, designers, stage
managers, etc. , facilitated by a faculty member.
• Serves as a forum for students to articulate their thoughts
about the learning experience
• Minutes are recorded.
– Artistic staff post-mortem
• Faculty members and students on artistic team only
• Forum for reflection on the production process to solve
problems and improve student learning
• Minutes are recorded.
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• Direct Assessments
– Course syllabi show course goals and student
learning outcomes (SLOs) that align with program,
department and university goals.
– Assignments, requirements, responsibilities call
for students to demonstrate achievement towards
above goals
– Examples follow…..
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• THRA 470: Advanced Practicum—students who are
directing full-length dramas enroll in this course
• THRT 395: Special Topics—students who are stage
managers and designers for the above productions
enroll in this course
• Color-coding shows how specific requirements and
assignments in the courses align with course goals
and student learning outcomes
• See handouts #5 and #6
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• DANA 444: Dance Performance Practicum—
students who perform in facultychoreographed works enroll in this course.
• DANA 201: Choreography I—dance majors
enroll in this course
• See handouts #7 and #8
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• Personnel in the Department use this data:
– In the Winthrop OARS system (for SACS)
– In self-studies for NAST
– In self-studies for NASD
– In recertifying Winthrop courses for general
education status
– In recruiting materials
– In Winthrop annual reports
Assessing Student Learning Achieved in Theatre
and Dance Performance Experiences
• We can share this PPT presentation and all
handouts digitally.
• Contact:
– Meg Schriffen [email protected]
– Andrew Vorder Bruegge [email protected]
• We’ll be glad to share.