Degree Program Assessment Reports : View Reports

Unit: Theatre & Dance
Program: Theatre (MA)
Degree: Master's
Date: Thu Nov 19, 2020 - 9:03:44 pm

1) Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs)

1. Plan A: Student demonstrates in-depth knowledge in Western or Asian Theory/History

(6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives.)

2. Plan A: Student demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of chosen area of specialization of Theatre scholarship.

(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives.)

3. Plan A: Student demonstrates original research and thought by conducting an independent research project resulting in a written thesis.

(2. Demonstrate understanding of research methodology and techniques specific to one’s field of study., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 4. Critically analyze, synthesize, and utilize information and data related to one’s field of study., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives., 7. Interact professionally with others.)

4. Plan B: Student demonstrates good working knowledge in each of the five major areas of Drama and Theatre: Western Theory/History; Asian Theatre; Technical Theatre/Design; Acting/Directing; and Youth Theatre, with one of these areas forming an elective focus

(1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in one or more general subject areas related to, but not confined to, a specific area of interest., 3. Apply research methodology and/or scholarly inquiry techniques specific to one’s field of study., 5. Proficiently communicate and disseminate information in a manner relevant to the field and intended audience., 6. Conduct research or projects as a responsible and ethical professional, including consideration of and respect for other cultural perspectives.)

5. Plan B: Students can create and demonstrate informed and personal artistic choices in coursework and productions (i.e, design, directing, acting, etc.).

2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.

Department Website URL:

Student Handbook. URL, if available online:

Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online:

UHM Catalog. Page Number:

Course Syllabi. URL, if available online: Shared department Google file with all course syllabi and course laulima sites

Other: Laulima site "UHM Thea-Dance Students" which all students have access to, in " Theatre_MA_MFA_SLOs_2020_09_17" pdf file available in graduate student resources folder

3) Please review, add, replace, or delete the existing curriculum map.

Curriculum Map File(s) from 2020:

File (11/20/2020)

4) For your program, the percentage of courses that have course SLOs explicitly stated on the syllabus, a website, or other publicly available document is as follows. Please update as needed.

1-50%

51-80%

81-99%

100%

5) Does the program have learning achievement results for its program SLOs? (Example of achievement results: "80% of students met expectations on SLO 1.")(check one):

Yes, on some(1-50%) of the program SLOs

Yes, on most(51-99%) of the program SLOs

Yes, on all(100%) of the program SLOs

6) Did your program engage in any program learning assessment activities between November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020?

Yes

No (skip to question 17)

7) What best describes the program-level learning assessment activities that took place for the period November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020? (Check all that apply.)

Create/modify/discuss program learning assessment procedures (e.g., SLOs, curriculum map, mechanism to collect student work, rubric, survey)

Collect/evaluate student work/performance to determine SLO achievement

Collect/analyze student self-reports of SLO achievement via surveys, interviews, or focus groups

Use assessment results to make programmatic decisions (e.g., change course content or pedagogy, design new course, hiring)

Investigate other pressing issue related to student learning achievement for the program (explain in question 8)

Other:

8) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place since November 2018.

The graduate faculty met in October and November of 2019 to explore better ways of assessing student learning than the exam system that had been in place for more than 30 years. In December 2019, faculty decided that while MA plan A (Thesis) students will continue to will meet with their committee to orally defend the written thesis, the MA plan B students will make a public oral presentation in their final year, detailing the results of a research or creative project of their choosing. The MA Plan B examination systme has been abolished.

9) What types of evidence did the program use as part of the assessment activities checked in question 7? (Check all that apply.)

Artistic exhibition/performance

Assignment/exam/paper completed as part of regular coursework and used for program-level assessment

Capstone work product (e.g., written project or non-thesis paper)

Exam created by an external organization (e.g., professional association for licensure)

Exit exam created by the program

IRB approval of research

Oral performance (oral defense, oral presentation, conference presentation)

Portfolio of student work

Publication or grant proposal

Qualifying exam or comprehensive exam for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation (graduate level only)

Supervisor or employer evaluation of student performance outside the classroom (internship, clinical, practicum)

Thesis or dissertation used for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation

Alumni survey that contains self-reports of SLO achievement

Employer meetings/discussions/survey/interview of student SLO achievement

Interviews or focus groups that contain self-reports of SLO achievement

Student reflective writing assignment (essay, journal entry, self-assessment) on their SLO achievement.

Student surveys that contain self-reports of SLO achievement

Assessment-related such as assessment plan, SLOs, curriculum map, etc.

Program or course materials (syllabi, assignments, requirements, etc.)

Other 1: Observations of and feedback from faculty and recent/current. MA students

Other 2:

10) State the number of students (or persons) who submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.

The ten graduate theatre faculty discussed the recent trend in MA Plan B exams and the ineffectiveness of it as an assessment tool given its structure and recent learning trends focused on more collaborative and creative exploration within the discipline rather than memorization. Current MAs in the program (2) were orally surveyed, and ultimately a all concurred that a public oral presentation, rather than the current 4-question exam system, would better enable assessment of a studentʻs true knowledge in an area of concentration.

11) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected? (Check all that apply.)

Course instructor(s)

Faculty committee

Ad hoc faculty group

Department chairperson

Persons or organization outside the university

Faculty advisor

Advisors (in student support services)

Students (graduate or undergraduate)

Dean/Director

Other:

12) How did they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? (Check all that apply.)

Used a rubric or scoring guide

Scored exams/tests/quizzes

Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used)

Compiled survey results

Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, open-ended response data

External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., external organization administered and scored the nursing licensing exam)

Other:

13) Summarize the results from the evaluation, analysis, interpretation of evidence (checked in question 12). For example, report the percentage of students who achieved each SLO.

At the time of faculty discussion, only two MA Plan B students were enrolled in the program (both eventually changed to Plan A). Primarily faculty discussed the few MA Plan B graduates from recent years and the problems of the 4-question exam which 1) did not enable students to deeply engage in an area of interest 2) emphasized regurgigation of memorized information in 3 of the 4 "general area" topics, and 3) took a great deal of effort to prepare for outside of class curriculum. Current technology makes facts readily available; moving beyond the exam system and empowering students to define an area of focus and deliver a culmnating presentatoion on a topic of interest is a new path forward that will engage students in manner in which both in-depth research and public oommuncation skills will be enhanced.

14) What best describes how the program used the results? (Check all that apply.)

Assessment procedure changes (SLOs, curriculum map, rubrics, evidence collected, sampling, communications with faculty, etc.)

Course changes (course content, pedagogy, courses offered, new course, pre-requisites, requirements)

Personnel or resource allocation changes

Program policy changes (e.g., admissions requirements, student probation policies, common course evaluation form)

Students' out-of-course experience changes (advising, co-curricular experiences, program website, program handbook, brown-bag lunches, workshops)

Celebration of student success!

Results indicated no action needed because students met expectations

Use is pending (typical reasons: insufficient number of students in population, evidence not evaluated or interpreted yet, faculty discussions continue)

Other:

15) Please briefly describe how the program used its findings/results.

Unable to evaluate since no new MA Plan B students have completed the program since revisions implemented.

16) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries? This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, and great achievements regarding program assessment in this reporting period.

None

17) If the program did not engage in assessment activities, please justify.

N/A