Program: Theatre (MA, MFA)
Degree: Master's
Date: Tue Oct 13, 2009 - 3:33:14 pm
1) List your program's student learning outcomes (SLOs).
MA Theatre Plan A (thesis)
1. Student demonstrates in-depth knowledge in Western or Asian Theory/History.
2. Student demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of chosen area of specialization of Theatre scholarship.
3. Student demonstrates original research and thought by conducting an independent research project resulting in a written thesis.
MA Theatre Plan B
1. 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
2. Students can create and demonstrate informed and personal artistic choices in coursework and productions (i.e, design, directing, acting, etc.).
MFA Theatre
1. Student demonstrates the professional competence to function successfully in the artistic concentration of the degree track
2. Students can create and demonstrate informed and personal artistic choices in coursework and productions in the artistic concentration of the degree track
3. Student can demonstrate broad knowledge of the context and functioning of related theatrical artistic areas to that of the chosen artistic concentration.
4. Students demonstrate, through portfolio review, preparedness to enter and compete within the chosen degree track area, professionally and/or academically.
2) Where are your program's SLOs published?
Department Website URL: http://www.hawaii.edu/theatre/departmental/assessment/GradTheatreSLOs2009.pdf
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: Other: Other: 3) Upload your program's current curriculum map(s) as a PDF.
4) What percentage of courses have the course SLOs explicitly stated on the course syllabus, department website, or other publicly available document? (Check one)
0% 1-50%
51-80% 81-99% 100%5) State the SLO(s) that was Assessed, Targeted, or Studied
MA Plan A (thesis)
1. Student demonstrates in-depth knowledge in Western or Asian Theory/History.
2. Student demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of chosen area of specialization of Theatre scholarship.
MFA Theatre
4. Students demonstrate, through portfolio review, preparedness to enter and compete within the chosen degree track area, professionally and/or academically.
6) State the Assessment Question(s) and/or Goal(s) of Assessment Activity
MA: How well the student in question demonstrated achievement of the two MA (A) SLOs.
MFA: How well thesis work demonstrated the achievement of the targeted SLOs.
7) State the Type(s) of Evidence Gathered
MA
4-hour Comprehensive Exam including a question in the focus area, and a special question specially devised for the candidate which might relate to the thesis (if Plan A) or special interest within the focal area (for Plan B).
Oral Defense of the Comprehensive Exam with Advisor and 2 committee members.
Written Thesis (Plan A) is submitted to the Committee only, in the semester following the passing of the Comprehensives. It may be anywhere from 60 to 200 pages in length and is defended in a special Oral Exam with the committee only present with the candidate.
MFA
After forming a committee, student prepares a qualifying project in their area, which is evaluated by the committee.
Proposal for culminating creative project is evaluated by the committee.
After the creative project is implemented, the student prepares a written component. The project is then evaluated by the committee in an oral defense. In certain concentrations, such as directing, students involved in the production fill out confidential evaluations of the production process.
8) State How the Evidence was Interpreted, Evaluated, or Analyzed
MA
The student’s MA committee met for initial thesis proposal, for comprehensive question defense, and for two written thesis defense meetings.
MFA
MFA committee members. In several of the six MFA concentrations, the committee meets once a year with the student for a formal evaluation session of the previous year's work, for which the student hands in a written evaluation, which is then discussed with the committee. The next semesters' goals are designed based on the evaluation of the previous year. For all concentrations, at final thesis defense meeting with the student and committee, the student’s progress toward learning outcome #4 is assessed through portfolio review.
9) State How Many Pieces of Evidence Were Collected
MA Plan A: 1 student in 08-09
MA Plan B: 0 students in 08-09
MFA plan B: 12 students in 08-09
10) Summarize the Actual Results
For MA, student adequately demonstrated achievement of the learning outcomes.
To avoid redundancy, please see number 13 for a summary of results, conclusions, discoveries, and planned changes in the MFA degree resulting from information gathered through the assessment process.
11) Briefly Describe the Distribution and Discussion of Results
MA committee members discussed the results in private portion of final committee meeting.
MFA: After MFA committee meetings in Fall and Spring, area faculty (grouped by MFA concentration) consulted and recommended changes for the future, many of which have already been implemented, or are being worked on by the departmental curriculum committee.
12) Describe Conclusions and Discoveries
MA: A new policy of having the student take the comp exams much earlier in fall of second year seemed to enable the student to complete the written thesis more efficiently.
MFA: To avoid redundancy, please see number 13 for a summary of conclusions, discoveries, and planned changes in the MFA degree.
13) Use of Results/Program Modifications: State How the Program Used the Results --or-- Explain Planned Use of Results
Use of results is detailed below with reference to specific degree concentrations within the MFA.
Design:
Recent changes in response to assessment: Introduction to Computer-Aided Design for the Theatre has been made a 400 level class, THEA 448. Course modification for THEA 343 and THEA 640 now include “sound design and support” in the description. THEA 445: the addition of the word “intermediate” to the course description
Playwriting:
In MFA Playwriting we need a better way to match up directors with playwrights, perhaps a small seminar course in which pairings of this kind could be investigated. There is also need for a specific Graduate-level seminar in Playwriting, so that students do not need to repeat THEA 418.
Acting:
Because the acting sequence is able to be taken out of order and some classes skipped, it is still difficult to assess students sequentially (i.e. are they using skills from other classes). However, from comments made, it is clear that analysis of texts is important in acting classes. We have already implemented some kind of prompt book in most performance classes and we will continue and expand this kind of analysis.
Also acknowledged in the exit interviews was the approachability of the faculty. We will continue to maintain our willingness to assist students above and beyond any normal expectation.
We are working to make policies for certain assignments much more explicit (i.e. MFA final reflection papers)
THEA 322 (Method Acting) was offered this year after a hiatus--we will seek to offer this class much more often as it is a foundation for advanced undergraduate and well as beginning graduate actors. It is also our opinion that a more-thorough grounding in THEA 322 would assist our graduates in their preparation. We will also try to offer THEA 321(Auditions & Monologues) as often as possible as students recognize that the skills learned in that class are necessary for the professional world. From feedback from graduate students, we will continue to offer THEA 621 (Period Styles) each year as it is the main graduate level acting course.
We will also begin reviewing the MFA programs and how they can intersect. Acting faculty anticipate a much more collaborative effort between Western and Asian acting styles and how each style can affect the other in our curriculum. We also anticipate a closer collaboration with the Dance Unit and how those classes can be integrated into an acting curriculum. We are also seeking to offer THEA 321 for graduate credit or will propose a graduate level course to cover Auditioning and Monologues.
Asian Theatre
We plan to streamline the MFA Asian Acting and Directing evaluation and feedback meetings we hold with students every semester. We will create a written guideline on specifically what we want the students to include in their self-evaluation essays each year.
14) Reflect on the Assessment Process
MA
We are discussing various options for additional assessment techniques that could be implemented, such as a final rubric to be given to the students and his/her committee at final defense.
MFA
We are discussing various options for additional assessment techniques that could be implemented, such as a final rubric to be given to the students and his/her committee at final defense.
All concentration faculty continue to work on ways to improve the guidelines for final thesis presentations (portfolios).
15) Other Important Information
We have recently revised the SLOS for all grad degrees in Theatre, so no curriculum map is currently available.