Assessment of learning Objectives - MU140 Twentieth Century Music
Fall 2012
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
Learning Outcome 1 - Identify music of the 20th Century by composer, date, title and style
Learning Outcome 2 - Define and identify the musical characteristics of key movements and musical works of the 20th
Century
Learning Outcome 3 - Define and identify the historical events that shaped the development of 20th Century music
Learning Outcome 4 - Write about the music of the 20th Century using appropriate terminology
MU140 Twentieth Century Music, Fall 2012
Page 1
Gen Ed. Obj.
Outcome
desired
L.O. 4: Write
about the music
of the 20th
Century using
appropriate
terminology
Outcome
desired
Outcome
desired
L.O. 1: Identify
music of the 20th
Century by
composer, date,
title and style
NA
NA
NA
NA
4. Use information management and
technology skills effectively for
academic research and lifelong learning
NA
NA
NA
NA
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their
program of study
L.O. 1: Identify
music of the 20th
Century by
composer, date,
title and style
L.O. 2: Define
and identify the
musical
characteristics of
key movements
and musical
works of the 20th
Century
L.O. 3: Define
and identify the
historical events
that shaped the
development of
20th Century
music
L.O. 4: Write
about the music
of the 20th
Century using
appropriate
terminology
1. Communicate effectively through
reading, writing, listening and speaking
2. Use analytical reasoning to identify
issues or problems and evaluate
evidence in order to make informed
decisions
3. Reason quantitatively and
mathematically as required in their fields
of interest and in everyday life
MU140 Twentieth Century Music, Fall 2012
Outcome
desired
L.O. 1: Identify
music of the 20th
Century by
composer, date,
title and style
Page 2
6. Differentiate and make informed
decisions about issues based on
multiple value systems
7. Work collaboratively in diverse
groups directed at accomplishing
learning objectives
8. Use historical or social sciences
perspectives to examine formation of
ideas, human behavior, social
institutions, or social processes
9. Employ concepts and methods of the
natural and physical sciences to make
informed judgments
10. Apply aesthetic and intellectual
criteria in the evaluation or creation of
works in the humanities or the arts
MU140 Twentieth Century Music, Fall 2012
L.O. 4: Write
about the music
of the 20th
Century using
appropriate
terminology
L.O. 4: Write
about the music
of the 20th
Century using
appropriate
terminology
L.O. 2: Define
and identify the
musical
characteristics of
key movements
and musical
works of the 20th
Century
NA
L.O. 1: Identify
music of the 20th
Century by
composer, date,
title and style
L.O. 3: Define
and identify the
historical events
that shaped the
development of
20th Century
music
L.O. 4: Write
about the music
of the 20th
Century using
appropriate
terminology
L.O. 4: Write
about the music
of the 20th
Century using
appropriate
terminology
NA
NA
NA
L.O. 2: Define
and identify the
musical
characteristics of
key movements
and musical
works of the 20th
Century
L.O. 3: Define
and identify the
historical events
that shaped the
development of
20th Century
music
L.O. 4: Write
about the music
of the 20th
Century using
appropriate
terminology
Page 3
Describe the assessment activity and the ( student learning outcome(s) it addresses ) that occurred in your
course.
The students were allowed to prepare a sheet with the composers, titles and dates for 10 compositions. After having
matched the title of the work to the composer and the date, an excerpt of each composition was played and the student
was to identify the excerpt by title. Additionally, they were to select the best description of the work (described either by its
style, musical characteristics, or historical importance) from multiple choices. The activity addresses student learning
outcomes 1, 2 and 3.
List the data collection instrument (s) used for assessment1.
Scores were tabulated in 5 categories: matching composer, matching date, identification of the piece, identification of the
style/historical description, and the overall score. See Appendix A.
Provide an analysis (and summary) of the assessment results that were obtained.
Results:
72% correctly matched the composer with the piece. 22% had 2-3 errors in matching composer to piece. 6% had 5 or
more errors in matching composer to piece.
38% correctly matched the date with the piece. 22% had 1-2 errors in matching the date with the piece. 40% had 4 or
more errors matching the date with the piece.
28% correctly identified all of the excerpts. 33% had 2-3 errors in identifying the excerpts. 39% had 4 or more errors in
identifying the excerpts.
22% correctly identified the best description of the work. 17% had 1 error in identifying the best description of the work.
28% had 2-3 errors in identifying the best description of the work. 33% had 5 or more errors in identifying the best
description of the work.
Overall score breakdown:
1
Please use at least one direct assessment measure (selected from the list included with this email message), and any indirect measures you think are
appropriate.
MU140 Twentieth Century Music, Fall 2012
Page 4
28% were in the 90-100% range. 17% were in the 80-89% range. 17% were in the 70-79% range. 23% were in the 6069% range. 17% were below 60%.
Analyzing the data showed that the 40% who failed to match the dates were the same 40% who scored below 69%,
suggesting that more focus should be given to the importance of knowing when a composition was written (learning
outcome 1). Also, nine students performed better identifying the piece rather than identifying the style/historical content,
meaning that they could recognize the piece but not the context (learning outcomes 2-3), but this discrepancy was
minimal (most being a differential of 1). However, four students performed better identifying the style/historical content
rather than the piece and by a wider differential (most common 2-4) meaning they could identify musical characteristics of
the excerpt but didn’t know which piece they were listening to (they could not match learning outcomes 2-3 to learning
outcome 1).
Describe how the assessment results that were obtained affected (or did not affect) the student learning
outcomes you identified. As part of your discussion, describe any plans you have to address the areas where
students need to improve.
The results show that students have a difficult time accurately identifying specific music and linking it to the work’s
historical/stylistic significance with roughly only a quarter of the students being able to do so without error. I would like to
achieve higher rates of success by continuing to link the historical/stylistic content to the specific pieces and composers.
For example, errors such as identifying The Rite of Spring as a 12-tone composition should not happen if a student knows
that the Rite of Spring was composed prior to the invention of the 12-tone system, yet often these types of mistakes are
being made. I believe that focusing on the importance of dates can help. I will experiment by incorporating ‘time-line’
exercises into the class, where students must place key dates of important compositions and artistic movements into a
time line with the dates of important historical events.
MU140 Twentieth Century Music, Fall 2012
Page 5
Appendix A
Tabulated Results of the Scores
Composer
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
8
8
7
7
4
Date
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
9
8
8
8
6
4
3
2
2
0
2
Piece
10
10
10
10
10
8
3
6
8
7
6
6
3
8
5
5
9
7
Style/Historical
10
10
9
9
9
7
5
10
7
3
5
5
7
7
5
5
10
7
Overall score
40 (100%)
40 (100%)
39 (97.5%)
39 (97.5%)
39 (97.5%)
35 (87%)
28 (70%)
35 (87%)
33 (82.5%)
28 (70%)
29 (72.5%)
27 (67.5%)
24 (60%)
26 (65%)
20 (50%)
19 (47.5%)
26 (65%)
20 (50%)
Shaded portion shows the four students who identified the work’s style/historical importance better than identifying the
work itself.
MU140 Twentieth Century Music, Fall 2012
Page 6
Appendix B
Student Artifacts
MU140 Twentieth Century Music, Fall 2012
Page 7
QCC Music Department
MU 140 Twentieth-Century Music
Spring Semester 2012
THIS IS A WRITING INTENSIVE CLASS (WI)
Course Basics
§
§
§
§
§
§
3 Credits, no pre-requisites or co-requisites
Class time: Mondays 10:00am-12:50pm Room H-144
Instructor: Dr. Bjorn Berkhout
Contact information: Bberkhout@qcc.cuny.edu, office phone: 718 631 5399
Office hours: Mondays 2:00-3:00, Wednesday 10:00-12:00 room H-140
Materials needed: Blackboard, TIGER Email Account (all emails will come
through your TIGER account. Please check it regularly.)
Course Description
20th Century Music is the study of music literature and development of musical style and
thought from the turn of the century to the present, including jazz and electronic music.
General Education Objectives
1. Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking
2. Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in
order to make informed decisions
3. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
4. Differentiate and make informed decisions about issues based on multiple value
systems.
5. Work collaboratively in diverse groups directed at accomplishing learning
objectives
6. Use historical or social sciences perspectives to examine formation of ideas,
human behavior, social institutions, or social processes.
7. Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation of creation of works in
the humanities or the arts.
Course Objectives
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
· Identify music of the 20th Century by composer, date, title and style
· Define and identify the musical characteristics of key movements and musical
works of the 20th Century
· Define and identify the historical events that shaped the development of 20th
Century music
· Write about the music of the 20th Century using appropriate terminology
Writing Intensive
This class counts as a writing intensive class. For this class you are required to write 10
pages of graded materials that you have been given a chance to revise. These assignments
constitute 45% of your grade.
Grading
Students are not awarded grades, they earn them. Your grade is determined by points
earned on your written assignments (45%), on your quizzes and final (25%), and your
participation in class (30%)
Written Assignments (account for 45% of your grade)
WARNING: THIS IS A WI CLASS. EXPECT TO DUE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT
OF COLLEGE LEVEL WRITING IN THIS CLASS!
The requirements for a WI class states that each student must complete a minimum of 10
pages of writing using standard font with standard spacing (double) and margins.
This class makes use of both low and high stakes writing. Low stakes writing is
described under the participation portion of the grade.
High Stakes: two large papers are assigned during the semester. Every student is given a
chance to revise these papers after I have made comments provided the papers have been
turned in by the appropriate due dates. See the table named: ‘Schedule of written
Assignments with Quiz Dates’ to see when papers are assigned with due dates.
List of High Stake Written Assignments with Point Values:
§ Riot over the Rite (200 points)
§ Comparisons of 20th Century Music (250 points)
§ Each paper starts with a required ‘getting started’ assignment.
NOTE: All High Stake papers/assignments are to be emailed to the professor (use
Bberkhout@qcc.cuny.edu) in a standard word format by the due date (the due date is
taken to mean at the start of class on the day the paper/assignment is listed as ‘due’).
Once I receive an email with the paper as an attachment in a format that can be opened in
word I will notify you within a reasonable amount of time (do not expect an immediate
email conformation if you send a paper at midnight, for example).
Do not assume I received it unless you receive an email verifying that I did. If you have
any doubts at all about whether I received the assignment, bring a hard copy. If I do not
have either a readable word file in an email or a hard copy of the assignment by the due
date the assignment is considered late.
If I only have the hard copy you will be required to email the identical paper in a word
compatible form for correction.
Tests (account for 25% of your grade)
Quizzes
§ There will be two quizzes, each worth 50 points.
§ No quiz can be made up if missed for whatever reason.
§ However, the lowest quiz score will be dropped.
The Final
§ The final is comprehensive and is worth 200 points.
Participation (accounts for 30% of your grade)
§
20 points possible per class (15 weeks of class = 300 points)
§
A student will not receive any of the 20 participation points if absent for the day
regardless of the reasons.
§
Each class student will be given a Blue Book when they arrive. These books will
be collected at the end of the class. Do not take then with you when you leave or
you will be penalized participation points. They are used for reflections and to
evaluate the in-class activities done that day as well as your attendance. Such blue
book activities can affect the participation grade as well, both positively for welldone responses and negatively for inadequate or missing responses.
§
Deductions are given for any partial absence (including lateness or early
departure), disruption (cell phone use, talking), leaving the classroom, or any
other circumstances that affect the student’s participation.
§
Single occurrences of any of these infractions will result in lower point reductions
than frequent violations. Up to the full 20 points (depending on the severity or
frequency of the violations) can be deducted.
§
There is frequently in-class discussion. Student responses can also factor into
one’s participation grade.
§
The upper rows of seats in room 144 are separate from the rest and feel distant
and removed. You will be penalized points from the day’s participation grade for
sitting in that area.
§
At the end of the semester every student is given 40 ‘courtesy’ points back to your
participation grade, meaning you can have 40 points worth of deductions before
your grade is affected (the equivalent of two weeks). Do what you will with them.
They are intended to cover emergencies or other events (such as death in a
family). Any further reductions will come directly from the remaining 300
participation points. Any courtesy points that are left will be converted to ‘bonus’
points at the end of the semester when tabulating your participation grade.
Courtesy Points
Academic Integrity
WARNING: PLAGIARISM IS A SERIOUS OFFENSE. STUDENTS WHO
PLAGIARIZE CAN FAIL THIS CLASS AS A RESULT.
Here are two common types of plagiarism:
§
§
Copying something found on the web and submitting it as your own is a severe
form of plagiarism. It is easily detected by professors.
Taking portions of other people writing and either directly using it word for word
or simply modifying the sentences and words in a close imitation without properly
citing the original author as a source is also plagiarism.
Academic honesty is taken extremely seriously and is expected of all students. All
assignments must be the original work of the student. All questions and concerns
regarding ethical conduct should be brought to the course instructor. “It is the official
policy of the College that all acts or attempted acts that are violations of academic
integrity be reported to the Office of Student Affairs. At the faculty member’s discretion
and with the concurrence of the student or students involved, some cases, though reported
to the OSA may be resolved within the confines of the course and department. The
instructor has the authority to adjust the offender’s grades as deemed appropriate,
including assigning an F to the assignment or exercise or, in more serious cases, an F to
the student for the entire course.” From the QCC Academic Integrity Policy 2/14/2005.
Students with disabilities
As stated in the current college catalog, any student who needs specific accommodations
based upon the impact of a disability should register with the office of Services for
Students with Disabilities (SSD) to be eligible for accommodations which are determined
on an individual basis. The SSD office is located in the Science Building room S132 (718
631-6257)
Modifications to the Syllabus
The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus if circumstances warrant.
Students must be notified of any changes in a timely manner by the instructor.
Schedules
Schedule of Topics
We will cover the following topics through the 15 week semester:
Date
Date the Topic is Introduced
8/27
Overview and Tonal Music
9/3
Labor Day, No Class
9/10
20th Century Concert Music: Debussy
9/17
No Class
9/24
20th Century Concert Music: Stravinsky
10/1
20th Century Popular Styles: Ragtime and the Blues
20th Century Concert Music: Schoenberg
10/8
No Class
10/10
Wednesday class!
20th Century Popular Styles: Early Jazz, Gershwin and Tin Pan Alley
20th Century Concert Music: Schoenberg
WWI (1914-1918)
10/15
20th Century Popular Styles: The Jazz Age
20th Century Concert Music: 12 Tone System
10/22
20th Century Concert Music: Abstract Music (Serialism)
Weimar Republic/rise of the Nazis
10/29
Musical Censorship: Music of Nazi Germany
Russian Revolution/rise of Stalin
11/5
Musical Censorship: Music of Stalinist Russia
20th Century Concert Music: Copland
11/12
WWII (1939-1945)
20th Century Popular Music: the Emergence of Rock & Roll
11/19
20th Century Concert Music: Darmstadt
Indeterminism
11/26
The Cold War (1946-1991)
Music in the Eastern Block
Music Technology Part I
12/3
Music Technology Part II
Music in the Movies Part I
12/10
Minimalism
Music in the Movies Part II
Post 1980’s
TBD
Final, probably 12/17 from 10:00-12:00
Schedule of Written Assignments and Quiz Dates:
Week
8/27
9/3
9/10
9/17
9/24
Due Dates for Assignments
x
x
x
x
x
11/19
Quizzes and Assignments
x
No Class
x
No Class
‘Getting Started’ for Riot over the Rite
paper assigned
Paper No.1assigned: Riot over the Rite
No Class
Wednesday class!
x
Quiz 1
Paper No. 2 assigned:
Comparisons of 20th Century Music
‘Getting Started’ for Comparisons of 20th
Century Music assigned
x
Paper No. 3 assigned:
Letters from Russia
Quiz 2
11/26
Paper No. 4 assigned: 4’33”
First draft of Letters from Russia
due**
12/3
12/10
TBD
*
x
x
Final (probably 12/17)
10/1
10/8
10/10
10/15
10/22
10/29
11/5
11/12
x
x
Riot over the Rite due**
x
x
Comparisons of 20th Century
Music due**
Paper No. 4 due
Where do you have access to a computer?
How would you describe your writing skills
Write a sentence describing the following music example:
Questions for the class
What types of music did not exist at the beginning of the 20th century
Why didn’t the exist.
Prior to the discussion on Primitivism:
Discussion: what images come to your mind hearing this music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA4PpmmnlZQ
Start at 1:06
And this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gZbMOq_Ge8
start at 3:12
What important wars happened in the 20th century? (there are three main ones)
What other important events and inventions occurred in the 20th century?