Queensborough Community College Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015
1.
Department-sponsored services (fall and spring semesters combined)
Area of Service
Student Exhibition
Visiting lecturers
Equipment Loan Program for students
Full schedule of open lab hours in computer, ceramics, photography and sculpture labs
2.
Department-sponsored faculty/staff development activities
Type of Activity and Topic
Not applicable
New, revised, or deleted
Not applicable
Course number
Course title
Number Served
2500 of which 1700 were students and their families
60
100
500
Date Number Attending
Semester approved Comments
Program
A.A. in Visual and Performing Arts
Program change* Effective Date
(Semester and year) d Spring 2015
A.S. Degree in Digital Art and Design d
Certificate in Photography
*Key: (a)=initiated, (b)=closed, (c)=renamed, (d)=modified b
Fall 2014
Spring 2015
Comments approved by NYS DE approved by CUNY Board approved by CUNY Board
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Queensborough Community College Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015
Type (see menu below)
Personnel
Description of Change Reason for Change Date/Semester Evaluation of Change*
Personnel
Retired Faculty
Faculty resigned
It was time
Got a better offer elsewhere
Growing program
Spring 2015
Spring 2015
Will be replaced with new hire
Will be replaced with new hire
Facilities/space Acquired new Studio space C-
204
Fall 2014 Great!
Facilities/space Acquired new Student Gallery Growing program
Type of change
Personnel or organizational change
Facilities/space
Equipment
Other
Fall 2014 Wonderful!
MENU
Description
New hires, retirees, resignations, promotions, department name changes, etc.
Renovations or development of office space or new facilities (i.e., computer laboratories)
Acquisition of new or disposition of old equipment
Other changes affecting the department not included above and including interactions with other departments
1 . Departmental procedures for conducting assessment
The fundamental elements of standard 14 (assessment of student learning) of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education include: clearly articulated statements of expected student learning outcomes…at all levels (institution, degree/program, course) and for all programs that aim to foster student learning and development; a documented, organized, and sustained assessment process to evaluate and improve student learning; evidence that student learning assessment information is shared and discussed with appropriate constituents and is used to improve teaching and learning.
Describe below the department’s ongoing procedures for assessing student learning and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning. In your description, please explain how the department fulfills each of the Middle States fundamental elements above.
Three faculty members are currently overseeing assessment in the three areas of the department: Digital, Studio and Art
History. As part of their assessment procedures they continue to develop clearly articulated statements of expected student
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Queensborough Community College Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015 learning outcomes. Subsequent to developing their protocols and continuing to assess classes using this structure, they prepared a report of the results as well as offering their conclusions and recommendations.
The three have met regularly with Dean Corradetti and are working closely with him. They have reported on their work at every department meeting keeping the department apprised of their efforts and sharing with the department the tools and results they have developed.
This year we began course assessment in the three major areas of the department: Digital, Studio and Art History.
Courses assessed were
Art History: AR-310,
Studio Arts: AR-121, AR-148, AR-151, AR-461
DAD: AR-473
As a result of these assessments we have developed or modified both programs and courses.
2a . Departmental participation in self-study/program review during 2014-2015, if applicable Not applicable
2b. Program review follow-up (from 2013-14 to 2014-15) Not applicable
3a. Course assessment follow-up (from 2013-14 to 2014-15)
Course(s) assessed from previous year
ART 122
Three dimensional design intro to sculpture
Action plan from previous year Evaluation of Results
We will institute the following:
• Students will be given low intensity papers to write in class during critiques.
This will allow us to get feedback from everyone.
• Students will be quizzed regularly on use of terminology.
• Give students more complex prompts during critique
• Students will be given short low intensity quizzes using rulers.
• Students will be given short low intensity quizzes where students must
draw right angles according to specifications.
• Students will be use only a few materials during the semester
instead of using three or four different materials. In this way, students gain a
1.Student feedback indicated they needed more time for some projects.
2. Students understanding of terms
increased with quizzing.
• Excellent 14

Good: 16

Average 13

Fair 12

Poor: 2
3. Increased prompting resulted in better answers from students.
4.Students measuring improved.
• Excellent 17

Good: 23

Average 13
Follow-up
It is evident that short quizzes repeated regularly throughout the semester increase student retention. Students tend to think of the suggestions and examples more readily if they have been steadily reminded through examples and verbal descriptions
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Queensborough Community College
ART 230
Sculpture 2
AR311
History of Art I
Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015 thorough experience using the materials.
• A checklist of design principles has been prepared. The instructor will check off to see if these design principles have been used.
Additional emphasis needs to be placed on the nature of the structure of the head and it's planar development. Students must understand the architecture of the form and develop that architecture before they begin building individual shapes.
Additional emphasis needs to be placed on the techniques of clay modeling and surface development.
Most students are lacking in their capacity to verbally describe what it is they have done and wish to do. Students should have some modest capacity to do so. Additional focus will be placed in this area; concentration on terminology and the capacity to express aesthetic experiences.
In regards to student performance in the selected subcategories of the Student Learning

Fair 2

Poor: 2
5. Students ability to understand triangles and draw right angles increased markedly.
• Excellent 19


Average 11

Good: 20
Fair 5

Poor: 2
6. Students found their initial difficulty with foam disappeared as they used the materials more.
Using plaster became easier as they got used to the material in other projects.
• Excellent 25

Good: 15

Average 3

Fair 2

Poor: 2
7. The checklist revealed the literalness of the poorer students in applying design principles
TBD in the next cycle of this class’ assessment
The first Student Learning Outcome: “Students will be able to conduct and write a formal analysis
Reassess class
As has been noted in previous reports, in regards to student
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Queensborough Community College Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015
AR315
History of Modern Art
AR316
History of American Art
AR317
History of Photography
AR325
History of Graphic
Design
AR326
Asian Art
Outcomes, students need extra support in the areas of research in general. These specifically include identifying scholarly sources, critically evaluating and synthesizing information, and using the research to support a thesis. Students at Queensborough are of the Internet age where all information is literally available at their fingertips, and therefore students need more direction in understanding the importance of proper academic research, citation, and bibliographic reference. Faculty teaching Art
History courses in the Department of Art and
Design will be meeting in January to discuss these results further and to devise a plan to help students improve in these areas. For example, faculty could scaffold an additional research and citation assignment before the main research paper, or include examples of proper citation format specific to art historical sources as part of course assignments (students do receive a guide on citations from the library).
Art History faculty will also be discussing the effectiveness of the new Student Learning
Outcome rubric in efforts to further refine our assessment instrument. and evaluation of stylistic and historical contexts of works of art using art historical terminology” was subdivided into four distinct categories: conducts a descriptive formal analysis of the visual aspects of an art object, proper use of art historical terminology, describes the stylistic elements of works of art, and describes the historical and cultural contexts of works of art.
Under all of these subcategories, most students scored in the Excellent and Good categories illustrating that most students learned to complete a formal visual analysis while using proper art historical terminology and could define stylistic elements as well as the historical and cultural contexts of works of art. Future improvements could focus on guiding students to describe the stylistic elements of works of art. Under the second Student Learning Outcome: “Students will demonstrate a critical use of sources by evaluating and synthesizing research to support their thesis and analysis,” students performed less well in each of the three subcategories: student has identified scholarly resources, student critically evaluated and synthesized the research information into the text, and research supports thesis and analysis. Despite regular training on matters of research in these Art History courses, students still struggle in this area. performance in the selected subcategories of the Student
Learning Outcomes, students need extra support in the areas of research in general. These specifically include identifying scholarly sources, critically evaluating and synthesizing information, and using the research to support a thesis. Students at
Queensborough are of the Internet age where all information is literally available at their fingertips, and therefore students need more direction in understanding the importance of proper academic research, citation, and bibliographic reference. Based on faculty discussion of student outcomes, we have devised plans to help students improve in these areas. Faculty have implemented all of the following techniques: scaffolding an additional research and citation assignment before the main research paper, and include examples of proper citation format specific to art historical sources as part of course assignments
(students do receive a guide on citations from the library). The Art
History faculty has also implemented new Student Learning
Outcome rubrics for both exams and writing assignments in efforts to further refine our assessment instrument.
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Queensborough Community College Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015
Students in all sections of these art history courses performed reasonably well on the next Student
Learning Outcome: “Students will demonstrate analytical thinking through the written expression of historical facts and art historical concepts in order to derive meaning in works of art” which was divided into the categories: historical facts and art history concepts are used to present meaning in works of art, and analytical thinking is identifiable in the presentation of art historical facts and concepts. In demonstrating a command of factual knowledge, students at Queensborough have generally needed support in this area. In the final Outcome: “Students will demonstrate proper use of grammar, syntax, and spelling; logical compositional structure (intro body conclusion); and proper use of citations and bibliographic reference” students show a weakness in the area of proper citation and bibliographic reference while doing well in the two other areas of logical compositional structure and proper use of grammar, syntax, and spelling. The use of illustrations in research papers was not required across all courses.
3b. Course assessment: current year
Course(s) assessed (list individually)
ARTS 141
Intro to
Photography
Relevant General Educational
Outcomes
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
2. Use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to make informative decisions
1. Communicate Effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking
Relevant Curricular Outcomes
Students will demonstrate the ability to produce a properly exposed and developed roll of film, also demonstrating the proper operation of a 35mm manual camera. The film negatives will have proper exposure, have well defined light and dark areas, sharp focus and will be suitable for producing an 8x10 photographic print.
Student will consistently produce a 8x10 photographic print with full tonal ranges of white, blacks and greys, including proper contrast and focus.
Student is able to use appropriate terminology to describe technical, aesthetic and conceptual elements of photographic prints that make up their portfolio.
Evaluation of
Assessment
Results
* See comments below
Action plan
*See comments below
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Queensborough Community College Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015
10. Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Student is able to express his/her own artistic vision through technically proficient photographic prints that utilize symbolism and metaphor to express conceptual ideas with multiple layers of meaning that as been developed and discussed with the student throughout the semester.
*Based on the assessment results of the learning outcomes used, three technical and two conceptual, there are three areas of strength and two that have room for improvement.
Technically the students have a strong understanding of how to use a 35mm camera but need improvement in film development and darkroom management. Film development was not always correctly achieved i.e: not producing properly developed negatives, sometimes too lite or too dark or improper use of chemistry producing no negatives at all.
The darkroom was one area of technical ability where students struggled, often producing prints that did not achieve the correct contrast; either too grey without proper black and white tones, or lacking contrast in a full tonal range of greys. Mismanagement of darkroom chemistry resulted in improperly produced prints, either of incorrect contrast or stained prints from chemical contamination.
Conceptually the students excelled in portfolio presentation, discussion of their photographic work and overall progression over the semester. The students were able in a critique setting to describe their work in terms of technical, aesthetic and conceptual ideas.
The following recommendations will be implemented to address the areas identified as needing improvement:
Learning Outcome 2: Students will demonstrate the ability to produce a properly exposed and developed roll of film. The film negatives will have proper exposure and well defined light and dark areas, sharp focus and will be suitable for producing an 8x10 photographic print.
Recommendation: Students will be encouraged to practice more techniques inside and out of the classroom to improve their skill resulting in less mistakes and better film development. More dry runs can be practiced to prevent improper film development.
Learning Outcome 3: Student is able to consistently produce an 8x10 photographic print with full tonal ranges of white, blacks and greys, proper contrast and focus. This outcome is directly related to the use of the darkroom.
Recommendation: Students will be encouraged to attend the open labs, which are provided by the department during the semester to familiarize themselves with the darkroom environment. More practice in this environment will improve their ability to manage their new surroundings and achieve better prints. Use of the open labs will be monitored by the College Laboratory Technician through the use of attendance sheets and formal communications with the course instructors.
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Queensborough Community College Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015
AR311 History of
Art I
AR315 History of
Modern Art
AR316 History of
American Art
AR317 History of
Photography
AR325 History of
Graphic Design
AR326 Asian Art
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.
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study.
6. Differentiate and make informed decisions about issues based on multiple value systems.
8. Use historical or social sciences perspectives to examine formation of ideas, human behavior, social institutions, or social processes.
10. Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts.
1. In written work, discussion, and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of their respective discipline.
2. Students will form and defend fundamental value judgments about works of art within their major area of concentration.
3. In written work, discussion, and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of their respective discipline.
4. Students will be able to place works of art in historical and stylistic contexts and demonstrate appreciation of the cultural milieu in which they were created.
5. Examine different manifestations of cultural symbolism within a work of art in relation to geographic, historical and cultural contexts.
6. Recognize and discuss social, psychological, emotional, and aesthetic implications of works of art in our culture, as well as other cultures or times.
7. Use design principles, theories and practice, and art historical analysis to approach and apprehend the diversity of human culture and expression in theory and life.
Art history exams challenge students from multiple perspectives. They commonly require students to answer slide identification, multiple-choice, and short essay questions. In the departmental
Learning Outcomes, we break necessary skills down into three main categories for exam assessment evaluation:
1. Demonstrates command of factual historical knowledge pertinent to the meaning and execution of works of art
2. Demonstrates recognition of art historical terms and concepts and their respective meanings
3. Demonstrates analytical thinking through the written expression of historical facts and art historical concepts in order to derive meaning in works of art
In this semester’s AR 310 classes, the breakdown is as follows:
Category 1 (Demonstrates command of factual historical knowledge pertinent to the meaning and execution of works of art)

Excellent: 94

Good: 116

Fair: 107

Poor: 44
Students are prepared for all exams through rigorous in class lectures and classroom discussion of both course readings and PowerPoint presentations.
Students are strongly encourages to participate in classroom discussion in an effort to develop their oral and verbal argumentation skills. Some professors also post study guides for all exams on course Blackboard sites up to two weeks prior to each exam, as well as posting all
Powerpoint presentations given during the semester, so that students may begin studying weeks prior to an exam. Another tactic that has been deployed is the staging of three exams throughout the semester instead of the more traditional two. This allows students to study smaller, more manageable bodies of information and decreases the stakes of each particular exam significantly.
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Queensborough Community College Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015
Category 2(Demonstrates recognition of art historical terms and concepts and their respective meanings)

Excellent: 145

Good: 151
Category 3 (Demonstrates analytical thinking through the written expression of art historical concepts in order to derive meaning in works of art)

Excellent: 108

Good: 135

Fair: 138
 historical Fair: 168

Poor: 43
A majority of students generally recognize terms and concepts and can sufficiently express this understanding more fully in the longer essay questions. However, semester’s 310 classes indicate a large minority who have trouble mastering some of these basic skills. One area of special difficulty for many students, and this is characteristic in many art results from last history classes at QCC, is that students often have trouble memorizing titles, names, and dates for the slide identification portion of the exam, skills embodied in Category 1. Other categories show a higher percentage of student achievement in terms of the numbers appearing in the “excellent” and “good” areas.
However, there have been and continues to be some improvements in this area over the past few semesters. Actions and recommendations are discussed below.
Also, please note that overall numbers have due to the fact that more subcategories were measured in an effort to get a more detailed sense of student achievement on outcomes increased this semester
Other pedagogical practices that indirectly contribute to greater exam preparation used by professors in the department are ePortfolio, museum visits, oral presentations peer evaluation of writing assignments between student cohorts. Some also include High Impact practices such as SWIG, the Common
Read, Learning Communities, and
Writing Intensive in class, and sections, all of which require students to improve mastery over time (via mental
“scaffolding”) of the three major exam learning outcomes.
These actions have proven successful in improving areas of weakness, most notably those mentioned above, most notably the memorization of dates, titles, and names on slides. The current examination rubric, newly refined, will continue to be used as faculty continue to emphasize the value of factual historical knowledge as well as critical interpretive tools in understanding the meaning of works of art. The rubric will, of course, be subject to further refinement in the future based on demonstrated student outcomes.
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Queensborough Community College Year-end Report – Teaching Department Year: 2014- 2015
4.
Results of certification examinations, employer and alumni surveys, student surveys, advisory board recommendations (if applicable, please use the table below) Not applicable
5.
Other assessment activity (if applicable) Not applicable
1. Goals/objectives for 2014-2015
(Please indicate [Yes or No] if the objectives were part of the College’s Strategic Plan for 2014-2015.)
Departmental goals/objectives 2014/2015 Resulting action plan
Seek Possible Accreditation with NASAD
Strategic
Plan Y/N
Y
Evaluation of achievement
Ongoing
Continue Departmental-level Course Assessment Y
Continue to install digital projectors, screens and internet access in the remaining studio classrooms
Y
Ongoing
Ongoing
Continue to pursue NASAD Accreditation and evaluate and modify our programs and course offerings in light of our growing program and Art and
Design and their potential consistency with NASAD accreditation standards
Continue Departmental-level Course Assessment
Continued installation of digital projectors, screens and internet access in the remaining studio classrooms
2. Goals/objectives for 2015-2016
(Explain how these goals/objectives align with the College’s goals and Strategic Plan for 2015-2016)
Departmental goals/objectives 2015-2016
Continue to Seek Possible Accreditation with NASAD
Mission/Strategic Plan
Y
Planned method of evaluation
N/A
Hire new, full-time Art Studio Professor/ Digital/studio and Art
History Professors
Y Annual, peer and student review
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