Queensborough Community College
DEPARTMENT:
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Music
June 2013
YEAR: 2012-2013
A. DEPARTMENT SERVICES/ACTIVITIES REPORT IN 2012-13
1.
Department-sponsored services (fall and spring semesters combined)
Area of Service
OPEN RECORDING STUDIO HOURS.
The Music Department offers monitored access to its primary recording studio facility (HB 16), during hours when
no classes are scheduled in it. This room is open to students currently enrolled in one of the two studio
recording courses (MP 103 and MP 205), who need additional studio time for recording vocalists,
instrumentalists, and ensembles. The room is open approximately 30 hours each week, during the 15-week
duration of both Fall and Spring semesters. CLT support is provided to students who need assistance.
OPEN DIGITAL AUDIO LAB HOURS.
The Music Department offers monitored access to its primary digital audio computer teaching classroom (H 132)
and to one of its secondary digital audio computer classrooms (HB 26) during hours when no classes are
scheduled in them. The rooms are open to all students taking courses in the Department's MP2 curriculum.
The rooms are open approximately 35 hours each week, during the 15-week duration of both Fall and Spring
semesters. CLT support is provided to students who experience technical difficulties, or who need assistance
with log-in procedures.
TUTORING.
The Music Department offers tutoring services, provided by advanced music students, for all students enrolled
in MU 208, MU 209, MU 211, MU 241 and MU 312. Five student tutors provide approximately 20 hours
of available tutoring per week, during the 15-week duration of both Fall and Spring semesters. The hours are
spread out through the entire week, with hours available at some time during each day, Monday through Friday.
OPEN PIANO LAB PRACTICE ROOMS.
The Music Department offers monitored access to its piano keyboard classrooms (H 117, H 139 and HB 26) for
use by all students enrolled in the Department's Musicianship, Music Theory, and Piano classes. Students
provide their own headphones and can practice undisturbed and without disturbing others. These rooms are
open approximately 20 hours per week, during the 15-week duration of both Fall and Spring semesters. The
hours are spread out through the entire week, with hours available at some time during each day, Monday
through Friday.
SUPPORT OF MUSIC SOCIETY (QSA-SPONSORED MUSIC CLUB).
The Music Department offers support to the Music Society, which is an official student club sponsored by the
Queensborough Student Association. The Department provides a full-time faculty member (Dr. Steven Dahlke),
who serves as the club's advisor. The Department provides recording and performance equipment for Music
Society events throughout the year, and it provides CLT support where necessary. The Department provides for
the use of available classroom and rehearsal space during Club Hours, and the Society meets weekly in rooms H
Number Served
100
350
350
380
200
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
110 and HB 26. The Department's office staff provide clerical support when necessary.
Area of service (for example): a department-run learning laboratory (not laboratories for which students register as part of their courses), the reference desk or reserve area of the
Library, department tutoring program, etc. (Note: Do not report courses or laboratories for which students register.)
2.
Department-sponsored faculty/staff development activities
Type of Activity and Topic
Arturo O’Farrill, pianist, composer, Grammy winner, and his Latin Jazz trio
Performance and workshop for selected students
Department members organized
Student Convocation—a collection of student performances in mixed groups
Department members organized
Student Scholarship Recital—performances by winners of Music Scholarships in 20112012
Department members organized
Ensemble 365—a chamber group performing works by Janacek and Debussy
Department members organized and presented
Big Ben to Red Square: Contemporary Piano Duets from around the World
Department members organized and presented
Student Scholarship Recital and Convocation II—a collection of student performance in
mixed groups, including winners of Music Scholarships in 2011-2012
Department members organized
Music Production Showcase—a display of projects completed by Music Production
students in the MP2 program
Department members organized
Jazz Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble in Concert (2 groups)
Department members organized and presented
Queensborough Chorus, Queensborough Vocal Ensemble and Vocal Soloists in Concert—
annual holiday concert
Department members organized and presented
Queensborough Symphonic Band in Concert—annual holiday concert
Department members organized and presented
Collegium Musicum and Music Society members in Concert—a large number of student
groups (solos, duets, trios, etc.)
Date
Oct. 17,
2012
Number Attending
200
Oct. 24,
2012
Oct. 31,
2012
65
Nov. 7,
2012
Nov. 14,
2012
Nov. 21,
2012
65
Dec. 5,
2012
50
Dec. 5,
2012
Dec. 8,
2012
80
Dec. 8,
2012
Dec. 12,
2012
250
65
100
65
200
65
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Department members organized and presented
Student Convocation I—a collection of student performances in mixed groups
Department members organized
Music Faculty Recital—a performance of music for Violin and Piano
Department members organized and presented
Guest Speaker: Matthew Price, CAS—a sound designer/engineer who has worked on
numerous projects, including fims and TV series, such as The Sopranos—presented for our
Music Production students, for career advice, and for other interested parties
Department members organized
Gamelan Son of Lion—a Javanese gamelan ensemble that plays traditional and
contemporary music
Department members organized
Music Faculty Recital—a presentation of mixed chamber groups performing music from the
Baroque to the 21st century
Department members organized and presented
Music Faculty Recital—a presentation of mixed chamber groups performing music from the
19th to the 21st centuries
Department members organized and presented
Student Convocation II—a collection of student performances in mixed groups
Department members organized
Music Production Showcase—a display of projects completed by Music Production
students in the MP2 program
Department members organized
Rich Formidioni—Korg Product Specialist, Music Production Artist in Residence
“Synthesis, Sampling and Sound,” a lecture/demonstration/performance/interactive
workshop presented to our MP2 degree Music Production majors
Department members organized
Queensborough Chorus, Queensborough Vocal Ensemble and Vocal Soloists in Concert—
annual end-of-year concert
Department members organized and presented
Queensborough Symphonic Band in Concert—annual end-of-year concert
Department members organized and presented
Student Ensembles Concert: Collegium Musicum—a large number of student groups
June 2013
March
6, 2013
March
13, 2013
March
19, 2013
65
April
10, 2013
70
March
20, 2013
100
April
17, 2013
100
April
24, 2013
May 1,
2013
65
April
30, 2013
30
May 4,
2013
150
May 4,
2013
May 8,
200
100
25
50
65
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Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
(solos, duets, trios, etc.)
Department members organized and presented
Student Ensembles Concert: Jazz Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble
Department members organized and presented
June 2013
2013
May 15,
2013
70
Note: Faculty and staff development activities (grants, presentations, exhibitions, performances, publications, instructional improvement activities, laboratory development,
curriculum development, etc.)
INSTRUCTIONS:
For each activity, please indicate
1. whether department members organized the activities or gave presentations or both
2. the topic and type of activity and name of organizer/presenter, if applicable
3. the date (if not the exact date, indicate the month)
4. the number attending the event
B. COURSE CHANGES IN 2012-13
INSTRUCTIONS: For each course that changed, indicate:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
whether the course is new, revised, or deleted
the course number
the course title
the semester the change was approved at the Academic Senate
for revised courses, in the Comments section, describe the type of change(s)—i.e., course title, description, pre/corequisites, credits, hours, designation
New, revised, or
deleted
New
Deleted
Deleted
Course
number
MU 190,
191
MU 205
MU 210
Revised
MU 209
Course title
Special Topics in Music
Fundamentals of Music
Elementary Sight Reading and
Ear Training
Musicianship II
Semester
approved
Spring 2013
Comments
Spring 2013
Spring 2013
Spring 2013
Course curriculum now includes
course material from MU 210
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Revised
MU 209
Musicianship II
Spring 2013
Revised
MU 231
Jazz Theory I
Spring 2013
Revised
MU 211
Sight Reading and Ear Training I
Spring 2013
Revised
MU 212
Sight Reading and Ear Training II Spring 2013
Revised
MU 241
Music Theory and Keyboard
Harmony I
Spring 2013
Revised
MU 242
Music Theory and Keyboard
Harmony II
Spring 2013
Revised
MU 243
Music Theory and Keyboard
Harmony III
Spring 2013
Revised
MU 312
Class Instruction in Piano II
Spring 2013
June 2013
Possibility of co-requisite with
MU 208 is dropped; MU 208 is
now the prerequisite (or
satisfactory performance on the
Music Department placement
exam)
Course will now be offered as
needed, and it is recommended
to be taken concurrently with
MU 211
Prerequisite of MU 210 is
dropped, course is recommended
to be taken concurrently with
MU 241 and/or MU 231
Passing grade of C in MU 211 is
now required, course is
recommended to be taken
concurrently with MU 242
Prerequisite of MU 210 is
dropped, course is recommended
to be taken concurrently with
MU 211
Prerequisite of grade of C in MU
241, course is recommended to
be taken concurrently with MU
212
Prerequisite of grade of C in MU
242, corequisite of MU 213 or
MU 214 is dropped
Prerequisite for MU312: MU208 with a grade of C, or
satisfactory score on the Music
Placement Test.
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Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
June 2013
Revised
MU 313
Class Instruction in Piano III
Spring 2013
Prerequisite for MU313: MU
312, with a grade of C or
satisfactory score on the Music
Placement Test.
Revised
MU 314
Class Instruction in Piano IV
Spring 2013
Revised
MU 321,
322
Class Instruction in Voice, I and II Spring 2013
Revised
MU 411,
412, 413,
414
MU 451,
452, 453,
454
Pop Choir
Spring 2013
Instrumental and Vocal Ensemble
Spring 2013
Prerequisite for MU314: MU313
with a grade of C, or satisfactory
score on the Music Placement
Test.
Corequisites are removed,
prerequisite of MU 321 required
for MU 322
Name is now changed
(previously called Vocal
Ensemble)
Name is now changed
(previously called Collegium
Musicum)
Revised
C. PROGRAM CHANGES IN 2012-13
Program
Program change*
A.S. in Visual and
Performing Arts
SEE BELOW
Effective Date (Semester
and year)
Fall 2013
Comments
Revision created to conform
to Pathways
Voted on & passed at Academic
Senate, March 13, 2013 – Visual
& Performing Arts – A.S. –
Curricular Revision
*Key: (a)=initiated, (b)=closed, (c)=renamed, (d)=modified
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Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Queensborough Community College
June 2013
To:
From:
Credits
General Education
English Composition I, II (EN 101, 102)
Credits
6
General Education - Common Core
REQUIRED CORE: I. A. English Composition I, II (EN 101, 102)
6
Foreign Language and/or Liberal Arts and Sciences (at
least one FL course required)
6-8
REQUIRED CORE: I. B. Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning (Select one course from I.B)
3
Mathematics (MA-120, 301, 303, 321, 336, 440, or
441)
3-4
REQUIRED CORE: I. C. Life and Physical Sciences (Select one course from I.C)
3
Laboratory Science
4-5
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. A. World Cultures and Global Issues (Select one course from II.A)
3
Health Education (HE-101 or 102)
1-2
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. B. U.S. Experience in Its Diversity (Select one course from II.B)
3
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. C. Creative Expression (Select one course from II.C)
Advisory note: select from an area different from the concentration
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. D. Individual and Society (Select one course from II.D)
3
History (one course selected from HI-110, 111, or 112)
3
One course in Physical Education or Dance from the
3
PE-400, 500, or 600 series
1
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. E. Scientific World (Select one course from II.E)
3
Speech Communication (SP-211)
3
3
Art (AR- 300 series) or
Dance (PE-711) or
Music (MU- 100 series) or
Speech Communication and Theatre Arts (SP-471, 472,
or TH-111 (formerly SP-532)
(Student must complete in an area different from
concentration)
3
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. A, B, C, D or E. (Select one additional course from any one of the flexible
core categories) Advisory Note: select course from II.C, Creative Expression, in the
concentration discipline (e.g., AR-300 series or DAN-111 or MU-110 or 120 or TH-111)
Subtotal
*The credit range accounts for students who take a STEM variant in I.C.
Major
Social Sciences elective
3
Speech Communication (SP-211) (if not taken in the Common Core; otherwise, take a Foreign
Language course OR HI-110, 111, or 112 OR a Social Sciences course)
Health Education (HE-101 or HE-102)
33-38
One course in Physical Education or Dance from the PE-400 or 500 series or DAN-100 series
General Education Subtotal
Major
CONCENTRATION IN ART AND DESIGN, DANCE, MUSIC,
20-26
THEATRE ARTS, OR INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAM
Major elective: science laboratory (students who take a STEM variant in I.C. have met this
requirement)
CONCENTRATION IN ART & DESIGN, DANCE, MUSIC, THEATRE ARTS OR INTERDISCIPLINARY
PROGRAM
Subtotal
30-31*
3
1-2
1
0-1
21-23
26-30
Elective(s)
Free electives
1-2
Current Total and Subtotals
60
Elective(s)
Free electives
0-3
Current Total and Subtotals
60
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
To:
Credits
General Education - Common Core
REQUIRED CORE: I. A. English Composition I, II (EN 101, 102)
6
REQUIRED CORE: I. B. Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning (Select one course from I.B)
3
REQUIRED CORE: I. C. Life and Physical Sciences (Select one course from I.C)
3
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. A. World Cultures and Global Issues (Select one course from II.A)
3
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. B. U.S. Experience in Its Diversity (Select one course from II.B)
3
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. C. Creative Expression (Select one course from II.C)
Advisory note: select from an area different from the concentration
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. D. Individual and Society (Select one course from II.D)
3
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. E. Scientific World (Select one course from II.E)
3
FLEXIBLE CORE: II. A, B, C, D or E. (Select one additional course from any one of the flexible core categories) Advisory Note: select
course from II.C, Creative Expression, in the concentration discipline (e.g., AR-300 series or DAN-111 or MU-110 or 120 or TH-111)
Subtotal
*The credit range accounts for students who take a STEM variant in I.C.
Major
3
3
Speech Communication (SP-211) (if not taken in the Common Core; otherwise, take a Foreign Language course OR HI-110, 111, or 112
OR a Social Sciences course)
Health Education (HE-101 or HE-102)
One course in Physical Education or Dance from the PE-400 or 500 series or DAN-100 series
30-31*
3
1-2
1
Major elective: science laboratory (students who take a STEM variant in I.C. have met this requirement)
0-1
CONCENTRATION IN ART & DESIGN, DANCE, MUSIC, THEATRE ARTS OR INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAM
21-23
Subtotal
26-30
Elective(s)
Free electives
0-3
Current Total and Subtotals
60
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
D. DEPARTMENT CHANGES IN 2012-13
Type (see menu below)
Personnel
Personnel
Description of
Change
Resignation of Dr.
Melanie Sehman
Termination of CLT
Katherine Saung
Reason for Change
Date/Semester
Evaluation of Change*
Took new position
in Washington state
Not reappointed
Effective Fall 2013
NA
Effective Fall 2013
NA
*Please note that, if change has been too recent to evaluate, you may indicate NA.
MENU
Type of change
Personnel or organizational change
Facilities/space
Equipment
Other
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
E. DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT IN 2012-13
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.
Department conducted assessment in the following courses during the 2012-2013 academic year. All assessments
utilized QCC templates, which fulfill all of the Middle States fundamental elements listed above.
1. Clearly articulated statements of expected student learning outcomes at all levels (institution, degree/program,
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
course) and for all programs that aim to foster student learning and development. Music Department procedures: All
course syllabuses utilize the QCC Course Syllabus template and the QCC Course Outline template (found on the QCC
website, Assessment- -Academic Program Review--Templates and Guidelines), which insures that all Music courses
clearly spell out expected student learning outcomes within a class and within one of the two degree programs in the
Music Department.
2. A documented, organized, and sustained assessment process to evaluate and improve student learning. Music
Department procedures: The Department Chairperson makes assessment assignments for all full-time faculty. Fulltime faculty perform an assessment exercise in at least one course each semester (usually more than one). Faculty
coordinators have been created in different areas (e.g.,
Musicianship and Music Theory, Piano, Music Technology)
who draft assessment protocols to be used by all faculty (full-time and adjunct) in courses with multiple sections. In
addition, all faculty have access to the Assessment Handbook and all faculty have been given instruction in the use of
the Assessment website, found on the QCC homepage. Finally, subcommittees of Music Department faculty have
been formed to establish uniform expected student learning outcomes in all Music Department courses.
3. Evidence that student learning assessment information is shared and discussed with appropriate constituents and is
used to improve teaching and learning. Music Department procedures: One Music Department faculty meeting each
semester is devoted to assessment. At these meetings, faculty share their experiences with all stages of the assessment
process (from the development of rubrics to the interpretation of results). The Department Chairperson receives all
copies of assessment reports done by individual faculty members and reports summary results to all faculty at
department meetings. Finally, select faculty members participate in the VAPA faculty cohort for assessment (joining
colleagues in Art and Design, Speech Communication and Theater Arts, and Dance) and report their work and
experiences to their colleagues at faculty meetings. Finally, Music Department subcommittees will begin to develop
instructional materials, including information designed to assist all faculty in improving teaching and student learning,
which will be disseminated to all faculty.
Courses assessed in 2012-2013:
MU 110
MU 140
MU 141
MU 180
MU 208
MU 211
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
MU 212
MU 241
MU 242
MU 261
MU 313/314
MU 413
MU 423
MU 453
MU 473
MP 102
MP 101
MP 103
MP 205
MP 206
MP 207
MP 208
See Appendix.
2a.
Departmental participation in self-study/program review during 2012-2013, if applicable
Program(s) reviewed: (GIVE FULL TITLE, i.e., A.A.S. in Digital Art and Design)
External Agency or Reviewers: (GIVE NAME OF AGENCY OR NAME OF REVIEWER[S])
Date of site visit
Major conclusions of self-study
Major conclusions of external reviewers
Resulting action plan
2b.
Program review follow-up
Action item from program review
Timeline for completion
Accomplishments during current year
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Queensborough Community College
3.
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
Course assessment
Courses assessed
(list individually)
Relevant QCC
Educational Objectives
Relevant Curricular
Objectives (cite both
curriculum and objectives)
Evaluation of Assessment
Results
Action plan
See Appendix.
4.
Results of certification exams, employer and alumni surveys, student surveys, advisory board recommendations
(if applicable, please use the table below)
Data Source
Results
Action plan
Certification exams
Employer/alumni surveys, including
graduation and placement survey
Student surveys (current students)
Advisory Board recommendations
5.
Other assessment activity
F. DEPARTMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
1.
Goals/objectives for 2012-2013
(Please indicate [Yes or No] if the objectives were part of the College’s Strategic Plan for 2011-2012.)
Departmental goals/objectives 2011/2012
Create a Music Department Alumni
Organization
Strategic
Plan Y/N
N
Evaluation of achievement
Resulting action plan
While a formal organization has not
yet been established, the Department
has presented round table
discussions featuring Music
Department Alumni, who discuss
their post-QCC lives, and how QCC
Efforts will continue.
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Queensborough Community College
2.
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
Continue work to establish a greater number of
articulation agreements with CUNY partners.
Y
Develop new courses in Music Literature (MU
1-- series) to enhance and broaden WI
offerings and choices to the general QCC
student.
N
prepared them for it.
Not achieved, because of Pathways.
Now that Pathways is in place,
efforts will resume.
Achieved. MU 190, 191 was
created and passed at the Academic
Senate.
June 2013
Will be formulated as a
goal for next year, so as
to work within the new
structure of Pathways.
Course will be offered
in 2013-2014.
Goals/objectives for 2013-2014
(Explain how these goals/objectives align with the College’s goals and Strategic Plan for 2013-2014)
Departmental goals/objectives 2012-2013
Perform program review for the A.S. degree in Visual
and Performing Arts
Participate in the development of strategies for
assessment activities at the curriculum level.
Work to establish a greater number of articulation
agreements with CUNY partners—perhaps work
towards a dual-joint degree program in Music with
Queens College.
Mission/Strategic Plan
Part of Strategic Plan
Planned method of evaluation
Will work with our colleagues in the
Speech Communication and Theater
Arts; Art and Design; and Health,
Physical Education and Dance
departments to complete the Program
Review of the degree and its
concentrations.
Addresses need for work We will work with our colleagues in
on periodic review by
the Speech Communication and
Middle States.
Theater Arts; Art and Design; and
Health, Physical Education and Dance
departments on developing methods of
evaluation. We are hopeful for
leadership on this initiative from the
Office of Academic Affairs.
Pathways
The Department is hopeful that the
implementation of Pathways will allow
us to achieve these goals.
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Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
Appendix: Course Assessment
MP Courses (Music Production)
MP 101
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives


integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
use information management and technology skills effectively for academic research and lifelong learning
Relevant Curricular Objectives

In praxis, students will demonstrate progressive development and competency in the technical skills requisite for artistic selfexpression
Evaluation of Assessment Results
I was pleased with the overall improvement in student performance of the first three steps from the last time I performed this exercise.
I was disappointed in the lack of improvement in their ability to implement a side-chain effect. I have modified my approach to teaching
this since the last time I performed this assessment, and expected better results. There was some improvement however: more students
understood the concept that a side-chain effect needed to be separate from the original track than in the previous assessment; however, less
than half of these were able to complete the connection with an auxiliary send.
I added the virtual instrument integration to this exercise, since I did not assess this last time. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised at how
well the students were able to complete this part of the exercise, since it is rather complex, though I was surprised that many who were
able to implement it were unable to properly utilize it.
Overall, the assignment and the assessment were successful, with the exception of the implementation of a side chain effect.
Action plan
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
I still need to change something in the fundamental approach to teaching side-chain effects. Perhaps a completely separate learning
module needs to be created for this topic, and I need to integrate this concept earlier, and more fully into the initial lab exercises so that
students receive greater exposure and more practice.
MP 102
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives


integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives


Students will integrate theoretical knowledge and performance skills in the creation and performance of collaborative and
individual projects.
Employing creative abstraction, metaphor and imagination, students will create art which clearly articulates their evolving artistic
vision, and satisfies their drive toward expression.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
The majority of the students learned to use and arrange a 12-bar blues progression, successfully, adapting it to their individual stylistic
and creative goals, despite the fact that none of them had ever done this before.
The assignment and the assessment process worked well, both to help the students learn as well as to show what they learned. Especially
since most of the students had never approached writing a piece in this way, I feel that the exercise was quite successful in teaching the
use of a specified song form and basic orchestration techniques in the context of arranging a common popular music form.
Action plan
While the students were successful overall, many showed that they had not yet mastered this approach to composition and arranging. I
believe that some common aesthetic “mistakes” could be corrected if a bit more time were spent on mastering the use of building triads
and utilizing simpler chord progressions first, before moving on to the 12-bar Blues form.
MP 102 (second section)
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
(1.) Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening, and speaking
(4.) Use information management and technology skills effectively for academic research and lifelong learning
(5.) Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
(10.) Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives
Objective B: Students will demonstrate a progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation,
interpretation, and execution within their discipline
Objective C: In written work, discussion and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of their respective discipline
Objective E: In discussion and written assignments, students will observe, analyze and critique performances of performing artists
utilizing appropriate jargon.
Objective G: Students will integrate personal observation and objective criticism in the evolution of their artistic work.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
The results show that students come into the Music Production program not completely understanding the art of listening to a song in
detail. Before students come to the class, they are still listening to music as a consumer, not a future recording engineer, producer, or artist.
The assignment gave the student an opportunity to re-discover the song of their choice and fully realize the inner workings of its
production and songwriting.
This assignment worked very well for the students who completed it. The three students who re-submitted the assignment, did so with new
observation notes and a better detailed timeline analysis using terminology taught in class. In addition to learning about song structure, the
students began to hear familiar production techniques such as use of orchestral strings during sections of songs that deal with love in the
lyrics. This assignment also provides a skill set for classes that follow in the curriculum such as MP205 – Recording Studio Techniques
and MP204 - Sound Design. The emphasis is strictly placed on listening, developing a good ear, and examining the art of music
production.
Action plan
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
The assignment shows how students in this major have untrained ears for sophisticated music production. Using a timeline to show how
music travels from start to finish has been very effective in the class. This assignment is also a part of the final original composition
project at the end of the semester. The only change or addition I have begun to include is to require that the students use colored
highlighter marker to indicate repeated sections and new events for an easier graphical study.
MP 103
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives
5.
integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
Relevant Curricular Objectives
2.
demonstrate skill and proficiency in the use of industrial quality analog and digital hardware and software in the field of music
production.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
On average, students have demonstrated a minimum acceptable understanding of signal flow, the mixer and signal processor functionality.
Students appear to demonstrate this competency slightly better in the application of the tasks than they do when giving verbal solutions to
the related tasks. The results show a close correlation between what students were supposed to have learned and what they actually did
learn.
Action plan
None
MP 204
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives
(1.) Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening, and speaking
(4.) Use information management and technology skills effectively for academic research and lifelong learning
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(5.) Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
(10.) Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives
Objective B: Students will demonstrate a progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation,
interpretation, and execution within their discipline
Objective C: In written work, discussion and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of their respective discipline
Objective E: In discussion and written assignments, students will observe, analyze and critique performances of performing artists
utilizing appropriate jargon.
Objective G: Students will integrate personal observation and objective criticism in the evolution of their artistic work.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
The results show that students in the Music Production program do not understand the skills to create original sound sources and design
them for the needs of the film, television, video game industry. Students come to the class with concept that synthesizer presets, samples,
and other sound design principles are created by engineers, not a future recording engineer, producer, or artist. The assignment gave the
student an opportunity to create customized sounds for the industry of their choice in the form of a CD “demo reel” showcasing their
individual skillsets for future employment consideration. Some students chose to create sounds for video games, movies, and radio; while
others chose to make sounds for synthesizer manufactures and software developers.
The assignment was very challenging for the students. All the students completed the assignment using the lessons and techniques taught
in class, in addition to a basic lesson in job submissions criteria. In addition to creating the demo reel, the students began to understand the
importance of “professional presentation” of their work to potential employers. This assignment also compliments a skill set for classes in
the curriculum such as MU290 –The Business of Music and MP206 – Virtual Instruments. The entire class is based on understanding the
creation of unique tonal soundscapes for traditional use in the industry.
Action plan
The assignment shows the unfamiliarity students have with the concepts and building blocks of synthesis, sampling, and sound design.
Using Reaktor 5 software for synthesis and sound design creation was the missing link as it provided the structure to build sound
generators from start to finish inside the computer. This assignment was the final project the end of the semester. The only change or
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addition I have begun to include is to bring outside professionals in the industry and in job training to critique the demo reels presented for
consideration.
MP 205
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives
5.
integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
Relevant Curricular Objectives
2.
demonstrate skill and proficiency in the use of industrial quality analog and digital hardware and software in the field of music
production.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
On average, students have demonstrated the minimum acceptable competency in configuring cue and monitoring systems within the Pro
Tools hard-disk recording platform. Students appear to demonstrate this competency slightly better in the application of the tasks than
they do in answering the multiple choice questions about the same tasks. The results show a close correlation between what students were
supposed to have learned and what they actually did learn.
Action plan
None
MP 206
Relevant QCC Educational 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
(5.) integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
(7.) work collaboratively in diverse groups directed at accomplishing learning objectives.
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(10.) apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives
Objective A: Demonstrate comprehension of analog and digital music technologies
Objective B: Create and construct musical compositions using analog and digital music technologies.
Objective D: Demonstrate awareness of and competence with studio environment and protocols:
Evaluation of Assessment Results
This assignment showed a lower than anticipated correct response rate for section one, and an anticipated expected correct response rate
for section two. The data show that the students demonstrated inconsistency with their familiarity with applied knowledge of virtual
instrument families. Sampled and physical modeling virtual instruments received slightly better than average recognition by the
respondents. Subtractive synthesis received the fewest correct responses.
The interpretation of this data seems to suggest two significant issues with the methods of this class. The first is the listening environment
for the students is noisy and inadequate for detailed, concentrated listening. The assessment was conducted over the monitor speakers in
the front of the classroom. Some students expressed concerns about their ability to accurately hear the assessment samples.
The second, and perhaps more significant interpretation of this data are the disconnect the students experience when visual data are
removed from their listening experience. That is, the students now require a visual correlate to their listening experience in the form of
computer graphics to distinguish sounds.
The data indicates that that students participating in this assignment demonstrated adequate factual, conceptual knowledge. The students
demonstrated less than adequate procedural knowledge. The data appear to indicate that the students demonstrated difficulties in recalling
with accuracy better than chance, knowledge of less familiar instrument families.
The assignment and the assessment process were inefficient but enlightening. The students participated in the assignment without
hesitation or complaint. Further improvements in the process should include more frequency and diversity of choices with additional data
collection points.
Action plan
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The data appears to demonstrate the challenges faced by our students in hearing differences in categories of virtual instruments. These
difficulties relate to an inappropriate listening environment and the need for visual reinforcement of auditory stimuli. The student
displayed difficulties in recalling information from earlier in the term.
It is clear that more emphasis needs to be placed on listening exercises that allow the students to experience virtual instruments in context,
without distraction and without visual stimuli. Changes to the course of instruction will include more varied activities and assignments to
address these shortcomings.
MP 207
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives


Students will use quantitative skills and mathematical reasoning to solve problems
Students will integrate knowledge and skills in their major field and across disciplines
Relevant Curricular Objectives

In praxis, students will demonstrate progressive development and competency in the technical skills requisite for artistic selfexpression
Evaluation of Assessment Results
With regards to basic electronics and the relationship between speakers and amplifiers, most of the students seem to have grasped the
underlying concepts being presented, but have difficulty making correct calculations. The majority of students had difficulty with the
problem that dealt with inverse square law and needed increase in power necessary for a given speaker/SPL/distance.
The assignment and the assessment process were both (for the most part) successful. The majority of students were able to demonstrate
understanding and application of the concepts presented, with the exception of inverse square law and necessary gain to achieve a
specified SPL at a given distance. However, there was more error in calculation than I would have like to see, and some surprising
conceptual errors.
For instance, more than one student seemed to think that SPL would increase as the distance from the speaker increased, with no increase
in power supplied to the speaker. This is counter-intuitive even to a layperson. Perhaps the students did not quite understand the question,
or did not apply their knowledge and experience properly.
More students than expected had difficulty articulating the two philosophies of matching amplifiers to speakers based on peak and
program rating of the speaker.
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Action plan



More attention must be paid to applying the formulas and making accurate calculations.
More time and attention should be spent on inverse square law and the relationship between acoustic output and electronic power,
both in lecture and lab demonstrations.
In addition to these separate and somewhat isolated theoretical problems, I will design an exercise that will have students integrate
all of these concepts in the design of a single system. In this way, students will not only demonstrate their ability to apply these
concepts separately, but will demonstrate the ability to predict their effects on the whole system.
MP 208
Relevant QCC Educational 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
(5.) integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
(7.) work collaboratively in diverse groups directed at accomplishing learning objectives.
(10.) apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives
A. Demonstrate comprehension of analog and digital music technologies.
B. Create and construct musical compositions using analog and digital music technologies.
D. Demonstrate awareness of and competence with studio environment and protocols.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
This assignment showed a higher than anticipated correct response rate for section one, and an anticipated expected correct response rate
for section two. The data show that the students demonstrated inconsistency with their familiarity with applied knowledge of Pro Tools
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Plug-in Inserts. Sampled and physical modeling virtual instruments received slightly better than average recognition by the respondents.
Subtractive synthesis received the fewest correct responses.
Pro Tools Plug-in Inserts with the highest level of recognition were Reverb Plug-in, Delay Plug-in. Data for these plug-in showed > 75%
amongst respondents. This is an expected result as these concepts are readily identifiable and are present in many aspects of contemporary
music.
Most students could identify at least one instance of EQ Plug-in, Dynamic Processors Plug-in, Sound Field Plug-in and Distortion Plugins. Again, this is an expected result as these concepts are readily identifiable and are present in many aspects of contemporary music.
Many students ( > 60%) could not identify Modulation Plug-in, Harmonic Plug-ins. This is a troubling result. Many of these production
techniques are present in many aspects of contemporary music. Students should be able to identify these sonic alterations.
Pro Tools Plug-in Inserts Dither Plug-in, Pitch Shift Plug-in, Virtual Instrument Plug-ins, Effects Plug-in. and “Others” Plug-in were not
tested.
The interpretation of this data seems to suggest two significant issues with the methods of this class. The first is the listening environment
for the students is noisy and inadequate for detailed, concentrated listening. The assessment was conducted over the monitor speakers in
the front of the classroom. Some students expressed concerns about their ability to accurately hear the assessment samples.
The second, and perhaps more significant interpretation of this data are the disconnect the students experience when visual data are
removed from their listening experience. That is, the students now require a visual correlate to their listening experience in the form of
computer graphics to distinguish sounds.
The data indicates that that students participating in this assignment demonstrated adequate factual, conceptual knowledge. The students
demonstrated less than adequate procedural knowledge. The data appear to indicate that the students demonstrated difficulties in recalling
with accuracy better than chance, knowledge of less used Pro Tools Pug-in Inserts.
The assignment and the assessment process were inefficient but enlightening. The students participated in the assignment without
hesitation or complaint. Further improvements in the process should include more frequency and diversity of choices with additional data
collection points.
Action plan
The data appears to demonstrate the challenges faced by our students in hearing differences in categories of Pro Tools Pug-in Inserts..
These difficulties relate to an inappropriate listening environment and the need for visual reinforcement of auditory stimuli. The student
displayed difficulties in recalling information from earlier in the term.
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It is clear that more emphasis needs to be placed on listening Pro Tools Pug-in Inserts.in context, without distraction and without visual
stimuli. Changes to the course of instruction will include exercises that allow the students to experience more varied activities and
assignments to address these shortcomings.
MU Courses (Music History, Literacy, Education, Business, Class Instruction in Instruments/Voice, Performance)
MU 140
Relevant QCC Educational 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
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
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
Relevant Curricular Objectives
1. Identify music of the 20th Century by composer, date, title and style
2. Define and identify the musical characteristics of key movements and musical works of the 20th Century
3. Define and identify the historical events that shaped the development of 20th Century music
Evaluation of Assessment 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.
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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:
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 60-69% 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 (Curricular Objective 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 (Curricular Objectives 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 Curricular
Objectives 2-3 to Curricular Objective 1).
Action plan
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.
MU 141
Relevant QCC Educational 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
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(5.) integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
(10.) apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives
Objective B: Students will demonstrate a progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation,
interpretation and execution within their discipline.
Objective C: In written work, discussion and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of their respective
discipline.
Objective F: Students will be able to place works of art and/or major performances in historical and stylistic contexts and demonstrate
appreciation of the cultural milieu in which they were created.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
This assignment showed a slightly higher than expected correct response rate for section one, but a lower than expected correct response
rate for section two. It shows that students did better with a more general analysis and assessment of musical characteristics associated
with certain jazz stylistic periods than they were with their analysis and assessment of musical characteristics associated with specific
performers from these stylistic periods.
Apparently the assignment revealed that students were utilizing factual, conceptual and procedural knowledge adequately, but were having
difficulty evaluating this knowledge and making judgments in terms of their understanding of style characteristics associated with specific
performers in the development of the American jazz idiom.
Action plan
While it is clear to me that there is great value in requiring students to do the type of
focused listening I ask of them, and that there is great value in learning the historical and societal forces that work to shape this music, it is
also clear that I need to re-think and reformulate the assignment. It’s too soon to know for sure, but what occurs to me as of this writing is
that the assignment might be better meted out in smaller units, earlier and periodically during the semester. This Assessment has been
valuable in pointing out that students have difficulty in remembering and being tested on an entire semester’s worth of learning about the
stylistic characteristics of so many distinct eras/periods only at the end of the course, rather than on a regular periodic and cumulative
basis.
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MU 180
Relevant QCC Educational 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
4. Use information management and technology skills effectively for academic research and lifelong learning
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
10. Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives
Evaluation of Assessment Results
One hundred (100) percent of students’ groups were able to identify an appropriate informant for their fieldwork interviews, based on the
criteria developed.
One hundred (100) percent of the groups were able to compose interview questions that maintained a focus on their chosen topic, were
clear and easily understandable, and maintained a professional distance (“not too personal”).
Approximately fifteen (15) percent of the groups had some questions that failed to maintain the social dynamic of the informant as the
“expert” and the interviewer as the “student,” or were not professional in tone. These questions reflected the preconceived value
judgments of the students. These two issues were fairly isolated incidences.
Approximately forty-two (42) percent of the student groups had difficulty composing sufficiently open-ended questions. While many of
their questions were appropriate and useful as follow-up questions, the assignment was to specifically compose initial interview questions.
Action plan
Overall, the student groups were successful in meeting learning objectives 3, 4 and 5. The weakest area of work was in learning objective
4, applying methods of primary source research to ethnomusicological study. This is a challenge for
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students for many reasons, including social factors (finding, meeting and developing a professional relationship with an informant),
scheduling (making time to meet group members and informant for interviews).
In future classes, I plan to spend more time preparing students for fieldwork interviews by incorporating meaningful practice interviews
into the curriculum. Currently, I spend one class period (one week) on learning the basics of doing fieldwork, which includes reading,
watching/listening to professional ethnographies and doing a practice interview in class. Learning to do successful interviews takes
practice and in future classes, I plan to alter the practice interview assignment to reflect more accurately the “real world” situations that
students may encounter.
MU 208
Relevant QCC Educational 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. Reason quantitatively and mathematically as required in their fields of interest and in everyday life
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
Relevant Curricular Objectives
1. Construct and diagram from a given tonic any of the major scales using the pattern WWHWWWH
2. List the ‘order of sharps’ and the ‘order of flats’, and use these ‘orders’ to construct and identify the notes of the major scale from a
given tonic
3. Construct a chart showing all the tonics of the major scales, both sharps and flats that comprise the circle of fifths in their correct order
4. Use the circle of fifths to construct and identify the key signatures of all the major scales
9. Notate the above musical concepts on the staff in bass and treble clef
Evaluation of Assessment Results
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Here are the six areas of the rubric and the results for each:
Area 1: Accuracy of crucial information for the Circle of fifths chart/order of flats and sharps: 72% had 0 errors, 18% had 3 or less, 10%
had more than 3 errors
Area 2: Application of above information: 45% had no errors, 27% had 1 error, 10% 2-4 errors, and 18% had more than 5 errors
Area 3: Accuracy of major scale pattern: 90% accurate, 10% not accurate
Area 4: Accuracy of diagram: 70% clean and accurate, 10% accurate but not clean, 10% clean but not accurate, 10% neither accurate nor
clean
Area 5: Accuracy of written notation: 72% clean and accurate, 0% accurate, but not clean, 10%, clean, but not accurate, 18% neither
accurate nor clean
Area 6: Aesthetic quality of the notation: 27% high quality notation, 55% minor fixes needed, 18% major fixes needed
The data suggests that students who did well diagraming the scales (Curricular Objective 1, which is one of the first skills covered in
class) also did well in the other Curricular Objectives (2,3,5 and 9). Conversely, students who could not accurately diagram the scales
were the same students who had the highest amount of errors in terms of application and integration of the concepts (Curricular Objectives
2, 3 and 5). They were also the students who had the greatest problems with notation (Curricular Objective 9). In area 6, only 27% had
high quality notation. 55% had minor errors to fix, though often this was a small detail that was easily corrected. Many of the 18% needing
major fixes did not even attempt to notate the scales, though I cannot be sure if it is because they did not understand the concept, didn’t
attempt it because they thought the scales they constructed were ‘off’, or because they simply did not devote the time to do the activity
properly.
Action plan
Roughly two-thirds of the students were able to complete the exercise successfully and even showed a high aesthetic value to their work
(seen in the 27% and 55% respectively for Area 6: aesthetic quality of the notation). As noted above, the students capable of completing
Curricular Objective 1 had little or no issues with Curricular Objectives 2, 3, 5 and 9.
As a result of these findings, I will place even greater emphasis on the importance of Curricular Objective 1 (constructing and diagraming
scales, which emphasizes the spatial quality of scale construction over the rote memorization of notes used) since there is such a high
correlation between the accurate diagraming of scales and the other learning objectives. I would like to find activities that further increases
the aesthetic quality of the notation, which I also believe helps the students in both feeling proud about their work and helps organize their
thoughts. Examples of minor errors in notation that needed to be addressed included such things as accurately placed accidentals, but with
‘odd’ slants, irregular sizes, or extraneous use of ledger lines. I will provide more notation exercises that emphasize this type of detailed
work.
MU 212
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Relevant QCC Educational 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. Reason quantitatively and mathematically as required in their fields of interest and in everyday life
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
Relevant Curricular Objectives
1. Identify and dictate by ear the intervals, chords, melodies, rhythms and progressions found in tonal music and the music of the common
practice
Evaluation of Assessment Results
The first progression and its bass line was the easiest for students to identify and accurately indicate using the correct musical symbols
(figured bass), with 67% able to do so with an additional 8% able to identify but not accurately indicate it with the correct figured bass.
The second progression proved much more difficult with only 25% able to accurately identify and indicate it, though another 25% were
able to identify but did not accurately indicate it. 50% could not identify the second progression. 67% of the students also accurately
identified the soprano line with no errors while the harder to hear inner voices came in at 50% for the tenor and 42% for the alto. 58% of
students showed the presence of the seventh in the alto voice, but only 8% accurately indicated it in the figured bass.
Action plan
Four-part voice dictation is one of the most challenging and advanced ear training skills a music student is asked to do. It enables them to
hear how music works and should help them in their other music classes, which makes use of the same concepts as these progressions are
ubiquitous in western classical music.
The second progression (known as a cadential six-four) is clearly more challenging, as it is theoretically more complex and difficult to
indicate properly. 42% had errors in the second bass line that prevented comprehension, as opposed to the 83.5% who could hear and
comprehend the first bass line. Without hearing the bass line it became impossible to identify and indicate the cadential six-four
progression.
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I was generally pleased with the results and think focusing their hearing on the bass line and connecting it with the correct figured bass is a
successful strategy to follow. Next semester I would like to focus much more on having them recognize the bass pattern of the cadential
six-four by having the students practice singing the complete four voice cadential six-four pattern in small groups.
MU 241
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives




communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking
apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to make informed decisions
Relevant Curricular Objectives




Students will demonstrate a progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation,
interpretation, and execution within their discipline.
In written work, discussion and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of their respective discipline
Students will be able to place works and/or performances in historical and stylistic contexts and demonstrate appreciation of
the cultural milieu in which they were created
Students will form and defend fundamental value judgments about works of art within their major area of concentration
Evaluation of Assessment Results
The projected results of this planned assessment showed that 75% of the students created harmonized composition through the use of
knowledge and skills of music from Baroque and Classical periods with varying degrees of success. Some students created Jazz style
compositions as well as Gospel ones. Some students composed more difficult compositions than their performing skill thus the
performance result did not reflect the level of their compositional writing. A few, 5%, failed the project while 20% of them were confused
and struggled to complete partial work.
The performance and presentation result varied. The assessment included in-class verbal comment, peer review, written work and grade
for written work. The project of composition demonstrated students’ integration of theory and performance well. Students have gotten to
know better at their own instruments/voices through writing for them. They also practiced their project to hear the sound of their own
composition on their chosen voice/instrument.
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Overall, most students successfully applied procedural knowledge and were able to create their first composition in Baroque/Classical
music style.
Action plan




Assessment may be broken into 4 stages for offering different guidance.
1. Selection/creation of melody
2. Chosen of instrument/voice/ensemble
3. Harmonization
4. performance
Revision stages may be required for picking/writing the melody, submitting the partial work and then final product completion
before the last performance.
Steadfast check point may be established to avoid last minute crash work.
The practice for project performance may be reinforced. A few of them were not ready for an in-class performance which was
part of the grade.
MU 242
Relevant QCC Educational 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. Reason quantitatively and mathematically as required in their fields of interest and in everyday life
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
7. work collaboratively in diverse groups directed at accomplishing learning objectives.
10. Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives
Evaluation of Assessment Results
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The initial, mid-semester assessment showed extremely positive results. See Appendix B. 100% of students were able to compose a phrase
that contained a single, clear dominant harmony and displayed metric placement of chords that supported the second-level structure. Other
areas of strength included: writing a tonic expansion (91% of students were, able to write an exemplary tonic expansion); writing a phrase
that contains a single, clear structural pre-dominant harmony (82%); and composing a bass line that displays a balance of conjunct and
disjunct motion (82%).
Writing harmonies that follow a logical progression, according to common practice, was more challenging for students (73% exemplary,
27% developing). The most typical error in this area was using chords functionally incorrectly, usually in root position in the context of a
tonic expansion.
The area of greatest weakness was writing a roman numeral and figured bass analysis that accurately reflects the bass line written (64%
exemplary, 36% developing). This is a simple error of spelling, but one that should not be an issue at this level of study. If this is still an
area of weakness in the end-of-semester assessment, then it is an area that must be addressed in this and earlier courses in the sequence.
The end-of-semester assessment showed a decline in every area except writing a roman numeral and figured bass analysis that accurately
reflects the bass line written. By the end of the semester, all students were able to do this with great accuracy. A significant factor in
considering the end-of-semester assessment results is that the sample size was smaller (class of 11 for the mid-semester assessment; class
of 7 for the end-of-semester assessment).
An additional, albeit anecdotal, factor in the decline of students’ scores at the end of semester is the focus of class lectures and activities at
the time of assessment. When the mid-semester assessment was given, the focus of class lectures and activities was phrase writing –
composing tonic expansions, metric placement of structural harmonies, and functions of individual harmonies – the very skills required for
this assessment. Given at that time, the assessment therefore seems like a logical extension of what was being studied in class. The focus
of class lectures and activities at the time of the end-of-semester assessment was composing larger-scale forms: periods, binary forms,
ternary forms.
The most common error encountered in these assessments was students attempting to compose the required four measures as two phrases,
i.e. a period, rather than one (despite the instructions). Several students indicated this by including a second-level analysis (not required).
In addition, this second assessment was assigned as homework, whereas the first was completed in class. I believe that the dedicated time
in class spent on the first assessment assignment, in silence, sitting at a piano keyboard, and the opportunity to focus on this single task has
a significant impact of student performance. From speaking with students, they typically do not complete homework in this type of
environment.
Action plan
The initial assessment showed me that students are in fact able to utilize the skills and concepts studied in class, and can use improvement
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in attention to the details of writing: correct spelling of notes/ chords, roman numerals, figured bass, meter, and the standard protocols of
music writing such as bracketing grand staves, clefs, key signatures, etc.
The second assessment showed that students improved significantly in the weak area from the first assessment, but require additional
maintenance of skills that were previously strong.
I would hope that this assessment would be given again in fall semester, with a few changes, specifically addressing issues mentioned in
the analysis and summary (above). Maintaining the same circumstances for both assessments (either both completed in class, or both
assigned as outside homework) would be one way to eliminate variables. In addition, incorporating short skill/concept maintenance
“drills” at the beginning of each class period (5-10 minutes) would be a benefit to keep fundamental skills sharp.
MU 261
Relevant QCC Educational 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
(5.) integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
(10.) apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives
Objective B: Students will demonstrate a progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation,
interpretation, and execution within their discipline.
Objective C: In written work, discussion and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of their respective
discipline.
Objective F: Students will be able to place works of art and/or performances in historical and stylistic contexts and demonstrate
appreciation of the cultural milieu in which they were created.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
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Queensborough Community College
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This assignment showed an anticipated correct response rate for section one, but a higher-than- expected correct response rate for section
two. The data show that the students were doing better with more familiar musical instrument families of vocal and percussive musical
instruments than they were with their understanding and recognition of brass and woodwind instruments. The data indicates that that
students participating in this assignment demonstrated adequate factual, conceptual and procedural knowledge. The data appear to
indicate that the students demonstrated difficulties in recalling with accuracy better than chance, knowledge of less familiar instrument
families.
The assignment and the assessment process were efficient and enlightening. The students participated in the assignment without hesitation
or complaint. Further improvements in the process should include more frequency and diversity of choices with additional data collection
points
Action plan
The data appears to demonstrate the challenges faced by our students in recalling information from earlier in the term. There was a twelveweek gap in the lecture presentation to the assessment. It is of interest that the students had better recall of culturally congruent music.
It is clear that more emphasis needs to be placed on expanding the repertoire and vocabulary of the students with regard to brass and
woodwind instruments. Changes to the course of instruction will include more varied activities and assignments to address these
shortcomings.
MU 313/314
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives




use analytical reasoning to identify issues or problems and evaluate evidence in order to make informed decisions
reason quantitatively and mathematically as required in their fields of interest and in everyday life
employ concepts and methods of the natural and physical sciences to make informed judgments
apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives



Students will demonstrate progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation,
interpretation, and execution within their discipline.
In written work, discussion and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of their respective discipline.
Students will be able to place works and/or performances in historical and stylistic contexts and demonstrate appreciation of the
cultural milieu in which they were created.
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Queensborough Community College

Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
Students will form and defend fundamental value judgments about works of art within their major area of concentration.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
20 students from MP and FA major students were enrolled. 15 were in MU313 and 5 were in MU314. The ratio between FA and MP out
of the 20 was around 3:1. In general, FA students tend to have more training in piano and theory. However, MP students in the class
made tremendous progress in this class. 19 students completed this task and their performance was rated according to fluency, choices of
the chords, and choice of the accompaniment style.
The average of the score is 75 (based on 100 points) from MU313 and 85 from MU314. The choice of accompaniment style was 90%
simple chords with 5% single notes and 5% Rock&Roll style. The choices of chords was rated 70% while fluency is 85%. Majority of
them understood the concept and had spent time practicing. All of them played through with some chords. However, more practice of
inversions making fewer movements on the piano for fluency was required.
Action plan
Smaller class size may prompt more individual in-class time with each student due to the fact that the problems each student exhibited was
quite different. Therefore, each student needed more time to practice and work with the professor.
MU 411/412/413/414
Relevant QCC Educational 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. Reason quantitatively and mathematically as required in their fields of interest and in everyday life
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
6. Differentiate and make informed decisions about issues based on multiple value systems
7. Work collaboratively in diverse groups directed at accomplishing learning objectives
10. Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts.
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
Relevant Curricular Objectives
A. In praxis, students will demonstrate progressive development and competency in the technical skills requisite for artistic self-expression
in at least one major area of performance
B. Students will demonstrate a progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation,
interpretation, and execution within their discipline
C. In written work, discussion and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of music
D. Students will integrate theoretical knowledge and performance skills in the creation and performance of collaborative and individual
projects
E. In discussion and written assignments, students will observe, analyze and critique performances of performing artists utilizing
appropriate terminology
G. Students will integrate personal observation and objective criticism in the evolution of their artistic work
H. Students will form and defend fundamental value judgments about works of art within their major area of concentration
I. Employing creative abstraction, metaphor and imagination, students will create art which clearly articulates their evolving artistic vision,
and satisfies their drive toward expression.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
The high marks in the areas of expression and Pitch indicate that the course is meeting adequately the objectives of advancing students’
understanding of the major elements of communication (Learning Outcome 2), and of healthful singing (Learning Outcome 1). The
assessment results show that the aspects of choral singing requiring the most focused aural and visual concentration are those where the
most improvement is needed (Uniform Phrasing, Balance: Learning Outcomes 5 and 6). The assessment exercise seems successful in that
it allowed students to observe their performance formally and to quantify their achievement in various areas, giving them a clear
understanding of where improvement is needed.
Action plan
The instructor will address areas of weakness by adding opportunities earlier in the semester for the class to assess recorded examples of
rehearsals, and by giving individual students rubrics to complete during these assessments for their end-of-semester reflection and review.
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
Further, the instructor will give individual students more opportunities to lead the group in short sections of pieces, so that cohesion can be
experienced from multiple viewpoints.
MU 421/422/423/424
Relevant QCC Educational 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. Reason quantitatively and mathematically as required in their fields of interest and in everyday life
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
6. Differentiate and make informed decisions about issues based on multiple value systems
7. Work collaboratively in diverse groups directed at accomplishing learning objectives
10. Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts.
Relevant Curricular Objectives
A. In praxis, students will demonstrate progressive development and competency in the technical skills requisite for artistic self-expression
in at least one major area of performance
B. Students will demonstrate a progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation,
interpretation, and execution within their discipline
C. In written work, discussion and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of music
D. Students will integrate theoretical knowledge and performance skills in the creation and performance of collaborative and individual
projects
E. In discussion and written assignments, students will observe, analyze and critique performances of performing artists utilizing
appropriate terminology
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
H. Students will integrate personal observation and objective criticism in the evolution of their artistic work
H. Students will form and defend fundamental value judgments about works of art within their major area of concentration
I. Employing creative abstraction, metaphor and imagination, students will create art which clearly articulates their evolving artistic vision,
and satisfies their drive toward expression.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
This chorus is comprised of students and several members of the surrounding senior citizen community. As such there is a wide range of
innate talent and prior experience among the singers. The assessment results show that the aspects of choral singing requiring the most
finesse are those where the most improvement is needed. The high marks in the areas of expression and uniformity of overall phrase shape
indicate that the course is meeting well the objectives of advancing students’ understanding of the major elements of communication and
team achievement (Learning Outcomes 2 and 5). The results also indicate that the students have gained an understanding of the physical,
emotional, and intellectual skills needed in effective choral expression, and now see the steps they need to take to achieve them.
Action plan
The instructor will address areas of weakness by adding opportunities earlier in the semester for the class to assess recorded examples of
rehearsals, and by giving individual students rubrics to complete during these assessments for their end-of-semester reflection and review.
MU 451/452/453/454
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives
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


communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking
integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
use historical or social sciences perspectives to examine formation of ideas, human behavior, social institutions, or social
processes.
apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts
Relevant Curricular Objectives


Students will demonstrate progressive understanding of the various elements and basic interrelated processes of creation,
interpretation, and execution within their discipline
In written work, discussion and creation of art, students will appropriately utilize the vocabulary of their respective discipline.
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Queensborough Community College


Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
Students will be able to place works and/or performances in historical and stylistic contexts and demonstrate appreciation of the
cultural milieu in which they were created.
Students will form and defend fundamental value judgments about works of art within their major area of concentration.
Evaluation of Assessment Results
16 students in six ensemble groups (one piano four hand, one vocal trio, two vocal duets, one viola duo, one flute/violin/piano trio)
performed separately in the two Student Convocations this semester. As listed from Table 7, a few parameters are used for grading, such
as tempo, rhythm, musical interpretation, ensemble collaboration, memory, dynamics, expressions, understanding of the style, and the
amount of time spent on individual practice and group rehearsal. Majority of students achieved Satisfactory 80% of score. The projected
results of this planned assessment showed that most students successfully executed their musical pieces with sufficient practice and
rehearsal time. The students have gotten to know better at the piece of music they learned and their own voice/instrument as well as their
ensemble overall sound.
Action plan
I may assign some listening and reading homework in the context of their chosen repertoire to increase their knowledge and listening skill,
while using great masters’ recordings to inspire them, if possible.
MU 471/472/473/474
Relevant QCC Educational Objectives
1. Communicate effectively through reading, writing, listening and speaking
5. Integrate knowledge and skills in their program of study
7. Work collaboratively in diverse groups directed at accomplishing learning objectives
10. Apply aesthetic and intellectual criteria in the evaluation or creation of works in the humanities or the arts.
Relevant Curricular Objectives
Evaluation of Assessment Results
One hundred (100) percent of the students were able to satisfactorily complete the assignment, receiving a score of 70% or higher. Fifty-
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Queensborough Community College
Year-end Report – Teaching Department
June 2013
four (54) percent of the students (seven out of a population of thirteen) received a score of 90% or higher. Fifteen (15) percent of the
students received a score between 80% to 89%. Thirty (30) percent of the students received a score between 70% and 79%.
Students were consistently strong in tempo and technique. The areas of greatest weakness were rhythm and dynamics. Dynamics were
most often weak because they were given priority below correct rhythms. Because the students in this class arrive with a wide variety of
abilities and skills, the reasons for rhythm being a primary area of weakness are myriad. Several of the students had never read music prior
to this class, so this was a completely new experience for them. Many others had studied rhythm reading in required courses for their
program of study (musicianship), but never achieved fluency. In both cases, continuity in reading was the primary problem. Most students
were able to read and interpret individual measures of rhythms, but putting them together in a continuing musical context was difficult.
Action plan
Students completing this activity were successful in fulfilling student learning outcome no. 2. While all students were able to satisfactorily
read, interpret and perform a musical score, there are definitely areas for improvement.
In future classes I plan to address weaknesses in rhythm reading by spending more time in the first four weeks of class introducing,
reviewing and drilling the basics of rhythm reading, incorporating additional rhythm reading practice activities, and having more frequent
individual assessments. From speaking with students, I was impressed with the significant amount of time many of them spent practicing
outside of class for this assessment. It is my thought that more frequent and specific individual assessments in the first few weeks of future
classes may result in overall more focused practice time outside of class. I think the specificity of the goal (i.e. learn these six lines of
music) helped students to focus their practicing. Because this class meets only once a week for two hours, it is the quality and quantity of
time spent practicing outside class that determines the pace of progress in class.
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