GENERAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW FORM
EXPRESSIVE ARTS 5/1 5
Please attach/ submit additional documents as needed to fully complete each section of the form.
I. COURSE INFORMATION
Department: School of Theatre & Dance
Course Number: U THTR 107A
Course Title: Theatre Production I: Construction Crew
Type of Request:
Rationale:
New
One-time Only
Renew*
Change
Remove
Construction Crew has been recognized as a Group IV course for at least 20 years. The criteria and goals of the course
have remained consistent throughout that time.
*If course has not changed since the last review and is taught by the same tenure-track faculty member, you may skip sections III-V.
JUSTIFICATION FOR COURSE LEVEL
Normally, general education courses will not carry pre-requisites, will carry at least 3 credits, and will be numbered at the 100-200
level. If the course has more than one pre-requisite, carries fewer than three credits, or is upper division (numbered at the 300 level
or above), provide rationale for exception(s).
N/A
II. ENDORSEMENT / APPROVALS
* Instructor: Brian Gregoire
Phone / Email:
Signature ______________________________________
Program Chair: Michael Monsos
Signature ______________________________________
Date_________________
Dean: Dr. Stephen Kalm
Signature ______________________________________
Date_________________
Date_________________
X4511 / brian.gregoire@umontana.edu
*Form must be completed by the instructor who will be teaching the course. If the instructor of the course changes before the next
review, the new instructor must be provided with a copy of the form prior to teaching the course.
III. DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE
General Education courses must be introductory and foundational within the offering department or within the General Education
Group. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course content to students’ future lives: See
Preamble
This course offers foundational skills in scenery, lighting, and costumes. Students choose the section in which they are
interested and concentrate on that aspect throughout the semester. In lighting, students learn how to perform all the skills
necessary to prepare lighting equipment for a given production. In costumes, students learn how to create costumes and
costume accessories as designed by a Costume Designer. In scenery, students learn how to create scenery and properties
as designed by a Scenic Designer. Students will learn the process, safe use of tools, and daily operation of each shop and
the stage as they build and work with all the technical elements of the production.
IV. CRITERIA
BRIEFLY EXPLAIN HOW THIS COURSE MEETS THE CRITERIA FOR THE GROUP.
1.
Courses guide students, whether in individual or group settings, to acquire foundational skills to engage in the creative process
and/or in interpretive performance.
This course gives students the opportunity to see a production realized from the ground up. Students are introduced to
their area with training on tools and equipment and are then exposed to the production from its origins. Renderings,
blueprints, models, and light plots are presented and from those paper beginnings, students help construct and create
realized productions up to opening and all the way to strike.
2.
Through direct experience (for example, attendance and involvement with live performance, exhibitions, workshops, and
readings), they will engage in critical assessment of their own work and the work of others.
By experiencing theatre and dance from its original design concept to a mounted production, students gain insight and
knowledge of the art form far beyond the level of an audience member. They will see the “invisible art” … the work
dedicated to a show that, when successful, disappears.
V. STUDENT LEARNING GOALS
BRIEFLY EXPLAIN HOW THIS COURSE WILL MEET THE APPLICABLE LEARNING GOALS.
1.
Express themselves in the making of an original work or creative performance.
The skills learned in the shops enable students to express themselves more completely and more visually, in a manner
that extends beyond the text and the performance. Students will learn how the designed elements are part of the
creative product and how they can strengthen the production, which will in turn help students create a more complex
performance as they develop their own original work.
2.
Understand the genres and/or forms that have shaped the medium.
Although theatre and dance are possible without scenery, lights, and costumes, they can be greatly enhanced by their
correct use. Students will discover how the medium of designed elements of a production have a great opportunity for
expressions of concept and how their use can positively affect a production.
3. Critique the quality of their own work and that of others.
Students will be able to appreciate, understand, and question the technical elements of any production to a more
informed and intelligent degree through the experience of creating those same elements. Learning how to build all the
elements of the theatrical/dance environment brings a respect for well executed scenery, lights, or costumes along with
the ability to properly critique those same components.
VI. ASSESSMENT
A. HOW ARE THE LEARNING GOALS ABOVE MEASURED ? Describe the measurement(s) used, such as a rubric or specific test
questions that directly measure the General Education learning goals. Please attach or provide a web link to the rubric, test
questions, or other measurements used.
1. Students in this course are creating work for the stage daily. Each class period requires the students to be active
participants in the creation of costumes, scenery, properties and/or lighting for all the productions in a semester. This format
requires constant feedback from the faculty, staff, and graduate students in the shops. Each day is designed to introduce
new experiences that build upon the previous days’ work and the measurement of their success in the shops is a constant
and meaningful discussion.
2. The students’ understanding of technical theatre is measured on a constant basis throughout the term. Courses such as
this require all of the student’s work to be done in the shops, alongside their peers, instructors and staff. Any questions or
problems in understanding the assignment is addressed directly. Students will always have their instructor available and
therefore, assessment of their work is immediate. Measurement comes in the form of constant feedback, and their
understanding of how their work relates to the overall concept and themes of the production are discovered through
discussion and execution of their daily work. Students are introduced to the designs of the show prior to beginning the build
and are taught how their choices impact the overall picture on stage. The choices they make and the quality of their work
are the strongest measurement of their understanding of the art form.
3. During the course of the class/show, students gather after each class for feedback on their work, what was accomplished
and how the overall process is progressing. Their work, as well as the work of all the members of the production, is open to
examination, evaluation and constructive criticism both during the class period and before and afterwards. Questions and
feedback are encouraged and ideas are welcomed in this class. After each production ends, students will all participate in
one or more feedback sessions that focus on all the aspects, both technical and performance, of the show. Students
discuss, ask questions, and are required to respond to others about the production. Each aspect is critiqued and students
learn how important an honest critical examination is to success in this field.
A General Education Assessment Report will be due on a four-year rotating cycle. You will be notified in advance of the due date.
This will serve to fulfill the University’s accreditation requirements to assess general education and will provide an opportunity to
connect with your colleagues across campus and share teaching strategies. Items VI.B- D will be helpful in compiling the report.
VII. SYLLABUS AND SUBMISSION
Please submit syllabus in a separate file with the completed and signed form to the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221. The learning goals
for the Expressive Arts Group must be included on the syllabus. An electronic copy of the original signed form is acceptable.