Fall 2007 Assessment Report
Program: BA THEATRE ARTS
Prepared by: ETHEL WALKER
Date: December 20, 2007
phone: 924-4586
Email: walker@email.sjsu.edu
Where multiple program curricula are almost identical, and SLOs and assessment plans
are identical, it is acceptable to list more than one program in this report.
Electronic and hard copy due to your college facilitator January 15, 2008. Digital version of
this form available at: http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/assessment/forms/
Please report any activity (collect data, analyze data, discuss results among faculty, implement
changes) you completed prior to the fall 2007 semester that is not already posted on the
Web (http://www.sjsu.edu/ugs/datareports/assess_report/). Please describe the content or
results of the activity.
Are samples, results, rubrics, etc for this report archived in the location listed on the Cover page?
_______X______ YES
_______________ NO
C=Collect data D=Discuss data among faculty I=implement program changes based on data
SLO
#
2
C, D,
or I
I
Content or results of activity
2
I
Professor Jim Culley assessed TA 51A last semester. Although the results
were excellent, he decided to assess it again this semester and found quite
different results. In the Spring of 2007 92% of the students successfully met
SLO 2. After administering basically the same test this semester that required
students to name the parts of a theatre flat, only 4 of 7 majors got above a “B”
grade. The students who missed the most questions did not regularly attend
class and missed the lectures and reviews. Mr. Culley said, “I often have all A’s
on the test but this time I had several students that had disappointing grades. I
will consider adding more emphasis to this material and make sure to integrate
the material into several allied lectures. Professor Culley also emphasized that
this assessment was very helpful to him as he tries to discern the abnormally
low scores on this major project. Professor Culley is the only teacher of this
course
Laura Long assessed TA 17 in the Spring 2007. This semester two changes
were made in the methodology of teaching the course. The second scene
project was defined by a list of playwrights who are significant in the American
cannon rather than allowing the students a free choice. This broadens their
perspective on the history of American theatre. The second change was to
videotape performances (2nd scene only) to allow the students to view their own
work and come to a deeper understanding about how their work on stage
communicates to an audience. These changes will remain in the curriculum. It
should be noted that Long is the only teacher of this course.
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4
D
Professor Randy Earle assessed the TA 51C course last spring. Although this
course was originally designed to meet SLO 2, Professor Earle selected SLO 4
as a more appropriate assessment. The SLO selected was to demonstrate
professional-level skills of production. This is a course in Stage Management.
After analyzing the results of the spring assessment, Professor Earle believes the
instructional strategy was successful and producing the educational results he
expected from these students. “The Final Take-home Examination Projects
produced by the students were excellent and documented the students as
meeting or exceeding the goals and objectives of the course. Subsequent
conversations with Professor Jim Culley, the TRFT faculty member responsible
for making Stage Manager production assignments, indicated the students from
TA 51C were prepared for the next step in development of their stage
management skills, actual assignments as Stage Managers or Assistant Stage
Managers.” It is important to note that Professor Earle is in the last semester of
the FERP process and a new tenure-track faculty has not been hired.
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Please report assessment activities completed in the fall 2007 semester (collect data, analyze
data, discuss results among faculty, or implement changes. This table should match planned
activities for fall 2007 in Table 2.
C=Collect data D=Discuss data among faculty I=implement program changes based on data
SLO
#
3
C, D,
or I
C
Content or results of activity
4
C
Professor Glazer also assessed this SLO for TA 116. The evaluation
instrument for SLO 4 was the critique of a final ten minute play and production
notebook. “Of the 12 theatre arts students evaluated, all but three were highly
successful in demonstrating their ability to plan, perform, and direct for the
stage. They all produced professional level production values and received an
“A” for both their production and their production notebook. The other three
students were less successful, although they showed marked improvement,
and received a “B-“ for their final project and notebook.”
3
C
4
C
Professor Buddy Butler teaches TA 112 which is our School Touring Ensemble
Program (STEP). This is a touring company that travels into elementary and
middle schools with theatrical experiences that address social, political and
cultural issues which ethnically diverse students wrestle. The students
created 2 stage productions, Doors and Some of my Best Friends are…?.
Both plays were performed on campus and will tour in the community next
semester. There are 13 majors in the course; 9 received “As”, 3 “Bs”, and 1F.
Professor Butler also used TA 112 to assess SLO 4. Using a multi-ethnic
company, STEP reflects the SJSU student body and the ethnic mix of most
elementary and secondary schools in the surrounding community. The plays are
developed through a series of workshops, exercises, research, interviews, and
preview performances with audience feedback. The Company’s motto is, :we
don’t do fairy-tales!” Students must engage in all levels of development and
production. Professor Butler says, “the approach is always professional and the
skill level held very high. This is with simple but complete design values.”
4
C
Students in TA 116 Directing, were assessed based on their acting, directing
and presentation of their “content less” scene and a ten minute scene from “The
Scene by Theresa Rebeck”. According to Professor Amy Glazer, “of the 12
theatre arts majors accessed, all of the students demonstrated a high level of
literacy in their analysis and understanding of script, story and character. All
the students accessed received an “A” for both grades.”
Professor Elizabeth Poindexter assessed TA153, Costume Design. Students
were evaluated with a Costume History Project. “In preparation for the design of
either A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Cabaret, students analyze the play script,
write character analyses and develop a concept for visually presenting the
chosen play. Research of the visual styles compatible with their concept and the
historic period of the play is compiled and mounted on boards. The boards
represent either individual characters or character groups – such as a musical
chorus or group of household servants. Each board contains clothing,
accessory, fabric, texture and color examples appropriate to the character/group.
Additional boards visually defining the environment of the action of the play are
required. Images on all of these boards are identified and cross-referenced by
number or letter notation to a required bibliography. Emphasis is on visually
defining the world of the play, examining and delineating character, and
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presenting a clear viable world to the audience”. Of the 14 Theatre Arts majors,
there were 2 As, 4 Bs, 6 Cs and 2 Ds.
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Please describe how the activities planned for the spring 2008 semester will be executed.
Example (please delete the example from your report)
SLO
Sp
Execution of plan
08
3
D or I Professor Glazer will focus on any changes that need to be made for TA
116. This course is only offered in the Fall and therefore, no changes can
be implemented until Fall 2008.
4
D or I Professor Glazer will determine if changes need to be made in TA 116.
3
D or I Professor Butler will examine this SLO as students perform in the
community. Since TA 112 is an outreach Program, surveys and
questionnaires will be developed that will allow audiences to evaluate the
performances.
4
D or I Professor Butler will evaluate the students as they perform the shows.
4
D or I TA 153 is only offered in the Fall, and Professor Poindexter is FERPing;
she only teaches in the Fall. Therefore, there will be no major execution of
a plan until Fall 2008.
….
Spring 2008 assessment plan The Theatre Arts Department has completed its assessment
until Fall 2011.
(should match schedule in Table 2):
SLO
Planned
Execution of plan
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