FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT PLAN
Fine Arts Department Vision
The underlying assumptions of all the activities of the Fine Arts Department are three-fold: First, we believe that the world is undergoing major transformations along political, social, cultural, economic, technological, and demographic trends. Second, we believe that these trends toward the twenty-first century demand a need for education to promote diversity, creativity, leadership, and teamwork that results in innovative problem-solving, quality investigation and thinking, a sense of global personal connection, and a sensitive understanding of the environment as well as other persons¹ world views. And third, it follows from these beliefs that education must focus on developing men and women capable of changing and leading within their own arena of influence after they graduate. Based on these assumptions, we see the Fine Arts¹ role as finding ways to develop twenty-first century leaders who will be effective in the emergent environment of unprecedented challenges and opportunities. And while each academic field strives to meet these needs according to the demands of its discipline, the Fine Arts Department specializes in developing men and women¹s potential for innovation to meet challenges in positive and creative ways, their sense of personal worth and wholeness as well as other people¹s worth to develop leadership skills, and their sense of cultural and social diversity and connection through artistic expression.
The Fine Arts Department does not have a degree-granting program. Consequently, education emphasized by the three disciplines in the Fine Arts Department (theatre, art, and music), focuses on teaching students in various programs throughout the university who are interested in developing their potential for innovation. Student learning focuses on disciplined exposure to and experience in dramatic literature, musical scores, art works, theatre performances, concerts, and exhibitions in their cultural, social, and historical settings with the expectation that knowledgeable exposure and experience would help develop a student¹s potential to meet life-long challenges in innovative ways.
Fine Arts Department Intended Outcomes and Measures
a. Outcome 1: A student must know disciplined techniques (how artists
work and what tools they use) in at least one arts discipline (theatre,
art, or music).
Explanation: In order for students to develop their potential for
innovation by using or appreciating artistic skill, they must know the
disciplined techniques that artists use. Students then have the potential
to either model their work from those techniques, or acquire standards to
critically comprehend a work of art.
i. Locally developed test (LDT #1)
(1) Question to be part of an exam
ii. Portfolio (PORTFOLIO)
(1) Plays
(2) Drawings
(3) Essays about performances or exhibits seen
b. Outcome 2: A student must understand relationships between an artistic
work and the world (i.e., nature, society, human relationships, other
disciplines).
Explanation: Either by study via the classroom or by critical exposure via
the performance or exhibition, students gain understanding about
relationships between artistic work and the world. This is based on the
assumption that while artistic work has intrinsic value, it cannot be
separated from its role of reflecting and creating society. Students grow
in their ability to comprehend their world, and when they create, study, or
experience the arts, they learn how to express themselves and how to
communicate with others in vital ways.
i. Writing assignments (ESSAY #1)
ii. Review of performances or exhibits (ESSAY #2)
c. Outcome 3: A student must demonstrate an awareness of artistic
integrity.
Explanation: Artistic standards help students develop openness, respect for
work, contemplation, self-discipline, and public awareness. Meeting artistic standards, however, cannot imply that every student will acquire a common s
et of artistic values. Rather, standards help students learn how to
acquire creative skills that they can use when confronted with
life-situations by offering a positive and substantive framework. That
framework is what we call artistic integrity.
i. Locally Developed Test (Scenario) (LTD #2)
ii. Peer Survey (SURVEY)
d. Outcome 4: A student must have an informed acquaintance with exemplary
works of art from a variety of cultures or historical periods in at least
one arts discipline (theatre, art, or music).
Explanation: The arts play a valued role in creating cultures and building
civilizations. When students learn about the diverse cultural and
historical heritage of the arts, they have the potential to become
sensitive to how they and others fit into the world.
i. Locally Developed Test (LTD #3)
(1) Identification problems on exams.
ii. Writing assignments (ESSAY #3)
(1) Essay
What will we ask students to do and in what classes will we ask them?
a. Outcome 1: A student must know disciplined techniques (how artists
work and what tools they use) in at least one arts discipline (theatre,
art, or music).
i. Locally developed test (LDT #1) Include the following question as part
of an exam:
(1) FA208: Theatre Appreciation (Winter)
³What are the processes theatre practitioners go through to stage a
theatre production?²
(2) FA329: Jazz History (Winter)
³What are the processes music performers go through to prepare a
concert?²
ii. Portfolio (PORTFOLIO)
(1) FA315: Playwriting (Spring) -- Plays
(2) FA450: Drawing 2 (Spring) -- Drawings
(3) Essays about performances or exhibits seen to answer the question,
³What did the artist(s) do to create the work?²
(a) FA345: Theatre History II (Winter): Essay after attending Macbeth
(b) FA450: Oil Painting 3 (Spring): Essay near the end of the term after
viewing an exhibition of art works
b. Outcome 2: A student must understand relationships between an artistic
work and the world (i.e., nature, society, human relationships, other
disciplines).
i. Writing assignments (ESSAY #1)
(1) Essay on any major era or movement in the arts, or any artist in
context of his or her era.)
(a) FA322: Music History (Spring)
(b) FA450: Musical Theatre (Winter)
ii. Review of performances or exhibits (ESSAY #2)
(1) Essay to answer the question, ³What is the connection between the
work of art and the world?²
(a) FA343: Watercolor (Spring) after viewing works at the art gallery in
Hancock
(b) FA216: Wind Symphony (Spring) after attending the KSO concert
(c) FA219: KSO (Spring) after attending a jazz concert
c. Outcome 3: A student must demonstrate an awareness of artistic
integrity.
i. Locally Developed Test (Scenario) (LTD #2)
(1) Exam essay of a scenario: ³Your task is to create an original
artistic work that will be publicly attended. You have an idea, but you
realize that there may be unpleasant consequences if you do it. If you
choose to do it, you strongly believe that the public will dislike your
work, and perhaps even be offended by it. Your family may even be angry at
you. You talk to your instructor about it and are told that it¹s your
choice and that your grade will not be affected by what the public thinks.
Do you do it? Why or why not?²
(a) FA328: 3-D Design (Spring)
(b) FA222: Gospel Choir (Spring)
(c) FA208: Theatre Appreciation (Spring)
i. Peer Survey (SURVEY): Give to students in ensembles to evaluate their
peers:
(1) FA215: Huskie Pep Band (Winter)
(2) FA242: Jazz L.B. (Spring)
(3) FA226: Chamber Chorus (Winter and Spring)
(4) FA223: Mainstage Theatre Production (Winter and Spring)
³Consider the student¹s attendance at rehearsals.²
³Consider the student¹s promptness at rehearsals.²
³Consider the student¹s preparedness throughout the term.²
³Consider the extent of cooperation shown by the student; did the
student facilitate positive interactions, accept alternative points of
view, and work as an ensemble rather than as an individual?²
d. Outcome 4: A student must have an informed acquaintance with exemplary
works of art from a variety of cultures or historical periods in at least
one arts discipline (theatre, art, or music).
i. Locally Developed Test (LTD #3)
(1) Identification problems on exams.
(a) FA297: Art Appreciation (Spring)
(b) FA346: Theatre History III (Spring)
ii. Writing assignments (ESSAY #3)
(1) Essay about an artist and her or his work.
(a) FA329: Jazz History (Winter)
(b) FA297: Art Appreciation (Winter)
(c) FA450: African American Genre (Winter)
How will we review what we get?
LDT #1
Did the student know how artists work? That is, the processes artists go
through to create a work of art?
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent
Did the student know tools that artists use? Such as: plot, character,
actor, conductor, music notation, balance, color?
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent
PORTFOLIO
Did the student know how artists work? That is, the processes artists go
through to create a work of art?
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent
Did the student know tools that artists use? Such as: plot, character,
music notation, balance, color?
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent
ESSAY #1
Did the student understand relationships between an artistic work and the
world?
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent
ESSAY #2
Did the student understand relationships between an artistic work and the
world?
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent
LTD #2
Does the student demonstrate an awareness of artistic integrity?
(To the Reviewers: Both ³yes² and ³no² are correct answers. Examine the reasons the student answered yes or no. If the student has reasons that relate creating the work or the accomplished work to mature values he or she holds, then the answer is satisfactory. The stronger the connection, the more satisfactory. Reasons such as, ³I didn¹t believe the teacher.² or ³I don¹t think art should offend people because I might not win a contest.² is not satisfactory.)
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent
Peer review of
SURVEY
1. Consider the student¹s attendance at rehearsals.
1 2 3
Missed quite a lot Attended most Attended nearly all
2. Consider the student¹s promptness at rehearsals.
1 2 3
Late a lot Mostly on time Always on time
3. Consider the student¹s preparedness throughout the term.
1 2 3
Unprepared Usually prepared Always prepared
4. Consider the extent of cooperation shown by the student; did the
student facilitate positive interactions, accept alternative points of
view, and work as an ensemble rather than as an individual?
1 2 3
Uncooperative Somewhat cooperative Very cooperative
LTD #3
(Percentage of correct answers on the identification exam.)
0 - 65% 66% - 80% 81% - 100%
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent
ESSAY #3
Did the student have an informed acquaintance with exemplary works of art?
Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Excellent
What do we do with the material?
Instructors will choose one-third of the materials before grading and copy
materials without the student¹s name on it. An exception is LTD #3,
the identification problems, which needs to be graded. Clip off the
student¹s name on SURVEY. Our administrative aide will file the
material.
Who will review and when?