ASSESSMENT PLAN

Performing Arts Major

Music Concentration – Theatre and Dance Concentration

I. Mission Statement of the Performing Arts Major

“The mission of the performing arts major is to offer a liberal arts curriculum in music, theatre, and dance that will provide for each student the opportunity to fully develop his or her talents and abilities in the arts. This curriculum preserves tradition, welcomes innovation, and allows a flexible personalized course of study grounded in experiential learning. It is also designed to foster an understanding of the interdisciplinary connections among the three component disciplines of the major, and will prepare majors for further study in graduate school, or for entry level positions in the performing arts. The major provides study and practice in the areas of performance, history and literature, theory and criticism, and arts management. In addition, opportunities are provided to gain experience in marketing, pedagogy, and technology and design.”

The performing arts foster skills in communication; discipline and self-motivation; confidence and leadership ability; critical judgment, decision-making and problem-solving; independent thinking and collaborative work; the comprehension of symbols and abstraction; a larger world view and multicultural awareness; well-being and the healthy release of stress and emotion.

Relationship to Wells College Mission Statement

“To think critically, reason wisely”	Critical judgment, decision-making and problem solving Comprehension of symbols and abstraction Independent thinking
“ To act humanely”	Larger worldview and multicultural awareness Communication Confidence and leadership ability
“To cultivate meaningful lives”	Discipline and self-motivation Confidence and leadership ability Well-being and the healthy release of stress and emotion
“To appreciate complexity and difference”	Larger worldview and multicultural awareness
“To embrace new ways of knowing”	Experiential learning Interdisciplinary connections Comprehension of symbols and abstraction Independent thinking
“To be creative”	Fully develop his or her talents and abilities in the arts Critical judgment, decision-making and problem solving
“Sharing the privileges of education”	Collaborative work

PART Assessment 9/07 -- page 2

II. Music Concentration Assessment Plan

(Under separate cover)

PART Assessment 9/07 -- page 3

III. Theatre and Dance Concentration Assessment Plan

Mission Statement of the Theatre and Dance Concentration

The mission of the theatre and dance concentration of the performing arts major is to support and provide resources for students as they engage with the entertainment industry—as performers, visionary creator-producers, designers and technicians, historians and critics, teachers, and audience members. The focus of the theatre and dance concentration is on the fullest possible individual growth within a collaborative artistic community. Theatre and dance students must be able to develop concepts, goals, and action plans for live performance events, understand the origins and significance of the works they see on stage or in which they perform, maintain high aesthetic standards and a strong work ethic, and function effectively in teams.

Relationship to the Five Institutional Goals of Wells College

“Support students as unique individuals”	Individual growth Strong work ethic Engage with the entertainment industry
“Maintain an excellent faculty/intellectual development”
“Develop students’ intellectual curiosity, analytical/critical, aesthetic awareness, creativity”	Understand the origins and significance of the works they see on stage or in which they perform Performers, visionary creator-producers, designers and technicians, historians and critics Maintain high aesthetic standards
“Rich community environment”	Collaborative artistic community
“Self-confident individuals/sound judgment/thoughtful decision-making”	Develop concepts, goals, and action plans for live performance events Function effectively in teams

Relationship to Wells College Academic Program Goals

Examine enduring and contemporary questions

Locate/evaluate information

Communicate reasoned points of view

Incorporate understanding of diversity

Appreciate languages and cultures in global context

Scholarship and research about women

Collaborative practices in classroom and community

Principles, methods, and issues in a field

PART Assessment 9/07 -- page 4

PROGRAM GOALS– THEATRE

PROGRAM GOAL: Critical Analysis

Learning Objective	Learning Outcome	Means of Assessment
Students will learn to critically analyze theatre productions	Students will demonstrate the ability to support their opinion through careful observation	Written critiques Faculty meetings about student progress
Students will understand correct theatre criticism language	Students will use advanced theatre terminology in critiques and discussion	Written and oral critiques
Students will understand appropriate audience/critic behavior	Students will balance observation with careful and discreet note-taking during performances	Observed attendance at productions

PROGRAM GOAL: Acting Techniques

Learning Objective	Learning Outcome	Means of Assessment
Students will learn fundamental character movement	Students will demonstrate a wide range of physicalities on stage	Faculty adjudication Rubric
Students will develop vocal range	Students will demonstrate a wide range of vocal choices on stage	Faculty adjudication Rubric
Students will understand a wide range of acting styles	Students will be able to perform in at least three different styles of acting	Faculty adjudication Rubric

PART Assessment 9/07 -- page 5

PROGRAM GOAL: Script Interpretation

Learning Objective	Learning Outcome	Means of Assessment
Students will be able to read plays in depth	Students will glean important character and plot information from reading a script	Written character analysis
Students will recognize historical context of plays	Students will make appropriate directing and acting choices that are historically relevant	Written play analysis Faculty adjudication of scenes
Students will be able to read plays for character interpretation	Students will make character choices based on information given by the playwright	Written character analysis Faculty adjudication of scenes

PROGRAM GOAL: Production Participation

Learning Objective	Learning Outcome	Means of Assessment
Students will experience live theatre as actors, directors and crew members	Students will be involved in every production	Faculty adjudication Professional adjudication Midterm reports
Students will gain knowledge of proper rehearsal behavior	Students will attend and be prepared for every rehearsal to which they are called	Faculty/student progress meetings Sign-in sheets
Students will understand the support elements and planning necessary to produce a live theatre production	Students will be involved with the planning and execution of the production including pre-production meetings, rehearsals, technical and dress rehearsals, performance and strike	Faculty adjudication Professional adjudication Cast and crew formal feedback session Production book

PART Assessment 9/07 -- page 6

PROGRAM GOAL: Historical Context

Learning Objective	Learning Outcome	Means of Assessment
Students will understand the major developments in the history of western theatre	Students will demonstrate knowledge of developments in staging, acting, playwriting, and theatrical spaces, will identify them by date, and will understand their similarities and differences	Written exams and essays Rubrics
Students will recognize the major plays of each period	Students will be able to identify and differentiate between plays of many eras	Written essays In class presentations

Relationship to Wells College Academic Program Goals

Examine enduring and contemporary questions

Locate/evaluate information

Communicate reasoned points of view

Incorporate understanding of diversity

Appreciate languages and cultures in global context

Scholarship and research about women

Collaborative practices in classroom and community

Principles, methods, and issues in an academic field

PART Assessment 9/07 -- page 7

SAMPLE RUBRICS -- THEATRE

Arts Management	1	2	3
Understanding of the personnel of the theatre	Identifies and defines 0-3 positions	Identifies and defines 4-5 positions	Identifies and defines 6-8 positions
Advertising and Public Relations	Writes ineffective press release	Writes ineffective press release	Writes effective press release
	with errors and poorly designs poster	with no errors and poorly designs	and carefully designs poster that
	that does not relate to director's	poster that does not relate to	relates to part of director's statement
	statement	director's statement
Team Work	Does not attend team meetings or	Sporadically attends team meetings	Regularly attends team meetings
	turn in their assigned section	and turns in some of their	and turns in all of their assigned
		assigned section	section
Understanding of contemporary economic	Does not turn in or discuss article	Turns in article with no discussion	Turns in article and leads discussion
and personnel issues of the theatre	research

PART Assessment 9/07 -- page 8

Acting	1	2	3	4
Vocal Work	Does not articulate or speak	Speaks at a proper volume	Speaks at a proper volume	Speaks at a proper volume
	at an audible level	but has little to no articulation	with good articulation	with good articulation,
				levels, and vocal variety
Physical Action	Does not learn blocking or	Begins to use correct	Blocking is accurate and	Blocking is accurate.
	attempt physical	blocking, but uses little to	character is being realized	Character is being realized
	characterization	no physical characterization	physically	physically with good variety
Ensemble Work	Prefers to work alone. Does	Communicates at a	Regular communication	Frequently communicates