Baruch College Center for Teaching and Learning
 
Introduction to Theatre Arts

Introduction to Theatre Arts

ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION:

This is a syllabus for THE 1041: Introduction to Theatre Arts.

ARTIFACT AUTHOR:

Debra Caplan, Assistant Professor, Fine and Performing Arts, Weissman School of Arts and Sciences, Baruch College, CUNY

TOOLS USED:

Blogs@Baruch, Twitter, Skype, VOCAT, digital photos and images

ARTIFACT LINK:

View Prof. Caplan’s THE 1041: Introduction to Theatre Arts syllabus here.

COURSE INFORMATION:

Debra Caplan uses the flexibility of the hybrid schedule to increase students’ interactions with the NYC theater community. The course meets face-to-face once a week for 75 minutes rather than twice a week for 150 minutes. In Professor Caplan’s introductory theatre course, students examine how theatrical productions are developed via artistic collaborations between writers, actors, directors, designers, producers, and audience members. Students read plays and theater reviews, attend theatrical productions, and participate in workshops and conversations with guest artists. Since attendance at professional performances in New York City outside of class is a required part of the course, Professor Caplan designed hybrid online/in-person activities and assignments to allow students to connect with performers and other theater professionals and to interact with New York’s theater scene. Professor Caplan also uses social media as a tool to connect students to the theater community. The course leverages the increased flexibility of a hybrid schedule through creative assignments: for example, students visit a theater space and blog about the experience (augmenting the writing with photographs), and Skype or chat in person with a theater professional. Additionally, Professor Caplan has recorded mini-lectures detailing basic information about reading, analyzing, and viewing theater that students can watch or listen to at their convenience. Since the course portal is a Blogs@Baruch site, Professor Caplan has uploaded helpful information about taking a hybrid course, all relevant information about her course such as assignments, readings, and the syllabus to the site, and students use the site to post comments and reply to peer’s posts.

SYLLABUS DESCRIPTION:

The course syllabus indicates the course’s hybrid nature and provides detailed information about online assignments. The syllabus lucidly outlines the course expectations and assignment requirements. The course schedule delineates whether the class meets in-person or online and includes information about when online assignments are due.


Image Credit: Jamie McCaffrey, Flikr Creative Commons, 2017