OATdb Archive

2012 - 2013

Art BA (Studio Art)

Goal
Drawing Techniques And Skills
Students will have the ability to draw and create expressive works of art using the materials and techniques specific to drawing.

Objective
Drawing Skills
Students will demonstrate basic skills in drawing by producing works that show an understanding of elements, techniques and materials used in contemporary art practices.

Indicator
Drawing Portfolio
Students in BA Studio Art Program will be required to take ARTS 1316 Drawing 1 and ARTS 1317 Life Drawing 1. Each student will submit a portfolio of works selected from these classes that will

• show developed craftsmanship and an expertise with a variety of materials.
• demonstrate an ability to depict spatial illusion and volume.
• demonstrate a descriptive and expressive use of value.
• demonstrate a descriptive and expressive use of line.
• demonstrate an understanding and use of 2 point and 3 point perspective.
• demonstrate an understanding of negative space and the ability to combine various elements into a cohesive composition.
• demonstrate the ability to render the proportions of the human figure.
• demonstrate the ability to express ideas and/or emotions through the work.

Criterion
Evaluation By Faculty
A group of at least two of the Studio Art Faculty will evaluate the portfolios using a rubric with a scale of 0-100 for each aspect of the objective. It is expected that at least 80% of the students will achieve an average score of 70%, especially in the area of incorporating negative space as part of the composition and use of the entire page, a weakness that emerged in 2010-2011. We will be especially observing composition and figure proportions, weaker areas last year although they met the criterion, to determine if our interventions were effective.


Finding
Improvement, But Continued Weakness In Composition
While over 80% of the students scored at least 70% in all of the criteria assessed, the ability to demonstrate an understanding of negative space and to create a cohesive compostion continues to be the area with the lowest scores.

Action
Strengthen Curriculum
The Studio faculty will examine the curriculum of the Foundation Drawing courses and emphasize the teaching of negative space and compostiional strategies. Tenured Faculty will meet with adjunct faculty and offer guidance in lesson plans.
The criteria for the student portfolios will be clarified and expectations will be made explicit to the students.

Goal
Knowledge Of The History Of Art
Students will learn the History of Art and the relation of Contemporary Art to the continuum of this history.

Objective
Art History
Students in the BA Program in Studio Art will demonstrate knowledge of the History of Art and understand theories and trends in Contemporary Art in relation to the continuum of history.

Indicator
Style Recognition And Comparison
Students will be required to take ARTS 1303 Prehistoric to Gothic Art History and ARTS 3385 Renaissance to Post-Modern Art History. In "Exam 2" in ARTS 3385, students will be asked to identify elements of style that are particular to different periods in art history. They will be shown 3 artworks and asked to describe stylistic elements of each and identify the historical period during which they were made.

Criterion
70% Of Students Will Succeed
It is expected that at least 70% of the students in ARTS 3385 will successfully identify and describe stylistic elements from three different periods of art history, specifically increasing the number of students from 54% to closer to 70% who are able to describe stylistic elements and identify each historical period.

Finding
Goal Achieved
88% of students were able to identify stylistic differences in works and the periods of Art History they represented.

Action
Review And Strengthen Curriculum
The Art Department has hired 2 new Tenure Track Art Historians beginning in the Fall 2013. The Art Historians will evaluate and update the existing curriculum, employing new pedagogical strategies. Course descriptions and titles will be examined and updated and new courses will be added to the curriculum.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement Drawings were selected from the BFA portfolio review that each art student must participate in after completing the foundation courses. This portfolio review is for students who wish to pursue the BFA degree. Students who fali the review, are not admitted to a BFA program, but may pursue the BA. The drawings evaluated were from foundation courses that are common to both the BA and the BFA.
Art History papers were selected at random from students in ARTS 3385, Art History Survey 2: Renaissance to Post Modern. 

Plan for continuous improvement The BFA Review committee will examine and revise the BFA portfolio review.  The committee will develop specific criteria which will be made clear to both Foundation course intructors and students in the courses. This criteria will then be used to assess the student work and foundation courses. 
The Art History Curriculum will be examined and revised with the intention of developing a BA degree in Art History within 2 years.