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Institutional Research & Assessment

Southern Utah University
Music Department
Report of Assessment Plans for 2000-2001

In the space below, please indicate the department's success in implementing its assessment plan for 2000-2001. Please report the results by June 2, 2001. Should you have questions, please contact the Associate Provost's Office at 586-7706.

NAME: Bart Shanklin

DATE: August 6, 2001

E-MAIL: shanklin@suu.edu

Assessment Criteria and Activities

Entire Department

1. Students are required to pass an audition in an applied area before being allowed to enter the program as majors in music.

Was this assessment criterion implemented? Yes
Was this assessment criterion achieved? Yes
What were the results?
Approximately 80% of the students who performed an entrance audition were accepted into the program.

How will the results be used to improve the curriculum and/or pedagogy of the program?
The results will not be used for this purpose. The entrance audition is prior to our curriculum and/or pedagogy. The entrance audition sets standards for admission to our program and is required by our national accrediting agency the National Association of Schools of Music.

2. Students must maintain a high level of performance in the applied area through a requirement of at least a "B" average for 4 hours of study at each applied level in order to advance to the next level.

Was this assessment criterion implemented? Yes
Was this assessment criterion achieved? Yes
What were the results?
Out of all of the music majors who registered for applied instruction during the 2000-2001 academic year, approximately 94% maintained at least a "B" average for 4 credit hours of study.

How will the results be used to improve the curriculum and/or pedagogy of the program?
Obviously, 94% is a very high success rate. Since applied music study is one on one instruction, there is normally a high rate of success. The students who do not maintain the expected level of performance generally do not continue as music majors. The only way in which the results of this assessment are used to improve pedagogy are in situations in which a large number of students in a particular studio do not maintain the expected level of performance. The results can not affect curriculum because the existing curriculum is in keeping with national standards for our discipline and is required for our national accreditation.

3. Students are required to perform and pass a juried examination each semester that they are enrolled in their area of applied study.

Was this assessment criterion implemented? Yes
Was this assessment criterion achieved? Yes
What were the results?
All music majors studying applied music performed a juried examination each semester. Whether or not those students passed the jury is reflected in semester grades so the success rate for this area is the same as above, i.e., 94%.

How will the results be used to improve the curriculum and/or pedagogy of the program?
The answer to this question is essentially the same as number two above.

4. Students are required to research, perform, and pass a recital jury before the public performance of a junior or senior recital.

Was this assessment criterion implemented? Yes
Was this assessment criterion achieved? Yes
What were the results?
One hundred percent of the students who attempted a senior recital jury passed. Ninety-four percent of the students who attempted a junior recital jury passed.

How will the results be used to improve the curriculum and/or pedagogy of the program?
Generally, by the time of the junior and senior years, music majors who can not perform at a level which reflects national standards, or who will not put in the time and effort necessary to perform at an acceptable level, have been weeded out of the program. Again, the only way in which the results of this assessment are used to improve pedagogy are in situations in which a large number of students in a particular studio do not maintain the expected level of performance. Most music faculty will not allow their students to schedule a recital jury until the faculty member feels that the student can successfully pass the jury.

5. Dependent on degree requirements, all students must perform a junior or senior recital or both.

Was this assessment criterion implemented? Yes
Was this assessment criterion achieved? Yes
What were the results?
All students met the degree requirements in this area.

How will the results be used to improve the curriculum and/or pedagogy of the program?
Students cannot graduate until these requirements are met. As was mentioned above, the curricular requirements of our degree programs are set by our national accrediting organization.

6. Students must receive a grade of "C" or higher each semester of Music Theory and Sight- Singing and Ear-Training in order to advance to the next level.

Was this assessment criterion implemented? Yes
Was this assessment criterion achieved? Yes
What were the results?
In the fall semester of first-year Music Theory (Music 2010) and Sight-Singing and Ear-Training (Music 2040) , 78% of the total number of music majors registered for these classes received a grade of "C" or higher. In the spring semester of first-year Music Theory (Music 2020), 95% of the total number of music majors registered for this class received a grade of "C" or higher. In the spring semester of first-year Sight-Singing and Ear-Training (Music 2050), 74% of the music majors received a grade of "C" or higher.

In the fall and spring semesters of second-year Music Theory (Music 3010 & Music 3020), 100% of the music majors received a grade of "C" or higher. In the fall and spring semesters of second-year Sight-Singing and Ear-Training (Music 3040 & Music 3050), 90% of the music majors received a grade of "C" or higher.

How will the results be used to improve the curriculum and/or pedagogy of the program?
Due to faculty efforts at improving instruction, departmental efforts at providing computer programs which allow students to improve their skills, and the provision of a music theory tutor, the success rate in this area is very high. The music faculty will continue to work to improve its pedagogy in these classes. The curriculum we currently offer is required by our national accrediting agency.

7. Students must pass a keyboard proficiency examination.

Was this assessment criterion implemented? Yes
Was this assessment criterion achieved? Yes
What were the results?
Of the total number of students who took the proficiency exam, 79% passed.

How will the results be used to improve the curriculum and/or pedagogy of the program?
Music faculty responsible for teaching class piano will analyze the exam results and determine areas where changes should be made in order to make their instruction more effective.

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Last Update: Friday, June 06, 2003