ASSESSMENT PLAN for Art History, 2010-11

Art History Discipline Objectives [from the UMM Catalog]:

1) To develop students’ understanding of some of the historical traditions in the visual arts.

2) To teach students methods of analysis and interpretation of works of art.

3) To help students discover the rich and complex relationship of art to other aspects of culture.

4) Students are encouraged to have direct contact with art by means of studio art courses, class field trips, gallery internships, and study abroad experiences.

I. Gen Ed:

We have regularly assessed student performance relative to discipline objectives in ArtH 1101, 1111, and 1121 for three years and have found little evidence that there is need for major changes in achieving those objectives. However, we will undertake the following specific studies to strive for further refinements to the courses:

· Schryver will assess student participation responses to questions relative to Objectives 1, 2, and 3 in ArtH 1111 (spring semester) in order to have comparative data for a forthcoming change to smaller class sizes.

· Dabbs will implement a pre-test/post-test in ArtH 1101 (spring semester) as part of her ongoing attempt to gauge student comprehension and application of formal analysis vocabulary (Objective 2).

II. The Major

The evidence from last year’s assessment demonstrated a need to continue improving student learning in these areas:

1) Students’ abilities to articulate and implement methodological approaches in art history (relates to art history objectives #1, 2, and 3).

Direct measure:

· Faculty will make an effort to talk more explicitly about art historical methods in our upper-level courses whenever pertinent, and assess student comprehension of methods by means of an exam question, or by asking students to address methodological approaches in a research paper or reading critiques.

Indirect measures:

· student responses to Senior Assessment Paper, question 7

· student participation in methodology review sessions.

Other actions:

· we will continue to incorporate three 1-hr. methodology review sessions in our Capstone course

· we will continue to make use of L.S. Adams’ Methodologies of Art textbook, but will actively consider Hatt & Klonk’s Art History: A Critical Introduction to its Methods for possible future implementation

· we will explore the development of a 2-credit Methods course for majors

2) Students’ abilities to identify and articulate skills they have gained as a result of their art history studies and experiences (relates to Objectives 3 and 4).

Direct measure: faculty will provide feedback on a draft of their advisees’ resumes, and meet with each to discuss their art history experiences and possible future application of their skills.

Indirect measure: student responses to Assessment Paper questions 2 and 3, and Capstone discussion.

Other action: the discipline will offer its own resume/CV writing workshop since students were in need of direction in formulating this critical document; this will likely occur in January.