INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DIRECTING Using Blackboard Journals Rob

INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE DIRECTING Using Blackboard Journals Rob Marsden and Christine Harrison

• Rob needed to find a way to share the student’s independent rehearsal room processes with him.

2013 • Students used to submit all their written journals at the end of the module • One set of summative feedback. • More 3 rds and 2. 2 s

What we did? • Created a Journal in the Blackboard Module called Introduction to Theatre Directing • Structured the Journal • Introduced the tool to the students in a workshop

An extract from a student Journal entry I started the session with a vocal and physical warm up. The vocal warm up included a vowel pronunciation exercise and the physical included a ‘lying on the beach’ relaxation exercise. This rehearsal was different compared to others because in this session I faced some challenges as a director. Two out of my four cast members didn’t attend therefore I had to adapt my rehearsal accordingly. The adaptations meant the session was more of a static learning experience where we explored the text using ‘Actions’.

Feedback Robert Marsden said…New Wednesday, 25 February 2015 08: 57: 16 o'clock GMT This is a clear and objective account highlighting problems using a professional approach. You adapted well. Sadly, this can happen professionally as well as within a student environment. If you can 'adapt' and still 'offer something useful' then you are fulfilling your role as a director and still being able to keep a positive approach in the rehearsal room for the actors that are present and that is important.

2014 • Change in assessment and feedback • Allowed meaningful feedback week to week – which fed forward into their practical work in the rehearsal room • Improved students academic writing skills through the online journals. • Safe place in which to practice skills

Findings • Students academic writing improved over the space of 10 weeks • Grades for the writing side of this module improved o marked improvement in 2. 1’s • Students loved the blogs and embraced them • Students valued the feedback on their work, which they took into their next independent learning session • Students feedback indicates that they would like to use Vblogs too.

2015 Continued with the Blackboard Journal and same assessment and feedback Initial findings are positive Back by demand from L 4 students in 2014 in their L 6 module.

References An evaluation of the Use of Author-Lecturers’ Publications and their Publishers’ Web-Based Materials as a Teaching and Learning Resource: http: //blogs. staffs. ac. uk/euap/ Salmon, G, five-stage model: http: //www. gillysalmon. com/five-stage-model. html Walmsley, H, Best Practice Models http: //bestpracticemodels. wiki. staffs. ac. uk