Introduction to Theatre Directing Using Blackboard Journals Rob Marsden and Christine Harrison Journal is a private blog Student and Tutor

Rob needed to find a way to share the student’s independent rehearsal room processes with him. Rob explained that Directors often use Blogs to share what goes on in the rehearsal room. BB has a Journal Tool (private blog) only the student and Rob can see the journal. So I suggested this as a solution. This was based on findings from a 3 year RIT project that I was working on with Keith Puttick and Judith Tillson – Law School (which used BB Journals as a way of capturing a student’s research skills and to teach students to be SOL) I was able to share the findings with Rob and show him what a structured journals looked liked.   The BB journal tool (private blog) enables students to do this. Safe environment. Situative learning - Real life Feedback on a weekly basis. Cohort of 10 students. Students have given their permission for us to showcase their blogs.

One set of summative feedback. More 3rds and 2.2s 2013 Students used to submit all their written journals at the end of the module One set of summative feedback. More 3rds and 2.2s Up until that point students used to submit written journals one set of summative feedback which meant that there were more 3rds and 2.2’t than 2.1’s and firsts.

Structured the Journal 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 In a workshop session we introduced the tool to students – Online Socialisation – Gilly Salmon’s Five Stage Framework For online learning to be successful and happy, participants need to be supported through a structured developmental process. – reflected in Helen Walmsley-Smith’s E-Learning Models. Demonstrated how to find the journals and how to use it. Students then noted 3 things about themselves – added appropriate images, You Tube Videos and text, into BB Journal Text Box editor and enjoyed doing the activity. Explore and discover. Rob also received some training and was then able to comment on each students contribution. However, at the end of the session Rob highlighted that the journal (blog) in the workplace would to be read by professional people.

Access and Motivation Workshop to introduce the Journal Tool Online Socialisation – familiarizing students with the learning environment and the Journal’s Text Box Editor tools Information Exchange activity – Three Things about me Rob and I supported the process Knowledge Construction– Rob gave feedback Development – feedback was supportive and fed forward to next activity

Image of Structured Journal Students work as an assistant director in the first instance (with a member of staff for the first session) and then lead a session. Students then used their structured blog to capture their planning, thinking and reflections on results of their independent led sessions. (SOL and Learning to Learn). Write less (200 words per week) writing more often instead of putting it all together at the end of the course and they received feedback on student rehearsals. Journals were part of summative assessment alongside a viva (extended conversation) at the end of their course in which the students were able to expand upon some their work

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 Assessed Journal with feedback week to week and a viva ((extended conversation) at the end of their course in which the students were able to expand upon some their work In the early weeks Rob was able to give feedback on critical thinking which enabled the students to contextualise their work in relation to theatre practioners who have published in their field. In addition, students received feedback on referencing and citing sources, Spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Findings Students academic writing improved over the space of 10 weeks Grades for the writing side of this module improved 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. From module feedback students want to use Vblogs. This is possible if student have a You Tube private account – the can then create a 3 min Vblog which is then embedded into the journal via the text box editor Because students were able to comment on their practice week on week Rob saw a marked improvement and to their grade and the students could see how far they had travelled on their learning journey,

2015 Continued with the Blackboard Journal and same assessment and feedback Initial findings are positive Back by demand from L4 students in 2014 in their L6 module. Cohort size was 25. Initial findings positive Excellent quotes from Module feedback including: "Loved the independence of the work which was very freeing.... but never felt abandoned" AND "I enjoyed the blogs" AND 96% of students felt they had "regular feedback” So Level 5 students will use blogs again as part of their directing module; we will introduce this at Level 6 in relation to 'Creative Company Practice' where they will create blogs as part of their independent theatre company 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