Valencia College
THE 1000, Introduction To Theatre
Spring 2017
Online
Professor: Sarah Verron-Bassetti Office : N/A
E-Mail: Phone: N/A
Regarding E-Mail: E-mail me with ANY questions or concerns. I will respond within 24 hours M-F. E-mail sent
on Saturday and Sunday will receive a response Monday morning. Please include a clearly defined subject, course
number, and your first and last name.
Course Description
An overview of the Theatre Arts. Includes a study of theatre practitioners and their craft, including playwrights, directors, actors, and designers/technicians. Includes a general overview of theatre history, and reading and analysis of plays from various genres and periods. Attendance at outside play performances is required. 3 credits.
Major Learning Outcomes
1. Identify the distinctive nature of live theater.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the procedures, art, and craft of the major practitioners in the theater, including playwrights, actors directors, and designers/technicians.
3. Trace the major developments in theater history from the Greeks to the present.
4. Effectively evaluate theater productions.
Required Textbook
Lee A. Jacobus. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Drama. Seventh Edition. Bedford St. Martin's Press. 2012. ISBN-10: 1457606321 and ISBN-13: 978-1457606328.
The textbook is available at the bookstore on Valencia West Campus (buildings 1 and 2).
Course Structure
Your lessons are categorized by week, and are in the «Content » section. Each week will list all of the activities and assignments that must be completed in a specific order for each week. Quizzes and exams are only available for one week.
All assignments, quizzes and exams have a due date. All the due dates and deadlines are visible on the calendar. I will send you emails and post announcements on a regular basis in order to keep you informed of new information, updates and upcoming quizzes, exams and papers.
This is an online class, so I expect from you discipline and self-study. Make sure you check the calendar, your emails and blackboard on a daily basis. You need to keep yourself informed of all due dates and complete the activities, readings and other assignments ON TIME. I won't accept any work late.
Grading Scale
A: 100-90
B: 89-80
C: 79-70
D: 69-60
F: 59-0
Online Attendance
Attendance is noted by weekly discussion boards and quizzes. In order to successfully complete your online course, you must log into our course on a regular basis and complete all learning activities during the scheduled time frames.
“No Show” Status
Class attendance is required beginning with the first class meeting. If you do not attend the first class meeting, you may be withdrawn from the class as a “no show.” Students who are not actively participating in an online class and/or do not submit the first assignment by the scheduled due date must be withdrawn by the instructor at the end of the first week as a "no show". If you are withdrawn as a “no show,” you will be financially responsible for the class and a final grade of “WN” will appear on your transcript for the course.
Course evaluation
2 Exams (Midterm and Final): 100 each = 200 points possible.
1 Performance assignment: 100 points
12 Quizzes and other assignments: 25 points each = 300 points possible
2 Discussions board: 10 points each = 20 points possible. TOTAL = 620 (subject to change).
Late Work and Make-up Policy
There will be no make-up exams or assignments. You will NOT be able to ‘make up’ a missed a quiz, an exam or any other type of assignment. If you wait until the last minute to take a quiz and encounter problems of any kind, there is nothing that can be done. It is your responsibility to ensure proper hardware and software configuration and reliable internet connection. I WILL NOT ACCEPT LATE OR INCOMPLETE WORK DUE TO A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION.
All quizzes must be taken within the Blackboard course. Essays must be submitted only on blackboard.
All quizzes and exams MUST be taken on a computer and NOT on a tablet or smart phone. Do NOT use the Blackboard mobile app to take quizzes or exams. Please do not ask for an extension. This syllabus is clear about it.
Respondus Lockdown Browser
In order to take the exams online, you must download and use Respondus Lockdown Browser, that you download by clicking on this following link: http://www.respondus.com/lockdown/information.pl?ID=544314337
If you don't download this browser, you won't be able to access the exams.
Exams
You will have two exams (midterm and final). Each exam is worth 100 points. Exams are available online for one week. Exams will contain short-answer questions, multiple-choice questions and combination of image identification or text identification.
Quizzes
Quizzes will be weekly and based upon the reading, videos, power points, activities for each weekly section. Each quiz is worth 25 points and have around 10 questions. The quizzes will be a mix of multiple-choice questions and short-answer questions. Quizzes are available online for one week.
You have a 30 minute time limit for each quiz. When your time expires the quiz will be automatically submitted. The Quiz for each week MUST be submitted by 11.59 PM EACH SUNDAY. Late quizzes will not be counted.
Performance Assignment
You are required to visit one live performance this semester. You will have to go to the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre to watch the following play:
- Love's Labour's Lost, by William Shakespeare, staged by Thomas Ouellette. (From February 22 to March 24 2017 at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre). See the following website for the dates, tickets, reduced prices and other information:
http://orlandoshakes.org/shows/loves-labours-lost/
You will be required to complete an assignment and answer the following questions in separated paragraphs in response to the performance you watched. (900 words total).
- Introduction of the paper. You must name the playwright and the stage director, give the genre of the play and summarize the story of the play. This answer must contain at least 300 words (one full page).
- Describe the staging/set design of the play and analyze the unity of place (according to Aristotle's Poetics) in the play. Does the play respect the unity of place? In your answer, you will define and explain the term and relate it to the play. This analysis must contain at least 300 words (one full page).
Tip: explain your points and provide clear examples from the play to justify them.
- Share your personal opinion in a critical way by describing how this experience was for you (the environment of the theatre, contact with the other spectators, the story, the staging, etc.). What did you think of the play and why? Develop your personal point of view by explaining and developing your ideas. At least 300 words (one full page).
The assignments will be due on Thursday April 13. You will submit your essay on blackboard. It is worth 100 points. You will have the entire semester to write your essay and I won't accept any late work. You will also need to keep copies of your tickets/receipts and scan them to your essays. I WON'T ACCEPT E-MAILED ESSAYS. THEY MUST BE SUBMITTED ON BLACKBOARD IN THE APPROPRIATE DROP BOX FOR THE ASSIGNMENT.
All written work submitted to the instructor must meet all of the following criteria :
- Writing must follow the standards of form, grammar and spelling
- All papers must be typed, double spaced, in size 12 font
- MLA format
- Each assignment handed in must have the following information in the upper left or right hand corner, or on a separate cover page:
1. Name
2. The name of the course (THE1000)
3. Date and time of the course
4. Title of the paper
Discussions
To receive full credit, you must post thoughtful and substantive responses to each discussion question, and constructive feedbacks to other students.
· Post responding to the discussion question : at least 150 words.
· Post responding to other students: at least 80 words.
When responding to other students, you cannot simply say that you agree with another student’s statement and expect full credit. Always justify, elaborate and explain why.
Remember this is a college course and all college guidelines must be followed when writing (i.e. correct sentence grammar and punctuation, spelling, complete sentences).
Academic Honesty and Plagiarism Statement
Each student is required to follow Valencia’s policy regarding academic honesty. All work submitted by students is expected to be the result of the student’s individual thoughts, research, and self-expression unless the assignment specifically states “group project.” Any act of academic dishonesty will be handled in accordance with Valencia’s policy as set forth in the Student Handbook and Catalog. Students who cheat will be given a zero for the assignment. Repeated cheaters will be reported to the Academic Dean for disciplinary action.
What is plagiarism ?
- Copying a website or textbook without using quotation marks and/or providing an in text citation and Works Cited page.
- Submitting another student’s paper as your own work.
- Changing words or paraphrasing from a textbook or website without giving credit to your source.
Syllabus Disclaimer
The course outline and syllabus are subject to change as needed; changes will be announced in a timely manner, if and when necessary. Your continued participation in this course after the drop-add deadline period constitutes an agreement with an acceptance of the conditions presented in the syllabus.
Withdrawal Deadline and Policy
A student who withdraws from class before the withdrawal deadline of March 31, 2017 will receive a grade of “W.” A faculty member is permitted to withdraw a student from the faculty member's class up to the beginning of the final exam period, for violation of the faculty member's attendance policy, as published in the faculty member's syllabus. A student is not permitted to withdraw from this class after the withdrawal deadline; if you remain in the class after the withdrawal deadline, you can only receive a grade of A, B, C, D, F or I. An I grade will only be assigned under extraordinary circumstances that occur near the end of the semester. If you receive an I, the work missed must be made up during the following semester, at which time you will get an A, B,C,D or F. Failure to make up the work during the following semester will result in you getting a grade of F in the course. Any student who withdraws from this class during a third or subsequent attempt in this course will be assigned a grade of “F.”
Baycare Behavioral Health’s Student Assistance Program
Valencia is committed to making sure all our students have a rewarding and successful college experience. To that purpose, Valencia students can get immediate help that may assist them with psychological issues dealing with stress, anxiety, depression, adjustment difficulties, substance abuse, time management as well as relationship problems dealing with school, home or work. Students have 24 hour unlimited access to the Baycare Behavioral Health’s confidential student assistance program phone counseling services by calling (800) 878-5470. Three free confidential face-to-face counseling sessions are also available to students.
Students with Disabilities Statement
Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a Notification to Instructor (NTI) form from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the professor, preferably during the first two weeks of class; accommodations will not be applied retroactively. The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities. West Campus SSB, Rm. 102, Phone: 407-582-1523, Fax: 407-582-1326