During the review period, I completed service on graduate committees for three third-year MFA actors. After a year as a committee member, I briefly chaired a design student’s committee before the student’s withdrawal from the MFA Design program. I continue to serve on committees for two MFA design students, and joined a third MFA design student’s committee in Fall 2018. I continue to serve on a graduate committee for an English PhD student who will take comprehensive exams in March.
My mentorship of student dramaturgs is improving, and student interest in dramaturgy appears to be on the rise. Creating a list of expectations for student dramaturgs and instituting regular meetings has made all the difference.
My practice as a dramaturg is a natural fit for facilitating lifelong learning opportunities, as evidenced by the formalization of my role as liaison to the Friends of Theatre Scripts Club. I also returned to the Whitehills Book Club, and presented two screenings for the MSU Film Collective.
I mentored graduate student TAs for THR 100 and THR 336 in the fall, after leading a workshop on online teaching during prep week for all grad students and two new faculty.
I was selected as a fellow of the 2018-2019 Walter and Pauline Adams Academy of Instructional Excellence and Innovation. The primary outcome will be an online teaching portfolio.
My teaching load in Fall 2018 included IAH 241D and THR 110. Student evaluations for both courses are the best I have ever achieved. This was the second time teaching the IAH course with an enrollment of 100 students. My Teaching Assistant and I did not find the students to be especially engaged in the course, but my peer observer from the Adams Academy insisted they were. Student SIRS comments suggest this as well. I think the layout of the classroom made it challenging to feel that sense of the class dynamics. THR 110 was somewhat overenrolled, with 29 students. I relied heavily on group work to maintain student engagement, and I believe this was an effective strategy. Curating student experiences of department productions by inviting artists working on those productions to speak to the class also proved effective, as students expressed appreciation for their deep understanding of “The Miller Plays.”
I also piloted a new online course (THR 336: Sex, Sexualty, and Theatre) during the summer session. I had assisted in the design of that course during spring 2018. I have shared my course announcements with grad student instructors of the class during academic year 2018-2019.