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RUNNING HEAD: Jamie Forde’s Instructional Design Project: Shakespearean Literature 1

Table of Contents

Section Page

Overview 2

Problem/Need Statement 3-6

Audience Analysis 7-11

Written Objectives 12

Learning Assessments 13-18

Content Outline 19-42

Course Evaluation Plan 43-46

Concluding Remarks 47

Appendices 48-55

References 56

Jamie Forde’s Instructional Design Project Compilation 2

Overview

My future professional goals include facilitating English courses at a college/university

or within an educator licensure program either in the United States or abroad. Therefore, I am

focusing my instructional designs to fit the context of a credit program within an institution of

higher education. In order to simplify the instructional designs, I am narrowing the institution to

Colorado State University (CSU). The instructional designs will be centered on a revised

Shakespearean Literature course. Included in my design are the following components:

problem/need statement, audience analysis, written objective, content outline, and a course

evaluation plan.


Problem/Need Statement

“The universe is so well balanced that the mere fact that you have a problem also serves

as a sign that there is a solution.” Although hypothetical, my ideas around a revised course are

realistic of the needs and problems of higher education institutions throughout the country, as

well as throughout other countries. The course is Shakespearean Literature, which is typically

required of all English majors, especially English education majors. In order to demonstrate the

instructional need for a revised Shakespearean Literature course, a thorough explanation will be

provided about the need for change, the environment in which the need exists, why the need

should be filled through instruction, and finally supporters of the need.

Need for Revised Shakespearean Literature

A revised version of the Shakespearean Literature course is necessary in order to fit the

needs of all learners. Typically, such courses include at least one play from each Shakespearean

genre - - tragedy, comedy, romance, history, and poetry. Learners are required to read the

majority of the play, if not in its entirety, individually and outside of class. In-class discussions

are centered on the significance of the events by connecting the events to the time period, as well

as to modern society. Upon completion of the discussion, learners are assigned a synthesis or

argument essay. In a three-credit course, learners are usually assigned one play a week.

Based on the current facilitation style at CSU, there is a need for change in the manner in

which learners interact with the texts. The facilitation style is based on individual reading,

facilitator-based in-class discussions, and a concluding essay. One area that needs to be changed

is that dramas (or at least portions of dramas) should be read aloud in-class with learners

assuming the roles of the actors/actresses. It is important to act out the dramas in order to fully

understand the intricacies of the plot and character development. When learners read


individually, they are unable to hear the subtle nuisances and character interactions that occur

within Shakespearean dramas. Also, dramas are meant to be acted out in front of an audience - -

it is vital for facilitators to preserve the integrity of an author’s intentions.

Another change in instruction is the inclusion of critical lenses to create/generate a more

meaningful synthesis. Such critical lenses include the following: feminist, Marxist,

deconstruction, critical race theory, and historical. The inclusion of critical lenses assists learners

in obtaining detailed knowledge of the material and how it is contextualized (Barry, 2002).

Another importance to integrating critical lenses is that they help learners understand that “rather

than one right way to approach a text, students come to understand that there are many ways,

sometimes complementary and sometimes competing, in which a text can be constructed”

(Appleman, 2000, x).

The final change in instruction is to drift away from the classic essay in order to

incorporate multi-genre elements. Many English majors tend to be creative and desire learning

situations that allow for out-of-the-box thinking. Delving into multiple genres would promote

creativity and critical thinking. Other multi-genre elements should be included in order to appeal

to a variety of learners, rather than merely the more linear-minded learners.

Environment

For Shakespearean Literature, the environment would be within Colorado State

University, specifically in their liberal arts college. Since the university does not identify as a

liberal arts school, the revised course needs to change current learning activities and assessments.

The reason for this is that the university tends to possess professors/instructors who do not

understand different teaching methodologies around liberal arts instruction. This occurs because


many professors are researchers rather than instructors so they are not always well-versed in

classroom instruction.

Why Instruction?

The most important reason for addressing a revised course is that it is difficult for

learners to achieve certain higher level thinking skills without critical thinking activities outside

of typical discussions. Applying critical perspectives to literary texts involves critical thinking

which required learners to generate meaningful connections to today’s society and sub-cultures.

Through verbal and collaborative interactions, learners can make these connections without

entrenching themselves in stereotypes. Such instruction is not easy for experienced professors so

the revised course would include already developed learning activities and assessments.

Supporters

The last element to consider in identifying the need for a revised course is the recognition

of supporters. Since the course is hypothetical, the supports are people who would need to be

convinced that the instructional need exists. The first group of supporters would be the liberal

arts dean, the English department head, and English professors. The dean of the liberal arts

school would support the idea because a different instructional approach would attract more

learners who would find the course less ‘dry’; attracting more learners would be financially

beneficial to CSU. The English department head would support the change since the integration

of critical lenses would attract a greater range of professors from other universities. Finally,

English professors would support a change since a deeper level of analysis would create higher

levels of critical thinking. Professors would also benefit from learning different instructional and

assessment techniques.


The second group of supporters would be learners within the liberal arts college. Learners

tend to desire deeper connections and higher level thinking. They also tend to not want to merely

regurgitate information through the views of their professors and then forget the information as

they move into other courses.

Final Thoughts about Problem/Need

In summary, Shakespearean Literature courses at CSU possess a major need in that there

needs to be a change in instructional and assessment techniques. It is important to change the

techniques so that learners can be intellectually challenged while also learning that knowledge

does not have one right answer. A revised course would be the impetus behind the change in

order to allow facilitators to experience and implement techniques efficiently and effectively

without needing to put exuberant amounts of time into researching the techniques themselves.


Audience Analysis

The audience analysis was completed with the intention of improving Shakespearean

literature courses at CSU. The audience for this analysis was CSU undergraduate students who

enroll in the course. In order to complete the analysis practically, the designer of the course

answered the questions about the audience. The designer was the subject matter expert and the

instructor.

Analysis

Question #1: What is the learner background?

In order to understand the learners, the rationale for taking the course must first be

understood. Comprehension on the reasoning and rationale assist in the direction instructional

materials and activities are steered. This promotes the creation of learner buy-in and decreases

the amount of learner apprehension towards Shakespearean literature.

According to the Colorado State University 2012-2013 Course Catalog, English majors

with an education, language, or literature concentration are required to take a Shakespearean

literature course - - which is a 300 level course. English majors with a creative writing

concentration can take the course as an elective. Other majors can enroll in the course only if

they meet the pre-requisite requirements, which either Introduction to Poetry or Survey of British

Literature (2012). Most non-English majors take a Reading Shakespeare course which is meant

to be more accessible to learners who cannot easily understand Shakespearean content (2012). In

other words, the vast majority of learners take the course as a requirement.

The rationale behind most of the learners taking the course is that it is a requirement; this

information affects the design of the course. Some English majors will already possess a desire

to take the course. Other English majors might have a stigma against Shakespeare and will need


assistance in overcoming this stigma. Even English majors who love literature struggle with

poetry and Shakespearean language. Some of the learners have a tendency to shut down when

engaging in the content.

Since the majority of learners are English majors, instruction does not need to include too

much information around the history of Shakespeare, his style of writing, or the impact he has

had on literature today. As English majors, they should have a solid foundation of knowledge

around these topics since they acquire this knowledge in Introduction to Poetry and Survey of

British Literature. The instructor can provide a small amount of background information and

then dive into the core of the curriculum without too much fear of losing learners. When

beginning the core of the curriculum, the instructor will need to supply declarative information.

The instructor can quickly move into generative strategies once learners begin to grasp the

concepts, trends, and themes in Shakespeare.

Question #2: How accessible do learners find Shakespeare? Are they able to get through the

language in order to understand the content?

If Shakespeare is accessible to many of the learners, instruction can delve into the content

and analysis quickly without the need of taking too much time to go through plot synopsis.

However, if learners do not find Shakespeare accessible, instruction needs to include

supplemental activities to assist learners in understanding the content. This will allow learners to

analyze the dramas on a deeper, more meaningful level.

The responses to the previous question have revealed that learners will have taken either

Introduction to Poetry or Survey of British Literature. These courses provide learners with the

tools to decode poetry, as well as Shakespearean writing.


Since learners have already been given the tools to help them understand Shakespeare,

the facilitator will not embed this information into the content. Instead, the facilitator needs to

reactivate learners’ prior knowledge about poetry and Shakespearean writing. Learners can

analyze and synthesize the dramas without spending a vast amount of time on plot summary. For

learners who may struggle with decoding Shakespeare, the facilitator can provide online

resources which the learner can refer to on their own time.

Question #3: How would learners like to approach Shakespearean dramas? Would they prefer

reading individually, reading as a group, acting out the drama, embedding other activities while

reading the play, etc.?

It is important for the facilitator to value the opinions of learners and try to incorporate

their opinions into classroom instruction. Even though it is not always possible to access the

opinions of learners prior to a learning experience, it is important to consider what they might

enjoy having incorporated into instruction.

Learners are not ‘one size fits all.’ They all have different needs and cannot be

generalized as a complete whole. Therefore, it is difficult to know which approach would best fit

all learners.

Since learners are not easy to generalize when determining the best approach for

instruction, it is best that the content utilizes a variety of learning approaches. The course should

offer different opportunities through all of the plays to read individually, read as a group, and act

out portions as a class. Even though some of the approaches will make learners uncomfortable at

times, at least one of the approaches will appeal to each individual learner.

Question #4: What type of activities and materials would best supplement Shakespeare for

learners?


The last question is important in order to analyze the audience in regard to specific

content. The questions thus far have been directed towards analyzing the audience regarding

general content (i.e. a general ability to understand Shakespeare). The course designer should

also consider the audience in regard to specific classroom activities.

According to research concerning learning and the brain, the human brain craves variety

which will stimulate different sections of the brain (Sousa, 2011). Educational research also

shows that a differentiated curriculum with a variety of instructional activities is the best way to

appeal to all learners.

Rather than viewing the design and development specifically for Shakespeare, the course

designer should approach the content design as they would for any course. It can be easy to

forget that aspects of the instructional design process for adults should be approached similarly

to the way they are for adolescents. It is important that instruction is varied in order to appeal to

aspects of all learners.

Reflection

After completing the audience analysis, I feel that all of the questions were important to

include. For some of the questions, I already knew the answers but going through the process

helped me think thoroughly through each answer. Also, now that I have the answers written out,

I am less likely to forget them as I design and develop the instruction. Even though some of the

answers were the same, I feel that the questions will not always generate the same answers in

other contexts. It is always ideal to have learners complete the questions in order to generate

more exact answers. With that known, I feel it is more realistic that the designer and instructor

are not always able to access learner responses prior to developing a course. Therefore I am glad

that I went through the process of answering the questions myself.


Final Thoughts about Audience Analysis

This audience analysis has allowed me to think thoroughly about the audience I am

attempting to address when creating the Shakespearean Literature course. I have a better

understanding of the steps I will take as I design and develop instruction.


Written Objectives

This section of the instructional design includes the three major goals for the course, as

well as the five objectives for the one of the course’s dramas, The Life of Henry the Fifth.

Goal I: Learners will be able to define various literary criticisms and apply them to the works of

Shakespeare.

Goal II: Learners will be able to compose a collection of five Shakespearean sonnets

exemplifying the major themes and ideas present within The Sonnets.

Goal III: Learners will be able to identify major themes in Shakespeare’s dramas and discuss the

dramas using particular literary criticisms with the themes as they apply to the historical

contexts in which they were created.

In regard to Shakespeare’s historical drama, The Life of Henry the Fifth:

Objective 1: Learners will be able to identify the major plot events and their significance

through in-class and online discussions.

Objective 2: Learners will be able to compare the drama to relevant historical and current

events through discussions and writing assignments.

Objective 3: Learners will be able to describe the key parts of feminist and historical

criticisms and use the criticisms to evaluate the text through readings, discussions,

and visual portrayals.

Objective 4: Learners will be able to analyze the implications of feminist and historical

criticisms orally and in writing.

Objective 5: Learners will be able to create and present a final project using a medium of

their choice (i.e. documentary, short film, classic essay, graphic novel, etc.) by

examining the text through either a feminist and historical criticism.


Learning Assessments

The following learning assessments were created specifically for the study of the drama,

The Life of Henry the Fifth. The learning assessments include the five objectives for the drama as

well as the following information: how the learning will be assessed, why the assessment was

included, how it will be conducted, and how it matches the objective. Also, the third objective

includes a complete learning assessment.

Objective #1

In the first objective, learners will be able to identify the major plot events and their

significance within Shakespeare’s historical drama, The Life of Henry the Fifth through in-class

and online discussions. Discussions and reading notes (when applicable) will be used to assess

learners’ ability to identify major plot events and explain their significance. The discussions will

vary in format between traditional discussions, Socratic seminars, and fishbowl discussions. At

times, reading notes such as graphic organizers, concept maps, and anticipation guides will be

assigned. These written notes will be collected in order to assist in assessing learners’ ability to

demonstrate understanding of the text and its major events.

Discussions and reading notes are an informal but effective way to gauge comprehension.

The two assessment formats appeal to facilitators as they are less time-consuming than other

formats. Furthermore, learners are given the opportunity to verbally express their ideas while

also expressing them through informal writing.

The assessment for the discussions will be conducted in class. The facilitator will make

notes of the learners and their contributions to the discussion. If necessary, the discussion will

also take place on BlackBoard. For the reading notes, the format of the notes will be explained

prior to the reading. Learners will complete the notes and turn them in at the end of the


discussion for the corresponding reading. The facilitator will then read over them to assess

learners’ ability to identify and explain major plot events.

Discussions and reading notes match the objective since they allow the facilitator to

effectively and efficiently evaluate learners’ ability to identify plot events and their significance.

The condition to the effectiveness of the assessment is based on the facilitator’s ability to help

learners in directing discussions towards the significance of major plot events.

Objective #2

The second objective is that learners will be able to compare The Life of Henry the Fifth

to relevant historical and current events through discussions and writing assignments. ‘A Nose

for News’ assignment will be used to assess learners’ ability to compare the drama to relevant

historical and current events. The assessment is a compilation of short learner-generated

newspaper clippings. Learners will be assigned the task to write the short clippings and compile

them into a mini scrapbook.

‘A Nose for News’ is a nontraditional approach which appeals to different learners. It

allows learners to contextualize information through the familiar median of newspaper articles.

The assessment is more formal than a discussion but less formal and intimidating than an exam

or essay.

The ‘Nose for News’ assessment will be conducted predominately out of class, but some

in-class time will provided by the facilitator for preparation and background work. Learners will

begin by researching newspaper clipping from the Elizabethan era as well as newspaper

clippings from current newspapers. They will look for trends and common elements in each time

periods’ newspaper clippings. In order to complete the assessment, learners will write their

articles based on the trends and elements they found in their research.


‘A Nose for News’ matches the objective because the newspaper clippings written by

learners will be centered on the relevance of Shakespeare’s drama to historical and current

events.

Objective #3

In the third objective, learners will be able to describe the key parts of feminist and

historical criticisms and use the criticisms to evaluate The Life of Henry the Fifth through

readings, discussions, and visual portrayals. Learners’ ability to describe feminist and historical

criticisms will be assessed through pictorial reflections. Pictorial reflections use graphics to

express the understanding of content through doodles, pictures, and photography.

One reason this assessment is included is to appeal to learners who are more visual and

creative. The other reason for including pictorial reflections is that the understanding of literary

criticisms can be difficult for learners of any age. A visual representation of feminist and

historical criticisms can increase learners’ understanding and retention. The challenge of

searching for visual representations and creating the final product will further increase learners’

ability to understand and apply the criticisms.

The assessment will be completed individually. Although some class time will be

provided for learners to work on the assessment, they will complete the majority of it outside of

class time. Before the assessment is given to learners, they will first learn and discuss the

criticisms. Then they will discuss the criticisms in connection to the drama. Finally, the

facilitator will explain the assignment and give learners time to ask questions, brainstorm, and

plan their next steps.

Pictorial reflections match the objective of describing the key parts of both criticisms

while also using the criticisms to evaluate the text. In the first part of the assignment, learners


must visually portray the elements of the two criticisms. In the second part of the assignment,

learners must visually portray the connection between the drama and the criticisms.

The following are the steps the facilitator will take in order to complete this learning

assessment:

1. Discuss elements of feminist and historical criticisms from the following text:

Barry, P. (2002). Beginning theory: An introduction to literary and cultural

theory. Manchester, United Kingdom: Manchester University Press.

2. Through the use of discussions, reading guides, and journaling, discuss the

connection between the criticisms and the text.

3. Assign ‘Pictorial Reflections’ (see Appendix A for the assignment sheet).

4. Spend time in class discussing the assignment and allowing individual work time

to brainstorm and begin creating the visual representations.

5. Complete the reflections at home and turn in the final product.

Objective #4

The next objective is that learners will be able to analyze the implications of feminist and

historical criticisms orally and in writing. In order to assess learners’ ability to analyze the

implications of feminist and historical criticisms, a short answer quiz will be given. The quiz will

ask learners to explain the elements of criticisms and their implications.

A short answer quiz is included because it is a quick way to measure learners’ ability to

analyze the implications of the two criticisms. Other assessments such as discussions would be

too time-consuming since analyzing implications of theories is very subjective and different for

each learner. This assessment is more formal than previous assessments and appeals to more

linear-minded learners.


The short answer quiz will be created by the facilitator and completed in class. The quiz

will consist of questions asking about different parts of each theory, as well as about the

implications of the parts of each theory.

A short answer quiz matches the objective because it gives learners the ability to analyze

the implications of feminist and historical criticisms. Learners are able to clearly and directly

analyze the implications of the theories in a way that allows the facilitator to objectively grade

learners’ analysis.

Objective #5

The final objective is that learners will be able to create and present a final project using a

medium of their choice (i.e. documentary, short film, classic essay, graphic novel, etc.) by

examining The Life of Henry the Fifth through either a feminist and historical criticism. Since

learners will be choosing their own projects, the assessment will be based on a rubric for the

finished project and presentation. Even though everyone’s projects will look different, they will

be assessed on the required elements.

An assessment that is learner-generated allows learners to take responsibility for their

own learning. The learners are able to create a project that appeals to their own style and

personal learning preferences. A rubric allows the facilitator to objectively grade a subjective

project.

The final project will be partially created in class and partially out of class. The learners

will complete and present the projects individually. They will be given the rubric at the

beginning of the project in order to fully understand the expectations. Presentations will occur at

the completion of the projects.


A learner-generated project and accompanying rubric matches the objective since it

incorporates the examination of the drama and criticism. Learners are able to choose the medium

that best fits their ideas and personalities.

Final Thoughts about Learning Assessments

The assessments for The Life of Henry the Fifth vary in delivery, formality, and

creativity. They are designed to be learner-centered while also effectively assessing the

completion of each objective. Discussions/reading notes, ‘A Nose for News’, pictorial

reflections, short answer quizzes, and learner-generated projects appeal to different learning

styles/preferences. Some of the assessments are also meant to allow learners to take control of

their own learning and take ownership of their thoughts and ideas.


Content Outline

Syllabus

Welcome to Shakespearean Literature Jamie Forde

Fall 2014 Welcome to the new school year. Every new semester means new chances to succeed, and I fully

expect every one of you to succeed. Every new semester also means new goals and expectations.

I hope that each of you will take the time to set new goals for yourself because I believe that it is

important for us all to re-evaluate the direction we are headed in education and life. Provided

below is a space for you to write at least one course goal and one personal goal. You will also be

anonymously submitting your course goal on a notecard.

Course Goal:

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Personal Goal:

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Dates & Times:

18 August 2014 – 12 December 2014

Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays 3:00pm – 3:50pm

Required Texts:

Greenblatt, S., Cohen, W., Howard, J. E., & Maus, K. E. (1997). The Norton Shakespeare. (1st

Ed.) New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Barry, P. (2002). Beginning theory: An introduction to literacy and cultural theory. (1st Ed.)

Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press.

Supplemental readings found on BlackBoard.


In this course:

Throughout the semester, we will be exploring the different genres of William Shakespeare

while also applying literary criticisms to his texts. The texts we will be covering are The Sonnets,

Much Ado about Nothing, The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice, The Tempest, and The

Life of Henry the Fifth. The literary criticisms we will be covering are critical race theory,

Marxist criticism, feminist criticism, and historical criticism.

Course Goals:

Goal 1: Learners will be able to define various literary criticisms and apply them to the

works of Shakespeare.

Goal 2: Learners will be able to compose a collection of five Shakespearean sonnets

exemplifying the major themes and ideas present within The Sonnets.

Goal 3: Learners will be able to identify the major themes in Shakespeare’s dramas and

discuss the dramas using particular literary criticisms with the themes as they apply to the

historical contexts in which they were created.

Please let me know:

Please let me know if you need any accommodations not provided in the course in order to

enhance our learning environment. If you need to sit in a certain place or have any learning

struggles that you would like me to know about, contact me either in person or via email.

If you are unable to turn an assignment in on time: Come talk to me about why you cannot turn an assignment in on time. If you have a legitimate

reason for not being able to complete an assignment, then we can discuss an alternative due date

or an alternative assignment, if appropriate. If you are unable to provide a legitimate reason or

arrange an alternative due date prior to its deadline, you will be given a 10% reduction for the

assignment.

Grading 1. Discussion/Reading Notes 50

2. Quizzes 160

3. In-class Assignments 50

4. Shakespearean Sonnets 100

5. Verbal Snapshot: Much Ado About Nothing 40

6. Much Ado About Nothing Essay 100

7. The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice Retelling 40

8. The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice Trial 100

9. Storyboard: The Tempest 40

10. Reinterpretation of The Tempest 100

11. A Nose for News: The Life of Henry the Fifth 40

12. Pictorial Reflections: The Life of Henry the Fifth 40

13. The Life of Henry the Fifth Project 100

14. The Life of Henry the Fifth Presentation 25

15. Reflection 40

Total Points: 1,025


Learning Activities

In regard to the learning activities, I have provided a brief description of each assignment, its

point value, and its due date. At the beginning of each drama, I will provide you with the detailed

assignment sheets for the corresponding text. Each assignment sheet will feature the

requirements of the assignment, a rubric (if applicable), as well as formatting details. If you

prefer to have all of the assignment sheets provided to you at the beginning of the semester,

please contact me.

Semester-long activities: 1. Discussion/Reading Notes (50 points)

Discussions and reading notes will be used to assess your ability to identity major plot

events and explain their significance. The discussions will vary in format between

traditional discussions, Socratic seminars, and fishbowl discussions. At times, reading

notes such as graphic organizers, concept maps, and anticipation guides will be assigned.

These written notes will be collected in order to assess your ability to demonstrate

understanding of the text and its major events. During class discussion, I will make notes

of your contributions. If necessary, the discussion will be carried over to BlackBoard.

The format of the reading notes will be assigned prior to the reading. You will be

required to complete the notes and turn them in at the end of the discussion. At the

beginning of each topic, I will let you know if the readings will be completed orally in-

class or individually at home. The discussion and reading notes will be on-going

throughout the semester.

2. Critical Theory Quizzes (160 points) In order to assess your ability to analyze the implications of the four major criticisms we

will be covering this semester, a short answer quiz will be given. The quizzes will require

you to explain the elements of the criticisms and their implications. Each theory’s quiz

will be worth 40 points. The critical race theory quiz will be Wednesday, 17 September.

The Marxist criticism quiz will be Wednesday, 15 October. The Feminist and historical

criticisms will be combined into one larger quiz which will take place on Friday, 7

November.

3. In-class Assignments (50 points) Throughout the semester, you will be assigned extra readings and writing assignments

not included with the major learning activities for the course. These reading and writing

assignments will be given as necessary to fit the needs of our class. The assignments are

intended to supplement the dramas and concepts being explored. The in-class

assignments will be on-going throughout the semester.

The Sonnets: 4. Shakespearean Sonnets (100 points)

In order to complete this assignment, you will be composing a collection of five

Shakespearean sonnets exemplifying the major themes and ideas present within The

Sonnets. Each sonnet will be worth 20 points. The Shakespearean Sonnets are due

Wednesday, 3 September.


Much Ado about Nothing: 5. Verbal Snapshot: Much Ado about Nothing (40 points)

Verbal snapshots are meant to enhance interaction with the drama. While reading the

drama, you can doodle, circle details that help create visual images, and ask questions

that clarify information. In order to complete a verbal snapshot, you will use the notes

you have taken in order to use an object, scene, person, or animal to comment on a topic

that is important within Much Ado about Nothing. Your verbal snapshot is due Friday, 12

September.

6. Much Ado about Nothing Essay (100 points) This essay will be a classic essay meant to synthesize the major themes in Much Ado

about Nothing with the intention of connecting the major themes to their historical

counterpart, as well as the current century. Your essay should be 6-8 pages in length. The

Much Ado about Nothing essay is due Monday, 15 September.

The Tragedy of Othello: 7. The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice Retelling (40 points)

A retelling is centered on the search for multiple perspectives. For this assignment, you

will choose a scene from the play and write it from a different character’s perspective.

As you complete your retelling consider what influences shape the narrative of a single

perspective. Also consider how other perspectives might change the telling of the drama.

Your retelling is due Wednesday, 3 October.

8. The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice Critical Debate (100 points) You will be assigned to one of two critical debates. The purpose of the debates is to argue

The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice through the lens of critical race theory. The

critical debates will take place Wednesday, 8 October and Friday, 10 October.

The Tempest: 9. Storyboard: The Tempest (40 points)

In this assignment, you will visually represent a scene. In order to complete the scene,

you will need to select and arrange details to create a storyboard for a film of the scene.

Your artistic ability is not important; rather you will be graded on your observation of

details. The Tempest storyboard is due Wednesday, 31 October.

10. Reinterpretation of The Tempest (100 points) After learning about Marxist criticism, you will be reinterpreting The Tempest through

the medium of a graphic novel, a condensed novel, or an epic poem. In your

reinterpretation, your artistic ability is not important. You may choose to hand draw or

electronically draw your reinterpretation. Your reinterpretation is due Monday, 3

November.


The Life of Henry the Fifth: 11. A Nose for News: The Life of Henry the Fifth (40 points)

‘A Nose for News’ is a compilation of short newspaper clippings you will be writing and

compiling into a mini scrapbook. The assignment will entail you to research newspaper

clippings from the Elizabethan era as well as newspaper clippings from current

newspapers. You will look for trends and common elements in each time periods’

newspaper clippings. The assignment is due Friday, 14 November.

12. Pictorial Reflections: The Life of Henry the Fifth (40 points) Pictorial reflections use graphics to express the understanding of content through doodles,

pictures, and photographs. In the first part of the assignment, you will visually portray the

elements of the two criticisms. In the second part of the assignment, you will visually

portray the connections between the drama and the criticisms. Again, as in previous

assignments, your artistic ability is not what is being graded but rather the ideas you are

portraying. The pictorial reflections are due Friday, 1 December.

13. The Life of Henry the Fifth project (100 points) For your final project, you will be creating a project using a medium of your choice (i.e.

documentary, short film, classic essay, graphic novel, etc.) by examining The Life of

Henry the Fifth through either a feminist or historical criticism. You must submit a

project proposal by Wednesday, 12 November. Since each project will be different, a

rubric will be provided for the finished project. All projects are due on Monday, 1

December.

14. The Life of Henry the Fifth presentation (25 points) You will be required to present your final project in class. Presentations should be 4-6

minutes long. The purpose of the presentations is to highlight the key points of your

project. The presentations will take place Monday, 1 December; Wednesday, 3

December; and Friday, 5 December.

Reflection: 15. Reflection (40 points)

The final assignment for this course is a personal reflection. In your reflection, you need

to comment on the major work you have completed in this course. The major works

include the following: the Shakespearean sonnets, Much Ado about Nothing essay, The

Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice critical debate, reinterpretation of The Tempest,

and The Life of Henry the Fifth project. Outside of the major works, you should also

reflect upon your overall work ethic as well as what you will be taking away from the

course. Your reflection is due Wednesday, 10 October.


Extra Credit: 16. Extra Credit (maximum 30 points possible)

After the completion of each drama, there will be a screening of a current film version of

the play. In order to receive the extra credit, you must attend the movie screening and

write a 1-2 page review comparing the text with the film version. Each review is worth

15 points, and you have the option to complete up to two reviews. The screening dates,

times, and locations will be announced about halfway through each drama.


Shakespearean Literature Fall 2014 Schedule

Week Date Topic

In-class

(unless instructed

otherwise, complete the

readings prior to class)

Assignments

1

Monday, 8/18 Introductions Introductions, syllabus and

course schedule

Wednesday,

8/20

introduction (pp. 1-38)

Friday, 8/22 Finish introduction (pp.

38-76)

2

Monday, 8/25 Poetry: The

Sonnets (pp.

1923-1975)

Sonnets # 1, 2, 3, 4, 17,

18, & 19 (pp. 1923-1929)

Wednesday,

8/27

Sonnets # 20, 23, 24, 25,

26, 36, 55 (pp. 1929-1941)

Friday, 8/29 Sonnets # 78, 86, 106,

130, 132, 128, 147, 152

(pp. 1949-1975)

3

Monday, 9/1 Comedy: Much Ado About

Nothing (pp.

1381-1444)

Labor Day - No class

Wednesday,

9/3

Introduction &

background to Much About Nothing (pp. 1381-

1388);

Act I (pp. 1389-1397)

5 Shakespearean

Sonnets

Friday, 9/5 Act II (pp. 1397-1410)

4

Monday, 9/8 Act III (pp. 1411-1422)

Wednesday,

9/10

Act IV (pp. 1422-1431)

Friday, 9/12 Act V (pp. 1431-1444) Verbal Snapshot:

Much Ado About Nothing

5

Monday, 9/15 Tragedy: The Tragedy of Othello the

Moor of Venice

(pp. 2091 –

2174)

Critical Race Theory

(supplemental reading on

BlackBoard)

Much Ado About Nothing Essay

Wednesday,

9/17

Introduction &

background to Othello (pp. 2091-2099)

Critical Race

Theory Short

Answer Quiz

Friday, 9/19 Act I (pp. 2100-2115)

6

Monday, 9/22 Act II (pp. 2115-2130)

Wednesday,

9/24

Act III (pp. 2130-2146)

Friday, 9/26 Act IV (pp. 2146-2160)


Week Date Topic In-class Assignments

7

Monday, 9/29 Tragedy: The Tragedy of Othello the

Moor of Venice

Act V (pp. 2160-2174)

Wednesday, 10/1 Application of Critical

Race Theory to Othello

Friday, 10/3 Finish discussion; trial

preparation

The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice

Retelling

8

Monday, 10/6 Critical debate

preparation

Wednesday,10/8 Critical debate part I Critical Debate

Notes

Friday, 10/10 Critical debate part II Critical Debate

Notes

9

Monday, 10/13 Romance: The Tempest (pp.

3047-3107)

Marxist Criticism (Barry,

pp. 156-171)

Wednesday,

10/15

Introduction &

Background to The Tempest (pp. 3047-3054)

Marxist

Criticism Short

Answer Quiz

Friday, 10/17 Act I (pp. 3055-3070)

10

Monday, 10/20 Act II (pp. 3070-3082)

Wednesday,

10/22

Act III (pp. 3082-3091)

Friday, 10/24 Act IV (pp. 3091-3098)

11

Monday, 10/27 Act V (pp. 3098-3107)

Wednesday,

10/29

Application of Marxist

Criticism to The Tempest

Friday, 10/31 Reinterpretation

Preparation

Storyboard: The Tempest

12

Monday, 11/3 History: The Life of Henry the Fifth (pp.

1445-1523)

Feminist Criticism (Barry,

pp. 121-138)

Reinterpretation

of The Tempest through a

graphic novel,

condensed

novel, or an epic

poem

Wednesday, 11/5 Historical Criticism

(Barry, pp. 172-191)

Friday, 11/7 Introduction &

background to The Life of Henry the Fifth (pp.

1445-1453)

Feminist &

Historical

Criticisms Short

Answer Quiz


Week Date Topic In-class Assignments

13

Monday, 11/10 History: The Life of Henry the

Fifth

Act I (pp. 1454-1465)

Wednesday,

11/12

Act II (pp. 1465-1475) Project

Proposal

Friday, 11/14 Act III (pp. 1476-1490) A Nose for

News

14

Monday, 11/17 Act IV (pp. 1490-1510)

Wednesday,

11/19

Act V (pp. 1510-1523)

Friday, 11/21 Application of feminist &

historical criticisms to The Life of Henry the Fifth

15 Monday, 11/24

- Friday, 11/28 Fall Break - No class

16

Monday, 12/1 Presentations Pictorial

Reflections;

Presentations

Wednesday,

12/3

Presentations Presentations

Friday, 12/5 Presentations Presentations

17

Monday, 12/8

Reflection,

Evaluations, and

Closing

Wrap-up and review

Wednesday,

12/10

Reflection & discussion Reflection

Friday, 12/12 Closing remarks & course

evaluations

Course

Evaluation


Week 14 Lesson Plans

Date: Monday, 17 November (50 minutes)

Topic: The Life of Henry the Fifth

Lesson Title: Act IV (pp. 1490-1510)

Objective:

Learners will be able to identify the major plot events and their significance within

Shakespeare’s historical drama, The Life of Henry the Fifth, through in-class discussions.

Materials/Resources Needed:

White board

At least 3 dry erase markers

Tables and chairs

Writing utensil

Paper for notes

Class sheet to mark participation in discussions

Text: Greenblatt, S., Cohen, W., Howard, J. E., & Maus, K. E. (1997). The Norton

Shakespeare. (1st Ed.) New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Fishbowl discussion starters (attached at the end of the lesson)

Classroom Set-Up:

Anticipatory Set:

Write 3 interesting developments from Act IV

Guided Practice:

5 minutes: Anticipatory Set

o Write 3 interesting developments from Act IV


35 minutes: Act IV discussion

o Discussion questions: prologue (pp. 1490-1491), scene i (pp. 1491-1497), and

scene ii (pp. 1497-1498)

What is the significance of Henry’s disguise? What does it reveal about

him that he is not recognized as king when dressed as a commoner? What

kind of king is Henry?

Notes:

o Closeness between king & commoner

o Commonalities between monarch & subjects - - difference

lies merely in position of power

o At the same time, distance between king and soldiers

o Responsibility of power is Henry’s motivation - -

responsibility to preserve stability and order for his subjects

o Tends to deny responsibility of king towards committed

actions

o Have volunteer read aloud the St. Crispin’s Day speech (IV, iii, 19-67, pages

1499-1501)

o Discussion questions: scene iii (pp. 1499-1501), scene iv (pp. 1501-1503), and

scene v (p. 1503)

Why is the St. Crispin’s Day speech impactful? What are the implications

of the speech?

Notes:

o Bolster morale

o Word play & charisma

o Fight for honor, justice, and glory

o Privilege to fight

o Bring glory

o Bond between king and commoner

o Discussion questions: scene vi (pp. 1503-1504), scene vii (pp. 1504-1508), and

scene viii (1508-1510)

Love & romance are major themes in these scenes. In what ways does love

manifest? In what ways are concepts romanticized?

Notes:

o Romanticized view of death

o Love between York and his cousin Suffolk

o York’s love for his king

o Henry’s ill-fated friendships & the problems with loving

Henry

What are the implications of the historical connections between the play

and the historical battle of Agincourt?

Notes:

o Discrepancy in the numbers of the French and the English

dead (10,000 versus 29) impossible to believe but they are

the real numbers


According to Shakespeare’s historical source, the

Chronicles of Raphael Holinshed

French army lost its organization - - many soldiers

broke ranks and ran

Heavy rain put French at disadvantage due to heavy

armor and horses

English use longbow

Instead, Shakespeare depicts Henry’s victory as an

act of God

5 minutes: Act V fishbowl discussion preparation

o Inform class of fishbowl discussion next class

o Assign 8 learners to begin the discussion (write on attached page)

5 minutes: Ticket out the door

o What was the most interesting/intriguing part of today’s discussion?

Closure:

Ticket out the door

o What is the most interesting/intriguing part of today’s discussions?

Assessment:

Ticket out the door - - learners write a quick response to indicate understanding of the in-

class discussion.

Homework & Reminders:

Read Act V of The Life of Henry the Fifth for the next class.

o Be prepared for the fishbowl discussion.

Continue to work on your project - - presentations begin after Fall Break


Fishbowl Discussion Starters for 11/19

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.


Date: Wednesday, 19 November (50 minutes)


Lesson Title: Act V (pp. 1510-1523)

Objective:

Learners will be able to identify the major plot events and their significance within

Shakespeare’s historical drama, The Life of Henry the Fifth, through in-class discussions.


White board


Tables and chairs

Writing utensil

Paper for notes

Class sheet to mark participation



Fishbowl discussion starters assigned in previous class

Discussion notes

Socratic seminar circle assignments (attached at the end of the lesson)

Knowledge survey (attached at the end of the lesson)

Classroom set-up:

Anticipatory Set:

If given the opportunity, what is one aspect of the reading you would like to discuss in

today’s fishbowl discussion?

Guided Practice:


3 minutes: Anticipatory Set:

o If given the opportunity, what is one aspect of the reading you like to discuss in

today’s fishbowl discussion?

35 minutes: Act V fishbowl discussion

o Fishbowl discussion instructions (note: fishbowl discussions have been used

previously in class so learners are familiar with the format)

Observers sit on the outside circle while participants sit on the

inside circle

Observers are not allowed to speak. Their job is to listen and learn

from the fishbowl participants. Observers will later have an

opportunity to discuss any issues that emerge in later processing

dialogue.

When an observer wishes to join the conversation, they step behind

a participant and tap their shoulder. The participant must then

wrap-up their comment and step-out of the discussion circle.

Discussion question: prologue (pp. 1510-1511), scene i (pp. 1511-1513),

scene ii (pp. 1513-1520), and Epilogue (pp. 1520-1521)

In what ways does the play end on a dark note and in what ways a

light note? What’s the significance of the disconnect in tone?

o Notes:

Reminder of mortality

Deaths of Pistol’s wife, Bardolph, Nim, and

the boy

note of realism in the commoners

Pistol, due to an accident of fate, will now

be forced to act as a pimp and thief in order

to survive

Courtship scene light but unsettling

Henry awkwardly makes courtship speeches

- - disconnect from him orations thus far

Catherine is a political pawn & barely

understand the language of her suitor

Juxtaposition of mannered discussions of a

marriage between high nobility and the

earthly raunchiness of sex jokes (V.ii.275,

V.ii.306)

Henry & Catherine’s son did not unite the 2

kingdoms as expected

Henry was as ideal king but not influential -

- rather than overturning history, history

overturns him

7 minutes: Preparation for next class’ Socratic Seminar (put discussion circle

assignments on attached sheet)

o Assign learners to inside and outside circles


2 different discussions will take place in the class (one for historical

criticism and one for feminist criticism)

5 minutes: Knowledge survey

o Pass-out the survey and allow learners time to complete prior to leaving

Closure:

Knowledge survey

Assessment:

Knowledge survey- -Knowledge surveys are short surveys that are geared to assess

learner preparedness and teaching effectiveness.


Review feminist criticism and historical criticism from Beginning theory: An introduction

to literacy and cultural theory.

Prepare for Socratic Seminar.

Remember to bring your ‘Pictorial Reflections’ assignment sheet to the next class


Socratic Seminar Topic Assignments for 11/21 Historical Criticism Socratic Seminar:

Inner Circle Participants

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Outer Circle Observers

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.


Feminist Criticism Socratic Seminar: Inner Circle Participants

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

Outer Circle Observers

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.


Knowledge Survey: The Life of Henry the Fifth Act V Shakespearean Literature

Fall 2014 Complete the survey questions below about Act V of the drama.

1. What is significant about Henry’s return to London? How might his behavior seem strange?

2. What are the implications of being homeless in Elizabethan England?

3. Henry and Catherine’s courtship is a typical example of a political courtship during Shakespeare’s lifetime. Recount at least 2 significant occurrences during Henry and Catherine’s courtship.


Date: Friday, 21 November (50 minutes)


Lesson Title: Application of feminist & historical criticisms to The Life of Henry the Fifth

Objective:

Learners will be able to describe the key parts of feminist and historical criticisms and

use the criticisms to evaluate The Life of Henry the Fifth through readings, discussions,

and visual portrayals.


White board


Tables and chairs

Writing utensil

Paper for notes

Class sheet to mark participation



Text: Barry, P. (2002). Beginning theory: An introduction to literacy and cultural theory.

(1st Ed.) Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press.

Discussion notes

Socratic seminar circle assignments from previous class

Pictorial Reflections: The Life of Henry the Fifth assignment sheet (attached at the end of

the lesson)

Classroom Set-up:

Anticipatory Set:


Take out your Socratic seminar notes and spend a few minutes reviewing them in

preparation for the discussion.

Guided Practice:

3 minutes: Anticipatory set:

o Take out your Socratic Seminar notes and spend a few minutes reviewing them in

preparation for the discussion.

20 minutes: Historical Criticism Socratic Seminar Discussion:

Sit based on assigned circle given in previous class

Socratic seminar discussion instructions (note: Socratic seminar

discussions have been used previously in class so learners are familiar

with the format)

The inner circle engages in the discussion while the outer circle takes

notes on their observations, questions, and comments.

Learners use constructive criticism as opposed to making judgments.

o Historical Criticism Discussion

Have volunteers read aloud the epilogue V, epilogue, 1-15 (p. 1520)

Difference between a play about a brief period in English history

(in which Henry is a highly successful protagonist of potentially

dubious moral character) and the full scope of the history (a

context within which Henry proved largely ineffective)

How is social order built and sustained in the Elizabethan period? How is

this portrayed in the play?

Notes on King Henry relating to historical criticism:

As Prince Hal, in previous Shakespeare plays, is a conniving

hypocrite who shores up the power he will one day exercise as

King Henry.

Henry’s career is a concerted effort to obtain the language and

theatrical skills of his future subjects, the ability to mimic their

voices in order to repress the threats they represent

Subversive elements of the play - - the Cambridge treason, the

bickering captains, the argument with Williams, and the

accusations of Henry having killed Falstaff - - are repeatedly

voiced only to be disarmed and absorbed into charismatic

celebration

Moral values like justice, order, and civility are secured through

the apparent generation of their subversive contraries

Historical criticism notes:

True resistance to power was and is impossible

Shakespeare’s theater was subject to Elizabethan state censorship

and could potentially demonstrate containment subverted rather

than subversion contained

Institutional power has the upper hand


o Power uses representation to contain subversion - - in order

to silence dissent, one must first give it a voice, to

misrepresent it one must first present it

Foucauldian model of power

20 minutes: Feminist Criticism Socratic Seminar Discussion:

switch inner and outer circles based on assignments given in the previous

class session

o Feminist Criticism Discussion

Have volunteers read aloud the introduction of Catherine III, iv, 1-55 (pp.

1481-1483)

In what ways does Catherine represent the role of women?

o Catherine’s perceptions of herself

o Object for marriage

o Bargaining tool for creating peace between England and

France

o Marriage of politics and foreign relations rather than love

and equality

o Ability to communicate with men

Have volunteers read aloud the courtship scene V, ii, 98-260 (pp. 1515-

1518)

Forms of performed masculinity and femininity

Bourgeois ideal of heterosexual marriage

Discrepancy between language of wooing and serious language of

policy

Catherine must marry Henry because her father has decided upon it

Power differential between the sexes

Collect outer circle notes from both discussion sessions

7 minutes: Pictorial Reflections: The Life of Henry the Fifth

o Discuss assignment details

o Circulate the room during individual work time to brainstorm

Closure:

Pictorial Reflection assignment details and brainstorming session

Assessment:

Socratic Seminar outer circle notes, as well as inner circle participation

Began the assessment, Pictorial Reflections: The Life of Henry the Fifth, which will be

turned in at the beginning of the next class session.


Pictorial Reflections: The Life of Henry the Fifth due Monday, 1 December (after Fall

Break)


The Life of Henry the Fifth project presentations begin Monday, 1 December (after Fall

Break)


Pictorial Reflections: The Life of Henry the Fifth Shakespearean Literature

Fall 2014

Due Date: Friday, 1 December

Point Value: 40 points

A picture is worth a thousand words. Pictorial reflections use graphics to express

the understanding of content through doodles, pictures, and photographs.

In this assignment, you will be using pictures and doodles to describe the key parts

of feminist and historical criticisms. You will also be using doodles, pictures, and

photography to evaluate Shakespeare’s The Life of Henry the Fifth through the

use of the two criticisms. You will format and arrange your images and explanations

in the way you feel best fits your ideas.

Feminist and historical criticisms:

Visually depict at least five key parts of feminist criticism and five key parts of

historical criticism from Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. Each visual representation should include a short explanation (2-4

sentences for each part).

Evaluation of The Life of Henry the Fifth: Through the use of doodles, pictures, and photography, apply feminist and

historical criticisms to evaluate Shakespeare’s drama. Incorporate the five key

parts of each criticism in order to evaluate the text. Your visual representations

should include a short explanation (2-4 sentences).

Point Breakdown: 5 parts of feminist criticism, each including a short explanation

10 points total = 2 points per part with a short explanation

5 parts of historical criticism, each including a short explanation


5 parts of feminist criticism that evaluate the text, each including a short explanation

10 points total = 2 points per evaluation with a short explanation

5 parts of historical criticism that evaluate the text, each including a short explanation



Course Evaluation Plan

Milton Freidman once said, “One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs

by their intentions rather than their results.” Evaluations are the tools used to gauge a course’s

ability to effectively teach learners in the ways the designer had intended. Formative evaluations

are completed during the progression of a course while summative evaluations are completed

upon conclusion of a course. Both types of evaluations should be used as reflective tools for a

facilitator in regard to their facilitation, as well as the course content.

Formative Evaluation

The formative evaluations for Shakespearean Literature will occur upon completion of

each topic. The evaluation forms (see Appendix B) will be completed anonymously by the

learners. Even though it is important for the facilitator to continually note and reflect on the

effectiveness of daily activities, discussions, and interactions, it is also essential to obtain and

integrate learner feedback into formative evaluations. Sometimes the facilitator is unable to

detect issues with course content or facilitation styles that learners can easily bring to the

facilitator's attention.

The timeline for the evaluations would be as follows:

The Sonnets evaluation will be completed at the end of the class on Friday, 29

August.

The Much Ado about Nothing evaluation will be completed at the end of the class

on Friday, 12 September.

The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice evaluation will be completed at the

end of the class on Friday, 10 October.


The Tempest evaluation will be completed at the end of the class on Friday, 31

October.

The Life of Henry the Fifth evaluation will be completed at the end of the class on

Friday, 5 December.

The responses provided by learners, in conjunction with the facilitator’s informal notes,

will be able to clearly portray the strengths and weaknesses of the course content. The responses

which directly address each drama can be used in adjustments to future courses rather than affect

the content of the current semester. Some of the responses, on the other hand, will be able to be

addressed as the course progresses. Responses which could be incorporated would revolve

around the methods in which dramas are read, discussed, and assessed. Furthermore, responses

which address the facilitator could be incorporated in order to more effectively reach learners.

Summative Evaluation

Even though CSU has a course and instructor evaluation form distributed to learners at

the end of each course, a separate course evaluation form will be given to learners in

Shakespearean Literature. The reasoning behind the separate evaluation form is that it is more

qualitative in nature, allowing the facilitator to receive more feedback than a bubbled numerical

rating. The course evaluation form (see Appendix C) is made to specifically address the

effectiveness and perceived value of the course content.

The evaluation form would be given to learners during the last week of the course on

Monday, 8 December. They would then place their evaluation forms in an envelope on the last

day of class, Friday, 12 December. Learners will complete their evaluations at home in order to

provide them with ample time to reflect on their responses.


Based on the type and frequency of responses provided by learners, the facilitator would

adjust the course’s learning activities in order to match the needs of the learners. Minor changes

would be made based on the evaluations whereas major changes would be contemplated and

further researched in future courses. It is important for the facilitator to hold off on making major

changes to the course until sure that the changes are necessary to benefit all learners who take the

course rather than a select number of learners in one semester. Some examples of minor changes

that could occur as a result of the course evaluations would be the following: an adjustment in

assignment requirements, an adjustment in spacing between assignments, a rearrangement of

dramas, an increase or decrease in the readings required for each class session, changes in

facilitation style, etc. Some major changes that could occur as a result of evaluations over the

course of multiple semesters would be the addition or deletion of a drama or learning activity.

Stakeholders

Formative and summative evaluations are a crucial element to any course. While the

facilitator is integrated into the entire evaluation process, it is important to also integrate

stakeholders into the process. The stakeholders for the Shakespearean Literature course fall into

two major groups.

The first group consists of the liberal arts dean and the English department head. Unless

the dean and department head are actively involved in the progression of courses as they occur,

they would not really be included in the formative evaluation process. The facilitator, though,

should keep the two individuals and their interests in mind as they make changes in course

content throughout the semester. On the other hand, the liberal arts dean and English department

head should be included in the summative evaluation process. Course content is submitted and

approved prior to its implementation. Major changes in content should be discussed with the


dean and department head, especially with the later. It is important that the facilitator be able to

rationalize the importance of any changes to content.

The second group of stakeholders consists of the learners themselves. Both the formative

and summative evaluations include the learners. They are asked to complete the evaluations

based on their own opinions and needs. Learners are included directly in the process in order to

avoid any discrepancy between facilitator perceptions and learners’ perceptions around course

content.

Final Thoughts about Evaluations

Formative and summative evaluations can be easily glossed over as an unnecessary part

of the course design process. Many times they, especially summative evaluations, are treated as a

color-in-the-bubble scantron which provide minimal useful information. Evaluations should be

handled more seriously since they can, when done correctly, provide crucial information about

course content. Rather than focusing on evaluations, assessments are usually the focus of a

course since they provide data on the learner and their completion of an objective. Evaluations

though inform the facilitator of design flaws which portray gaps in content which inhibit the

completion of a course objective.


Concluding Remarks

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember,

involve me and I learn.” The instructional designs I have created for a revised Shakespearean

Literature course are intended to help learners become more involved in their education. Through

the needs assessment, the audience analysis, the written objectives, the learning assessments, the

content outline, and the course evaluation plan, learners will finish the class with a sense of

accomplishment. They will also have experienced more learning transfer since all of the

elements to the course were designed to activate and promote memory enhancement to allow for

content knowledge to be applied to other situations outside of material pertaining to Shakespeare.


Appendices

Appendix A: Learning Assessments - - Assignment Sheet

Pictorial Reflections: The Life of Henry the Fifth Fall 2014

Due Date: Friday, 1 December

Point Value: 40 points

A picture is worth a thousand words. Pictorial reflections use graphics to express

the understanding of content through doodles, pictures, and photographs.

In this assignment, you will be using pictures and doodles to describe the key parts

of feminist and historical criticisms. You will also be using doodles, pictures, and

photography to evaluate Shakespeare’s The Life of Henry the Fifth through the

use of the two criticisms. You will format and arrange your images and explanations

in the way you feel best fits your ideas.

Feminist and historical criticisms:

Visually depict at least five key parts of feminist criticism and five key parts of

historical criticism from Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. Each visual representation should include a short explanation (2-4

sentences for each part).

Evaluation of The Life of Henry the Fifth: Through the use of doodles, pictures, and photography, apply feminist and

historical criticisms to evaluate Shakespeare’s drama. Incorporate the five key

parts of each criticism in order to evaluate the text. Your visual representations

should include a short explanation (2-4 sentences).

Point Breakdown: 5 parts of feminist criticism, each including a short explanation


5 parts of historical criticism, each including a short explanation


5 parts of feminist criticism that evaluate the text, each including a short explanation


5 parts of historical criticism that evaluate the text, each including a short explanation



Appendix B: Course Evaluation Plan - - Formative Evaluation Forms

The Sonnets Evaluation

Shakespearean Literature

Fall 2014

Directions: Please answer the following questions in regard to the Sonnets. You are not required to

provide your name on this evaluation.

1. Rate the effectiveness of the Sonnets in portraying Shakespearean poetry. Circle the response

that best fits your opinion.

Highly effective

Moderately effective

Neutral

Moderately ineffective

Highly ineffective

2. How effective was the instructor in facilitating the learning of the Sonnets.

Highly effective


Neutral


Highly ineffective

3. Describe one area throughout the learning of poetry and the Sonnets you would like to see

changed. Please describe how and why.

4. Describe one area throughout the learning of poetry and the Sonnets you would like to see

continue to be incorporated in the course. Please include why.


Much Ado about Nothing Evaluation


Fall 2014

Directions: Please answer the following questions in regard to Much Ado about Nothing. You are

not required to provide your name on this evaluation.

1. Rate the effectiveness of Much Ado about Nothing in portraying Shakespearean comedy.

Circle the response that best fits your opinion.

Highly effective


Neutral


Highly ineffective

2. How effective was the instructor in facilitating the learning of Much Ado about Nothing.

Highly effective


Neutral


Highly ineffective

3. Describe one area throughout the learning of comedy and Much Ado about Nothing you

would like to see changed. Please describe how and why.

4. Describe one area throughout the learning of comedy and Much Ado about Nothing you

would like to see continue to be incorporated in the course. Please include why.


The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice Evaluation


Fall 2014

Directions: Please answer the following questions in regard to the Tragedy of Othello the Moor of

Venice. You are not required to provide your name on this evaluation.

1. Rate the effectiveness of the Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice in portraying

Shakespearean tragedy. Circle the response that best fits your opinion.

Highly effective


Neutral


Highly ineffective

2. How effective was the instructor in facilitating the learning of the Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice?

Highly effective


Neutral


Highly ineffective

3. Describe one area throughout the learning of tragedy and the Tragedy of Othello the Moor of

Venice you would like to see changed. Please describe how and why.

4. Describe one area throughout the learning of tragedy and the Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice you would like to see continue to be incorporated in the course. Please include why.


The Tempest Evaluation


Fall 2014

Directions: Please answer the following questions in regard to the Tempest. You are not required

to provide your name on this evaluation.

1. Rate the effectiveness of the Tempest in portraying Shakespearean romance. Circle the

response that best fits your opinion.

Highly effective


Neutral


Highly ineffective

2. How effective was the instructor in facilitating the learning of the Tempest.

Highly effective


Neutral


Highly ineffective

3. Describe one area throughout the learning of romance and the Tempest you would like to see

changed. Please describe how and why.

4. Describe one area throughout the learning of romance and the Tempest you would like to see

continue to be incorporated in the course. Please include why.


The Life of Henry the Fifth Evaluation


Fall 2014

Directions: Please answer the following questions in regard to the Life of Henry the Fifth. You are

not required to provide your name on this evaluation.

1. Rate the effectiveness of the Life of Henry the Fifth in portraying Shakespearean historical

dramas. Circle the response that best fits your opinion.

Highly effective


Neutral


Highly ineffective

2. How effective was the instructor in facilitating the learning of the Life of Henry the Fifth.

Highly effective


Neutral


Highly ineffective

3. Describe one area throughout the learning of historical dramas and the Life of Henry the Fifth

you would like to see changed. Please describe how and why.

4. Describe one area throughout the learning of historical dramas and the Life of Henry the Fifth

you would like to see continue to be incorporated in the course. Please include why.


Appendix C: Course Evaluation Plan - - Summative Evaluation Form

Shakespearean Literature Course Evaluation Shakespearean Literature

Fall 2014

Directions: You are not required to provide your name on this evaluation. This evaluation

may be typed or hand-written. Please comment on your evaluation of the value and

effectiveness in this course this semester in the following areas:

1. Course Texts - - The Norton Shakespeare and Beginning Theory: An

Introduction to Literacy and Cultural Theory:

2. Discussion/Reading Notes (5%):

3. Critical Theory Quizzes (17%):

4. Periodically Assigned In-class Assignments (5%):

5. Shakespearean Sonnets (10%):

6. Verbal Snapshot: Much Ado about Nothing (4%):

7. Much Ado about Nothing Essay (10%):


8. The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice Retelling (4%):

9. The Tragedy of Othello the Moor of Venice Critical Debate (10%):

10. Storyboard: The Tempest (4%):

11. Reinterpretation of the Tempest (10%):

12. A Nose for News: The Life of Henry the Fifth (4%):

13. Pictorial Reflections: The Life of Henry the Fifth (4%):

14. The Life of Henry the Fifth Project and Presentation (13%):

Please also take the time to provide me with any feedback on myself as the

instructor of this course.


References

Appleman, D. (2000). Critical encounters in high school English: Teaching literary theory to

adolescents. New York, NY: Teachers College Press & National Council of Teachers of

English.

Barry, P. (2002). Beginning theory: An introduction to literary and cultural theory. Manchester,

United Kingdom: Manchester University Press.

Curriculum & Catalog Administration Office. (2012). Colorado State University 2012-2013

Course Catalog. Fort Collins, Colorado: Colorado State University.

Greenblatt, S., Cohen, W., Howard, J. E., & Maus, K. E. (1997). The Norton Shakespeare. (1st

Ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Sousa, D. A. (2011). How the Brain Learns. 4th

Edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

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