Midterm Assessment

Learning Outcomes

         1)     How have I gained Shakespeare literacy?

     One of the unique things about Shakespeare and literature in general is that to become literate in them or to even versed one must read the work.  There are many insights and bits of understanding that one can draw about Shakespeare and his time by studying his life, where he lived, who he grew up with, and every other facet of his life; however, it is only in reading/viewing his plays that one becomes literate.  One can study Martha Gram and her life but it is not until one views her work that one realizes why she was revolutionary.  Likewise i have gained literacy in Shakespeare's work but completing on time every reading assignment.  I have been in and enjoyed: Hamlet, The Winter's Tale, Love's Labor's Lost, Much Ado about Nothing, and The Tempest.  These works have covered a few windows of his works from tragedy and romance to comedy. 
 

     Much Ado about Nothing has been one of the works that i have spent the most time in.  I have researched articles on the themes and lessons for this play as well as visited briefly with others interested in the play about major themes and different movie adaptations.  With this particular work i have also take time to follow the major theme of reporting through the play.

     One of the greatest pleasures of this class has been the opportunity to view two live plays The Winter's Tale in Cedar City and The Tempest in Salt Lake.  In addition to class instruction on of the most enlightening experiences that i have had has come from an additional viewing of The Tempest in motion picture format.  

      2)     How have I analyzed Shakespeare critically?

     One of the greatest pleasures from Shakespeare's works has come through looking at the themes of educational ambition in The Tempest and in Love's Labor's Lost.  One reason for this excitement is because of how closely applicable it is to my life as i'm a struggling computer science major.  These insights have often come through examination of this theme of education through the work as well as the formal devices(personification) in the language used to express them. 

     It was also fun to see the conceit of cupid (1)(2) run through Love's Labor's Lost.

     Along with the power of conceit and personification came an insight into types of people in our society.  As i looked at the power of reporting in Much Ado it became a window into the types of people that we find in our society, our culture if one will.

    3)     How have I engaged Shakespeare creatively?

     One of the ways that i have tried to be creative with
Shakespeare's works has been to tie it in with literature that i have been studying in my other classes.  One of these works that i have tied in has been that of the Ramayana.  This is an ancient work from India that looks at the role of men and women. 

4)     How have I shared Shakespeare meaningfully?

     This has been one of the funnest points of my class experience!  The most public conversation that i have had is with a new acquaintance in my Singles ward. Our Shakespearean conversation began with his question about which classes i was taking this semester and ended two hours later with the subject of why Shakespeare is important. His insightful comment lead to further elaboration and posts on my part.  One up published relationship that is building for me is with my roommate.  My roommate is a none believer(doesn't like Shakespeare), so i'v been tending to his spiritual salvation!  

Self-directed Learning

1)     What have I done that demonstrates I have taken charge of my own learning about Shakespeare?

     One of the testaments to me of my learning has been viewing my blog from beginning to end.  It is quit insightful just to look at my first posts to my last. Part of  this has been reading the text and become familiar with them, reading my groups comments everyday and striving to comment meaningfully.  Also i have striven to take what has been taught in class and apply it into my posts.  We talked about themes in the The Winter's tale and how those can be applied to a production through staging, cast, props, dialog, and other means; i strove to find one and use it to analyze our visit to cedar city.  I was asked to strive and i apply Shakespeare to my life, i attempted.  I was asked to to tie in Shakespeare to other course work that we are currently studying, i did so.  One of the most interesting insights has been through the suggestion to look for themes throughout Shakespeare's works, it has been interesting to see his use of plays with in plays, as well as illusions to knowledge and love.  As suggestions were given in class i have striven to implement them.

2)     How am I doing at planning my learning, documenting my learning, finding appropriate resources for my learning, scheduling and carrying out learning activities, and measuring my learning?

 Needs improvement but i'm doing well.  Some of the most meaningful activities that i have been doing are looking up a summery of the text before reading it,  review themes of the play before hand and then looking for them as i'm reading, buying hard copies of the text so that i can underline themes relevant to my study of "In the Way it's Said", looking for comments and review on productions that i have watched, and striving to apply my own understanding to these and then document it on my blog.  Emailing contacts that i have made about our next play and receiving feedback on how to have a good experience with the text and what to look for.

Collaborative and Social Learning

1)     Which students have aided me most in my own learning (through help inside or outside of class, through their comments on my blog, or through their blogging, etc.)?

     Kara--I have spun off of her blog quit a few times, and i have always enjoyed commenting on her posts.

     Eric--Has had some amazing insights in class and has always had a least one great point that has got us all talking in class.

     Katie--Has also fascinated me with some of the posts that she has put up, she has also been good at commenting her feelings about my posts.

2)     How is working within the assigned learning groups working? How could this be improved?

     It has been a lot of fun and has provide a lot of amazing insights.  As always i wish the insights would come more often but it has been great.  I also feel that it would be great if we could mix up groups about half way through the semester and get the chance to see some more view points. 

3)     How am I involving others (outside of my group or even our class) in my learning? Or, how am I applying my learning about Shakespeare in social settings beyond class?

One of the major goals that i have for myself in life right now is talking with everyone that i come in contact with.  I want to meet new people!  One of the coolest "habits" of college life is that everyone always, and mean always, asks you the now dulling question "so how are you classes".  But now as i hear this question, i get all excited like a tiger about to pounce on it prey, i hit them with the "i'm in a Shakespeare classes" clause and their dead in the water every time!  "O, really--wow--how do you like it?" or "Why are you taking that?" or "I hate Shakespeare!" or "I love Shakespeare!"  It is instantly a piece of common ground that i can talk with them about for hours!  Everyone has some reason to talk about Shakespeare and now that i have spent countless hours with him, i can talk about him more than ever!

Looking Ahead

One of the areas that needs the greatest improvement is engaging Shakespeare creatively.
I will work on this one of two ways:

1) Continue working to produce a one act for my final project.

2) Recreate one scene from The Tempest, the changing of Prospero.

Also one area that i want to continue to focus on is the power of the language used by Shakespeare.  I will review the notes that i have received from contact and also strive to continue with the power of Shakespearean language as we read King Lear.