The demands of an IB Theatre student are often difficult to understand, especially for the HL student. The Core Components and every assessment is deeply embedded in research. For many students, this is an area that has proven to be challenge.
Let’s look at the Independent Project and Independent Project Portfolio.
For the HL student, theoretical underpinnings to work, exploring a practice, applying and integrating research needs to be explored in ways that are practical and more explicit.
Criterion B The objective is about understanding the specific demands of a chosen area, acquiring skills and the practical exploration of the skills.
It is not enough to direct a scene/show; act in a play; write a play; design set, costume or lights; stage manage; etc… Students must be able to support their work by understanding the demands of the particular role they have chosen. If a student wants to write a play for their Independent Project, then how have they understood the demands of that area? Have they maybe interviewed local playwrights, read books on play structure, read other plays by their favorite playwright? What skills are required to write a play: language, dialogue, character, conflict, pace, rhythm, etc…
The student should practically explore the chosen area. What does look like? Maybe our student playwright has a staged reading of his/her piece. Maybe the student chooses specific scenes that are performed in a workshop, or perhaps the student has the opportunity to stage and perform the play in its entirety.
This is where preparation can help students. Criterion A asks students to show how they have prepared. So, let’s say the student wants to write a play. How do they prepare? Maybe interview a local playwright, read books on playwrighting techniques, read other plays by their favorite playwright to understand structure, tone, and style? The student might brainstorm ideas and show a mind map, or include an action plan that gives a step-by-step process from beginning to end. There are many ways to show preparation.
Criterion E asks the HL student to underpin their work with theatrical theory. What theatre practice will the student choose to underpin the work? For example, let’s continue with the student choosing to write a play; will the play be a farce, an absurd play, melodrama, black comedy, etc?
How will researching that practice impact the project? If the play is about domestic abuse and the research is all about domestic abuse, then it is not going to get strong marks under Criterion E because it is not theatrical research. It certainly may show initiative and perseverance under Criterion A and can get rewarded there, but for Criterion E the student must integrate and apply theatrical theory to their project and then in their portfolio show how that theory had a fundamental impact on the project. Taking our domestic abuse play as an example, the HL student could choose to write a play on domestic abuse as a black comedy, or as a piece of Forum Theatre using Boal’s theories, or maybe in the style of Epic Theatre using Brecht’s ideas.
Two words to look closely at in Criterion E: integrate and apply. The portfolio would hopefully show where and how the student researched a practice, for example, Brecht’s ideas. This shows integration or a cognitive understanding of the Brecht’s theory. Writing about the Brecht and his theory in the portfolio isn’t enough under Criterion E. The student must also apply the theory to the project and show how that application had a fundamental outcome on the project. Hopefully, the student shows an understanding of the specific theatre practice and how the practice has specific conventions that make it unique and by applying those conventions to the student’s project, the student can show how the theory supported the work.
Criterion D focuses on presentation. Did the student include relevant material? Is there a Table of Contents, clearly labeled sections? Did the student exceed the word count (quotes do not count)? Has the student sourced information (this would imply a bibliography but also within the portfolio, so footnotes, MLA, endnotes, etc.)? Did they source the visuals, including visuals created by the student? What does inventive sources mean? Certainly, students who choose a website cannot expect to do well in this criterion.
Criterion C asks the student to place the project in context to the course as a whole, as well as showing learning and development and high quality reflection throughout the portfolio.
Has the student made a connection to one or more of the Core Components and shown how the Independent Project was inspired or influenced? This doesn’t need to be a huge section but simply showing a connection to the course as a whole is expected.
Does the student show learning and development, as well as high quality reflection throughout the portfolio? Many students choose to conscientiously label a section towards the end of the portfolio titled Reflection. The student should include reflection throughout the portfolio. It may be a better choice not to have a section called Reflection, as this seems to only capture the student’s thoughts about the experience after the project is over, but learning and development should be shown throughout the process. Teachers assessing the portfolio must also look for reflection, learning and development throughout.
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