Students

MMCS132 – Performing Lives

2014 – S2 Day

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Jon Burtt
Justine Martin
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description
This unit introduces students to the concepts and practices of performance. It explores performing arts practices (in theatre, drama, dance, music) as well as the ways in which people perform themselves in daily social exchanges. Students are taught ways to think critically about performance. The unit also involves a workshop component, where students are given practical performance experience.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • 1. Interpret developments in contemporary performance practices in terms of the everyday.
  • 2. Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • 3. Prepare and produce practical experiments while developing communication skills.
  • 4. Demonstrate critical evaluation skills through students’ practical experiments.

General Assessment Information

An early task in Week 4 will not be formally counted toward the final mark but aims to provide feedback on student progress. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Due
Participant observation 30% Week 3-7
Performance experiment 35% Week 8-11
Analytical essay 35% 14 November

Participant observation

Due: Week 3-7
Weighting: 30%

Students' engagement with lectures and workshops will be judged on the basis of their journal entries.

Journal entries will be assessed in terms of quality of description, relevance, analysis, effort, and presentation.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 1. Interpret developments in contemporary performance practices in terms of the everyday.
  • 2. Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.

Performance experiment

Due: Week 8-11
Weighting: 35%

Small groups of students work together to produce a work-in-progress performance.

35% = 15% as group + 20% as individual

Students' group performance experiments will be assessed in terms of level of memorization, movement and blocking, overall effect, ensemble effect, and response to challenges.

Students' engagement with their group projects will be assessed in terms of contributions, taking responsibility, and working with others.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 2. Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • 3. Prepare and produce practical experiments while developing communication skills.

Analytical essay

Due: 14 November
Weighting: 35%

On the basis of class discussion, students write performance analysis on group performance experiments in relation to their proposed objectives and outcomes.

Student essay will be assessed in terms of organisation, protocols, analytical thinking, and thematics.

More detailed information will be provided in class and available from iLearn.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • 4. Demonstrate critical evaluation skills through students’ practical experiments.

Delivery and Resources

Classes

For lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetable website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au. This website will display up-to-date information on your classes and classroom locations. 

On-Campus Sessions

Session 2

 

Time

Location

Mondays

Lecture (W1-W7)

2pm-3pm

Y3A 187

 

Wednesdays

Class 1

Class 2

Class 3

12pm-1pm

1pm-2pm

2pm-3pm

Y3A 187

Y3A 187

Y3A 187

* While no Echo360 is attached to MMCS132, there will be an audio recording of the lectures available through the iLearn site.

Required Reading

There is no Unit Reader for MMCS132.

Recommended Readings

Schechner, Richard. 2006. Performance Studies: An introduction (2nd edition). London and New York: Routledge.

Reference Number: PN2041.A57 S34 2006

Pitches, Jonathan, and Sita Popat (eds.). 2011. Performance perspectives: a critical introduction. Houndmills, England: Palgrave Macmillan.

Reference Number: PN1584 .P44 2011

Read, Alan. 1993. Theatre and everyday life: an ethics of performance. London and New York : Routledge.  

Reference Number: PN2039 .R38 1993

Scheibe, Karl E. 2000. The drama of everyday life. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.

Reference Number: BF121 .S328/2000

Hewitt, Andrew. 2005. Social choreography: ideology as performance in dance and everyday movement. Durham, [NC]: Duke University Press.  

Reference Number: GV1782.5 .H49 2005

DeNora, Tia. 2000. Music in everyday life. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  

Reference Number: ML3795 .D343/2000

A full list of recommended readings is available on iLearn.

Technology Used and Required

The unit uses the following technology: iLearn and Turnitin

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

Assessment Policy  http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Additional information

MMCCS website https://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/faculties_and_departments/faculty_of_arts/department_of_media_music_communication_and_cultural_studies/

MMCCS Session Re-mark Application http://www.mq.edu.au/pubstatic/public/download/?id=167914

Information is correct at the time of publication

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • 3. Prepare and produce practical experiments while developing communication skills.

Assessment task

  • Performance experiment

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • 4. Demonstrate critical evaluation skills through students’ practical experiments.

Assessment task

  • Analytical essay

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 1. Interpret developments in contemporary performance practices in terms of the everyday.
  • 2. Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • 4. Demonstrate critical evaluation skills through students’ practical experiments.

Assessment tasks

  • Participant observation
  • Performance experiment
  • Analytical essay

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 1. Interpret developments in contemporary performance practices in terms of the everyday.
  • 2. Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • 4. Demonstrate critical evaluation skills through students’ practical experiments.

Assessment tasks

  • Participant observation
  • Performance experiment
  • Analytical essay

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • 2. Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.

Assessment tasks

  • Participant observation
  • Performance experiment

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • 2. Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.

Assessment tasks

  • Participant observation
  • Performance experiment

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • 2. Apply theoretical modes of understanding to practical performance making.
  • 3. Prepare and produce practical experiments while developing communication skills.
  • 4. Demonstrate critical evaluation skills through students’ practical experiments.

Assessment tasks

  • Participant observation
  • Performance experiment
  • Analytical essay

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • 3. Prepare and produce practical experiments while developing communication skills.

Assessment task

  • Performance experiment

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • 3. Prepare and produce practical experiments while developing communication skills.

Assessment task

  • Performance experiment