discussion -higher education

Course Project: Prepare the Proposal

Tangela Jones

Walden University

A proposal of adoption of a new program

Diversity in the field of education has been evident in the last few decades. Education has taken a different direction, and it is now providing knowledge and skills to students from different fields. In the past, some careers were not considered serious, and that led to their alienation in the school programs. However, such has changed, and recently, the education sector is playing a paramount role in providing students with the knowledge that is needed. It is for this reason that it would be paramount for the institution to follow suit and start embracing the current norms and trends in the education sector (Dias, Freedman, Medway, & Par, 2013). It will be essential to embrace a program that has been alienated for a long time. Acting Programs are widely embraced by most of the elite colleges and universities, and this is because the world has seen where the programs can help in bettering the lives of students. Institutions have an obligation to provide the best and relevant skills to students. Therefore the institutions in the education sector have an obligation to research on the trends that are taking place and come up with the programs that are aligned to the trends.

Hollywood has left a huge mark in the entertainment industry. The level of acting is increasing each day, and that means that it is essential to produce professionals who will help to continue raising the level of acting at a global perspective. As opposed to decades ago, when acting was dominated by a few individuals, in the modern day, many individuals are in the acting industry (Dias et al. 2013). A few decades ago, only Hollywood and a few Chinese filming organizations were known for the production of films. The situation is changing at an alarming rate, and this is because Africa and other continents have also risen to certain levels of acting. The demand has, therefore increased in the acting industry and considering the role of educational institutions, there is a need to continue providing highly qualified professionals in the acting industry.

The United States has been one of the nations in the world that have done well in promoting diversity. Not all students who are in the United States' higher learning institutions are the citizens of the United States. Some of the students come from many nations, and they believe that the United States is one of the best nations to learn more about acting (Preeshl, 2019). Hollywood has created a good reputation for the United States in acting, and most students from different parts of the world want to be educated in the United States to have skills that will make them become a good match for the acting industry (Dias et al. 2013). The institution is in the higher education sector for two major reasons. The first reason is to equip students with the knowledge they need to be effective members of society, and the second reason is to capitalize on the opportunities that the students present to the institution.

The aspect of paying school fees helps to understand the profitability of adopting a program that will attract a lot of students from different parts of the world. In this context, a business perspective can be taken where a connection between sales and profits is made. Sales, in this case, are represented by the number of students who want to pursue the career (Dias et al. 2013). When more students enroll in the program, the college will benefit, and it will have an opportunity to grow. Finances foster the growth of any given institution, and that means that the finances that will be collected in this program will help to equip the program and make sure that all resources that are needed are available.

The institution wants to be remembered as one of the institutions that changed the world of education. Passing knowledge to students will be the best way for the institution to make sure that this reputation is made (Pandey & Ardichvili, 2015). The high demand for professionalism in the acting industry provides an opportunity that the institution should capitalize on. Directors and filmmakers have changed the norms that have been present in the acting industry, and they now focus on the skills and the qualifications of the enrollees (Preeshl, 2019). In this respect, the adoption of the new program will have a lot of benefits to the institution and also to all students who want to attain the skills that will make them some of the best professionals in the acting industry.

A description of the new program

Acting is a program that has been upgraded, and a student needs to spend four years in university to attain a bachelor's degree. In the past, acting was taught in different components which would take months to master. The increased demand and professionalism in acting and film industry have given rise to new demands of skills and educational know-how (Pandey & Ardichvili, 2015). The program is diverse, as most of the programs in the higher learning sector. A student who wants to pursue a degree in acting must have previous skills from the lower level learning institutions. There is no difference between the acting program and other programs that are taken more seriously (Preeshl, 2019). The students need to have studied the art in high school, and if they did not, they are supposed to take bridging classes which familiarize them with acting.

Passing through the high school level is paramount in acting because it gives a student a good opportunity to flow from one level of education to another. Classes are the same in acting, and there are theory classes as well as practical classes (Pandey & Ardichvili, 2015). The acting industry has grown by a significant percentage, and that presents the students with a platform where they can learn more about acting skills. The new program is unique in different ways, and it will benefit the institution and the students in many ways. The first way is associated with the ability to add to the skills that the students or actor already have.

Acting program is designed in a way that it is aligned to the needs of the actors in the acting industry. Some of the actors who are in the acting industry did not go to school, but they might need school skills to make sure that they are relevant and adopt the changes that have been taking place in the acting industry (Pandey & Ardichvili, 2015). The program does not restrict such students; instead, it tests them to know their levels of knowledge and skills. From that point, the program can add to the knowledge of the actors. Age in acting program is not a factor, and that means that any person can go to school and master the art. The program passes different essential skills that are paramount to the acting industry.

Skills passed to the actors by the program.

a. The ability to enter into another character and engage with an audience

Actors take roles of other people, and they are supposed to execute the characters of others in a perfect way (Pandey & Ardichvili, 2015). Fitting in the shoes of another person and playing the role of another person perfectly can be a challenge among many actors. The program helps the actor to understand the character that he or she is playing his or her role. When the actor understands the character, the actor can play the role of the character without leaving any crucial detail behind.

b. The ability to memorize lines

Scripts in an act guide the actor and help him to convey the message that was intended. However, in some films or plays, there are many pages of scripts, and the actor must master every line of them (Carpenter, 2018). Actors need to have the ability to memorize the scripts with the main aim of playing the given roles effectively. The program looks into the needs of all actors, and it also helps the actors to know the best strategies and tactics to use to memorize the lines. The skill is one of the vital skills because if the actor is not in the best position to memorize the lines, he or she might not find a good producer.

c. Good understanding of dramatic techniques

Dramatic techniques help an actor to execute his or her role in a perfect manner. The program helps the actors to know the best way to execute their roles without altering the message that they are supposed to send to the audience (Carpenter, 2018). It is essential to note that an actor is not supposed to portray his image on stage but the image of the intended character. The actor must, therefore, know the best ways to dramatize the whole event to make sure that the image of the character is seen as opposed to the image of the actor.

d. Having the confidence, energy, and dedication to perform

Standing in front of a big crowd is not an easy task. Not all people have the confidence that is needed to entertain the multitudes of people. The program comes in place to help the actors to boost their confidence and to have the energy to stand in front of people and be able to execute (Pandey & Ardichvili, 2015). Confidence can help a person to get the biggest platforms, and lack of it can limit one from being a team of characters who are needed to play essential roles in a big and important film.

e. Creative insight

Creativity makes a movie, play, or film more interesting. The acting industry is huge, and there are many actors that have come on board. In a competitive industry, it is important for the stakeholders in the industry to be creative with their crafts. Apart from following the scripts word by word, it is important for the actors to be able to bring something new and vibrant on the table (Carpenter, 2018). It is at this point where the creativity of the actor plays an essential role. The program helps the actors to be creative in two different ways. The first way is being creative during acting. In this case, it means that at times, the actor is expected to go beyond the scripts and provide an act that is uniquely outstanding.

The second way is associated with bringing in fresh ideas during acting. Actors are supposed to be guided by the directors and the scripts. However, they can go past the norm and provide ideas to the directors. In some cases, the actors may feel that they have a different version that will bring a difference in acting (Margolis, 2018). When it gets to such cases, the actors should be creative enough to come up with a better idea than the idea of the director and communicate the idea with the director. The program is diverse, and it gives the actor many ideas and knowledge. The actor is, therefore, able to view acting from different perspectives at the same time.

f. Voice techniques

Actors are guided by scripts, and they are supposed to assume the roles of people they might not know and might never know. The program passes the skill of voice technique to the students with the aim of helping them to be perfect in their acts. The students are taught how to fit in different voices and the best ways to produce the voice. The tone of the actor has significance in a given scene (Carpenter, 2018). In some cases, actors are supposed to demonstrate their ability to bend their tones and in some cases, to use normal tones. Some actors are gifted in different ways, and that is why they are famous. Such actors can fit in different characters because they know how to change their voices to fit the voices of the characters that they are playing (Margolis, 2018). The program comes in place to provide the actors with such skills.

g. Scene study

Acting is comprised of scenes, whether on stage or in film. The program helps the student to understand the relevance of scenes and how they affect the overall acting process (Margolis, 2018). The students are given more knowledge on how to act differently in different scenes to make sure that each scene sends a message that it was intended to send to the audience.

h. Movement

The main aim of acting is to create an image that is close to reality. The movements of the actors in a film or stage are essential because they convey a specific message that adds flavor to the film (Carpenter, 2018). The program offers this skill with the aim of helping the students to portray the most realistic message to the audience.

i. Film history

The history of any given film is paramount to the actor. The acting industry does not only focus on stories that were developed during a certain period, but it also focuses on stories that were relevant in ancient times as well as stories that have taken place in recent times(Margolis, 2018). The program helps the students to understand the history of the specific film to create a mood within the actor. For example, ‘roots' is a film that was produced in the twenty-first century, but it was based on the events that took place in the seventeenth century (Carpenter, 2018). In this case, there was a need for the actors to know more about the historical events that took place in the seventeenth century. An actor is expected to pass the message to the audience without creating any doubts. Therefore, when the actor gets to know more about the history of the film, he is the best position to create a realistic image.

From the historical perspective, the program also teaches the students about the history of filming and where acting has come from. In any field, the history of the field is essential because it helps the student to know the value of the field or program (Margolis, 2018). When the students are familiarized with the history of the program, they become knowledgeable of the strides that have been made by the people who have been present in the industry. In many fields, the best way to create a bond and connection between the students and the field is by telling the students more about the history of the field. The same is applied in the acting program, and that helps the students to have a closer connection with the program.

j. Acting for film and stage

Acting is diverse, and it is important to note that in some cases, there is no big difference between acting for a film and acting on stage. However, in some cases, actors face challenges when they are presented with new avenues (Carpenter, 2018). For example, some of the actors who act for films will have a challenge in acting on stage. The reason behind it is because the audience is different, and the set-up is also different. Actors who are used to stages are also likely to face challenges when acting for films. When acting for films, there is the aspect of making the scenes look more real (Margolis, 2018). However, when acting on stage, the actors dramatize some of their scenes and also try to communicate to the audience.

The differences that are present when it comes to acting on stage and in the film shows that there is a need to have skills in place (Margolis, 2018). The program is unique because it is not biased. The students who enroll in the program get the opportunity of learning how to act on stage and how to act in the film. When they leave the institution, they are different than people who never went to school to study acting. Specialization is evident in the acting sector, and this is seen in different contexts (Carpenter, 2018). For example, there are actors who are well-known and recognized because of the way they act on theater. At the same time, there are actors who are well known for their films. It is therefore evident that when a student enrolls in the program is presented with an opportunity to be more diverse and skilled than most of the actors who are already in the industry.

A list of the financial and human resources required

a. $10,000 will be needed to furnish the vacant halls so that they can be transformed into modern acting classrooms.

b. $20,000 will be needed to set up a library that will have books, films, and documentaries that are relevant to the acting program.

c. $45,000 will be needed to cater for the addition of professors. The total number of professors that are needed is six.

d. $10,000 will be needed to provide supporting staff. In this case, two librarians will be needed, four cleaners, and one lessons’ coordinator.

e. $3,000 will be needed for projection and sound system in the new classes.

f. $5,000 will be needed to create awareness about the new program, and this will include marketing the program both at the institution and also outside the institution.

A plan for implementation

The implementation process is essential in this case because it comes in place to make sure that all ideas have finally been put in practice. A plan helps to make sure that everything falls in place (Carpenter, 2018). The plan for implementation will involve all parties, and at the same time, all the essential procedures will be followed to make sure that there are no areas that are not implemented. The following are the steps of the implementation plan;

a. Share the plan with the board for authorization

The board must be involved, and therefore, it will be the first party to be involved (Margolis, 2018). The board will be expected to review the plan and progress to authorize the plan.

b. Roll out the program to the institution staff

After the approval of the plan, the members of staff will be provided with the plan (Margolis, 2018). The main reason is to engage them because they are part and parcel of the institution.

c. Create an acting department

The person vice chancellor of the institution will create an acting department (Margolis, 2018). The main aim is to make sure that there is a department that will accommodate the new docket and look into the needs of new staff members and students.

d. Market the plan to the institution and other interested parties

The plan will be circulated within the institution to make sure that students who are interested can enroll (Margolis, 2018). At the same time, communication will be made to the communities around to give interested students a chance to enroll.

e. Furnish and equip facilities

The facilities that will be used to host the students and members of staff will be furnished and equipped with the relevant materials.

f. Recruit staff and professionals

The recruitment process will kick off, and this is where the lecturers and other members of staff will be hired.

g. Initiate classes

After the recruitment process, everything will be ready, and the classes will start. Students who will have enrolled with be the first beneficiaries of the program.

Executive Memo

TO: Vice Chancellor

FROM

DATE: June 19, 2019

SUBJECT: Adoption of Acting Program in the Institution

Acting program is one of the programs that are highly embraced in higher education. However, different higher education institutions have been reluctant when it comes to adopting the program. The program will have different advantages to the institution. The institution has created a certain image among the members of society, and it is high time to change the perception (Pandey & Ardichvili, 2015). Accommodating a new program will come with its significant effects on the institution. One of the strengths of the program is diversity.

The program comes to add to the list of the programs that are taught. Students who take different courses will start flocking in the institution, and that will promote diversity within the institution. Intermingling among students will take place, and the exchange of ideas will be promoted. The institution will also have a chance to learn more about students from different backgrounds. The community will stop seeing the institution as an institution that only focuses on white collar professions, but it will start seeing the institution as an institution that cares for the needs of the young people who have interest in being in the acting industry.

The level of professionalism in the acting industry has increased by a significant percentage, and that means that most actors want to go to school before they can start their careers. At the same time, most of the directors and filmmakers are interested in professionals. The demand for acting skills has increased. The institution has an opportunity to capitalize on the demand by making sure that the program is included in the school programs. The institution will receive many students from different parts of the world, and that means that the success levels of the institution will increase significantly.

Even though the demand is high, it is important to note that there are other institutions that have accommodated the program for a long time. The institutions are well-known and established, and therefore, it is more likely for students to favor the institutions over this institution. People have trust in brands that are already established. It would be easier for a student to look for an institution that has been offering the services than enroll in an institution that started to offer the services recently (Pandey & Ardichvili, 2015). The reason behind it is because the institution that has been in place has results that are attached to its programs as opposed to the institution that is offering the program for the first time.

Despite the possible setbacks, the decisions that have been made will have positive implications on the institution. The institution has been offering other programs, and it has performed well. Therefore, the students might use the performance of other programs to gauge the possible performance of the institution. The decision to choose the program has been motivated by the shift that has been taking place in the education sector. The program comes in place to promote diversity in the education sector and to provide diversified skills. The adoption of the program will help the students and also the institution.

References

Carpenter, D. J. (2018). Educating Theatrically Proficient Singers: The Necessity of Acting Training in Undergraduate Voice Performance Programs (Doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University).

Dias, P., Freedman, A., Medway, P., & Par, A. (2013). Worlds apart: Acting and writing in academic and workplace contexts. Routledge.

Margolis, E. (2018). Acting in the Academy: The History of Professional Actor Training in US Higher Education by Peter Zazzali. Theatre Journal, 70(4), 576-577.

Pandey, S., & Ardichvili, A. (2015). Using films in teaching intercultural concepts: An action research project at two universities in India and the United States. New Horizons in Adult Education and Human Resource Development, 27(4), 36-50.

Preeshl, A. (2019). Reframing Acting in the Digital Age: Nimbly Scaling Actor Training in the Academy. Routledge.