|
WAC
Newsletter INSIDE: Research and Writing: Carl Brun's Social Work 490, Research Methods in Social Work
I, is part of a two-course research sequence required for social work
majors. This class focuses primarily on research design, allowing
students to begin creating their own research design. The course is
significant for students in the field because, as the syllabus
indicates, "Throughout the course, research is presented as one of
the building blocks of social work practice. The role of
practitioner-researcher is a trademark of the social work profession.
Research skills and practice skills are intertwined and complementary
for the contemporary social worker." As a writing intensive course in the major, this course asks students
to apply these research skills in writing. Brun explains, "The
final requirement for this class is to write a fifteen-page proposal,
including a statement of the research problem, a literature review, and
a student-developed design, which is quite a bit to expect from
undergraduates. I emphasize the literature review, and I know they'll
just get a beginning on the design." To help students prepare for the final paper, Brun has students
complete five one-page assignments. The first assignment helps students
to focus their research topic. Having students submit their research
idea early in the quarter provides the opportunity for Brun to give
students feedback on their approaches to their topics, so students' work
on the final paper is guided by this initial instructor response. Each assignment includes a list of questions that helps students
focus their responses. The first helps students generate research ideas
with the following questions:
After completing this assignment and narrowing the focus of their
research, students move on to assignments that relate to the development
of their final papers. The following three one-page assignments "are questions related
to specific articles they look up. . . . I ask different questions about
each article based on where we are in the book," Brun says. For
example, one question from the second assignment asks, "Is this an
inductive or deductive study?" This question has students apply
what they have learned about deductive and inductive reasoning to a
journal article about their research topic. The three articles students look up for their assignments can then be
used as sources for the final paper. Students are required to use at
least three sources, but Brun prefers "that they get up to
five." These assignments help prepare students for the final paper
by having them do individual assignments that they can then compile into
the final paper's literature review. Brun makes clear the connections
between the students' writing for the course-the one-page writings and
the final assignment-and the class content. The guidelines for the one-page assignments remain specific
throughout the quarter to help students complete the reviews
satisfactorily. For example, the third assignment for the quarter asks
students to locate a journal article related to their research topic and
respond to the following:
Not only do these questions provide students the opportunity to begin
working on the literature review for their final paper, but they also
require students to think analytically about the journal article they
have selected. In previous incarnations of the course, Brun states, "I've gone
back and forth. I've always done writing assignments and a final paper.
In the past, I've done longer writing assignments and a shorter final
paper, always balancing out the eighteen-page [WAC] requirement. In this
case, I decided to do a one-pager for the first five and then really
emphasize the final paper. The one disadvantage is that it's still hard
for students to integrate all of this. They have to do a literature
review, but all they've done at this point is reviewed three articles.
It's hard for them to put it all together." In order to assist students with the essay as they write, Brun allows
students to turn in drafts of their papers to him two weeks before the
due date. However, only about one-third of the class opted to take
advantage of this opportunity for instructor feedback. For the final paper, Brun's syllabus states, "Effective practice
of generalist social work requires writing skills to communicate
information accurately and concisely to others involved in helping
client systems. For this reason, formal writing assignments in social
work courses will be evaluated both for the content and ideas presented
and for the clarity of that presentation." As a result, 30% of the essay's grade is based on
presentation/appearance and organization, which account for 10% and 20%
respectively. Presentation/appearance includes such elements as
neatness, correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation, while organization
includes the structure and format of the paper, logical sequence and
continuity of ideas, clarity of expression, and conciseness. The content
of the essay, then, constitutes the other 70% of the paper grade. Brun
breaks down the essay even further to indicate what should be included
in each of four sections and how each section is weighted:
Although some students still had difficulty synthesizing all the
material they gathered as they wrote their final papers, Brun feels that
"doing the separate assignments and looking at the questions helped
[students] as much with understanding content for the test as it did
with writing the paper." Again, he emphasizes the connection
between the course content and the writing assignments. Brun indicates that while students did well overall on the individual
writing assignments, some still did not perform quite as well on the
final paper as they did on the one-page writing assignments. "What
was not covered in the assignments is their own methodology, so that's
the one piece that they did new and that they hadn't gotten prior
feedback on. . . . But their literature sections are always pretty good
because of those three reviews." For future courses, Brun says he
might drop one of the three assignments dealing with journal article
analysis in favor of one that addresses students' own methodology. Social Work 490 offers social work majors the opportunity not only to
learn about research design, but also to apply those skills in writing
and to think critically as they complete the research necessary for the
final project. The dual function of the one-page assignments, addressing
both the course content and preliminary work on the final essay, makes
them invaluable to students' learning experiences. -Cynthia K. Marshall Center for Teaching and Learning Internationalizing the Curriculum in Your Discipline Luncheon.
Led by Maggie MacDonald, Associate Professor of English and Linguistics,
and Executive Director of the Center for International Education. This
workshop will first examine the meaning of
"internationalizing" a curriculum. Then, using syllabi from
other institutions, the workshop will provide concrete examples from
specific disciplines. Thursday, January 27, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in
W169C Student Union. Book Group: Scholarship Reconsidered Luncheon. Led by
Tom Sudkamp, Professor, Computer Science and Engineering. In 1990,
Ernest Boyer's book Scholarship Reconsidered proposed expanding the
definition of academic scholarship beyond research to include the
scholarship of discovery, integration, application, and teaching. Ten
years later, this book group will review the motivations for Boyer's
proposed expansion of scholarship and discuss the presence and the
recognition (or lack thereof) of the four types of scholarship in the
various colleges at Wright State. Wednesday, February 2, 11:00 a.m.-1:00
p.m. in E157A Student Union. Call the CTL, x3162, to make your
reservation and to receive your complimentary book. Better Understanding the WSU Student Luncheon. Led by Lee
Mortimer, Assistant Director; Neal Stark, Senior Data Analysis; and
Kathleen Beal, Research Statistician, Budget Planning & Resource
Analysis. This multimedia presentation will describe several aspects of
the WSU student, including a profile of the 1999 freshman class, degrees
awarded, student majors, and ethnicity. Learn why students chose WSU,
their long-term educational goals, and expected grades. Gain an
understanding of the characteristics of students who remain at WSU and
move successfully from University College into their majors. Wednesday,
February 9, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in W169B Student Union. Science and Software: What is GIS? Led by Jay Gatrell,
Assistant Professor of Geography. This workshop will provide some
background about GIS (Geographic Information Science and Geographic
Information Systems), demonstrate and discuss the software package
ArcView 3.2, and discuss WSU's participation in the statewide ESRI
license. Wednesday, February 9, 3:00-4:00 p.m. in 057 Millett. Teaching General Education and/or Large Classes Luncheon. Led
by Laura Luehrmann, Professor of Political Science; Tim Wood, Professor
of Biological Sciences; Wayne Shebilske, Chair/Professor of Psychology;
December Green, Associate Professor of Political Science; and James
Uphoff, Associate Director, CTL/Professor Emeritus of Education. This
panel of faculty recognized for their success in teaching their General
Education classes, large class size sections, and/or introduction
courses will share some effective techniques. Tuesday, February 15,
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in W169B&C Student Union. Conducting Pedagogical Research/Evaluation on Collegiate Academic
Programs Luncheon. Led by Dan DeStephen, Director, CTL/Professor of
Communication; James Uphoff, Associate Director, CTL/Professor Emeritus
of Education; and Kuldip Rattan, Professor of Electrical Engineering and
Computer Science and Engineering. Whenever a pilot academic program or
new program element is being planned or conducted, questions arise. How
do we find out whether it "works"? What evaluation design
options do we have? Where can we get help? This workshop is designed to
explore these and other questions to assist a department/college/unit
program testing new methods/courses/units/organizations/materials.
Monday, February 21, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in E157B Student Union. Peer Evaluation. Led by Dr. Nancy Chism, Associate Vice
Chancellor for Professional Development and Associate Dean of the
Faculties, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis. Peer
Evaluation/Observation has been used within WSU for years. Dr. Chism, a
national authority, will lead this special workshop for department
chairs and a departmental faculty member. A copy of her 1999 book, Peer
Review of Teaching, will be provided for each department. This extended
workshop is designed to provide guidance to all departments as they
develop by-laws. All faculty are welcome, but the chair and one faculty
per department are requested to attend. Friday, February 25, 1:00
p.m.-4:30 p.m. in the Student Union Multipurpose Room. Book Group: Changing the Way We Grade Student Performance
Luncheon. Led by Virginia Nehring, Professor of Nursing and Health.
"This book offers alternative approaches to assessing student
performance-including developing criteria, integrating peer and
self-assessment, and assigning grades-and discusses the advantages and
disadvantages of each." Call the CTL, x3162, to make your
reservation and to receive your complimentary book. Tuesday, March 7,
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. in W169B Student Union. Multimedia Using Astound (WIN). Led by Terri Klaus, Associate
Director, CTL. Astound is a presentation software package much like
PowerPoint but with more capabilities. This workshop will cover the
fundamentals of Astound such as text manipulation, embedding of elements
into your presentation (images, sound, video, etc.), using Astound
supplied animations, and template or custom background selection. This
hands-on workshop provides you with skills to produce engaging and
aesthetic presentations. Friday, January 21, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon in
215 Library. Limit 10. Introduction to PowerPoint (WIN). Led by Dara Bornstein-Tudor,
Multimedia Consultant, CTL. Friday, January 28, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon.
or Thursday, February 17, 2:00-4:00 p.m. both held in 215 Library. Limit
10. Introduction to PowerPoint (MAC). Led by Roland Knight, Senior
Producer/Director, CTL. Friday, February 4, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon in 215
Library. Limit 3. Everyone has PowerPoint on their computers these days.
Are you using PowerPoint to its full potential? Learn the basics of
PowerPoint and explore features such as using a custom background, text
layout, incorporating images, sounds, video and more. This hands-on
workshop will empower you to think creatively when constructing your
presentations. Making Images Digital. Led by Bryan Beverly, Senior Multimedia
Consultant/Project Manager, CTL. Reach the visual learners in your class
by incorporating still images into your lectures or Web pages. Image
sources can be anything from photographs to 3-D objects. Bring us
something to digitize and see the potential. This workshop provides
hands-on experience with image-related peripherals, such as flat bed
scanners, CD-ROM collections, 35mm slide scanners, etc. You will also
learn some Adobe Photoshop basics. Friday, February 11, 10:00 a.m.-12:00
noon in 023 Library. Limit 3. The World of Digital Cameras. Led by Scott Kissell, Senior
Photographer, CTL. This introduction to digital photography gives you an
understanding of how digital cameras work and how to download the images
from the camera into the computer. We will also explore photography
composition, which will help you produce more visually interesting
pictures for their presentations. Some hands-on experience. Friday,
February 18, 3:00-5:00 p.m. in 011 Library. Limit 6. Advanced Features with PowerPoint (WIN). Led by
Dara-Bornstein-Tudor, Multimedia Consultant, CTL. This workshop will
extend your knowledge of PowerPoint by looking at such features as
animating your elements, building text, creating a diagram with shapes,
and using shape fills, slide transitions, and action buttons. Hands-on
experience. A comfortable working knowledge of PowerPoint is required.
Friday, February 18, 2:00-4:00 p.m. and Friday, February 25, 10:00
a.m.-12:00 noon in 215 Library. Limit 10. Graphics and Information Design 101: Creating Effective and
Engaging Presentations. Led by Denise Tanka, Senior
Producer/Director, CTL, and Bruce Stiver, Supervisor, Graphics
Production and Photography, CTL. Leave a lasting impression on your
audience. Whether you're working on a PowerPoint presentation,
multimedia project or video production, this workshop will provide an
arsenal of simple, quick, and easy-to-follow pointers for graphic and
information design. Learn how to transform your message into engaging,
on-screen graphics. A comfortable working knowledge of PowerPoint (or
similar software) required. Friday, February 25, 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon
in 315 Library. Limit 15. Faculty Webworks: Leap Online Without Tripping Over Esoteric Code.
Led by Jeff Hiles, Senior Instructional Media Designer, CTL. Put your
syllabi, vita, and other professional and personal information on the
World Wide Web without having to learn HTML. In this faculty-only
workshop, you will create a personal web site, learn how to manage it,
and learn about redesigning materials for the web. Before taking this
workshop, you should be comfortable using a web browser, such as
Netscape Navigator, and a word processor, such as Microsoft Word.
Friday, March 3, 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon in 215 Library. Limit 13. (10 PC
and 3 MAC) Notes from Other Programs From time to time, the WAC newsletter spotlights a program at another
school. In this issue, the focus is not on a university-wide program but
on a writing initiative within a school-the Howe Writing Initiative in
the Richard T. Farmer School of Business Administration at Miami
University. Established in 1996, the Howe Professorship in Written Communication
was created to integrate writing fully into the school of business
curriculum. Since its inception, that professorship has been held by
Kate Ronald, who has worked closely with school of business faculty,
students, and administration to develop a set of goals and strategies
for realizing them. I first heard about the Howe Initiative at the national WAC
conference held this past June, where I heard an excellent panel
presentation about it. The program's website <http://www.muohio.edu/hwi/AboutHowe.html>
confirms that the Initiative rests on a well-conceived and well-executed
plan. As the website puts it, "Many schools and universities hear
complaints about student writing and the burden of teaching writing; few
do much about it. With the Howe professorship and writing initiative,
Miami University's School of Business now has a method for action and a
real hope for change." The goals of the program are clearly laid
out on the website: All SBA [School of Business Administration] graduates should be
skilled writers who: · effectively consider context, audience,
purpose, tone, style and form The strategies for achieving those goals are clearly stated as well.
All SBA students should · write in multiple classes each semester
including SBA core, major, and capstone courses These goals and strategies are, of course, consistent with those to
be found in WAC programs around the country. However, the Howe
Initiative is unusually explicit in laying out responsibilities-and
identifying the parties responsible-for carrying them out.
Responsibilities are set out on four levels, beginning with
administration of the SBA, and including individual departments within
the SBA, faculty members, and the Howe Professor. Specifically, the SBA Administrator is charged with the following
responsibilities: · promoting writing by students as
fundamental to the SBA's mission At least two features warrant a quick comment. The second
"responsibility" is particularly important because it responds
to a recurring problem for all WAC programs-the teaching of writing
requires additional time and effort, and the value of those efforts is
often not recognized. As long as the academic rewards system does not
take this type of teaching into account, devoting time and energy to it
is largely an act of altruism on the part of faculty. Second, locating
the assessment component within the SBA rather than going to some
outside entity with "expertise" in writing instruction means
that disciplinary needs will remain central. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the departmental requirements is
the way entire departments, not just individual faculty members, are
involved. The website indicates that departments are expected to develop
and implement a comprehensive writing plan by · identifying and cataloguing writing
strategies currently in use within the department At the same time, the expectations for individual faculty members are
also made quite clear. Their role includes the following: · creating and utilizing writing activities
incorporating one or more writing strategies In all of this, the Howe Professor plays an advisory role. Among her
duties are conducting workshops for faculty and students, consulting
with individuals and departments, and developing and updating a website
that identifies writing resources. As an indication of the sort of sound
advice being given, consider the following excerpt from "Not More,
but More Explicit, Writing Assignments," in the second installment
of "Kate's Column," Howe Professor Kate Ronald's online
newsletter. Here she shares one of the "big lessons" she's
learned about incorporating writing into any curriculum: No writing assignment, formal or informal,
will help students' writing or their business acumen if students do not
understand why they are being asked to write, for whom, for what
purposes, or how that writing connects to the other material they are
learning, or to contexts beyond the classroom. And we can't expect
students to "get it" on their own, to osmose our reasons for
assigning writing and responding to it in specific ways. We need to tell
them why good writing matters. And we need to make writing count. That's
more important, I think, than simply writing more and more and more
without knowing why. It's a valuable insight indeed and bears repeating often. Say amen,
somebody? -Joe Law National WAC Conference Spring 2001 The Fifth National Writing Across the Curriculum Conference is
scheduled for May 31-June 2, 2001, in Bloomington, Indiana. It will be
sponsored jointly by Indiana University, Purdue University, and the
University of Notre Dame. Taking part in this biannual conference will
be people teaching in a variety of disciplines, and featured speakers
are the leading figures in the field. It's not too early to be thinking about attending. As with the 1999
conference, the WAC program will provide financial support for faculty
making presentations. If you're interested or would like further
information, contact Joe Law at x2155 or joe.law@wright.edu. |