DOCUMENT RESUME ED 375 918 JC 940 638

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 375 918 JC 940 638

AUTHOR Roueche, Suanne D., Ed.TITLE Innovation Abstracts, Volume XVI, 1994.INSTITUTION Texas Univ., Austin. National Inst. for Staff and

Organizational Development.SPONS AGENCY Kellogg Foundation, Battle Creek, Mich.; Richardson

(Sid W.) Foundation, Fort Worth, Tex.REPORT NO ISSN-0199-106XPUB DATE 94

NOTE 62p.PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022)JOURNAL CIT Innovation Abstracts; v16 n1-30 Jan-Dec 1994

EDRS PRICE MFOI/PC03 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Classroom Communication; *Classroom Techniques;

*College Instruction; Community Colleges; CooperativeLearning; Cooperative Programs; *Faculty Development;Instructional Development; Instructional Improvement;*Instructional Innovation; *Learning Activities;Learning Strategies; Spanish; Speech Instruction;Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher Improvement; *TeachingMethods; Teaching Styles; Test Coaching; Two YearColleges; Writing Instruction

ABSTRACTThis volume of 30 one- to two-page abstracts

highlights a variety of innovative approaches to teaching andlearning in the community college. Topics covered in the abstractsinclude: (1) music in the biology classroom; (2) pairing English as asecond language and freshman composition students in writingactivities; (3) moot court exercises in public law classes; (4)

applying current events to economics classes; (5) junior highschool/college collaborative learning; (6) tailoring collegecurricula to fit customer needs; (7) helping students make thetransition from the social to the learning mode; (8) culturaldiversity for faculty and curriculum development; (9) the use ofacademic warmups in class; (10) teaching ethics across thecurriculum; (11) employing structured conversations in conversationalSpanish; (12) the use of editorials in writing classes to engage thecampus community; (13) taking roll and learning names; (14)

experiential learning; (15) a course examining criminals inliterature; (16) interactive drama to teach community concerns; (17)the use of Ereewriting; (18) assessing instructional strategies; (19)talk-alouds for student assessment; (20) technology in teaching; (21)

a group method for teaching public speaking; (22) survival Spanishfor college staff; (23) teaching students how to achieve excellence;(24) creative writing in history classes; (25) recruiting womenengineering students; (26) journal article dissection in biology;(27) innovative topics for speech classes; (28) encouraging studentsto build academic libraries; (29) a bilingual computer class; (30)

portfolio creation; (31) benefits of group papers; (32) increasingstudent participation in business classes; (33) criminal law andfairy tales; and (34) teaching empathy in nursing classes. (KP)

4

Innovation AbstractsVolume XVI, Numbers 1-30

Suanne D. Roueche, Editor

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INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and OrganizationalDevelopment (NISOD), Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational Administration,College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, 1512) 471-7545.Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation.

2REST COPY AVAILABLE

VOLUME XVI, NUMBER 1

ttet INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

Biology + Music = Cultural DiversityThe curriculum of the natural sciences is difficult to

infuse with "cultural diversity." Beyond covering asampling of race- or culture-associated genetic diseases,the effort generally is limited to crediting those ethnicallydiverse researchers who have contributed to the disci-pline. I turned to the following strategy to bring somecultural diversity into my biology course.

When our department upgraded the audiovisualequipment in a large lecture hall and my biology class wasscheduled to meet there, I was determined to take advan-tage of the sound facilities. But how could I integrate themusic I loved into biology? I considered the possibility ofusing background music for certain class presentations,but abandoned that idea and decided to play music asstudents arrived for class. What should play? How willthe music select be received? Will they like it? Will theyreject it and thereby reject a part of me? The experimentwas not without risk!

It seemed best to start on neutral ground but notpander to popular tastes. I first played a contemporaryalbum of acoustic jazz by Lionel Hampton and the GoldenMen of Jazz. The sound level was important, not ear-splitting but with a clear presence. I wanted the studentsto be consciously aware that something unusual washappening; I also decided not to warn them of my newplan. I could hardly wait for their reaction.

Using the programmable CD player, I timed the musicto end at the moment class was to begin. On the first day,I walked into class, the music stopped, and i said "goodmorning" and began the lecture. The students saidnothing. They were indifferent. I was disappointed butnot defeated.

Each class meeting thereafter I played different types ofmusic, from blues to bluegrass, from Bach to Bartok. Still,there was no reaction. One day I decided to sacrifice mymusical standards to force a response; played music byU2. "Do you like that kind of music?" a young manasked. This meager beginning blossomed into continuingstudent dialogues. At the end of the term, one student (anavowed "heavy-metal rocker" who had never said aword) asked if I would play "some more of that guy that

plays that vibraphone thing." He was referring to LionelHampton.

Before each class meeting I now write the name of thecomposer and/or musical group on the board andprominently display the album cover. One day I played arecording by Kronos String Quartet, Pieces of Africa,packaged in a strikingly beautiful African design. Thefollowing class meeting a student from Nigeria waswearing an African shirt of much the same design;previously he had worn only western clothing. A coinci-dence? Maybe, but it occurred to me that perhaps I hadstumbled upon a way to bridge some cultural gaps. Iasked students to bring music from their home coun-trieson the condition it not be Euro-American pop, newage, etc. That term we shared music from Iran, India,Zaire, and the Philippines.

It is difficult to measure the impact of this project.Judging from conversations with students and commentsfrom staff members who hear the music, it has multipleeffects.

It provides a topic of conversation for students who donot yet feel comfortable talking about biology.It lightens the classroom atmosphere.It recognizes and honors the diverse cultural back-grounds of all students.It provides exposure to diverse music styles.This strategy has provided an opportunity for me to

share a personal interest with my students. It seems thatstudents find me more approachable; I have createdoroortunities for interaction. It has been a risk well worthtaxing.

Stephen Kellogg, Professor, Biology

For further information, contact the author at ChaffeyCommunity College, 5885 Haven Avenue, RanchoCucamonga, CA 91737.

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3

Pairing ESL and College Writers

A pairing project at De Kalb College provides forstructured writing opportunities in which students in ESLAdvance Writing classes and Freshman Compositionclasses become writing partners. The goals of the projectare to promote social interaction between the native-bornand foreign-born students and to strengthen the writingskills of both groups.

The Pairing ProjectEach quarter an ESL Advanced Writing class is paired

with an English Freshman Composition section. Native-born and foreign-born students collaborate on pintassignments. ESL and English department instructorsvolunteer to participate if they teach at the same hoursand elect to indude joint writing activities in their syllabi.

Recommended Activities for the Pairing ProjectThe teaching team pairs the students, and they writeletters of introduction to each other.The team arranges a social gathering at which studentsmeet their partners.Each student writes a narrative theme on a personaltopic.First collaboration: The ESL teacher addresses thecombined classes on the topic of special needs of ESLstudents. The students are then paired with newpartners. The new pairs spend 30-45 minutes editingeach other's narrative themes.Second collaboration: New partnerships are formed,and the new pairs gather biographical information.The students write biographies of their partners.Third collaboration: The two classes meet; partnersread and edit each other's biographies.Fourth collaboration: New partnerships are formed.These new partners interview each other concerningsome customs, educational practices, or religiousfolkways of their culture and use this information towrite a comparison/contrast theme.Fifth collaboration: The partners edit each other'scomparison/contrast themes.The two classes share an end-of-term "native dish"meal.

ConclusionsStudent evaluations of the pairing project over four

terms have been extremely favorable. As one Chinesestudent stated: "I liked the activities that gave me moretime and chances to talk to my partner and understandhim." An Indonesian student remarked: 'Working withEnglish 101 students really helped give me some ideas

about their class, such as what kinds of essays they arewriting and the details they use." An American studentcommented: "I had a wonderful opportunity to learnabout a culture that I have not been able to experiencefirsthand. Involvement with foreign students helpedopen my eyes to other viewpoints." Students from bothgroups commented that they focused more carefully onediting, format, and composition development when theyknew they had a peer audience.

One tangible result of the pairing project was identi-fiee by an ESL instructor: 'When we match students, thepet centages of ESL students passing the writing exitexam are higher than the norm. Increased contact withthe English language and its speakers, especially in anediting relationship, has had a critical effect on ESLstudents' writing abilities."

Barbara Jean Hall, Assistant Professor, ESL /English

Harris Green, Professor, English

For further information, contact the authors at DeKalbCollege, 555 North Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston, GA30021.

Swam a Roiled*, Edible

Jays sy 21, 1104 Vol. " No. 1Who Unkirsityol Texas Aucin, 1904

Rift ickalice is polled by MEMBERirsholiors br riskown oncon41.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National hstfule Ice Staff and Organizational Damlopmenl(NISOD),

Department of Educabonal Adminostabon, College of Education, EDS 348, The Univsisily of Texas al kik?, Ausin, Texas78712, (512) 471-7545. Fundiv in pan ty the W. K Kallcw Foundabon and the Sid W. Richardson Foundabon. Issued weaklywhen dosses an in session during fall and aping tem. ISSN 0199-106X


itet INNOVATION ABSTRACTSTrM`.:4,A. S. E"`":.'r A..: -+

TriE .ERS 'Y VF 'EX, ,'S A a S 1.. 4 v.

Moot Court ExerciseLaw, Politics, and the Judicial Process is a course

introducing students to public law, the Canadian Consti-tution (particularly the Charter of Rights), and the judicialprocess. As students experience the interaction of politicsand process, they also confront the nagging reality thatthere is often no "right" answer to complex legal andconstitutional problems.

When a representative of a local debate organization,the Sir Winston Churchill Society, approached the presi-dent of the college about getting students involved indebate, I decided that my class should implement a pilotmoot court exercise. The students were excited; and theChurchill Society representative, a senior partner in one ofCanada's largest law firms, was willing to share his firm'sexpertise and resources.

As a class we decided to create a fictional SupremeSupreme Court of Canada (SSCC) to sit atop the existingSupreme Court in the appeal hierarchy. This new courtwould hear an appeal from an actual decisionrenderedby the Supreme Courtthat upheld Canada's criminalprohibition of the sale of obscene materials. Also, theCourt would hear interventions by counsel for severalinterest groupse.g., civil liberties associations andwomen's organizations.

Our SSCC had nine membersseven students, onesenior practicing lawyer, and a Justice of the Alberta Courtof Queen's Bench. Students were counsel for the litigantsand intervenors, and others acted as journalists andacademic commentators. The students recognized theimportant role played by the media and academe in thejudicial and constitutional processes.

Members of the law firm briefed students on decorumand the finer points of the law. They collected materialsfor the students' use, allowed students to use the firm'slaw library, and arranged for the use of a real courtroomon the day of the hearing. Other faculty in my departmenthelped students with their research.

The two and a half hour moot court exercise includedserious argument, attentive listening, questioning, andsolemn deliberation. In the end, a bare majority of justicesof the SSCC voted to reverse the unanimous decision of

the Supreme Court! Within a week I received the writtenreasons of the SSCC justices.

Afterward, student comments contained constructivecriticisms of the exercise and valuable insights into thejudicial process they would not have gleaned fromreading textbooks. Students said they needed more timeto prepare and practice oral argument within the con-straints of Supreme Supreme Court decorum. Somestudents confessed that they truly struggled with theirpositions on the case and were sensitive to the influenceothers may have had on them in the days leading to thehearing. All said they had developed a fuller appreciationof the law and the judicial process.

Instructors planning a similar exercise should considerthe following suggestions:1. Enlist the support of members of the legal community.

Students are keen to work with practitioners in the realworld of law.

2. Choose a case that interests students.3. Prepare the students for the experiences as well as the

intellectual issues. Students must grapple with thetechnicalities of judicial review and perform in anintimidating environment before their peers and seniormembers of the community.

4. Communicate to students that this exercise is a briefintroduction to the real legal world. Students rise to theoccasion because they have several reasons to do well,not just a grade.

5. Be flexible. A good relationship with one's studentsand good humor can accomplish much.

Tom Bateman, Instructor, Political Science

For further information, contact the author at MountRoyal College, 4825 Richard Road, SW, Calgary, Alberta,Canada T3E 61(6.

7111- NATIONAL INSI 'Tort ronslArr AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (N1SOD)Cowniumty College I vadersti:ol'f:,,of,117; Depadment of Edualonal AdmristrationCollege of Education. 711(1 Unwurs,fy of Turns al Austin. EDB 348. Austin. Teas 78712

I)

Children in the College Environment

Community colleges have become increasinglydiverse. They have had to shift gears to better serve thegrowing numbers of nontraditional students.

One of Hazard Community College's most uniqueprograms, established to offer a special service to all of itsstudents, is After-School Tutoring. Beginning on a smallscale five years ago, this program now offers threesessions per year, orchestrated by a coordinator, instruc-tional specialists, an e. host of tutors. The program,housed in the Learning Center, is designed to offer thefacility, equipment, materials, and learning specialists tothe community.

About six weeks before the after-school program is tobegin, information is sent to local media (television,newspapers, and radio). Public school principals,counselors, and teachers are notified directly.

Parents (and sometimes the children themselves) makearrangements for attendance, either on Mondays andWednesdays, or Tuesdays and Thursdays. Two timeslots are available, each one and a half hours in length.Children may enroll in two programs of study.

The fall session begins in October, when report cardsfor the first nine weeks of public school are distributedthe distribution of report cards usually brings an influx ofstudents. The spring session begins shortly after Christ-mas break. The first afternoon in the Learning Center,students are assessed in the areas they choose to study.Individualized plans of instruction are designed, basedon students' assessment scores.

The Learning Center has a variety of materials avail-able as learning aids. Books, workbooks, and worksheetsare the more traditional materials, but computers arebecoming the most popular teaching tools. An instruc-tional specialist writes the lessons; tutors grade assign-ments and report each child's progress to the specialist.

The six-week summer tutoring program is in sessionduring the college's summer school. Students are dividedinto groups by grade levels (1-4, 5-8, and 9-12), and adifferent coordinator works with each age group. Unlikethe spring and fall sessions, the summer session meetsMonday through Thursday for one and a half hours.

A more relaxed summer atmosphere lends itself tomore creative learning experiences. Outdoor games andpizza parties are used for breaks from learning activitiesand are excellent strategies for promoting friendships anda sense of community among the children and staffmembers.

The children want to participate in the tutoringprogram because it requires that they come to the college.Fortunately, many HCC students are willing to tutor on-

site. The college staff enthusiastically supports theLearning Center's opening the doors of the college to theyoung people of the community.

Lisa Helf, Coordinator, Learning Center

For further information, contact the author at HazardCommunity College, Highway 15 South, One Commu-nity College Drive, Hazard, KY 41701-2402.

Sums D. %motto, Editor

January 1IN, Vol XV1, Na 2©Ds Uniforsity al Tan al Amin, 1994FAN 41i:itco i pormitsd b/ MEMBERinitttia for kit owl personnel

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is 'publication of the National liwilife kr Staff and Organizational Development (NLSOD),

Department of Educabonal Admhisrabon, College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Amin, Ausin, Texas78712, (512)471.7545. Fundiv in part by the W. K Kellogg Foundabon and he Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issued weeklywhen clams sve in session during fat and wing toms. (SSW 0199108X


INNOVATION ABSTRACTSPuf311',111 DIY III( NAT ioNAI INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ,NISOD, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION.

Till 11511Y 01 11 XAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W K KELLOGG FOuNDATJON AND THE SID W RICHARDSON FOUNDAT ON

Teaching as an Inspirational ActivityAn activity is inspirational if it helps me connect with

people and the world around me. An activity is inspira-tional if it brings me in touch with the deepest parts ofmyself. In these ways, teaching is an inspirational act.Teaching enriches my life by "opening my eyes" to peopleand myself. Some of my teaching practices reflect thisinspirational quality of teaching.1. Before each class I remind myself that I am going to

spend an hour and 15 minutes with 25 peoplepeople who have the same needs I do for recognition,challenge, and employment. Each and every time Iwalk into the classroom, I feel I have the opportunity tosupport students in developing their self-confir'?nceand in discovering new avenues of educational oppor-tunity. Also, with each class I face the challenge of 4.encouraging students to grapple with new and some-times uncomfortable experiences. By reminding myselfof these "personal" aspects of teaching, I encouragemyself to enter the classroom in an open, availablestate. When I am open, I can better see and thus canbetter help students realize their strengths and capabili-ties. By thinking of the people I will be spending timewith in class, I become enthusiastic about the opportu-nity of sharing in the joy of their learning.

2. 1 honor my subject matter as a source for continuingpersonal growth. The fact that my field is alive andconstantly evolving requires that I change and growwith it. I need to maintain a living relationship withmy subject matter, and the quality of our union iscontinually communicated in the classroom. Forexample, anytime I have even the slightest lack ofclarity regarding a particular point in class, my studentsimmediately sense it and either barrage me withquestions or simply "don't get it." Any break in myrelationship with the material automatically translatesinto discomfort and confusion for my students. I needto stay abreast of the latest developments in my field toensure that my students leave the classroom currentand with an awareness of how they will need to change 5.with the subject matter. I try to hivolve my students inthe current controversies in the field so that theybecome empowered to influence their future.

3. To the best of my ability, I offer the subject matter tomy students as a gift. Some of my worst experiences

as a student occurred when the instructor imposed thecourse content on the class. My tendency was either toreject completely the material or, just as bad, if theinstructor was charismatic, totally adopt his or herperspective. Asa teacher, by presenting my subjectmatter as a gift, I develop a level of detachment becauseI know I cannot make someone like or even want a gift.Once the subject matter is offered, I need to release it tomy students and provide them the total opportunity towork with it in their own ways. The more effectively Irelease course material to my students, the more theywill relate to the information as their own. Sharingsubject matter as a gift confers upon my students theright and the responsibility to apply it as they see fit.I recognize that I am interdependently involved withother teachers in educating students. The experiencesstudents have in my classes contribute to or detractfrom their total education. My objective then is not onlyto help students master my course material but alsohelp them develop their ability to work with any typeof information. I try to emphasize to my students thatmy course is not the most important course they willever take, but rather that all courses they take areimportant. I dedicate course time to helping studentsdevelop the study, writing, and verbal skills necessaryfor succeeding in all areas. When students ask me whyI handle my class differently than another instructor, Iemphasize that there are many effective approachesrather than portray mine as the best. I encouragestudents to develop their ability to learn from and enjoya variety of teaching styles because in the same sensethey will need to work with a multitude of people and .situations on the job. Just as important, this respect andappreciation for other subjects and teachers must be thefoundation for my relationships with my peers. I needto effectively work with, ask for help from, and providesupport to the instructors and schools with which Iwork.I see my own sense of integrity as my most valuableresource. At the absolute core, I feel the foundation formy effectiveness from semester to semester comes fromhow I feel about myself as a teacher. At what point,when I am making sure an exam is dearly written, do Ibegin to make the exam too easy? Am I assigning too

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Align, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78 712

7

much or too little homework? What level of masteryof the material will be necessary for a student to earnan "A" for a course? my perspective, the answerto these questions ultimately comes down to "How doI teach this course so that in my heart I will feel goodabout it?" To me, losing touch with this question islosing touch with my responsibility to my students.What truly maintains and nourishes me is knowingthat I am asking students to realize their true potentialand that I am doing everything I can to help themsucceed.

Lee Cartwright, Instructor, Businass and Occupations

For further information, contact the author at Santa FeCommunity College, P.O. Box 4187, Santa Fe, NM 87502.

Practicing With the News

Students of economics find that applying coursecontent to real world experiences makes learning fun andeasy. One practical application strategy is having stu-dents monitor the U.S. economy in order to predictnational economic trends. Students collect economicnews and associate the news with the principles beingdiscussed in class.

At the beginning of the quarter, I announce we arc allresponsible for collecting daily news concerning thehealth of the national economy. At first, students havefew Ideas about what to collect. As the term progressesand economic principles are introduced, the quality of theselected news articles improves. In the beginning,students record the news in a journal. Eventually, theyare taught elementary computer skills, and as the courseevolves they learn to use database software.

In economics, students learn how aggregate expendi-tures explain recession or expansion of the economy.They learn that expenditures are easier to understandwhen they are partially disaggregated into four expendi-ture groupsconsumption, investment, governmentpurchases, and net exports. Each expenditure group maybe predicted by "spending determinants"such items asdisposable personal income, interest rates, price levels,business expectations, taxes, and others. A single spend-ing determinant may be useful in predicting more thanone category.

A database is an excellent medium by which toobserve the economic relationships between spending

determinants and expenditure groups. In designing thedatabase, students learn economic principles. The newsgathered during the term is sorted by spending determi-nants and eventually categorized to monitor the fourexpenditure groups.

Students design a database that contains two tables ofinformation. First, each potential spending determinantis cross-referenced to the four expenditure groups.Second, a table of economic news is collected. In the lattertable, each news item is organized by row (i.e., record),and each row includes unique identifiers (i.e., fields)describing the news item. In a row, a single news item inbrief, is listed with its source and date. More important,the row contains a spending determinant identifier and abrief explanation of why the particular news item fits thechosen spending determinant.

The second table of the database allows students tosystematically collect economic news and decide how thenews fits a particular spending determinant studied inclass. This is where the integration of knowledge andskills begins. The task is accomplished by combiningboth economic principles and computer skills. Studentsgain an appreciation for the crossdisciplinary nature ofworking in economics.

At this point, the full power of the database has yet tobe exploited. Economic news may affect more than oneexpenditure group, but by design the structure of thedatabase recognizes these complex relationships. Thepractical application is to extract meaningful economicinformation related to each expenditure group. Forexample, students query the database and print a reportdisplaying all economic news related to consumption.This news might be sorted by spending determinant anddate, then used to help forecast short-term consumptionas it affects the entire economy.

By collecting the news and organizing it into logicalconstructs, the class is able to use information moreefficiently. Computer skills are enhanced, and thestudents gain an appreciation for the practical use ofeconomics and enjoy a fun project.

Thomas Cook, Instructor, Economics

For further information, contact the author at NorthSeattle Community College, 9600 College Way North,Seattle, WA 98103.

Swum 0 Rooecht, Editor

Unary 4,1994, Vol. AI, Ma 3On* Unkusiry of Tess at Auxin, 1%4Further dwicaticri is permitted ty MEMBER

insttAi3rs br their on perrornel,

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a pvtilication of he National Institute for Ste and Otganizational Development (NISOD),

Department of Edwational Administration, College of Educatbn, EDB 348, The Universiry of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

78712 (512)471. '545. Funding in pan by the W. k Kellogg Foundaion and to Sid W. Richardson Foundation. laved weekly

when classes an in session duting fal and piing lama. ISSN 0199.108K

VOLUME XVI NUMBER 4

INNOVATION ABSTRACTSOpy TI f NAr,ONAL NS T 7E K'n S-AFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVEIOPMINr N15-0DI COLLEGE OF EDUCATION.

Tilt uNIVI RSII V OF Tt XAS AT AuST N. A, rh SUPPORT FROM THE W K KELLOGG FOUNDADON AND THE SID W hICHARDSON FOUNDATION

Junior High School / College Collaborative Learning

Students in my local flora course must have a basicknowledge of flower structure before they can understandthe descriptions of flowering plant families. Thesedescriptions are based largely on the morphologyformand structureof flowers. The arrangement of flowerparts varies from one family to another, and the terminol-ogy used to describe this variation is highly technical.

In the past I taught flower structure and terminologyby lecturing on definitions and providing students with aglossary of the most common terms. Over the years, Iaccumulated a number of visuals to illustrate the terminol-ogy. In time, dissatisfied with the results of this approach,I began to use the lecture time for other introductorymaterial and plunged into the basic subject matter andactivities of the course. Unfortunately, neither approachseemed adequate to make students very conversant withflower morphology.

Searching for a better way to teach flower morphology,I sought the assistance of a junior high school generalscience teacher. We arranged to have my flora students

:ach flower structure to two of his general science classes.The junior high school was just a few blocks from thecollege campus, and my laboratory period coincided withtwo of his classes.

My students were informed of the activity during thefirst week of class. I organized them into pairs and theninto study groups of two pairs each. They were providedwith copies of the material from the junior high school textand told that they would be teaching in pairs in approxi-mately two weeks. Confronted with the task, my studentsrequested that I use an optional period in their schedule tolecture on flower morphology. There was a high level ofinterest and lively discussion during this lecture.

My students took a test on flower morphology andsubmitted a lesson plan for approval before the teachingsession at the junior high school. Seating charts for eachof the junior high school classes and assignments of theflora partners were distributed before the activity.

Teaching sessions began with my students introducingthemselves and then teaching the structure of flowers,using diagrams and fresh gladiolus. Pollination, fertiliza-tion, and subsequent seed development also were dis-cussed.

Test scores on flower structure for the junior highstudents averaged 5.2 percent higher than the averagescore on two previous chapter tests. Scores on the posttestfor the college students averaged 20 points higher than theaverage score on the pretest. In addition to being pleasedwith their own improved test performances, the collegestudents were eager to learn how the junior high studentshad performed on their posttests.

This activity served to forge an important bond amongmy students; they even continued to meet in their estab-lished study groups after the junior high school project.Discussion continues about other ways that we mightcollaborate to improve teaching and learning at both thecollege and junior high levels.

Gordon E. Hunter, Professor, Biology

For further information, contact the author at TennesseeTechnological University, Department of Biology, Box5063, Cookeville, TN 38505.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

Writing to Improve Problem-Solving Skills

Writing in chemistry courses helps students developproblem-solving skills and reflect on material necessaryfor understanding and applying knowledge. I havediscovered three particularly effective writing assign-mentsnews articles, critical insights, and scientificreports.

News articles are reports about magazine or newspa-per articles which are relevant to material covered inlecture and laboratory. They are to be completed in abook report format. The destruction of the ozone layerand danger in food additives are representative of typicalchemical news topics. Reports consist of short summariesof the articles and their conclusions.

Scientific reports require reading outside the textbook,directly applying the principles covered in lecture, andusing three literature references.

Critical insights ("AH, HA!" experiences) am briefdescriptions of understanding. Sometimes subjective,they are intended for the student's self-examination of hisor her thinking/learning process. Critical insights in theintroductory chemistry course include such topics asradioactive decay of elements and understanding themetals and nonmetals in the periodic table; in generalchemistry, they include such subjects as the photoelectriceffect, elemental analysis, and the thermodynamics ofrubber stretching; in organic chemistry, they includeinsights on such subjects as the physical properties oforganic compounds. One student commented on criticalinsights: "Working problems is like playing a sport. Inorder to be good at something, one has to practice. Tomaster the game, one must be familiar with the basicconcepts, put these concepts into play, and practice tobecome better."

All assignments are awarded points to be used indetermining students' final grades. Students tying thenews article, scientific report, and critical insight to lectureearn bonus credits. Relating assignments to class discus-sion indicates that students are making the importantconnections between content covered in class and the"real world."

Howard C. Van Woert, Jr., Instructor, Chemistry

For further information, contact the author at SoutheastCommunity College, University of Kentucky,Cumberland, KY 40823.

Announcing the sixteenth annual

International Conference onTeaching Excellence and

Conference of Administrators

May 22.25, 1994 * Austin, Texas

The National Institute for Staff and Organiza-tional Development (NISOD)based in theDepartment of Educational Administration,College of Education, The University of Texas atAustincelebrates excellence in teaching andleadership through its annual conference, whichattracts more than 1500 teachers and administra-tors each year. The event, co -spons -red by theLeague for Innovation in the Community College,will be held at the Hyatt Regency, Four Seasons,and Radisson Hotels.

PRE-CONFERENCE SEMINARSSunday, May 22 2:044:00 p.m.* James Hammon, Professor of Higher Education,

University of Arkansas* William Moore, Jr., A. M. Aikin Regents Chair in

Junior and Community College Education Leader-ship, The University of Texas at Austin

* Donald Phelps, W. K. Kellogg Professor, Commu-nity College Leadership Program, The University ofTexas at Austin

* John E. Roueche, Sid W. Richardson RegentsChair, Community College Leadership Program, TheUniversity of Texas at Austin

* Claire Weinstein, Professor, Educational Psycholo-gy, College of Education, The University of Texas atAustin

* Wally Cox, Professor, Computer Science mutCountry- Western Dancing, College of the Canyons,California

* Heel & Toe (little or no dance experience,required): 9:00 a.m.-1030 a.m. OR 1:30-3:(10p.m.

* Texas Two-Step (some dance experiencerecommended): 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m, OR 3:3415:30 p.m.

* For more information, contact Suanne Roueche,Director, N1SOD, at 512/471-7545.

t f1

Susan D. nowise, Editor

F.M*y 11,1994, VoL XVI, No. 4©The Urieesily of TOM at Amin, 1994Further duplication's permitted by MEMBER

inetertirs br Ile' am, personnel.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of tie National Mutlute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD),

DeparDnent of Educaional Administration, College of Edticatbn, EDB 348, The Unnwrsik of Texas at Acisen, Austin, Texas

78712, (512) 4717541 Funding in pert by the Vi.. K Kellogg Foundation and he Sid W. Richardson Foundation. issued weekly

when dames are in session during lel and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X


INNOVATION ABSTRACTSRUBLISHEDBY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANTAJIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD (f DI I I( A II WTHE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM DiL W K KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND Hit ,;,;) 7,, I

Tailoring a College Curriculum to Fit Customer NeedsEducators and administrators are becoming increas-

ingly Familiar with the principles of Deming, Juran,Crosby, Ishikawa, and other proponents of quality inmanufacturing and customer service. In the past year,a largo number of the major national educationalassociations have sponsored professional conferencesthat focus on applications of TQM in higher education.One of the common complaints voiced by educatorsabout applying Deming principles and total qualitymanagement concepts to the educational arena stemsfrom confusion in answering a fundamental question:Who are the customers we serve?

Educators frequently think of students as the onlyconsumers of college degree programs. After all, theydo appear to be the customers we recruit, counsel, andenroll in courses; to whom we sell books and materials,and provide services; whom we test, teach, and gradu-ate. When it comes to educational statistics, the figuresmost frequently cited by educators to demonstrateeffectiveness are derived by counting and catalogingthe numbers of studentsmarkets tapped; specificpopulations served; enrollments by college, unit, site,major, course, or instructor; retentions; drops; transfers;graduates; alumni; and activity participants. When weask for ratings of our educational products and collegeservices, we most often ask our own students.

Yet students are not simply consumers; they are alsothe products of the higher educational process. Andunlike automotive parts or other fabricated productswhich can be closely monitored by quality controldevices, students are self-directed individuals whocontribute as much to their own development as theeducators who may szek to "mold their minds." Nowonder we have difficulty addressing the issue ofquality in educationwe may be able to establi -.11 someacademic standards and to set cut-score tolerances, butwe still cannot control all variables in the complexteaching and learning process.

When we, a team of Elizabethtown CommunityCollege educators, set out to design a new associatedegree curriculum in quality technology, we opted for

a different definition of the primary customers for oureducational program. We envisioned our technicalprogram customers as the businesses, industries, andservice organizations for whom we would be supply-ing new or retrained employees as well as the universi-ties to whom we would be sending transfer students.Our focus centered not so much on satisfying studentwants as on fulfilling or surpassing the needs of thoseemployers and universities that expressed interest inaccepting our graduates.

Our curriculum development timetable took a yearor two longer than it m it have taken otherwisebecause of our initial decision to involve so manyothers in the research and development phases. A fewtraditional academics were skeptical of our methods.The inherited academic model for curriculum develop-ment implies that college faculty are the experts whoshould design an educational curriculum and facultyare the peer judges who sit on the curriculum reviewcommittees that finally approve any new collegedegree program. We did indeed involve faculty from avariety of disciplines, but we also chose to give a muchstronger voice to our program advisory committeemembers and to external members of the community.

A key component of our process involved a compe-tency skills assessment that our curriculum designteam and program advisory members conducted togather input from local businesses, industries, commu-nity organizations, and other educational institutions.The research questionnaire asked respondents to rankthe importance of more than 50 possible competenciesfor program graduates in six general categories:communication skills, math and computational skills,personal computer skills, business principles andpractices, quality process technical skills, and leader-ship skills. Results of this survey were critical to thecurriculum design process and enabled curriculumplanners to decide, for example, what level of math-ematics to require in the program, which qualitytechnology subject areas to emphasize in the curricu-lum, and what general education components toinclude in such support areas as communications,technical writing, problem-solving, and team leader-ship skills.


Once the curriculum design team knew exactlywhich competencies were most expected of programgraduates, it was relatively easy to sort the skills intospecific academic courses and to develop a first draftof a proposed curriculum for an associate degree inquality technology. The proposed model was thensent out for review by local employers and faculty atother educational institutions. t. program evaluationform was used to collect comments and suggestionsfor improving the curriculum. At this point thecurriculum development process took another twist.Faculty from other community colleges expressed somuch interest in the new degree program that thecurriculum design team was expanded to includerepresentatives from five other geographical areas inthe stateLouisville, Lexington, Madisonville,Hopkinsville, and Owensboro.

While the expansion of the program planning teamagain slowed the curriculum process, it clearly led to astronger program that better fits employment needs ofthe entire state. Seeking to satisfy a variety of specificlocal customer needs prompted the redesign team tocreate a curriculum with much more flexibility thansimilar degree piograms. The final program has a coreof six required qui:lay science courses, with fiveadditional program-approved technical courseschosen from a lengthy list of options that can beclustered into custom tracks to serve specific localworkforce needs. This custom-tracking feature allowscommunity colleges to quickly tailor the program andto offer concentrations in such areas as manufacturing,inventory management, customer service, health care,or environmental science. Because it takes so muchtime to get a new degree program approved and inplace, this program customization feature offerscolleges a means for responding quickly to changingworkforce development needs.

The curriculum for the new degree program wasapproved by the Community College Senate and bythe University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. Thefinal phase of the process took place when the ap-proved new degree program was again sent out tolocal area employers. This time the questions on theprogram needs assessment survey form asked employ-ers to identify available positions and starting salariesfor graduates, to suggest best times for offeringclasses, to volunteer to host co-op students, and torequest representation on the program advisorycommittee. Employer evaluations indicated stronglocal support, with all respondents indicating either a"very strong" or "strong" need for the new associatedegree program. Local support and involvement werekey factors in securing approval to offer the new

program from the Council on Higher Education.Because they have been involved from the outset, localemployers indicate they actively will promote the newprogram and plan to recommend specific courses forupgrading the skills of current employees.

In all, the process of designing a curriculum tosatisfy customer and workforce needs throughout theCommonwealth took just under three years. Thecustomer research and redesign steps were clearlyworth the extra time required to ensure a qualitycurriculum.

Darby Williams, Dean of Academic Affairs

For further information, contact the author atFirelands College of Bowling Green State University,901 Rye Beach Road, Huron, OH 44839.

1994 NISOD CONFERENCE

THE SIXTEENTH ANNUALCelebration of Teaching Excellence

Keynote Speakers

*Monday, May 23Opening Session8:30-9:45

Ann W. Richards, Governor of Texas

* Tuesday, May 24General Session8:30-9:15

Wilhelmina Delco, Texas House ofRepresentatives

* Wednesday, May 25Closing Session10:15-11:30

Tom Curley, President and Publisher,USA Today

* For more information, call 512/471-7545.

Suanna D. Rouacht, &dor

%rimy 1/,1994, Vol. XVI, No. 50 The University of Texas at Austin, 1994

Fun* dupeicatico 4 permitted by MEMBERInstitutions for theft own personnel,

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National frist,tute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD),Department of Educational Administration, Cottage of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas78712, (512) 471-7545. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199-106X.

VOLUME XV!, NUMBER 6

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

Making the Transition from the Socialto the Learning Mode

Main students need some class time to make thetransition from the social to the learning mode (e.g.,thinking about the discipline and learning rather thanthinking about eating, parties, and other aspects oftheir social lives). 1 have developed some usefultransition strategies in my anthropology courses; theyeasily could be implemented in other disciplines.

For current events, I read newspaper articles to theclass. Ideally, articles should have direct relevance tocourse material; but when such articles are scarce, it ispossible to use current events by asking, for example,how an anthropologist would view a specific event orphenomenon, why anthropologists would be interestedin the event, and how they would study it. As well asreinforcing course material, a discussion of currentevents has the added benefit of making the disciplinerelevant to the everyday life of the students. Well-respected print media and supermarket tabloids maybe null/ed. Besides providing comic relief, art:clesfrom tabloids may provide a useful starting point fordiscussions on course material. In an introductory(nurse on physical anthropology, for example, tabloidarticles are offered as proof that Bigfoot exists; thesearticles lead to class discussions of primate evolution,primate behavior, and the issue of proof.

Showing vignettes from discipline-related popularmovies and television programs is a useful method.typically show a video for several minutes before classis scheduled to begin. For an introductory course inphysical anthropology, I generally play vignettes fromthe naAwies Que4f (Or Lire and Claii of the Cave Bear; foran introductory course in archaeology, I play vignettesfrom Raider, of the Lost Ark. Watching a vignette from adiscipline-related movie gets the students in the moodfor learning more about the discipline. When I turn offthe videos, it is a clear signal that class is to begin. Thevignettes also may be used to reinforce conceptslivered m i lass or for critical evaluation--e.g., given

what we hat e learned in class, how accurate is theportrayal'

Sometimes I play classical or discipline-relatedmusic during the transitional periode.g., in anintroductory archaeology course, I play music recordedon instruments from past ages. When showing slidesof African archaeological sites and contemporarypeople, I play "Scatterlings of Africa," a song byJohnny Clegg about the origins and plight of Africans.When I need to generate some enthusiasm, I play thetheme to Raiders if the Lost Ark; and when I am indesperate need of comic relief, I play a recording of"King Tut" performed by Steve Martin during a skit onSatnnlay Night Live,

When 1 use trivia, I generally focus on the tiesfamous people have to the discipline and movies whichhave anthropologists as characters. Students seemparticularly impressed, for example, with the knowl-edge that Agatha Christie was married to an archaeolo-gist; the author of turrassic Park (Michael Crichton)received a B.A. in anthropology at Harvard; PrinceCharles majored in archaeology and anthropology hisfirst year at Cambridge; and Grammy award winningsinger/songwriter Tracy Chapman, writer KurtVoimegut, and the creator of "The Far Side" comic(Gary Larson) all studied anthropology in university.Students also find interesting, if not enlightening, theknowledge that such "classic" movies as Beach BlanketBingo and Amazon Women in the Avocado Jungle of Deathincluded anthropologists as characters.

As measured by student comments, I have hadoverwhelming success with each of these techniques.Besides being entertaining and easing the transition toa learning mode, using current events, movies, music,and trivia stimulates student interest in the discipline.

Robert Muckle, instructor, Anthropology

For further information, contact the author at CapilanoCollege, 2055 Purcell Way, North Vancouver, BritishColumbia, Canada V7) 3H5.

11IE NA RONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege 01 Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

t 3

Cultural Diversity for Faculty and Curriculum Development

Arts and sciences division faculty at MidlandsTechnical College used South Carolina Commission onHigher Education grant monies ($5,000) to develop asystem for internationalizing and diversifying 27designated English, humanities, and reading courses.Five cultures were selected as the focus of the grantAfrican, African American, Hispanic, Japanese, andNative American. The choice of cultures was basedlargely on student representation and faculty interest.

Each of five faculty members researched one of theselected cultures and produced an annotated bibliog-raphy of English-language (original or translation)films and works of fiction, nonfiction, drama, andpoetry. Researchers selected works for the bibliogra-phy according to the value and appropriateness ofeach work for our particular student body, for ourgeneral education core curriculum, and for the desig-nated English, humanities, and reading courses. Thebibliographies include annotations of 200 films andliterary works.

Twenty-one arts and sciences faculty were enlistedas reviewers of the literature and films. These review-ers were chosen on the basis of their teaching areas, aswell as their personal interests and expertise. Eachreviewer evaluated materials from all five cultures anddetermined appropriate methods of using these worksin specified courses. Their suggestions includeddetailed strategies for student assignments andclassroom instruction. The tangible product of theprocess is Cultural Diversity: Resources and Strategies,which contains the five annotated bibliographies andthe reviews suggesting effective methods of incorpo-rating literature and films into each of the 27 desig-nated Lourses.

The intangible results, however, reflect '.he actualbenefits of the process. In the words of one facultyreviewer, it was "a personal journey of discovery."Some faculty discussed the literary works and theirpotential as instructional materials with their col-leagues. Others talked about the new linkages that themulticultural emphasis had developed among disci-plines. Even when the deadline for submitting thebibliographies or the reviews had passed, some facultycontinued to submit suggestions, not because theywere remiss with their assignments but because theyhad chosen to continue to research and to read. Thisprocess, then, has provided an opportunity for facultyto develop individual interests.

The curriculum, too, has begun to change. TheEnglish faculty has adopted readers with a multi-

cultural emphasis for the two entry-level courses, andthe theater faculty has incorporated Japanese No playsinto their courses. One faculty member reported thatthe inclusion of a Nigerian novel into her courseresulted in more enthusiastic participation and betterquality of work from her students: "I had never hadstudents better able to incorporate textual referencesinto their essays."

This process has fostered positive curriculum, fac-ulty development, and student responses. Some fac-ulty members have requested periodic seminars to in-troduce and discuss multicultural works and their cur-ricula possibilities. The faculty's enthusiasm for thisproject and Cultural Diversity has broadened the cul-tural horizons at our college.

Jean Mahaffey, Dean. Arts and Sciences

Tyler Smith, Instructor, English, and Director, CulturalDiversity Grunt

For further information, contact Jean Mahaffey atMidlands Technical College, Box 240g, Columbia, SC29202.

Suenne O. Roueche, Editor

February OA 1004, Vol. XVI, No 6

0 The Univetsity of Texas at Austin, 1994

Further duplication is poimitted by MEMBER

heathens for hlk own personnel.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development (NISOD),Department of Educational Administration, College of Education, EDO 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Toes78712, (512) 471.7545. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are In session during fall and spring terms. I88N 0100.106X.


tet INNOVATION ABSTRACTSPUBL ISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DI VI I OPMI NI (NIS00) COI I EGE OF EDUCATION.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W. K KELLOGG FOUNDA HON AND NIL- SID W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

Why Students Must Be Held Accountable for Their Writing

Not long ago, a colleague stopped by my office tobemoan the quality of his students' writing; in hishands were several research papers. As I recall, onepaper had 52 misspelled words on one page; anothercontained about 100 words--written in large script to"fill the page"; another was written in incompletesentences. Inherent in my colleague's comment was theoften unspoken, but nevertheless believed, notion thatthe English department is not doing its job, that stu-dents cannot write because we have not taught them.

My main comment in response, defense, retaliationto my colleague was that he has every right not toaccept any paper of poor quality for a passing gradeand has the right to reject a paper that obviously did nutmeet his standards for competence. I must admit tosputtering these remarks and not making a very coher-ent response in defense of all of us who (whether welike this terminology or not) are in the trenches.

You probably can guess the rest. Once alone, Ithought of a dozen better, more cogent, more usefulresponses that I should have given and, even moretardily, I felt angry at myself and at my colleague. Sohere it ismy response to all of you out there whorequire writing in your classes but are not adamantabout demanding competent writing and holdingstudents accountable for what they put on paper andhow they put it there. Yes, spelling should count.

The concept of writing across the curriculum (orwriting to learn) works only if the required writing isevaluated in some way and at some level of expertise. I

am roterring to any type of writing: essay questions,short answer, term papers, book reports, researchpi-oleo-Is, and the like. The standards of writing compe-tence by which papers are judged may vary amonginstructors, but if students are not shown that the

iality of their writing eventually counts in the class-room, they never will be concerned about quality. Theywill learn to value quantity over quality, and they willlecrn minimum effort will earn a passing grade. Inshort, they will have learned well what you taught

them e.g., that correctness does not really matter andthat they will be forgiven for not knowing much aboutspelling, or punctuation, or sentence structure, or style,or any other cement used to present their ideas.

Failing to evaluate students' writing undercuts,cheats, and demeans every party involved in theeducational process. It cheats students because itteaches them the lesson that incompetence in theirlanguage is acceptable and that English teachers are theonly ones who care about the quality of their writing. I

am reminded of a recent conversation with a businesscommunications student who, as an accounting major,was taking an upper-level accounting course. Herwriting for me was very inconsistent, a B here, a Dthere. Her accounting instructor had assigned a re-search paper, but as the student so happily put it, "Hedon't mind about spelling mistakes and all them otherthings like you do." Perhaps lie don't mind, but I do; andI think others in this student's career path also willmind. What lesson has been taught here? Clearly, it isthat only the picky people in English instruction careabout standards, that poor usage, written or spoken,only counts against you in English classes.

If only English teachers are perceived as caring aboutmatters of style and correctness, then we become thevillains in the educational sequence. We cannot winbecause we cannot get students beyond the idea thatwe are demanding, that our requirements are seriouslyout of touch with their other educational realities. Oncethis idea is entrenched, it subtly undermines all otherfaculty who use writing in their classes: "Don't take X'sclass because mill have to do a term paper or writeessay questions on your test."

Finally, requiring writing without holding studentsaccountable for the quality of that writing violates thewhole notion of educating students. As we send outmore and more graduates who have never been madeto master basic skills, we powerfully undermine theirability to function as workers, as parents, as socialbeings, as constituents of their world. We graduate

1 il'"

,,.- THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOIl STAFF AND-ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)ku) Community College Leadership Program, Wpm/merit of Educational Administration

College of Education. The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

people who will be held accountable as soon as the inkon their application is dry. Many of them will not beprepared to meet the basic demands of the work place;some may not even he successful in filling out the jobapplication. All surely will be examined in light of theinstitution granting them their degree, and blame willbe assigned. The true measure of a college's success isnot how many graduate, but how qualified thosegraduates are. Thus, not making students responsiblefor the quality of their work undermines the value ofthe student, the teacher, and the college. We cannotafford to continue sending the schizophrenic signalthat students should write but should not bother aboutthe competence of their writing.

These are strong words, perhaps strong enough toevoke these responses: "Fine, I'll just stop requiringwriting of any sort," or "Okay, I'll mark all that writ-ing, but everyone will fail my class." As for the firstresponse, you must not move backward in educatingyour students. We are late enough in picking up thewriting-to-learn concept, and we simply cannot affordto lose more ground. You must keep using writing. Itis the right thing to do. To the second response, youare correct. There may be more bad grades. That ispart of what holding students accountable for theirwriting means. They must prove to you throughwriting that they understand accounting, or taxes, oreconomics, or pipe fitting, or marketing. The Englishfaculty's task is to teach the language of language;your task is to teach students to use that language towrite about your content area. If they cannot demon-strate competence in that skill, why is it that theydeserve a college degree? Will an employer requireless competence? Do law enforcement officers "tell" afinal accident report? Does a real estate appraiser givean oral final estimate? Can any of us "call in" ourtaxes?

What, then, can you do? I offer a few ideas for youron,-.1,1e1

plain from the first day of class that any writingwill be evaluated, but just as quickly explain howyou will evaluate it.

2. It you ore unclear how to balance content againsti)rre, tows, see sonieone iii your Lnglish depart-

ment for guidelines.Avoit I red ink; II wilds all the wrong)(mot try III It) thing dl 611( v. ry one class al

a lime, or one test during Ilse 111111, nr !wit, Iluetilionone

heglllfe',tlldt'lll' IIt imilk dild HMI ploll"..,in11,11

Suanne D. Floileche, Edda,

March 4, 1994, Vol XVI, No 7ro Au I, 1.)

v 1111,10 dlion 1., 1,,,livh110.11',1 III "I''

intIihhulIS 101 their own iwitclithil

6.

7.

8.

articles in their academic area. Make a point aboutthe value of correctness.Create a glossary of the most commonly misspelledwords in your content area. Give the list to yourstudents and keep adding.Demonstrate that you and your English departmentare unified in valuing writing.Use team teaching and assignment sharing toreinforce the value of writing in all areas of yourschool.Realize that improvement of any skill comes withpractice and reinforcement.

Sherry Sherrill, Instructor, English

For further information, contact the author at ForsythTechnical Community College, 2100 Silas CreekParkway, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.

Ite.41%t 1h114 e .1 public,thori rif Iho National Institute for Shill and Organiialionol flovrinoinont (NI, OPP.4%11011'1,1 of Pal Administration ColIngn of Education, LOB :14R. Inv llnweisity of texas of Austin, Austin, 'fonds

'1, (`, L'1 75-0, Funding in oar? by tho W K Kellogg Foundation and the Sal W Richardson Foundation Issueduckly Wien hpsos are in session during /all and spring tennis. ISSN 0199-100X


INNOVATION ABSTRACTSPURL !SHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD), COI I FGE OF EDUCATION,

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

Teacher as StudentAfter having brain surgery, I needed to relearn

professional terminology before returning to theclassroom, so I decided to take the class I had taughtfor 20 years. Fortunately, one very good teacher knewow situation and was willing to take me on. (It is agood idea to get a great teacher so you can practicesome "legitimate plagiarism" the next time you teachthe class!) In addition to the terminology, I learned agreat deal more.

As a teacher, have you ever wondered how studentsfeel in class, why they forget to buy a blue book, orwhy they worry more about their grade than what theyare learning? I sure did. Now, as a student, I can lookat all of these questions with, shall we say, a freshbrain. For one thing, students really do need theteacher to write down when the quiz or test is andwhat to bring (for example, a blue book). I alwayswondered why some students would be confusedabout that, but here I am, a student in the same boat. Itis hard to believe that you can be in college and getdays of the week and dates mixed up, but it is true.Even an intent student cannot listen every minute in a50-minute class. (Ouch, I hate to know that!) In thefuture, I am going to hand out what my colleague whoteam taught with me always prepared for our class: aschedule that blocked off in squares each week statingexactly what was going to happen in class. I neverespied it before because I felt it just made the semestersyllabus dud schedule run too long. After 20 years as ateacher, it is easy to forget how overwhelmed a studentcan be in college.

Another roa I surprise for me was laughter when Imentioned to students around me that I was eightpages short on reading for the quiz: they had read agreat deal less. Apparently, many of these studentsbelieve that they can pass college classes withoutcompleting the assigned homework. When I went tocollege for the first time, I knew that if I screwed up, Iflunked. These kids are going to find out in a muchharder way, and they certainly do not appear to bestudents who "deserve it." They are not goof-offs, hotrather students who have ambitions and good inten-tions. One even wants to he a teacher.

I had seen preliminary data on class study guides

data suggesting that students wanted them, but thatthey made no difference in test performance for many.I did not use mine, but it is clear that many studentsneed help with studying prior to the test. One of thegreat techniques I learned and am going to borrow is astudent-to-student review conducted in class. Eachstudent is given a sample question on one of the testareas, and in groups of two or three they ask each otherthese questions. 'When each group finishes its ques-tions, it switche4questions with another. It makesclear to every student if he/she is ready for the test orneeds further study.

I did not expect so few of the students to prepareanswers to the essay questions the teacher gave thembefore the test. We knew that two of these questionswould be on the test, and we had a week to work onthem. In the future, I will spend class time workingthrough an answer to an essay question and discussinghow best to prepare for essay tests.

Sick leave almost has become a sabbatical; I have arenewed interest and involvement with my subjectmatter. When one has repeated an idea 40 or 50 times,it begins to appear that the idea is nothing special andthat everybody knows it. And then, suddenly, beforeyou is an enthusiastic teacher with a new style, and likeall the other students, you want to hear the ideaexplained. That old idea is not ordinary at allit is agreat revelation. How nice it has been to have myexcitement rekindled! Some of you might want to tryit, too hut just remember that as student instead ofteacher, you will he embarrassed to walk in a minute ortwo late!

Barbara Schnelker, Associate Professor, lichanioralSiiencrs

For further inlormation, contact the author at PalomarCollege, I HO West Mission Road, San Marcos, CA920(19-1487.

IIII NATIONAL INSTITUTE WTI S TA! F ANO Ol1OANI7A IONA, of VI I 01 iltfl NT (IVIS00)qktp Community College Leadership Program, Department of I dinfional Adniiinstralion

',.1,14 College of Education, The University of Texas at n115111, LOB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

The Academic Warmup

During the first week of classes, my students areinitiated into the ritual of the academic warmup.Upon entering the classroom, they pick up half-sheetsof paper with questions to be answered, vocabularywords to be defined and/or discussed, situations to beanalyzed, problems to be solved, or other academicactivities. Students are .sked to work in groups tocomplete the activities before class begins.

The warmup maximizes class time by involvingstudents with course material from the minute theyenter the room. While I am engaged in those activitieswhich take up a teacher's time at the beginning of eachclass, students already are engaged in meaningful,focused academic activities.

The warmup activity provides a natural startingpoint for class. I often prepare the warmup sheetswhile I am planning a class, choosing questions oractivities that form a bridge from the previous day'sdiscussion to the current topic.

Some activities review topics; others explorestudent background knowledge (schemata activation)on a topic not vet introduced. Some activities requirelittle more than regurgitation of text or lecture infor-mation; others require analysis, evaluation, andsynthesis.

At the beginning of the semester, new vocabulary isoften the subject of warmup activitiese.g., what isthe function of a topic sentence? After the presenta-tion of new concepts, warmups contain applicationactivities e.g., James has difficulty concentratingwhen he reads sociology; what strategies presented inChapter 2 would be most useful in helping Jamesdevelop better concentration? Prior to a test, warmupsinclude sample test questions and force students toreview key issuese.g., what features of writtenmaterial should be considered by the critical reader?At any point in the semester, warmup activities maycontain tasks that promote critical thinkinge.g., readthe editorial about gays in the military; list and evalu-ate the author's arguments. All warmup exercisesshould be discussed and debated within the groups.

Student interaction facilitated by the academicwarmup produces many desirable results. After a fewminutes of working through a warmup with a partner,the students arc ready for class. Questions are an-swered quickly; after the pairs of students have cometo a consensus and written an answer, they are pre-pared to share it with the class. Those who are uncer-tain about the validity of their answers are anxious tohear the ideas of others and often ask questions thatIt itt all to greater understanding.

Suanne O. Roueche, Editor

March 11, 1994, Vol. XVI, No. 8n The University ol Toils at Austin, 1994Further duplication is permitted by MEMBER

institutions for their own personnel

Another benefit of the warmup is the ease withwhich class cohesiveness develops. After the first torclass periods, the students know each other by nameand feel comfortable working in pairs or small groups.The relationships between students promote a sense ofcommunity within the class, allowing for greaterfreedom of discussion.

I have found that the benefits of the academicwarmup are well worth the few minutes needed toprepare such exercises. I use half-sheets of paperbecause a smaller page is less intimidating for thestudents and for me. I have compiled file folders fullof warmup exercises from past semesters and usemany of them each term since vocabulary and keyconcepts do not change. Other times I write a questionor two to tailor the warmup to a particular class orconcept. Not every class session begins with awarmup, but the longer I use this technique the more Ihave come to rely on it.

Janet L. Pariza, Instructor, English and Reading

For further information, contact the author atWaubonsee Community College, Route 47 at HarterRoad, Sugar Grove, IL 60554.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development (NISOD).Department of Educational Administration, College of Education, EDB 348. The University ot Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas78712, (512) 471.7545 Funding in pad by the W K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes ale in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.108X.


's,,t INNOVATION ABSTRACTSPUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD). COLLEGE OF EDUCATION,

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W. K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

Teaching Ethics Across the Curriculum

Every teacher a reading teacher! Every teacher awriting teacher! Every teacher a critical thinkingteacher! When will it end? Maybe not just yet. Per-haps we need to add just one more assignment to thejob of every teacherteaching ethics. From St. Peters-burg Junior College in Florida, where an applied ethicsclass is a requirement of all freshmen, to a range ofbusiness schools, where the study of ethics is, as onewriter describes it, "almost a fad," educators areresponding to a need expressed in the media as anational concern. A quick look at any periodical indexindicates that dozens of articles appear monthly inmagazines and scholarly journals exploring ethicalissues, and the word ethics appears daily in severalsections of our newspapers as crimes against principlescontinue to dominate the political, business, and artsnews.

Educators have acknowledged that we need to helpour students recognize ethical issues, and we need togive them the skills to think and talk about these issues.What goes on in the classroom should be a rehearsalfor the boardroom, for committee meetings, for facultymeetings, for staff meetingsin short, for the realworld. Across the curriculum, faculty should not hemissing opportunities to increase student awareness ofthis important aspect of all academic disciplines andshould be challenging students to think about it.

I low, then, can the work be done? While suggestingtopics across the disciplines, I can propose a number ofstrategies to accommodate a variety of teaching andlearning styles.

'the writing-across-the-curriculum programs in,many of our r nation's higher education institutionsprovide us with fine models. Ethics across the curricu-lum can he implemented more easily than writingacross the curriculum and without additional costs.

I he objective is to raise consciousness. It is impor-tant to note that what each teacher does is raise theconsciousness of the students about ethical questions inher/his discipline, not make decisions about them.

h of its can define caws early in the semester, as we

might define theme in a literature class or formula in amath class or revolution in a history class, to establish aworking vocabulary and make ethics part of thelanguage of all courses across the disciplines.

Metadiscussions should be held. At any point, ateacher can say, "Have you noticed that what we aretalking about is ethics (or morals or values clarifica-tion)?" The teacher might pose two or more ways oflooking at the issue and ask students to argue on behalfof each, or if the topic warrants more time, the teachermight ask for a formal debate on the topic.

As we call attention to the learning objectives, so toocan we call attention to ethical issues while we arediscussing them. Naming issues brings them ontoanother level of consciousness.

Values clarification exercises are excellent for thosewho wish or need to spend more time on specificethical issues. Subject areas such as those in healthsciences, business, and technology, where the issues aremore in the national consciousness, may wish toemploy small group discussion strategies to exploretheir topics. Also, teachers can use published valuesclarification exercises, or they can make up their own,using the others as models. Classics such as the timecapsule, air raid shelter, survival, and agree/disagreestatements can he adapted easily.

Research papers are used successfully as a meansfor independent study in any discipline. Why notfocus topics on ethics? Teachers can assign ethics in themedia, ethics in the works of Tolstoy, ethics in geneticengineering research, ethics in advertising, ethics incancer research, and ethics in the judicial system astopics for research.

Study questions are an effective means of sparkingclass discussion, for they bring the student into classprepared with ideas. Ask students to find the ethicalissues in a text assignment on software in accounting,or on the Civil War, or on nuclear medicine.

The role of student services departments should besignificant in any college's ethics program. Facultyshould understand policies and procedures relating tocheating, plagiarism, attendance, and other topicswhich require policy cooperation between academicand student personnel.

1 '"1A)

l I If NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

MININIMPOW YITIMIMMIMIIII .7,1+!!±41811.1.014.P9tIV

The role of staff development programs is equallyas significant as the role of student services. It is notenough to have dedicated faculty. Administratorsmust make time for teachers to get together, to talkabout the opportunities to point out ethical problemsin their disciplines, and to discuss what they believe tobe the work ethic of teachers and their students. Eachcollege has its culture, and teachers and students needtime and the right environment to share their percep-tions of the ethical nature of that culture. Thesediscussions can be facilitated by the specialists on thefacultyspeech and philosophy teachers. Further, thediscussions might be arranged in the same fashion thatone would want them to occur in the classroomforexample, in the small group format or a panel discus-sion. this is an especially good way to allow everyoneon a large faculty to express opinions about thecollege's cultural characteristics.

Questions which might be discussed include: Isbeing on time to class part of the work ethic of theleacher, of the student? When a faculty member givesa number of tests without providing feedback onprevious tests and adequately studying that feedback,is he/she breaching his/her professional ethics? Theexpectations faculty have of students might be sharedwith student services and included in their publica-tions.

These metadiscussions may not result in curriculumand/or policy changes but rather in creating anatmosphere charged with the awareness of the ethicalcontent of its situations. The hope is that ultimately,when our students are teachers, x-ray technicians, andmanagement consultantb, they will be aware of theethical questions involved in their daily decisions. Thesense of values instilled in them by a caring collegecommunity will influence the decisions they make.

"l he purpose of any study of ethics or any programin applied ethics /liver includes the generation ofc11,1e of ethics. I he purpose is /lever to control, butrather to disi over.

Angela A. Rapkin, Prefe:-sor, Ltighsh, Reading andl'oreign Languages

For further information, contact the author at Manatee('irinil1Un1ty College, South Campus, P. (). Box 1849,Bradenton, FI, 3350h,

Suanno D. Roueche, Editor

March 25, 1994, Vol. XVI, No. 90 The University el Texas at Austin, 1994

roller duplication is permitted by MEMBERin5blutions for their own personnel.

1994 NISOD CONFERENCE

THE SIXTEENTH ANNUAL

Celebration of TeachingExcellence

Pre-Conference SeminarsSunday, May 22

2:00-4:00

Can Your College Meet the Prerequi-sites for TQM7--James Hammons, Profes-sor of Higher Education, University of Arkan-sas.

The Student At Risk in the CommunityCollegeWilliam Moore, Jr., A. M. AikinRegents Chair, Commun nil College LeadershipProgram, The University of Texas at Austin.

A Vision of the Twenty-First CenturyDonald Phelps, W. K. Kelhm Professor,Community College Leadership Program, TheUniversity of Texas at Austin.

Improving Student MotivationJohn E.Roueche, Sid W. Richardson Regents Chair,Communny College Leadership Program, TheUniversity of Texas at Austin.

* For more information, call 512/471-7545.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development (NISOD).Department of Educational Administration. College of Education, EDD 348, The University of Texas at Austin. Austin. Texas78712, (h 12)471.750' Funding in pail by the W K Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are III session during telt and spring terms. ISSN 0199-106X.


INNOVATION ABSTRACTSPUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD). COLLEGE OF EDUCATION.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM THEW. K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSOIV FOUNDATION

Structured ConversationsI have taught a number of Spanish conversation

classes over the past 15 years, and they have ranged inquality from uninspired to truly exciting. When firstassigned the course as a teaching assistant, I sighedwith relief, thinking that little preparation would benecessary. I had visions of showing up for class andchatting in Spanish for 50 minutes with my students,who, of course, would have a number of interestingtopics prepared for that day. Fortunately for allinvolved, I have learned a few things about teachingsuch a class over the years.

ffOne of the most valuable discoveries I have made

that a casual approach to a conversation class worksonly when all that is expected of the students is casualconversation. Unfortunately, the resulting conversa-tion is usually laden with pauses, grammatical errors,and, inevitably, pleas for help. Somewhere in themiddle of my first quarter of teaching Spanish conver-sation, I realized that even a casual course needed somestructure as well as a means for evaluating studentperformance. Just as I had believed that little prepara-tion was needed on my part, many students werehoping that this was the case for them as well, and theywere performing accordingly.

Many students enroll in a conversation class with anumber of misconceptions about what is required.Students may be surprised to learn that there is arequired text, and, in some cases, an oral presentationassignment. Class participation usually is weighedheavily; and although the instructor may have empha-sized this fact, inevitably the class will consist ofstudents whose shyness, inhibitions, °I apathy leadthem not to participate. Grades, or other forms ofevaluation, can he important motivating factors, butthere must he some fair and objective criteria forassigning these grades.

A typical conversation class is comprised of 15Iudents, so I divide the class into three groups of fivestudents each. Every student is assigned a role for eachlass period. The roles for each group are: one mod-

erator, one reporter, and several participants. Themoderator acts as the facilitator for the group, asking

.stions, keeping the conversation going, and assur-

ing each student an equal amount of participation time.The reporter and participants take brief notes duringthe conversation. The participants are the heart of thegroup, doing most of the talking or responding toquestions asked by the moderator or other participants.The teacher's role is to rotate from one group to an-other, listening, answering questions if they are asked,and making corrections when necessary in a subtle,nonthreatening manner. During the last 10-15 minutes,the class listens while the reporter from each groupsummarizes from notes what took place in theirgroups. This allows all students to hear the opinions ofthe other groups. They are allowed to express differingopinions and to question members of other groups.These final 10-15 minutes are often .he most interest-ing, especially when students become aware of oppos-ing opinions.

To ensure fairness in rotation of roles, I maintain anevaluation sheet on each student. This sheet includespreprinted dates for class meetings, and boxes contain-ing the grades (poor, fair, good, excellent) can bechecked after each class period. A separate box forcomments is included, and students are encouraged toview their sheets as frequently as they wish (preferablyafter every class).

After some trial and error, I determined that it wasbest not to assign roles before the actual class meeting.Initially, students are leery of the moderator role andtend to be absent on the day they are assigned thatparticular task. Preassigning roles also tends to takepressure off the other students as far as preparation isconcerned. They seem to feel that a participant or areporter does not need to be as familiar with thematerial as the moderator. Assigning the roles at thebeginning of each class works well; students are notsure what role they will fill for each day, and theycome to class more uniformly prepared.

This system is a viable alternative to a casual ap-proach to foreign language conversation classes. Itallows for greater structure in a class that too often isallowed to disintegrate into a chat session. With thissystem, students become task-oriented while utilizingnew grammatical structures and vocabulary in thetarget language. At the same time, they are gaining

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege ol Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

valuable experience which helps them develop severalvaluable skills: leading a group (moderator), notetaking in a foreign language (reporter), listening(participants), and verbally expressing themselves (allmembers of the group). When these essential skills aregained through learning to use a foreign language,students feel an even greater sense of accomplishment.

Kathy S. Leonard, Instructor, Foreign Languages

Fur further information, contact the author at lowaState University, Department of Foreign Languagesand Literatures, 300 Pearson Hall, Ames, IA 50011.

++

Chapter Reflections

It can be difficult to get students to do assignedreading, especially if the exam over the material in thereading assignments is still weeks away. One day Ibegan my Interpersonal Communication class with abasic question from the reading assignment. Twentyblank faces stared back. I asked how many had read thechapter. No one raised a hand. I proceeded to lecturethe class on the responsibilities of a student, when a voicefrom the hack complained,Hauled, "But the reading is so longand boring. It puts me to sleep." The rest of the classchimed in. I had to admit that although the text was up-to-date and accurate, it was not the most interestingreading. At this point I resolved to improve for nextsemester.

First, I began an intense book review process. Insteadof just reading the table of contents for the basic conceptscovered, I actually read chapters to get a feel for readabil-ity (publishers are more than happy to send reviewcopies). I found and adopted a text that covered thesubject well and was easy, even enjoyable reading.

The second step was to entice students into giving thetext a try. On the first day of class, I took a few minutesto talk about how much time I had spent finding a textthat would present the material in an interesting wayand how thrilled I was with the selection. 1 warnedstudents that as they read the text, they were likely toexperience th'ia vu as the text provided explanations formany of their communication habits and experiences.They were curious.

Then l designed a new class assignment which hasbeen on invaluable improvement in the course. I wantedstudents to read the material before coming to class, but I

Swum D. Roueche, Editor

April 1, 1994, Vol. XVI, No. 10litimayly ()I teems at Austin, 1894

rtalhor dup4colum e. pormiltod by MEMBER

v,IlluliGnq for Iltoa own porbonnal

was uneasy about giving pop tests or chapter quizzes. 1decided on "chapter reflections." For every chapterstudents read, they must find one concept or idea thatthey have experienced and explain their experience withthat concept in a one-page, handwritten paper. They areencouraged to use the chapter terminology to express theexperience and demonstrate their understanding of theconcept with examples. If they choose to challenge aconcept that does not fit with their personal experience,they must explain why. They are encouraged to look atany moral or ethical considerations the concepts maypresent. the goal is to get the students to read thematerial actively and to relate their course studies to theirpersonal experiences. Papers and assigned readings aredue on the same day which ensures that most studentscome to class prepared.

What happened? It was magic! I came to class on thefirst lecture day prepared to lecture, but the class cameprepared to discuss! Because the students had read thematerial actively, they already understood the basicconcepts and were ready to apply the concepts to theirdaily experiences. We have had wonderful classes full ofdiscussion thus far.

Students read the chapters actively rather thanpassively.Critical thinking takes place in the class rather thanjust the memorization of terms and concepts.Papers help me assess the students' understanding ofthe material before the exams.Students recognize the value of the course as theyrelate the material directly to their own experiences.Students get constant feedback on their writing skills.I have come to know and treat my students as indi-viduals.

Helen Tate, Instructor, Speech

For further information, contact the author at LamarUniversity at Orange, 410 Front Street, Orange, Tx77630.

INNOVATION MST f?ACTS is el pubhcabon of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD),Newham, of Educational Administrafion, College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas78712, (512) 471.7545 Funding in pad by the W K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweakly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTSVOLUME XVI, NUMBER 11

PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD). COLLEGE OF EDUCATION.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W. K KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND THE SID W. RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

The "We Think" Project

The composition classroom is an opportunity tocreate an enjoyable community committed to exploringand learning about writing. Rather than focusingsolely on the student-teacher dynamic, I ask mystudents to branch out and write for different audi-ences. In addition to writing letters to the editor andletters for social action, I require my students to writeletters for their peers and the larger community.

An example of this assignment is the "We Think"project, which I initiate after a few weeks of my stu-dents' studying traditional rhetorical modes and basicmechanics. In brief, the class first reads and practiceswriting editorials and persuasive opinion pieces;within a month, each student writes three separate one-to two-page editorials and, during the final month ofthe project, revises one. Each anonymous essay isattached to posterboard, and all are hung in a publicspace for two weeks. (Last semester they hung in theuniversity library; this semester they are hanging froma kiosk in the local mall.) Pencils are hung nearby, andwe invite community comment. My students designedan eye-catching (yet slightly inflammatory) signannouncing the editorials: "We Think, Do You?"

This process-oriented project involves a variety ofrhetorical tasks, such as critical thinking, pre-writing,persuasive writing, business writing, peer review, andediting. Freewrites and newspaper readings appear tobe the best ways to initiate the project. Once a week, 1read aloud brief editorials or newspaper articles andhave the students freewrite responses for 10 or 15minutes. Other freewrites include asking students toaddress things that anger them--the school, the town,or the world. This opportunity to reflect encouragescreativity as well as specificity of thought. As onestudent said in reaction to a frecw rite on the questionof homosexuals in the military: "At first 1 hated doingthis because it made me think. But then I realized thatby thinking I was forced to have an opinion about it."

The students write the first two editorials after littleinstruction on editorial style or etiquette. I do this tocreate a sense of self-control: it is their work and theirword, and it is not constrained by the teacher or byconvention. However, this lack of teacher control is

also difficult for themthey have no idea of what Iwant or what is "correct," so they worry that they arenot "doing it right." Before the third editorial, how-ever, I invite a journalism teacher to give a briefdiscussion on the standard goals and forms of editori-als. This is an almost subversive testimonial: lettingthem flounder on their own sets them up to appreciatethe formal structure. I like this because I think they canthen incorporate convention into their own voice. Inaddition, incorporating the structure after they alreadyhave written two pieces emphasizes the importance ofrevision.

This revision process engages many of the skillsimportant in a writing class, and the days studentsspend together revising their editorials puts the theorythey heard in lectures into practice. The students firstmake revisions together in sniall groups, reevaluatingtheir initial thoughts based on a number of factors:Does the introduction grab the reader? Is there athesis? Does the editorial follow the main point to aworthwhile conclusion? Do the examples support themain point? Is there a call to action? Is it persuasive?

The week before the editorials are due, everyonemakes three copies, and we put them all in a pile. Ihand one to each student and leave the rest in themiddle of the classroom. I use the chalkboard toremind students of things to look for in a revision andinstruct them to quickly and aggressively read as manyessays as possible. I encourage questions, not negativ-ity. Instead of "This stinks, cut it," I prefer "What isgained by this? I think it takes away from the mainpoint." Of course, this ideal does not always work, butwith so many people working on each essay, the goodoutweighs the bad. At the end of the session,everyone's essay has been read by at least four or fiveclassmates.

Students then take their editorials (and peer sugges-tions) home to revise and return with an almost-finaldraft, ready for a final editing. We conduct the samemultiple pass-around, focusing on proofreading andediting skills for punctuation and mechanics (this timebeing ruthless In the search for errors); then studentstake their drafts home and bring in the finished ver-

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZA1IONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas al Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

sions, ready for public display. The combination ofworking alone and in a team reinforces the communalaspect of writing, as well as the need for personalresponsibility. I offer comments, but I do not proof-read their final versions; while it is hard for me todisplay editorials with grammar mistakes and ram-bling sentences, these are their essays, not mine, and Ineed to respect their voices.

Reaching out to a broader community also canincorporate aspects of business writing. While I do notnormally bring business writing into this compositionclasS, it is easy to describe and model a press releasebased on the "We Think" project. Therefore, inaddition to each editorial, each student creates a pressrelease and fact sheet to submit to the local media.Less than 100,000 people reside in our semi-ruralcounty, so this project fits nicely with the local media'sneed for community-based reporting. Television,radio, and the local newspapers all report on theproject, which again reinforces that writing can havevalue outside of the teacher-student realm.

This can be an extraordinary amount of work forthe students. One woman wrote in her journal, "I amsick to death of revising the same editorial over andover again...I have learned to go through my writingsand do cut-and-paste." However, the rewards in

Taking Roll and Learning Names

Educators agree that teachers best "connect" with aclass when they learn students' names and thatstudents appreciate having others learn their names.The problem comes when an instructor faces three tofive large classes (1(10-150 or more students). If vonare one of those rare individuals who can march into aroom of 50 strangers, shake hands all around, andimmediately learn every name through associationtechniques, read no further. Fur the rest of us, here is asystem I have found useful.

Give a 3x5 card to each student and ask (or his/hername and an identifying characteristic. I always soy,"Tell me something about yourself that will help mepick you out right away front this sea of faces. Themore bizarre or unusual it is, the better." Do notaccept such ephemera as "I am wearing a red sweater"or "I am in the second row, third to the right." Insistthat it be some permanent physical or personal charac-teristic or some fact about the student that makes himor her unique from all the others. Most students willoffer physical descriptions, but a few will offer more

Suonne D. Roueche, Editor

April 8, 1994, Vol, XVI, No, 110 The University of Texas fli Austin, 1994

Further duplication is oerrnittoil by MEMBER


improved self-awareness and writing confidence morethan outweigh the difficulties.

Writing for the public is a scary thought for sonicstudents, but since the editorials are anonymous,nobody need be excused out of shyness or fear.Indeed, public opinion and public discourse aremotivating forces for the students, so I grade thisproject on effort and completion, not product. Thestudents' flaws are instructive; and because theirwriting is not limited to the instructor or to their smallresponse groups, students can see the importance ofcreating a worthwhile final draft. Oftentimes, onecritical penciled reply, such as, "Are you not supposedto think before you write?" does more to encouragestudents to improve their writing than all of myclassroom harping. In addition, the plentiful commu-nity responses illustrate more powerfully than anylecture how enjoyable it is to engage in an intellectualdialogue.

Randy Accetta, Instructor, Writing

For further information, contact the author at PimaCommunity College, 4907 East Broadway Boulevard,Tucson, AZ 85709-1010.

interesting characteristics, such as hobbies, unusualoccupations, places visited, special interests, and thelike.

Bring the cards to class daily, call names, and sortthe cards into present and absent students. As thesemester progresses, this chore takes less time andeventually will be unnecessary.

While no one can prove that learning students'names leads to more learning in class, I am convincedthat it enhances discussions, personalizes the class forthe students and teacher, and makes for a betterexperience all around.

William F. Mugleston, Assistant Professor, History

For further information, contact the author at EastGeorgia College, 237 Thigpen Drive, Swainsboro, GA30401 -2b99,

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD),Department of Educational Administration. College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas78712, (512) 471,7545 Funding in part by the W K Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms ISSN 0199.106X.

tet INNOVATION ABSTRACTSVOLUME XVI, NUMBER 12

. .

PUBLISHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVIL OF NT (NISOD) COI I f Cf OF f DUCAT ION

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W K KELLOGG'FOUNDAI ION AND Hit SID W PICT IARDSON FOUNDAT

Experiential Learning: A Key to Self-Confidence,Transition, and Academic Success

Vermilion Community College Student SupportServices is a federally funded TRIO program servingthe needs of first-generation, low-income students,and/or students with disabilities. This populationoften finds difficulty succeeding in college due tofactors beyond academic competency. The prospect ofentering college is overwhelming for many students inour program; the transition from high school to collegeis difficult. We ask ourselves: How can a new collegestudent without life skills transform poverty, negativ-ism, academic discouragement, a disability, or societaldegradation into useful academic, personal, and socialcollege survival skills?

Success fosters success, yet we find that many high-risk students do not have the foundation of successfulexperiences that provide the building blocks foracademic, personal, and social successes in college. Acommon element in their lives is the severe lack of self-confidence in their ability to succeedwhether it istaking a test or making a friend. Understanding thecorrelation between a person's self-confidence andacademic, personal, and social success in college,Student Support Services designed a one-credit,summer bridge course entitled Transition to Collegethat is free of charge to SSS participants.

Ely, Minnesota, in the heart of the Superior NationalForest and on the doorstep to the million-acre Bound-ary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), is theperfect setting for our course. Coordinated with Ely'sVoyageur Outward Bound School, this experientialeight-day learning course takes a comprehensiveapproach to helping students build, strengthen, andenhance essential academic, personal, and socialsurvival skills. The students are challenged, limits arestretched, and goal-setting capabilities are expanded.The expedition deep into the Boundary Waters imme-diately precedes the fall quarter and applies the skillsobtained through experiential learning to the student'supcoming college experience.

Program activities help students build confidenceand trust, develop skills and self-identity, and experi-

11.)

_ 5

ence a supportive environment. Several are describedhere.

Introduction: Students identify self-interests, skillsand abilities; complete pre-program self-evaluation;and become familiar with Vermilion CommunityCollege student resources and the Ely community.

Cooperative Learning with Peers: Students partici-pate in canoe capsize/rescue training (stretchingphysical limits), overcome the challenge wall as agroup, enhance critical thinking skills, engage inteamwork, and receive portaging instruction.

Rock Climbing: Students are involved in safetyinstruction/discussion, trust-building with teammates,risk-taking, goal-setting, building listening skills,discussing successes and failures, writing journals, andmeeting camping responsibilities.

Course Navigation: Paddling deep into the Bound-ary Waters, students navigate and learn how to readtopographical maps of rivers, lakes, and streams. Theydeal with group conflict, express feelings and opinions,solve problems, make decisions, plan as a group, andlearn to manage their time.

Solo: Each student receives a small plastic tarp,sleeping bag, rain gear, a bag of granola, water bottle,and a whistle. Left alone on the shores of a lake, each isresponsible for constructing a shelter and for recordinghis/her successes, failures, challenges, problem-solvingactivities, and instances of teamwork. Many studentsfind their "solo" to be a pivotal turning point in help-ing them overcome fears of the unexpectede.g.,college classes, living away from home, relationshipissues, friends, a new community, etc.

High Ropes Course: High above the ground inenormous pine trees, the rope, cable, and log eventsbuild students' self-confidence and concentration,improve their abilities to compliment and encourageothers, and deal with fear and perceived failure.

Personal Challenge Event (PCE): The PCE consistsof a six-mile, navigated paddle (into heavy winds), aone-mile portage, followed by a six-mile run. Somestudents set goals to complete the event in a specifictime, others simply to finish. Students break through


physical, emotional, and mental barriers; all success-fully finish the event. A frequent comment after thePCE is "I never thought I would finish! If I can do this,I can do anything!" Learning to share success throughaccomplishment, realizing abilities and potential, andbeing willing to take risks and set goals are all part ofthe PCE experiential process.

Graduation: After an in-depth discussion of thecoursewhat was learned, how these newly enhancedskills and abilities relate to entering collegeand thecompletion of a post-program evaluation, students arepresented with Outward Bound pins and certificatesof completion. Students say:

"This course showed me when I make a mistakeit's alright; I just learn from it.""I have made a strong bond with great friendseven before college starF?d!""You can do anything if you work together andset goals.""A great transition to college!""No matter how much support you have, it's upto you to decide to succeed.""A very good leaning experience, a chance of alifetime!""A real confidence builder, hard work equalssuccess.""I've never had friends like this ... they'll he myfriends for a long time.""Experiencing being completely alone (solo) willdefinitely help me cope with being alone/awayfrom home and those I love.""I can't believe I had a moose chewing on lily padroots IO feet from my tent!""Very educational ... I surpassed all my limits inthe PCE!"

Experiential learning is one means by which stu-dents may take risks, rediscover abilities, stretchlimits, learn how to succeed, and deal with failure.Most importantly, students have the opportunity toview themselves in an environment of self-worth,where individuality is supported and encouraged bystaff and students alike.

Rick C. Mikesh, Counselor/instructor, Student SupportServices

For further information, contact the author at Vermil-ion Community College, 1900 East Camp Street, Ely,MN 55731.

Suanne O. Roueche, Editor

Aprll 15.1994, Vol. All, No. 120The University of Texas at Austin, 1994Further duplication is permitted by MEMBERinstitutions for their own personnel.

Announcing the sixteenth annual

internationni Conference onTeaching Execilence and

Conference of Administrators

May 22-25, 1994 * Austin, Texas

The National Institute for Staff and OrganizationalDevelopment (N1SOD)based in the Department ofEducational Administration, College of Education,The University of Texas at Austin -- celebratesexcellence in teaching and leadership through itsannual conference, which attracts more than 1500teachers and administrators each year. The event, co-sponsored by the League for Innovation in theCommunity College, will be held at the HyattRegency, Four Seasons, Omni, and Radisson hotels.

Monday, May 2.3* Ann W. Richards, Governor tif Texas

l'uesd ay, May 24* %VIIh Imina Deku, Tevas I louse of Representative!:

Weihresdny, Men/ 25* I l'resrilitl and Publisher, CISA Today* Recognition of 1004 NIS )1) Excellence Award

recipients. President Iohn and Sua one Roueche,Thr I sityof PUIS Allq111

CONFEHENCE DI ,UMINISTRATORS

Alay 2.1* 1.unclienn, On I Mil in

lacquelvn lielt.her, President, Alin ileigiolis Community

* Afternoon session, 21111 I (10/) iiiRobert A. ',orilt hirtibri Collee ofAlgrhrd Arts unit I erlinoliwy, I bilario,

Tuesilay, May 24* Morning session, 10 HO it ni 1.'1111 pin

Walter Ihimpltus, Proolleut, ItrookhaveisTexasind Ian lirobsl, 1 'ice Presidort of InslautiorialAiipaiieenient, 111.,)01,haveliCollexe, rexas

* For more information, rnritact Snonne Rouech,Director, NISOO, at 512/171.754 5.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD),Department of Educational Administration, College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas78712, (512) 471.7545. Funding in part by the W. K Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X.



Criminals in Literature)(Opus, I lamlet, I tester Prynne, Malcolm X,

I !limbed I [limber-I- -these are some of the characters mystiidents have analyzed, prosecuted, and defended in thec(nirse, Criminals in Literature, From the Greek tragediesto Orwell's I '184, many of our greatest literary works arestories oft only and punishment. Some, such asI )1 (stove% sky's Crum' and Punishment are recognizedlassR tol criminal psychology. Other works, not

generally t onsidered crime stories, take on new dimen-ms when approac lied as studies of criminal behav-

ior or behavior judged to be criminal. The story ofJesus in the New i is of a man arrested, tried,konvRted, and executed as a traitor. By the standardsof his slaveholding society, Cluck Finn abets a seriousthelt of property in helping a slave escape. hick'sidtoutores expose him to a world of adults engaged inmurder, robbery, feuds, duels, and child abuse.

Criminals in Literature is one of several courseoptions (including Life Stages, Film and Fiction, thetraditional Introduction to Literature, and others)w hit II 'Ai:dents may choose to fulfill the Composition IIrequirement .it our c ()liege. focus on crime givesthe ours(' thematic cohesion and provides a dear basisfor c (impaling seemingly disparate authors. At thesame tune, qudents are introduced to literature in a1,1111.11, ii i'enies from vinous c ultures and historicalpci rods In their hist writing assignment, studentsiate hiemuire, ea, h diciest narrates, in first person, aone sloi 111 1% hit h ihe narrator reveals and drama-

ii/c, the mon% es for his c run mai act(s). sok,equentt% r hang liognments are al111(11Y111:111 and argumentative.'Auden's anal, ze the motives, the values, the internal()nth, Is, and life circumstances of characters whominim aline'', as well as the politic al and moral

%atm-, of the societies which judge certain behaviors as111111111,11 Landoll., often choose topics which requireWen( i+roset ote or defend a character. The challenge01 arguing guilt or innocence (whether legal or moral)Aimulates them to develop skills necessary in any formoft out al thinking and writing. They must state apie( 1.4. thesis, interpret a text and select supportinget laeo.., whit h is specific, relevant, and persuasive;

oppo,rog views; and marshal their argumentsinto a ( oiler ent, well-reasoned essay.

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I I I

The value and appeal of literature lie in its ability todraw us into the viewpoint of any character, whether itbe the hero who slays the monster in Beowulf or themonster himself as depicted in John Gardner's Grendel.The study of how criminals are portrayed in literatureis a particularly effective way to get students thinkingabout the dynamics and the significance of narrativepoint of view.

Throughout the course we consider questions ofperspective and judgment. Who is telling us about thiscrime and why? Who is judging this behavior ascriminal and why? Can we trust the narrator? Whattechniques are used to direct our sympathy toward thischaracter rather than that one? One idea that helps tohold the course together is that readers are like jurors.Both are told a story, or versions of a story, aboutevents involving strangers. Both are given some, butnot all, points of view. Both must make inferencesabout the motives and reliability of the witnesses whoappear before them, compare possible interpretations,and decide on the meaning or truth of the story theyhave been told. A good reader, like a good juror, is anattentive, thoughtful, independent-minded member ofa community.

Several times each semester we break from ourcustomary class discussil ill to conduct a mock trial, aformat which can work in any literature course butwhich is especially well-suited to the study of literarycriminals. We have prosecuted both Antigone andCretin. We have tried Dr. Jekyll for the crimes of Mr.I lyde, raising issues of intent and criminal responsibil-ity. We have put Ben Franklin's heroine, roily Baker,1111 the stand and heard her plea that she should bememorialized, not fined, for bearing illegitimatechildren. Students choose their roles as defendants,prosecutors, defense attorneys, witnesses, and jurymembers. We spend several class periods in smallgroups preparing trial strategy and several periodsacting out the trial itself. In addition to generatinginterest and cooperation students, illis formatencourages them to study the assigned text ill depth sothey can perform their roles with some self assurance.It also helps students to clarify and articulate theirresponses to taw literature; (dice they have testified and

Tl IF NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF ANOORGANIZA1IONAL OF VT I OPMF NT INISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department off docational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas al Austin, 1)8 348, Austin, feKas 78712

deliberated with their classmates, they are hotter ableto express their interpretations in writing. The mostbashful, self-doubting student often blossoms into arelentless prosecutor, an ingeniously self-justifying Dr.Jekyll, or an indignant, impassioned Polly Baker.

Criminals in Literature could be offered as a litera-ture elective or an interdisciplinary course. Someknowledge of the law is helpful to the. instructor,especially in defining certain acts as crimes, but legalexpertise is not essential. I tell my students I am anEnglish teacher, not a lawyer or police officer. If I amunable to answer technical questions about the law, Idirect them to more reliable sources of information.

The course has special appeal for students in certaincareer programs (e.g., criminal justice, paralegal), butit also draws many liberal arts students as well asthose enrolled in other career programs. Studentsvary in their enthusiasm and aptitude for the study ofliterature, but they share a bond as members of asociety governed by a code of laws. Moreover, withfew exceptions, they are fascinated by stories of crime.

John Nelson, hole,,or, Lug licit

For further intorination, contact the author at NorthShore (imuminity College, 1 Ferncroft Road, Danvers,MA 01923.

Teaching the Paralegal1w United States I hpartment of Labor predicts

that by the year 200(1 the paralegal profession willincrease its workforce by 40 percent. Colleges anduniversities are responding to the need to train parale-gals by offering paralegal courses as a component of abusiness curriculum, and degree's in paralegal studies.Cuyahoga Community College offers both an Assisi-ate Degree' of Applied Business with MI emphasr Inparalegal studies and, for students who already haveobtained an undergraduate degree, a Paralegal Awardof Competency. The first paralegal class will graduatein June of 1993.

As we prepare for program accreditation by theAmerican Bar Association, we are reviewing both these.ecesses and failures that we have encounteredduring the two years that our program has existed.Our experiences could assist other institutions whichoffer similar courses.

paralegals must be taught legal concepts andpractical applications of these concepts in order toprovide effective assistance to attorneys. Our programemploys lawyers to teach our students these' concepts.

Sutton@ 0. Roueche, Editor

Apht1Z IOW, Vol XVI, No. 130 The University of Texas at Austin, 1994Further duplication is permitted by MEMBER


I lowever, just as the legal profession is struggling todecide how best to use paralegals, we have discoveredthat lawyers, although qualified to practice in aspecific area of law, are not necessarily qualified orprepared to teach paralegals. Our teaching-lawyers,therefore, either have been paralegals or have beeninvolved in paralegal training. In addition, we' invitepracticing paralegals into the classroom. This "teach-ing team" approach introduces our students to thesubject matter being taught and illustrates the separateand distinct roles of attorneys and paralegals.

Input from the legal community helps monitor theappropriateness of both the courses taught and thetypes of projects assigned. Our course offerings andcontent also are reviewed by an advisory committee.The advisory committee is comprised of practicingparalegals and. 1 attorneys. hIrther, we contact otherinstitutions that offer paralegal courses in order toshare ideas.

Our paralegal students are pros nivel extensivehands-on experience in law applik alum. In ourbusiness organization course we require students toset up a corporation, create a partnership, and d rail anemployment agreement, in our debtor-creditor coursei require students to t omplete a tiling for a hank-niptcy; and in our probate e ours(' we require studentsto complete the process of administering an estate.Such techniques Lk dilate the understanding 01 dillIcult legal ((nu opts, entourage student partie yahoo,and prepare the paralegal for the -real millet."

leVe complete enir students' haodsem experieni es heplacing them in a law term, a court, or a business'slegal department Fa( h student is requited to ((un-pick. 1911 bouts of paralegal work. In addition, students meet with all instructor to review the type oiwork being perlormed and receive advice from boththeir classmates and the instructor. Although workexperiences ale shared, contidentiality is emphasized.

( fur expelieni o has shown us that to properlyeducate paralegals, traditional classroom techniques.-e.g , exams and reporting----must he supplementedwith practical projects which simulate workingconditions. Paralegal teachers must be trained oreducated in the law; however, to he truly effective theyalso must understand the paialugars role.

Ellen Constance Spielman, I ecturer, ParaleNal Si utiks

For further information, onlart the author atCuyahoga Community College, Western Cainpus,11000 Pleasant Valley Road, Room C-247, Parma, ()II.14130,

4)-

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Stall and Orgarulational Development tNISODIDepartment of Educational Administration. College ol Education. EDO 348, The UnivotsIfy of Texas at Austin, Austin Teas78712. (512) 471-7545 Funding in pail by the W K Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W Richardson Foundation Issuedweekly when classes are in session during tall and spring terms 1551g 0199.1064


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Interactive Drama: Learning About Community Concerns

Few of our students take the initiative to go to thetheater district. As those of us who teach humanitiesand English courses discussed these appalling numbersamong ourselves, we were led to question the placetheater has in American education and the role of theinstructorthe individual who should provide theinitial spark to turn the apathetic student into anenthusiastic and discriminating theatergoer.

We believed that the answers might be in the veryorigins of theater, as the effective recorder of humanactivities in general and, more explicitly, the humandimension of life in America. However, we agreed theanswers may not always be found in the traditionalformat by which theater has been taught: theater as anadjunct of dramatic literature (either in the Englishdepartment or the humanities core), theater as aperforming art (Theater/Arts department), environ-mental theater (taking place in a "found" or trans-formed space), and living theatre (rebellious language,nudity, and opposing all theatrical conventions).

We believed the answers might lie in the rituals ofold relationships: the continuing saga of the basicconflicts between the powerful and the oppressed, theeducated and the uneducated, the rich and the poor. Inour large metropolitan areas Miami-1 Connu-nity College, Medical ('enter Campus is located in theheart of the blighted ( )vertown area of Miamitheserelationships are even more dramatic: crime, illicitsex/drugs, hookers, pimps, porno shops, and muggers.In Miami, today's homeless population has becomelarger and more visible due to the combined destruc-tive forces of Hurricane Andrew and unemployment.

It is the nature of theater to provide a true stage thatempowers human beings into working collectively in acreative act. It takes a number of people for anyproduction to take place. Putting on a play such as LasCases, an interactive drama highlighting humandignity, has set the stage for the homeless to participatewith students, faculty, and college staff, thanks to itslabor intensive nature. Las Cases dramatizes thetormentous life of the 16th century priest, FatherBartolome de Las Casas, and gives 17 students with

work with a group of 15 homeless men in acting,building and painting the stage and scenery, designingcostumes, applying make-up, and so on.

One might question the validity of bringing togetherso many students, faculty, staff, and communitymemberswho have been conditioned by television toeasy solutions to many of life's problemsto watch ahistorical theatrical drama. The immediacy of theateris perhaps its saving grace: the drama of the homelessbeing abused on stage by Spanish soldiers and theSpanish priest being punished by the Inquisitionprovide a strange continuum of present-day abuses.

Interactive drama also has the magic, meaning, andeffect of actors becoming resource persons who pro-vide information about the character or the issuesrevealed in the dialogues/monologues. The playbillincludes useful information about the homeless as wellas common myths about them. The question-and-answer session after the play provides the audience theopportunity to ask probing questions about the histo-ricity of Las Cases, as well as the plight of the homeless.

A pre-med major said it best when describing hisexperience of working (30 hours rehearsal time) withthe homeless: "I learned more from them than I haveall my life. They showed me a lot about self-respectthat they have for themselves that sometimes I do nothave for myself."

The ABC's of Interactive DramaFind a historical figure, factual or fictional, easy to

identify with an issue of community interest.Write the script yourself or have student or a

group of students work in collaboration in scriptwriting.

Choose actors and actresses either by publicauditions and/or voluntary recruitment ellorts oncampus and community.

Designate a flexible rehearsal schedule not only asactual practice of the play but also as "getting to knoweach other" time. Students and community memberswill have a sense of the performance as a truly collabo-rative creative effort.

The script must not be etched in stone; rather, theinterest in a health care profession the opportunity to 1) script must allow for improvised action, thus providing

z4. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

the subterfuge fur exteiii1u s1 'c'a'nes by at torswho may substitute lines from the ipt with thenown words, putting forth their own dramatic lives,expressions, and gestures.

Involve as many participant!, as oil can: studentscan be stage managers, stage hai Iu.s, ostinue design-ers/prop makers, lighting and sound (some se hookrequire duly qualified electricians for this task), di

On the day of the performance, before curtaintime, briefly inform the audience about the play andhold a brief discussion (monitored by "expert")after the performance. The playbill can include brie!biographies of actors and/or characters in the pla%and a brief outline of the issues, myths, and relevantinformation about the issue.

A Freewriting Boost

Freewriting breaks writing blocks, develops ideas, andexplores new areas of composition topics. Early in theterm I spend some time talking about freewriting and theway each student must approach this exercise. PeterElbow explains this process best: "Never stop [writing] tolook hack, to cross something out, to wonder how tospell something, to wonder what word or thought to use,or to think about what you are doing...ltjhe only require-ment is that you never stop." Most students need to startslowly with this activity because the idea of seeminglycareless writing is new to them. I usually lead the classin brief writing "sprints" of about one minute each forthe first week or two of class. This way each student getsthe fed of nonstop writing. From these short exercises Igradually extend the writing to about five minutes.

The freewriting exercise eventually works as a kind ofcognitive prologue for each class period. Students mustfocus quickly on a topic and a task. This helps to directeach student's attention to the current learning environ-ment rather than to a previous class, recent conversa-tions, or the daily rush to arrive on time. In addition,writing is an excellent tool to promote learning; whetherthe class is composition or math, freewriting will helpstudents reinforce course material. During this quiettime an instructor may take role, prepare a class lectureand lesson, or join the r (immunity of student writers,thereby reinforcing the message of a shared learningenvironment.

Freewriting also serves as coMinuing practice sessionsfor writing and understanding essay topk Farly in theterm, when I ask students to come to class with broadtopics based on current readings or lessons, they usually

Stirring D. Roueohe, Editor

Apri129, 1994, Vol. XVI, No, 140 The University of Texas at Austin, 1994

Further duplication is permitted by MEMBER

institutions for their over personnel.

You may give the audience a chance to evaluatethe entire interactive experience via questionnaire.

A follow-up activity might be the preparation of avideo of the performance and an information packet(with press releases, articles, and audience reactions tothe play) for further inclusion in an intensive interdis-ciplinary, intercultural, and intergeneric framework ofstudies.

Alberto Meza, Associate Profrssor, Humanities andI iNlich

For further informa lion, contact the author at MiamiI We Community College, Medical Center Campy',"15(1 N.W. 20th Street, Miami, FL 33127.

offer: "Write about tepid." When this happens 1 take amoment to focus the topic: "Specifically, what do youwant to ask about this topic?" or "Try to rephrase yourstatement into a question starting with 'How,"What,''Why,' or 'Who.'" By developing a focused topic, thestudents' treewriting will have a specific purpose andwill allow them to design the fix-used questions requiredin academic writing. Se ion students begin to constructclear and precise freewriting topic questions on theirowna clue that they are becoming more focusedthinkers.

I periodically collect and review each student'sfreewriting and make it part of an attendance/participa-tion grade (usually 20',;, of the course grade). There canhe no right or wrong freewriting responses, so studentswho are on time to class get full creditthis proves to bea real incentive for many class stragglers! When I givestudents the freedom to choose topics and to writewithin a loosely controlled framework, they respond bygaining control of course material through reinforce-ment, developing an understanding of topic focus, andexpanding their thoughts through writing to a commu-nity of peers. Instructors can fed confident in using thisexercise as a means to jump-start class sessions in anycourse across the curriculum.

John K. Parbst, Adjunct Instructor, English

For further information, contact the author at Orange('oast college, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa, CA92h28.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD),

Department of Educational Administration, College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, I etas78712, (512)471.7545 Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fat; and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTSVOLUME XV!, NUMBER 15

Assessing Instructional Strategies

For the community college instructor, nothing can bemore frustrating and counterproductive than when aninstructional strategy proves unsuccessful. Even themost skilled and competent professional is tempted todiscard the activity altogether. But why and how doesone activity work so well with one group of students,then tails apart with another, even when the classgroups are doing well, testing successfully, and haveprerequisite skills? A thorough, methodical review ofone's instructional strategy pool is enlightening.

Developing criteria for the review of the instruc-tional arsenal may be a useful strategy for evaluatingthe effectiveness of various class activities. The processmust be deliberate, thorough, and judgmental. Di-rectly, it may result in changes in course objectives andmethodology. Indirectly, it may result in redefiningone's professional goals and one's philosophy ofteaching and student learning.

The process could be initiated anytime following theirst years of teaching. Assessment of instructional

strategies is highly individualised and ultimatelyIt uses on improving instructional delivery. Thebenefits for the instructor are greater self-confidence inthe classroom, a willingness to take risks in instruction,and 1 reinvigorated, positive classroom environment.

I he assessment criteria can be modified and re-worked to accommodate specific academic fields.

Age of the Activity: Flow long has the strategybeen used? Was the activity dependent on a specifictinge frame? For example, an analysis of the CarterFt rd debate may not be valid for use in the analysis ofthe 1992 presidential election. Was the strategy validfor the 1q7ns, but not valid for the POOs?

Student Reactions: Did the activity fail to achievethe desired student outcomes more than two or threetimes? Were conditions similar or different when theactivity did not live up to one's expectations? !low didstudents react to the activity? Were they interested,bored, challenged? Did they perceive the activity asuseful?

Student Demographics: Were the act ivitio,geared to the interests and skills of the class? A class

3

(tc) ).

adults debating changes in national tax policy may bemore successful with that debate than would a groupof 18- to 20-year-olds.

Intended Purpose/Outcome: What was thepurpose of the activity? Some activities (small groupdiscussion, for example) serve multiple purposes. Howwere purposes and outcomes weighed? A brainstorm-ing activity in the first class session may have as itsonly purpose to "break the ice" and to establish apositive classroom climate.

Timing/Orchestration: When was the strategyimplemented? A demanding lecture may be moreeffective when presented following a small groupdiscussion. A carefully planned "fun" but academi-cally legitimate activity may ease the tension studentstypically experience at mid-semester.

Upgrading/Revision: Has the activity beenrevised? Have student guidelines and handouts boonreworked? Has material been added or deleted toimprove quality and relevancy?

Instructor Compatibility: Are the activity and theinstructor compatible? Did the activity feel right andcomfortable? An instructional strategy that is compat-ible with one's personality and instructional style hasmore potential for success than an activity that is notcomfortable or natural,

As professionals work to assess their own teachingand their student's learning, developing appropriatecriteria for evaluating instructional strategies is critical.The objectives are to maximize success, to minimizefailures, and to reinvest in the excitement and enthusi-asm inherent in the teaching experience.

Richard Moorman, Instructor, History

For further information, contact the author at Chester-field-Marlboro Technical ('allege, P. 0. I )rawer 11107,Cheraw, SC 2115211.

Ti IF NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SWF AND OliGANI/A1 IONA' III VI I CV't,fl NI INI!;(1InCommunity College teadership ['vagrant. Depailmenlol rducalloital Adnlinc;lr, thouCollege of Education. The University of Texas at Austin. 318. Austin. 1 eA,IS 78712

Taking the Spanish Class to the Nontraditional Student

When an instructor was hired to teach conversa-tional Spanish to employees of the poultry industry inthe Blue Ridge Community College service area, therewere no precedents for such a venture, no guidelines,no commitment from the employees to study Spanish,and no time line. What developed was remarkable!The project was so successful it could he a model forsimilar projects.

The instructor's mandate was to teach Spanish tofrontline supervisors, human resource leaders, andnurses, as well as to secretaries and executives whowould be working with residents of Spanish-speakingcountries. Teaching conversational Spanish to theseemployees required nontraditional language instruc-tion. Some had never considered studying Spanish.But faced with increasing numbers of Hispanic work-ers, supervisors felt the need to communicate moreefficiently and ettectively.

Alter consultation with industry officials, theseguidelines were developed:

A course of eight weeks, a class period of one toone and a halt hours once a week per level, held ateach industry for each of three area poultry compa-nies, a rotation of course instruction among thevarious job sites every eight weeks, an intensive two-day executive workshop four hours daily.

A schedule that allowed workers to attend classduring or between shifts, including a class from 10:30p.m. to midnight.

A class format that allowed significant portions oftime for one-to-one practice.

Materials that presented the Spanish vocabularyopposite the English translation for "memorizationand rote learning," followed by illustrations of thevocabulary that would allow for additional practiceand learning without using English.

Class participation that included the almostexclusive use of Spanish, helpful phrases such as "I donot know," "I do not understand," and "How do vousay...?" presented and reviewed so that the studentsmust communicate in Spanish from the first day.

Avoiding the traditional presentation of grammar,verb study in the first weeks limited to present preter-ite indicative and formal commands.

A section of each class covering cultural aspects ofthe language, including Hispanic traditions.

One Ilispanic worker at each site to attend every

Sumo D. Roueche, Editor

May 6,1994, Vol. XVI. No. 150 The Unweisily of Texas at Austin. 1994

Further duplication is poinnfted by MEMBER


class and answer questions about vocabulary andculture, and relate to other workers the content andprogress of the class.

Teaching on site has more than tripled the numberof students who register for beginning Spanish classes.Every student has noticed a difference in the work-place. Some students have been eager to use thelanguage immediately. Some have spoken a foreignlanguage for the first time. Some have felt odd sayingunfamiliar words and have experienced the sameemotions their international employees have feltspeaking English. All have noticed how positivelytheir employees have greeted their efforts.

This short course has left students wishing formore. Two additional levels of instruction will hedeveloped and presented over three years. Thesupervisors have learned the fundamentals of thelanguage that will allow them to continue to learnfrom the employees. The Hispanic employees aredelighted. It is clear that the supervisors arc notlearning Spanish so that their employees do not haveto learn English, but rather they are learning Spanishto enhance communication. Two cultures are learningabout each other in a positive way.

Nell G. Tiller, Instructor, Spanish, and Liaisor (a the

Poultry Industry

For further information, contact the author at BlueRidge Community College, Box 80, Weyers Cave, VA24486.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of 1110 National 051'10) for Staff anti Organilational thivelopriuirit (Nis(Department of Educational Administration, College of Education, EBB 348, The University of Texas at Austin Aie,lio. I el,ri78712. (512) 471.7545 Funding in part by the W K Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W Richardson Foundation 1!,siioil

weekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms ISSN 0199.196X


Talk-Alouds: Windows on the Mind

It is the instructor's dilemmaassessing students bygiving tests and then wondering what the scores reallytell us. Julie received a 67 on her first chemistry exam.What does this really mean? Does she not understand theconcepts? Does she not have an adequate mathematicalbackground? Is she confused about the periodic table?Should i reteadi some content, or do I need to go back toa more basic level?

Questions such as these have plagued instructors andeducational psychologists since the study of learningbegan. Flow can we see into the proverbial black box? Asnewer models of learning and thinking are developed, weare aware that it is increasingly important to understandthought processes that lead to individual learningstrengths and weaknesses. By understanding theseprocesses, we can better tailor instruction to be moreeffective and efficient for individual students.

Unfortunately, we have no direct method of diagnos-ing students' problems with thought processes thatunderlie learning and thinking. Although direct assess-ment of process knowledge is extremely difficult, we candiagnose problem areas indirectly by using talk-aloudprocedureshaving students verbalize their thoughtprocesses as they are performing a task or after they havecompleted it. For example, during a class discussion inalgebra, the instructor could ask a student to solve aproblem and instruct the student to say aloud everythingshe thinks as she attempts to solve the problem. Thisgives the instructor, as well as the students, a good idea ofthe processes that the student is going through to arrive atthe product. It is an effective and efficient way of catch-ing misconceptions which may he common to the classand correcting those mistakes immediately instead ofwaiting until after the test,

Talk-alouds give its a window on the mind. By gettingstudents to tell us what they are thinking and doing asthey try to learn from a te\II)link, solve El problem, make adecision, or analwe a pion, we get a glimpse into theirminds. We also gain a database for helping us diagnoseany misunderstanding, contusion, lack of knowledge, orpoorly developed thinking skills.Some General Guidelines for Student Talk-Alouds

Keep the students talking.

I 11

I. I I I &I

Encourage students to say what they are thinking andnot to stop and analyze why they are thinking it.Expect false starts and blind alleys. Process is not asuperhighway with one thought speeding to a correctproduct. Process wanders and meanders and comesup with dead ends, only to start on a new path. This isnormal, and the students should feel comfortable iftheir talk-aloud does not sound polished and succinct.Try to diagnose strengths and weaknesses: Studentshave the concept or process up to what point? Whyare they having problems with the concept or process?Do they have a gap in their knowledge? Do they usethe wrong method? Do they misunderstand what isbeing asked?The talk-aloud method does have certain limitations.

First, it may not work with students who have poorverbal skills, such as foreign students who are able toproduce the product in English, but who still go throughthe process in their first language. Second, at times it maybe difficult, if not impossible, to articulate the thoughtprocesses that are being used. For example, a studentmay have the process so routinized that, given a problemto solve, he immediately gives an answer and then says,"Well, I just knew it!" In this case, the student may beunable to break down the process into its elementarysteps. Third, if the talk-aloud is not conducted at thesame time that students are working the problem andthey are required to think about their thinking processretrospectively, they may not recall their thought pro-cesses correctly.

Talk - clouds have an even greater use than diagnosingstudent problems. As difficult as we find it to peer intostudent minds, we must remember that our students findit equally frustrating to peer into ours. Just because weunderstand our own thought processes does not meanthat those processes are transparent to our students.Modeling is a powerful instructional tool that instructorsoften use. Tile thought processes instructors use to arriveat conclusions, solve problems, analyze situations, andmake decisions would be extremely helpful fur thestudents In witness- -including the same false starts weexpect our students to make and the same blind alleys weexpect them to go down.

3,

IF NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DL VI I OPMF NT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program. Department of Educational AdmiiiistrationCollege of Education. The University of Texas at Austin. EDD 348 Austin. Texas 78 712

Some General Guidelines for Using Teacher Talk-Alouds

Keep talking about process even as you introducecontent,Focus on explaining the steps you are taking, and givestudents a rationale for the importance of that processso they will understand what you are doing and why itis important for them to do it too.Do mention your own false starts and blind alleys.Try to diagnose your own strengths and weaknesses.For example, go through the decision points youmake: Do you need to restate the problem? What willv,.0 do first? Is your strategy working? If not, whatcan you do? Is the end result correct? How can youfind out?Although the talk-aloud method does not make the

black box transparent, it does provide a window for us tosee into students' minds and for our students to see intoours. Identifying students' processing strengths andweaknesses facilitates the learning process.

Laura M. Hume, Graduate Student, Eat:Wallin?! Psychology

Claire E. Weinstein, Professor, Edumttonal Psyholov

For further information, contact the authors at TheUniversity of Texas at Austin, EDB 352, Austin, TX78712.

Slime D. Roueche, Editor

August 26, 1994, Vol, XVI, No. 160 The University of Texas at Austin, 1994Further duplication is permitted by MEMBER

institutions for their own personnel.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development (NISOD),Department of Educational Administration. College nI &location EDO 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin. Texas78712, (512) 471.7545 Funding in part by the W h hiding!, Foundation and the Sid W Richardson Foundation Issuedweekly when classes are in session during 1,111 and spring terms ISSN 0199-106X.


.4);NNL INNOVATION ABSTRACTS1,',11.1

, , 1 ' , , , 1 P 1, 1 t I / t TI NT ,NI;Of), ('O! / EGE (- EDUCATION THEut t t t , , f , / i , ,Al lHI I1 I. nt / I )( A / i MINI 'A I i(,A1 AND THE SID VJ RICHARDSON FOUNDATION

A Cross-Divisional ProjectI lumber College faculty and administrators consult

with advisory committees, graduates and employers ofgraduates, to review and update curriculum. Respond-ing to industry needs ensures that our curriculum is onthe leading edge and that our graduates are ready toenter the workforce. Usually, the feedback we receivefrom our clientele deals with the skills and knowledgerequired to do the job. Recently, however, academicresearch and feedback from employers have identifiedother important qualities.

In 1992, the Corporate Council on Education pub-lished "Employability Skills Profile: The Critical SkillsRequired in the Canadian Workforce." This documentreinforced the need for such life skills as improvedcommunications, problem solving, etc., as essentialqualities employers want. In many courses, some ofthese skills are taught at the subject level with homoge-neous groups of students. Group work and in-classpresentations teach problem solving.

MY colleagues and I concluded that a more meaning-ful way to incorporate these life skills would be bycrossing the traditional divisional boundaries and havingstudents work in teams. The cross-divisional projectinvited students from three disciplines to work on a jointproject which involved using life skills as part of theprocess. Tile students were selected from three pro-grams Industrial )esign, Marketing, and Mechanicall'ngineernig technology. The assignment was to work inteams, to choose .1 product and work through its design,marketing, and product ion. This process, in effect,simi dated the real world and how employees in differentareas of expertise work together toward common goals.the goal was lo produt e the product rising course-related skills and knowledge. Leming initcomesincluded the

Teamwork: Working together in teams hi achieve acommon goal. Understanding what professionals doand how they contribute will lin the culhnr of groups.

Problem Solving: Respecting other people's opin-ions, negotiating, and compromising. Identifyingobjectives and using a ma inn, .1111111dt It to problemsolving.Communications: I )e% eloping goid listening skillsand the ability to atilt utak, one's t,ition in the group

assignment. Raising one's confidence and ability tomake effective public presentations.

Human Relations: Getting along with other peopleand developing a positive attitude toward self andothers.

Learning to Learn: Understanding that learning is alifelong process in which new knowledge and skillscan be acquired in many ways.Many students volunteered to he part of the project,

but, for logistical reasons, only 12 were selected. Thestudents were divided into teams of six, two from eachdiscipline. They were required to meet for two hourseach week in addition to their normal class schedules.No extra credit was given for this commitment, althoughthe work done on the joint project could be counted as apartial assignment toward other credit courses.

During the weekly meetings, some time was spentteaching the students the skills required to take themthrough the process. Topics included: group dynamics,.giving and receiving feedback, one-way and two-waycommunication, problem solving, planning and organiz-ing work, and making effective presentations. Guestspeakers were invited from industry to speak aboutteamwork, brainstorming, and other issues in the processof design, marketing, and manufacturing new or existingproducts. Concurrent with these lessons, the studentswere applying some of these skills within their teams byselecting the product and deciding how to redesign andmarket it. A critical path was given to the students at theoutset. Dates for a preliminary written report andinterim presentation were set. Beyond that, the studentswere required to cooperate and resolve issues andconcerns in their groups.

Two sets of student evaluations were administered.The results were positive in terms of the student'slearningprecisely what the joint project was intendedto improve and enhance.

Barrie J. Saxton, Associate Princiial

For further information, contact the author at HumberCollege, Lakeshore Campus, 3199 Lakeshore. Boulevard,West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada WV 1KS.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)PkC) g; Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational Administration

College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

Orienting High School Students to College Design Programs

I Or 11h111% \ Pars, '4,1ft members of the Design School at111(11111er C ollegc hoc c been in ()lc cd in liaison actie itiesn iii lout high schools. I he process has included on

open hi lose for high school students and teachers,hNign I )0v,- as well as periodic visits by

tat-idle to local sr hoots on career days.I here area number of reasons why it is important to

ommun le ate ee ilh the. high schoolsother than marketingand publie tel For eumple, the. entrance. require-ments into the design programs require all potentialstudents hi crrltte to the. college for an interview. As well,pie ispee tier students are required to present a substantialI-01(114c of their art \\ ork to demonstrate that they havethe motie at it in and talent to succeed in their chosenprogram. Some students do not fare well at the interviewstage. because they are nervous, lack knowledge about the.programs, or have. a weak portfolio. Consequentiv, theyscore lenw on their interview evaluation and significantlyreduce their chances of getting into their program ofchoice.

In Ilm3, at the suggestion of one. of the 'siting highschool teachers, we tried a new approach to orientingstudents to the. design programs. I hirty student, Ironisenior high school art classes were in nett to attend college'for one day. Two classes were ()tiered, a life draw ing classand a photography class. The activity took place in \ layafter regular college classes were oe er, but when lull -timefaculty were. still available to teach.

Because of the positive feedback we received from thisgroup of 3(1 students, the program was held again in I1)0-1and expanded to include 5(1 students. The one -day lomatwas continued, but the students were given a choice' ofselecting any two classes from a total of four. i he classes

offered were life drawing, automobile rendering, photo-graphic studio, and darkroom techniques.

The student: were asked to evaluate their dm di thecollege and identified the following outcomes. 1 heevaluations outlined the following benefits:

getting to know how college classes are taught:seeing the facilities in the photo and design areas;deciding what program to take at college.;developing a piece. of work towards a portfolio; andhaying a look at Humber College.This orientation program gives the high school students

an opportunity to experience a typical class taught by aprofessor. It gives the students an opportunity to

see the facilities, gel a sense of college academic standards,and become tam i liar with program entrance requirements.

Barrie J. Saxton, .-1ociate Pod/ ul

For further information, contact the author at HumberCollege, Lakeshore Campus, 31 tilt Lakeshore Boulevard,Vest, Toronto, Ontario MSV 110, Canada.

Join us in Celebrating Teaching Excellence!

I he National Institute. for Staff and Organi/at tonal Development (NISOD),I he 1:nie ersitv of 'Fe \ as at Austin, and the' League for Innovation in the. Com-munity C. olloge invite you to celebrate e col limey in teaching and leadership.

the 1495 International Conference on Teaching Excellence and Conferenceof Administrators will be held at the A tiAin Convention Center, May 21-24,1995, i n Austin, I e

We look forward to seeing you there!

Suinne 0. Roueche, Editor

September 2, 1994, Vol. XVI, No. 170 The Univeisity of lens at Aord.o I Icki

Further duplication is nenniled by Mt 1,4111 It


36

ArNitivri TON ARS TRACTS ,s a publication of the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development INISODI

fleoilitment of Educational Administration College of Education. EDB 348. The University of Toas at Austin Austin re nu'8 ,5 I ch 4.'1 7545 Funding in part by the W K Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W Richardson Foodation Issued

weekly When classes are in session during fall and spring tern's. ISSN 0199.106X


Does All This Technology Make a Difference?

Computer use in the "real world" has grown at adizzying pace. We encounter computers and computertechnology everywhereat the check-out stand in point-of-sale terminals, in our cars, in our televisions, even inour toasters and coffeepots. Few jobs have not beenimpacted by the advances in technology. Communitycollege students expect to see technology put to extensiveuse in their colleges as well; by and large, colleges haveaccommodated them. While not every college can boast acomputer on every faculty desk, or a campus-widenetwork or information system, virtually every commu-nity college has dozens, if not hundreds, of computers,Computer labs and classrooms are found on almostevery campus, and they are increasingly being devotedto teaching subject matter having little to do withprogramming or computer literacy. A staggering numberof educational software titles are available, and hundredsof faculty hours have been devoted to searching throughthese titles to find the right "fit" for their curricula.

As the technology has advanced, more faculty havebeen excited by the possibilities. Words and phrases like"interactivity," "multi-media," the "virtual classroom,"and "electronic learning communities" have entered theteaching vocabulary. Nationally, evidence suggests thatthe application 1)1 technology to instruction in commu-nity colleges is growing rapidly. Faculty developmentcenters, training programs, and instructional computinglabs are proliferating.

Uniortunalely, in an era of flat or declining overallresources, technology spending comes at the expense ofother possible initiatives, and community colleges mustask, "Are we doing the right thing here? Are the dollarswe are putting into computers and software making adifference where it countswith students?" Teachersand program administrators are trying to provideanswers to these questions, and they are nut easy toanswer. Computer-aided instruction (CAI) is complex;many factors impact the learning process and can affectits outcomes.The Traditional Experimental Model

Despite these complexities, the predominate approachused in most studies of CAI is the classic experimentaldesign that compares a treatment and control group ongain scores or pre/post measures of learning or achieve-ment, Even when sophisticated statistical techniques areused, the results are often inconclusive, hard to interpret,

and of little value to decision makers. The problem is thatthe effect of CAI (or any teaching strategy) is difficult toisolateand isolating the variable of interest is integralto using an experimental design.

Such isolation is difficult because other variables,which exist in any learning situation, interact with andconfound the effect of the teaching strategy. Thesevariables are difficult to control across groups, especiallygroups large enough to ensure sufficient statisticalpower. They include, but are not limited to, such diversefactors as the lab aesthetics and environment, the appro-priateness of the hardware, the training of the teacherand staff, the involvement of the teacher, quality andcontent of the orientations, student attendance, the fitbetween the computer activities and the learning objec-tives, time on taskthe list goes on and on. Reasonablequestions a reader might ask of a study concluding that aCAI approach was not significantly different fromtraditional teaching approaches include: "Is the reasonfor these findings that the software is not terribly usefulor effective? Or is it that student keyboarding skills orinsufficient lab time inhibited the class from making useof the full power of the software?" The reality is that,despite the proliferation of computers and computertechnology in the worlds of work and commerce, educa-tors are still learning how to effectively apply computertechnology to learning. Because the use of technology isstill in a formative stage, evaluations of CAI need toaddress process-oriented, formative concernsand thetraditional experimental pre/post design is not well-suited to that task. The question evaluators should ask isnot "Does CAI work?" but "Han' does CAI work?" Andthat kind of question requires a different approach.A Different View

Community colleges need evaluation models that willhelp them understand how to most effectively use CAIby asking the kinds of questions that will illuminate howits use may constrain or augment the myriad of factorsaffecting the process of learning. Evaluation of CAIshould involve all of the many stakeholders in its usefaculty, students, and labstaffin a way that willprovide formative insight into how all aspects of technol-ogy use can he improved.

The key difference between a broad-scope evaluationand the traditional research model is in the number ofquestions asked. CAI evaluation should pose many

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDE 348, Austin, Texas 78712

questions. Some of these questions may require sophisti-cated statistics to answer, but many will not. Begin bylisting as many of the factors that may influence theeffective use of the technology as possible. Then, ineveryday English, write a question (or several questions)for each that, when answered, will provide some insightinto that particular piece of the puzzle. Once the ques-tions are written, the steps necessary to answer it areoften intuitive. Many times a sufficiently detailed anduseful answer to a question can be found by simplyasking it of the right person. Other times, simple datacollection techniques, such as student surveys orautomated time-on-task tracking, can be built into theclass activities. Typically, some of the most usefulinformation for decision makers will not require sophis-ticated analysis. Taken as a whole, however, even aninformal set of evaluation questions can provide anobjective perspective on what is working well and whatis not for a particular CAI application. Some samples ofpossible evaluation questions are listed in the followingsections.Evaluating the Implementation

Were the training sessions beneficial for faculty? Wasthere sufficient/too much detail in the orientation?Were the teachers given enough preparation toadequately handle computer-related problems?Were the computers adequate for the software?What kinds of unanticipated problems did the classesencounter that hindered their effectiveness?Were the labs located conveniently for students?Was !'sere sufficient space around the terminals forstudents to work efficiently?Was the noise level in the labs a problem?Were there sufficient terminals/printers for studentuse?

Evaluating Teaching and LearningCould the students and teachers using the softwarebe considered computer literate when they beganusing the product?Did students have a computer at home? Did thefaculty?Were entry-level computer skills a factor in the time ittook a student to begin achieving course objectives?What kinds of training did the students require tobecome self-sufficient on the software? How muchtime did it take for students to become comfortablewith the system?Were computer skills a factor in the amount ofpreparation time required of faculty?Did faculty using the lab feel it required more or lesspreparation time than traditional instructionalmethods?Were some computerbased activities weaker or lessappropriate than others?Did the computer-aided classes require any special

supplemental materials or activities in order to meetthe learning objectives of the courses?Did student attitudes about the method t12.,10c.. of .ns.ruc-tion, their teacher, or their own preparedness changeas a result of using the program?How did student performance in classes using thesoftware compare with students taught with tradi-tional methods?Do some levels of students bowl it inure I nml usingthe software than others?Did the software benefit the students most in need?Was computer-aided instruction worthwhile arum thestudent point of view?Did study time outside of class appear to increase inclasses using the software?Were the students in the computer-aided classescomparable to students in traditional classes, in termsof entry-level basic skills? In terms of demographiccharacteristics?Was the system reporting and tracking sufficient tomeet faculty needs? Student needs?Did the teacher interact with students as they usedthe software? Individually, or with the class as awhole?A broad-based CAI evaluation of the kind described

here implicitly recognizes that CAI is both evolving andcomplex. The outcomes for students may he impactedby a variety of constraining factors. Often, the simpleact of posing questions like these can stimulate insightleading to creative improvements in a Al application.And, as in many evaluation processes, the answersobtained to some of these questions will raise additionalquestions.

The continued application of technology to instruc-tion may change in form, even substance, but it is notgoing to go away. Colleges must embrace technologyand make it relevant and useful in teaching. The firststep in that process is to begin asking the right ques-tions.

Larry Johnson, Assoc hale Ihreeloy, LoNiti. for litnorol hill illthe Communif y College

For further information, contact the author at 2(622 LaAlameda, Suite 37(1, Mission Viejo, CA 92(491.

j IJ


September 9,1994, Vol. XVI, No. 19© The University of Texas at Austin. 1994

Punher duplication is permitted by MEMBER


INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD).Department of Educational Administration, College of Education, EDB 348. The University of Texas at Austin. Austin. Texas78712. (51214717545 Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X.

S


*. INNOVATION ABSTRACTSPt 0.; r

un EP3 T Jr TL-1-43.4" 4. II

Speaking Collaboratively:A Group Method of Teaching Public Speaking

"1 don't remember 0 thing I said up there. All I keptthinking was, 'Please, God, let this be over soon."'

Sentiments such as this are common among begin-ning public speaking students. Research on publicspeaking tells us that communication apprehension isone of the greatest fears students experience.

The following course design is offered as one strat-egy for combatting this anxiety. By 1) providing acollaborative, pre-speaking foundation and 2) utilizingthe speaking workshop cycles, the design increasesstudent learning and creates a community of speakerswho leave the class feeling positive toward publicspeaking.

The FoundationEven though we may relate to and understand

student speaking apprehension, some methods ofteaching beginning public speaking can make thesituation worse. Students in public speaking classes areoften taught to speak by individually picking a topic,individually preparing and organizing the speech,individually rehearsing the presentation, individuallydelivering the speech, and finally, collectively receivingcriticism. This individual focus on performance andgroup focus on criticism tends to generate greateruncertainty, apprehension, and fear. No matter howconstructive the criticism is in these situations, theaverage student becomes defensive and withdrawn.

Using groups to facilitate speech organization,preparation, and feedback is invaluable. Group workrelieves much of the pre-speech stress and lessens thepost-speech defensiveness. The group processes buildthe support system necessary to help students relax andtry. When this collaboration is combined with the front-loading of material, a firm foundation is laid for the firstspeech.

To explain, prior to their first speaking experience,students participate in intensive pre-speaking work-shops that review important communication principlesand concepts essential to successful public speaking.Students begin with a positive self-concept workshop,then move to listening, nonverbal communication,group communication, and finally public speaking.They spend time on speech organization, purposes, and

delivery. Additionally, all reading and testing arecompleted before the first speech.

Students also write think pieces, one-to-two pagefree-writes about an assigned communication topic.They might address self-concept, listening, or nonverbalcommunication. Before the first speech, students mustwrite a piece that articulates their visualization of theirspeech. From getting up to sitting down, studentsdescribe their ideal first speech (e.g., audience reaction,speaker delivery, and usually the final grade). Each ofthese pass/fail assignments allows the instructor toprovide individual feedback and encouragement tostudents as they approach the speaking process.

During this early-semester phase, group activitieshelp students collectively learn how to generate atten-tion-getters, phrase transitions, and handle questions.Other group activities include generating messageskeletons (outlines) and learning how to message"map." Message "mapping" is a technique for prepar-ing and evaluating speeches that tracks the speech, asthe listener hears it, along a graphic "map." The path ofthe speech is visually displayed along a map of intro-duction, main idea, and conclusion blocks. In preparingthe speech, this technique provides visual learners witha quick reference of the desired speech outcomes. Inevaluation, the map provides evaluators with a holisticpicture of the speech-listening experience.

In the practice groups, strong speakers and organiz-ers help other less-accomplished students improve theirskills. By observing the exercise groups, the instructoris better able to assess student learning and tailorinstruction to student needs. In short, these processeshelp students understand what is expected and reducethe uncertainty surrounding grading criteria, Initially,there is some student resistance; however, by the end ofthe semester most students comment on how glad theywere they went through this process before making thefirst speech. From this foundation, the students cansuccessfully build their communication skills throughthe speaking workshops.

The Speaking WorkshopsDuring the speaking workshops phase, the class is

either in preparation groups, delivering speeches, or in


feedback groups. The workshops include the follow-ing stages.

The initial phase involves assigning the speech andforming first-round feedback groups. The studentsrefer to the detailed assignment sheet that outlines themajor areas of focus for the first speech (typically aninformation speech) included in their course packet.Each component areatopic, outline, message man-agement, message substance, and performance skillisdescribed with detailed expectations and suggestions.Students are told weeks in advance of these processesand advised to pick a topic and begin their research.After reviewing all the criteria, the instructor postsfeedback groups (randomly assigned groups of five orsix); and the students meet to discuss possible topics,clarify concerns, and start working on outlines.

Students review each other's topic choices and helpbuild message outlines. Typically, the groups alsomeet outside of class to further this process. Eachgroup is asked to share one outline, and the classdiscusses its des4.,

Each student delivers a speech to the class whileeach member of his or her feedback group creates amap of the presentation, recording content and deliv-er comments. The instructor also "maps" the speechas it is given and makes comments to facilitate grading.After the last speaker, post-speaking feedback groupsmeet.

In the post-speech class session, the groups movethrough a formal feedback group agenda. A groupleader is chosen to direct the flow of the exercise as thegroup gives feedback to each speaker. Group membersare urged to be constructive and honest in their feed-back, One speaker at a time listens to what the groupmembers believed were the purpose ,:nd main ideas.The group also comments on content, organization,and delivery of the speech.

One important aspect of this feedback process is thatthe speaker is not allowed to "clarify" (i.e., tell mem-bers of 11w audience what they were supposed to hear),only to ask questions about what the group heardorwhat was communicated. The speaker listens andrecords the group's comments. After a person receivesan evaluation, he or she collects the "maps" from theother group members, and the group moves on.During this time the instructor works the room,facilitating the discussion in each group. After eachstudent has received group feedback, he/she alsoreceives the instructor's map and evaluation.

Now each student takes the feedback group outlinesand comments, and the instructor evaluation, andwrites about the speaking experience. The speakingpiece is a free-write aimed at exploring the preparation,delivery, and feedback of a given speaking experience.Students write about the speaking experience and

develop specific goals for the next speech. This assign-ment is turned in during the next class period,

Students bring a great deal of thought to thesepaperssetting their own standards and goals for thenext speech. An added benefit is that since the incep-tion of this feedback process, there have been fewcomplaints about grades. With the additional groupfeedback, students see that it was not only the instruc-tor who missed a transition or did not catch a mainidea.

This process is repeated for each speech, withslightly different foci depending on the speech type(e.g., information, persuasion). A new feedback groupis assigned for each speech, so students collaboratewith all members of the class. (It is recommended thatat least two high - ability speakers from the first roundare in each feedback group.) The feedback groupsbecome more sophisticated in the process of prepara-tion and feedback, and the think pieces become moredetailed. All in all, a collective energy drives each newspeaking experience.

ResultsThe colleagues who have utilized this course design,

as well as the students who have participated in it,reinforce the use of the system. The collaborativefoundation and speaking workshops facilitate a lessintimidating and more encouraging mode of teachingpublic speaking. The most gratifying outcome isseeing students make friends, learn about communica-tion, and associate positive feelings with an oftenfrightening experience.

Speech teachers have a daunting taskpersuadingstudents to approach, learn, and enjoy public speaking.Collaborative methods of teaching might be the key tohelping students master public speaking withoutcalling on a "higher power" for a swift ending.

Mark Milliron, Graduate Student, Community CollegeLeadership l'n)Nraffl

For further information, contact the author at TheUniversity of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, TX78712.

4 i)

Siam), O. Roueche, Editor

September 16, 1994, Vol. XVI, No. 19

The University of Texas at Austin. 1994



INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISODI.Department of Educational Administration, College of Education. EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas78712, (512) 471-7545. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199-108X.


Survival Spanish for Community College Staff or Customer Servicefor our Spanish-Speaking Callers

I he iesults 01 a tollege-tvitle stall &let elopment needsIA 1'1 Indicated a largo number of employees %% anted

Spanish language training. In an ethnically diverse t ity,instruchirs and staff frequently. interact till callers ur

1.-41ors tt ho speak very little, if any, English. I

11 ithilta (CWW) 01 the I luutilun COMM uni tv()liege ~,.'stmt includes deparinients that oiler English

as-a-4-iecond-t .anguage (E.S11 courses, refugee placementassistance, Brit er's edtication in Spanish, and otherconummitv outreach services.

11'e could have suggested the stall take a coiwersa-tional Spanish course already tittered in II le schedule.Our stall development leant, honorer, decided IL)approach the problem from a new. slant. We looked moredeeply into this requestwho tvanteti this training andfor what purpose? %Aqui level ol Spanish proficiencyhere people seeking? I low would they use it? ( )ur stallis pressed for tine' could they attend ,1 long program?

he Wain disClwered that tv11,11 people reallt wanted 11 a,basic sort VA Spanish enough lor them to understandand rotor those individuals to !Mani ial aid, I.S1 , ,1111111

Moroi-% classes, v ocational programs, din 's Olin( 11n11,

Olt I Vt'S had a partii Mar allplit,ltlon in pondVs.t. dot ided to create a Stir% it al Vanish (muse Ith the

t'111111('t't' (AVVV I tvu Let group', ofIcienlintql todetelop Ole inn sie `tltanish 11001.111g

emplo% cos and empliwees tt Ito lei en e the lust qinsiions.I hose who receive the questions het dine 11111 t (Intentexperts, and the Spanish-speakins bet amt. the tionslatins11'e added a team leader It ht, had L.1)011.11,1. 11,,n 'ling anAfrican language in the Peal( I of p., and a t Hulse der eloper who t ould pull the poi logeihin 1 hi; was tocreate a tot-used, tun, lit el\ 'Moot lit e, pi hilt al, andresults.orientet1 piogiani

the wain t roote a win session t (me e, two hours per,ession Handouts 1t vie de\ eloped fin eat Ii se...alin toseiv t. as lob olds and VtiIiils wine w !Mon inSpanish, then %%linen plionetiiallY lo aid pintillltiand then lianslated nlln I nglish I he goal tt to keepthe numbei 01 phrase', and wind., to a minimum toIra( li thir-o., winch were job relaled and to hat estall internalwo them well enough to he comfortable. I he

I1

spot ilk telephone niiiiiheis and Spanish speakingpersons to ask for ill each depai Mien! JIM) identi-fied.

Session One: caving telephone 'lumbers, asking fortelephime numbers, asking for the caller's name, fakingcontrol of a conversation when the caller beginsimmediately in Spanish, referring a telephone call, andgit Mg !Manila! aid information.

Session Two: Reinforcing Session One, providinginformation on English-as-a-Second Language classesand adult literacy classes.Session Three: Reinforcing Session Two, plusinformation on Driver's Education classes conductedin Spanish.Session Four: Reinforcing Session Three, plusinformation on giving directions and building kwa-bons.Fperienced Spanish-language instructors and volun-

teers served as the course instructors. One instructorbrought in .1 illy telephone and had students practice.Students rifle-played among themselves and phivedgames to learn the numbers and phrases. The goal was toteal li phrases, key winds, pun iunciation, numbers, anddirections in Spanish, with enough understanding to heable It) identity the Main net'd 01 each caller or visitor, anddirect him /her to 11w department that could providethriller help.

A total ol 21) people completed the pilot programincluding secretaries, clerks, librarians, instructors,registration technicians, ad lilirlisiratt Ws, and receptionists.I he (1/11ESV was a resounding success. Participants wereania,ed they could learn Spanish in such a short lime.I he best part of the program is that tree can now betterserve our Spanish-speaking students anti callers. Andbecause it was a short, painless process, enipluy'eesarrbegging tor inure.

Connie Stone, Chan Lltalf 1)1'0(4(1)r:tient rani

I or f urlher inlin motion, contact the author al Collegt11lithinit louston t 'immunity Ltlilt.gt. SN',30111,4 110 I hitilavv, 14irolii 231, I loustim, "I X 77006.

4 THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (filSOD1t."))7, Cominunily College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationFrt College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

Teaching Students l low to Achieve College Excellence

Involving Students in Madtematlisft,1 Ntai t allege ideals At I IOW, At hie Ing t. ()Hoge

I' ('HM a ,alltIS tikllls (11111`4' %%hit II hat hes thehelm% iors of ,ait esslul students t inr belia ior %vim I1 isemphasised ughtn't the t (muse is III11%e I lassPa lirlpatfon. I he group at 1I% dies nleei the needs of

V1 all .1 widrr range of learning styles than doeslei Idle oidS . Students wilt) heat I1 011111'S akt) learn. As alormer high school ntalh inslruclur who relied heat ilyon the let hire format, I was skeptical al first of howellectiy.t. such an interactive approach would be.I however, I was SI I impressed by the elfectiveness Ofthese techniques that I %Val!, determined LISC them inthe math classes I teach part-time at another college.

As a math instructor, I have been frustrated bystudents who needed to learn information they hadnever mastered. I was hopeful that the student-centeredapproach in my study skills class could be used to helpstudents master essential background math skills byactively involving them in their own learning. Twotechniques I have used to improve students' basic skillsencourage them to ask thoughtful questions and usestudy groups.Encouraging Thoughtful Questions

Students are more likely to meet our expectationswhen we model the behavior we want them to demon-strate. TO encourage students to ask thoughtful ques-tions, we should give them examples to follow. Beforeclass, write three or four questions about that day'slesson on separate index cards. Write questions repre-sentative of the types you wish your students wouldask, including; questions demonstrating higher-orderthinking skills. As students enter the classroom, givethe cards to different students, at least one of whomseemed inattentive at previous class meetings. Studentswho receive cards are to watch for the appropriate timein class to raise their hands and ask their questions.

After this exercise, my students are not only morelikely to ask questions, they are more discerning aboutthe quality of questions asked, taking care to phrasequestions precisely and to ask questions about relation-ships and applications.Using Study Groups

The exercise which effectively models how a studygroup can be used to increase mathematical under-standing is described here. I )ividt, the class into groupsof four or five students. give each group an index cardcontaining a review topic, such as adding fractions,comparing decimals, or factoring quadratic trinomials.Each group is to write a step-by-step description of how

Sono* D. 'Mooch*, Editor

September 23, 1904, Vol. XVI, No. 20

0 The University of Texas at Austin, 1994



to work that type of problem, assuming that the readerof their description will possess some backgroundknowledge. The index cards are then rotated one group(fix-I:wise. Each group now writes a simple question forthe topic, comparable to a 13- level, mediuin-difficultyhomework problem. The description and samplequestion are given to a third group, whose task it is tosolve the problem exactly following the description.The problem and solution are returned to the originalgroup, who must determine whether the problem hasbeen answered correctly.

This exercise can be varied. Select the samplequestions and write them on the back of the card foranother to work. Have a different group check theproblem, rather than the original group. Prepare Idouble set of cards; after students have written theirinstructions for solving the problem, combine the twomatching groups to compare their descriptions.

This activity takes (for large classes) slightly moretime than a traditional lecture but is much more effec-tive. My students have continued to meet outside ofclass. Emphasis is placed on communicating a proce-dure, not just producing a result. Students have com-mented that until now they had not appreciated theimportance of using precise vocabulary.

By modeling thoughtful questions and effectivestudy group practices, we can help our students becomemore active learners.

Pam Pudelka, Interim Coordinator of,,lftpisinN

For further information, contact the author at Del MarCollege, Office of Advising, fast Campus, CorpusChristi, TX 7H404-11B97.

4 -)

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute lot Stall and Organizational Development (NISOD),Department al Educational Administration, College of Education, FOB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas78712, 1512)471.7545 Funding in part by the W K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes ate in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X



Creative Writing in the History Classroom

hrsrarch indicates that students sharpen their criticalthinking skills through writing, and "writing across thetinrit ilium" has been a high priority at Midlandslet Unit al ( fillege. Ior the 1992 fall semester, I designed1 1 I it illy, f omponent for History 1 10, our one-semester[oiled Stales history survey course.

In this 1. ourse I f ombined the study of history withthe iequirement for each student to create a fictionaltastily and t11011 develop 1110 memorabiha from whichan A merit an saga might be written about that family.I he !flea was Ior each student to introduce a new-t timer l'uropean or Africaninto the American(okinies and build a family story around that person'sdescendants through history to the present time. Thestudents were instructed to connect the fictional family111 their own grandparents so that the span of historyn multi he more meaningful. The story would be piecedtogether through "primary sources"the documentslett by that family and "discovered" by the students.Students also had to base two of their entries on genu-ine historical documents which they located in libraries,tOLII1tY C11111111011sts, local or stale archives, or otherrepositories of records. With this requirement, thestudents were introduced to research ill originalSOUR I'S.

I ach class began with a short qui/ to encourageregular study habits, and then the class discussed thereading assignment in the textbook. From time to time,students would share ideas about how they were goingto place their families in the particular period beingsltidled. Issav examinations %'t'i't administered atmidterm and at the end of the semester to grade thestudents on historical knowledge and understanding.

For the second port of the class, the students workedin the Writing Center to create the family papers.Combining knowledge of history with imagination, thestudents droned letters, wrote entries in personaljournals, dictated wills, and composed newspaperclippings or other documents to show how Americanfamilies might have been al lected hy events theywitnessed, At the end (il each class, student,' printed atory of the day's work for nu'. I marked Mese papersto indicate errors ill grammar and to make suggestionstor improvement in style and historical accuracy.

(1 laving access to the word processors made it easy forIliem to make changes) '1 he students also served aseditors of their work, writing brief introductions foreach document to explain how it formed a part of thefamily story. In addition, each wrote a general intro-duction anti C0111:11.15i011 to the saga. Through theseexercises, students gained a deeper understanding ofthe impact of history On the lives of ordinary citizens.

As the semester progressed, the students becamemore knowledgeable and confident, and their workimproved in quantity and quality. At first, moststudents composed one-half to two-thirds of a page fora document. Later, most were writing two and some-times three pages for each entry, and they were verywilling to make the revisions I suggested. (Onestudent's portfolio reached 75 pages of revised compo-sition.) I graded the body of work at the end of thesemester, taking into account whether all 23 assign-ments were completed, how well revisions had beenmade, the depth (if historical perspective as well ascreati, itv and good writing. A significant sign of thequality of the students' work was the decision of theeditors (it tihthis, the college's literary magazine, toinf lude selections tor publication in the spring issue.Students whits(' works were published were pleasedwith this ref (ignition.

Att ording to the students' evaluations of the course,they liked approaching history in this new way. MoreIli,111 W percent said that writing about history on aregular basis deepened their understanding of historicaldevelopments; that writing about historical events in apers(ma I way made these event:, more meaningful; andthat dealing with history in a creative way broughtabout a greater appreciation for it. Ninety-two percentsaid 111,11 their thinking skills had been challenged byintegrating historical material into a personalizednarrative, One hundred percent said that the coursewas intellectually stimulating. From my perspective,too, the course was successful; however, it required agreat deal of time.

For the next semester, I assigned handwrittenletterbooks (one- subject notebooks) to the students inMile of my sections of Western (ivili/ation II. Aftereach class, the students composed letters which delved

/1 3

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDO 348, Austin, Texas 78712

1

into one ot the events or issues which we discussed inclass. I he author and recipient of each letter had to heidentified (e.g., from Pierre, a participant in the storm-ing ot the Bastille, to his pregnant wife, Jeanne, tellingot his hopes for the future of France) which requiredthe students to consider these events and issues in verypersonal terms. I quickly checked four of theletterbooks at each class, just to encourage the studentsto keep them up-to-date. On three occasions I collectedthe letterbooks and made suggestions for improve-ments, along with remarks of encouragement. At theend of the term, I assigned grades to the letterbooks,which constituted lo percent of the semester grade. I

also designed an evaluation instrument to determinethe students' responses to the course generally and tothe writing component specifically. They were verypositive.

The letterbook is a good compromise for a writingassignment in courses which do not concentrate oncomposition. This technique encourages students towrite on a regular basis without creating a majorgrading burden for the instructor. It requires that

students think about issues the instructor is addressing.Finally, it moves the instructional material into a morepersonal realm for the students. Can it be adapted fora mathematics course? Have students write to friendsand pose a word problem devised by the student,applying the mathematical principles being studied.Give extra credit for a response which shows how thesolution was reached. Sociology? Have students writeto an imaginary pen pal in a foreign country to explainsociological developments in the United States. To adda multicultural dimension, have students researchconditions in a foreign country and write letters fromthat perspective, appl/ing the sociological - lessonslearned in the classrwm to a different society.

Be creative with as iignments. Be patient withstudents. You should be surprised and rewarded withthe results!

Dixon K. Durham, Instructor, History

For further information, contact the author at MidlandsTechnical College, P. O. Box 2408, Columbia, SC 29202.

NISOD's SEVENTEENTH ANNUAL

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TEACHING EXCELLENCE

AUSTIN CONVENTION CENTER

MAY 21-24, 1995

join educators from around the world forpreconference seminars, keynote presentations,and more than 150 breakout sessions at thisannual celebration of teaching excellence.

PRECONFERENCE SEMINARSSunday, May 21, 2:00-4:00 p.m.CountrylWestern Line Dancing LessonsWilliamMcPherson, Chattanooga State Technical CommunityColhge',Faculty Evaluation: Characteristics of Effective andDefensible PlansJames Hammons, University ofA rkan.sas

How the 500-Channel Universe Will Change theWay We TeachLarry Johnson, League for Innovation inthe Community CollegeWhat's Hot (and What's Not) in Faculty Develop-ment- -Mike McHargue, Foothill College"'The Student At-Risk in the Community CollegeWilliam Moore, Jr., The University of Texas at Austin

A Vision for the Twenty-First Century --Donald G,Phelps, 77ir linn'erqty q. Te.1(1:, at A

Improving Student Motivation-- John I.. Roueche,The University of Texas at AustinMaking Access and Curriculum Reform CompatibleGoals: A Faculty Perspective Uri 'I reisman, TheUniversity of at AustinStrategIc Learning/Strategic Teaching: A Model forthe Twenty-First Century Claire Weinstein, TheUniversity of Texas at Austin

KEYNOTE SPEAKERSMonday, May 22, 8:30-9:45 a.m.

Juliet Garcia, President, The University of:Tails atBrownsville

Tuesday, May 23, 8:30-9:15 a.m.George Boggs, President, Palomar College, and lnintediatiPast Chair, AACC

For more information, tall 512/47 l

&aim* D. Roach., Editor

Saptombv x,1904, Vol XV?, No, 214:) The University of Texas at Austin. 1994


institutione for their own personnel.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development WSW),Department of Educational Administration, College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin. Austin Texas78712, (512)4 71.7545. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199,106X.


* INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

Engineering OpeningsWomen Wanted

I hiring the Best week of classes in 1985, when 1 startedteat Bing ii Ohlone College, two young women from mygraphic,. class came to my office and said they wanted tolakeke my statics class, but they did not have the prerequi-site. "t 111," I said, "What's your grade point average?""I 'tan. l )," they said. "You've got all A's, both of you?" Icountered in wonder. "Yes," they said. "Well, go look atthe textbook and it it looks okay to you, I'll see youThursday," I replied.

The next time I saw them was in graphics class, not thestatics class. They told me, "We looked at the book anddecided we don't have the time to do all the problems.""There are 100 problems at the end of every chapter, andI only assign about 10 a week," I replied. 'Mey wereadamant: "We don't care what is assigned; we do all theproblems at the end of the chapters." I .coking back, thiswas the beginning of lily involvement with women inengineering. They left in the spring with semesterunits and graduated Iwo vi.ars later front the ElectricalEngineering and Computer Science departments of theUniversity of California, Berkeley,

I began to notice that nw female Mulleins seemed toask different types lit question,. than men asked; theywere not as concerned 0110111 What they did notknow. They wanted to get everything right. 11 here was

usually only one womaii in eery class, rarely two. Sincethe female engineering students I knew were so good, itseemed odd there were so lew. I read what I could findabout women in or out of engineering and decided theyneeded a club to facilitate lid working a word that cameLip repeatedly in articles about women in engineering.

Feeling certain that the club would he more successfulif started by the students, I circulated a flier in theengineering and math classes, suggesting the advantagesof networking. In a few days a young woman knockedat my door and said, "We need a club." Her name wasWendy Chan, and she became the first "Chief Engineer"of the Ohlone Women Engineers club, OWE. I becamethe advisor. I recruited a female math teacher to be co-advisor since we had no female engineering teachers.

Inviting women engineers to campus to speak was theOWE's initial activity. I gave extra credit to all whoattended from my classes. These speakers proved to hepopular and gave me the idea to use women engineers as

guest speakers in my Introd uct it in to Engineering course.The club took advantage of the outreach offer by the

SWE, the Society for Women Engineers student chapterat the University of California, Berkeley, lo send somemembers to Ohlone to explain how to get into theuniversity and how to stay in. We asked for femalecommunity college transfer students so that our studentscould imagine themselves making such a transfer. AkikoInoue, a transfer from Ohlone who was a former chiefengineer of our club, our outstanding engineer in 1993,and a winner of a $1,000 SWE, Santa Clara chapter,scholarship, returned last year to tell about her experi-ences. This presentation was well-attended. I admit tofeeling proud.

The club arranged for industrial field trips to IBM,Logitech, and Silicon Graphics. We made certain inadvance that we would see and could talk to womenengineers. I now use the same approach for my "Intro"class field trips.

In the late spring, OWE sponsors the Engineers Feast,a potluck dinner designed to celebrate the successfultransfer of our engineering students to various four-vearschools. In the past three years we have had 21, 2'), and27 students transferring; and of those 9, 5, and 5repectively, were women. These are minimum numbersas there is no formal tracking of transfers. Ibis feastfeatures a successful practicing woman engineer as themain speaker. Awards are given for the traditionalMost I.ikely to Succeed" and the not-so-traditional

"Most Helpful to Other Students."I discovered that Purdue had more women engineers

than any other university, and one ot the female profes-sors encouraged me to copy their Women in Engineeringcourse, which she felt was helpful in retaining womenstudents. It was easy to find a super female engineerwho was eager to teach the course.

Each semester the Woolen In Engineering Seminarmust recruit students to avoid being cancelled. I amconvinced that contact with women engineers andnetworking are the two most important means of recruit-ing and retaining women engineering students. This

mrst, provides ample opportunity for both. However,even beginning engineering students are not inclined totake courses that are not required. Putting up posters

13THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOP1 STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

and mailing fliers were not successful, so I beganlooking for a new way of bringing the course to theattention of the women students (who are more than 50percent of all students). I was aware of our own WomenIn I iterature class and our Women's Health class, so I

initiated a Women Studies Program that included ourcourse. Now students register for our Women InEngineering Seminar class in the Women StudiesProgram.

One day when I was discussing recruiting andretaining women engineering students with a local highschool vice principal, I learned that her daughter wasstudying engineering at the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology (MIT). This young woman had reported toher mother that even the rooms at MIT reeked ofmasculinity. I decided to make a tour of our classrooms.I found our engineering rooms undecorated, relativelyjoyless and stark, in contrast to the considerably moreinteresting rooms that women teachers call their own.By putting up calendars and posters and strategicallyplacing a few plants, the rooms look more colorful,cheerful, and diverse.

In the spring of 1993, I acted on an idea that had beensimmering for some time. I formed an Advisory Com-mittee for Women in Engineering: nine engineers, amathematician, our public relations head, and a highschool counselor, all women, and myself. They areanxious to help provide more women an opportunity inengineering. Each of our women engineering studentshas had a telephone call from one of these womenengineers who are available to students to answerquestions and provide general support.

The co-advisor of the club organized a reception forour new female engineering students so they could meetthe women on the committee and other women engi-neering students in the college. At this reception, ourseminar teacher awarded an Engineering Scholarshipand a Women's Engineering Scholarship, $25() awardswhich she personally funded. One committee memberis exploring the possibility of generating additionalscholarship money from her company. A math teacherat the college has donated $500 to the Ohlone WomenEngineers Scholarship Fund.

Since I have become more involved with retainingand recruiting female students, I have increased mycriteria for textbook review. I look to see how manywomen are in the illustrations and what they are doing.I check the text to see how or if the question of why thereare so few women in engineering is addressed. Addi-tionally, when I lecture, I make sure I use both gendersof pronouns and that problems are written using bothgenders. I am careful to know the names of my women

Suanne D. ROOKhe Editor

OctObe 719P4, Vol. XVI, No. 220 The University of Texas at Austin, 1994


ablutions for their own personnel

students, and I call on them in class. When I see articlesabout successful women engineers, such as SheilaWidnall, the Secretary of the Air Force, I post them onbulletin boards or circulate them. I joined SWE andWEPAN, Women In Engineering Program AdvocatesNetwork, so that I would not miss any new ideas. Tofacilitate networking, I started a Who's Who In Engi-neering, class photos, and a student phone list.

I believe the student population of women engineershas leveled out at about 15 percent because we are notrecruiting the women who would rank in the second,third, and fourth quartile of engineers. the womenstudents near the top of their class in science and mathare being counseled to go into engineering, but thosewho rank lower are more likely to be channeled towardnursing or teaching. The community college provides anatural route for these lower-ranked students to go intoengineering. At Ohlone we have several math coursesbelow, calculus and an assessment test to place studentsfor success. We have a math lab that is open all day andat night, started on a volunteer basis several years agoby the OWE co-advisor, but now staffed by one teacherand an assistant. A female math teacher conductstesting and math anxiety classes.

Where do we go from here? We have begun aprogram in which every female engineering student hasthe opportunity to have a practicing female engineer fora mentor in the discipline of her choice. We plan to havea brochure to explain to those young and not-so-youngwomen, who are potential engineers, that Ohlone hasthe welcome mat out for them. We have developed agood model for retention and hope that by enabling ourwomen students to succeed, others will be convincedthat they too can become engineers. Community collegeis the right place for some of them to start.

James L. Eagan, Proli'ssor, Ltixiticering

For further information, contact the author at OhloneCollege, 43600 Mission Boulevard, P. 0. Box 3(101,Fremont, CA 94539.

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Stall and OrganizatiLial Oevetopment (N1S00),Department ol Educational Administration, College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas78712. (512) 4 717545 Funding in part by the W K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation Issuedweekly when classes are in session during lall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X.


INNOVATION ABSTRACTSI

The 12 Ball Problem, or How I Stopped Hating the Assignment andLearned to Love Thinking

Years ago, in an undergraduate cognitive processesclass, an instructor told us about an "unsolvable"problem: There are 12 balls, identical in appearance,but one is either heavier or lighter than the others.Using only a balance scale, and using it only threetimes, isolate the odd ball and be able to say in whichway it differs.

I took the unsolvable problem home to my chemistrymajor husband. He solved it. When I showed thesolution to the instructor, he said he had never consid-ered that strategy. For years, I used that example todemonstrate obstacles to problem solving.

Just recently, I decided to use the 12 Ball Problem in adifferent way. I assigned the problem to my introduc-tory psychology students. They were required to solvethe problem and to submit not only the solution, but arecord of their work. They were to explain the prob-lem-solving techniques they used, describe obstaclesthey encountered, and show they understood theterminology. This project would constitute one-third oftheir grade. lAs a framework, I used the four stages ofproblem solving described by Lester A. I Mon in hisintroductory text, Psydndogy.1

Realizing that a problem existsA number of students qiiicklv iikmissed Ilie assign

ment as "a piece of cake." One student said to nie Infer ,"I thought you were crazy to give rrs such an vas\assignment for such a big portion of u111' gl II'."

I cautioned students to try to sol% e the pv14111411immediately. I knew many would pro( raslinate,thinking the project would take them very little lime.

Students even come up after class tie Insl day,telling me they thought they had the solution already.After a couple of questions, they could see they dill 110i.Only then did they begin to look at the assignment as"real."

Assessing the complexityA couple of weeks after the assignment had been

given, there were the beginnings of understanding.

4r

"This is harder than I thought it would be" and "I cansee this is going to require some effort" were frequentlyheard comments. About halfway through the term, onestudent grumbled that I had ruined every weekendbecause he could not think of anything but how to solvethe problem.

A common mistake was made by a number ofstudents who confidently offered solutions early in theterm. They said it had been fairly easy to isolate theodd ball; they just could not decide if it was heavier orlighter. They were surprised when I told them theirsolution did not meet the requirements. 14.alf-done wasnot acceptable.

Devising ways of sulving the problemOne student correctly identified a very important

goal of the problem-solving strategy. "The real chal-lenge was learning how to eliminate some of theuniform halls at each weighing. That is why weighingsix and six the first time would not work. You stilldon't know which ones are not the odd ball."

Some students tried to develop algorithms. But mostplodded methodically through, using trial and error.While must of the problem solvers started at the front,some of them started at the hack. "I could see the onlyway to get the answer was to eliminate all but threehalls by the third weighing," one student wrote. "Sohell I set about figuring out how to get to that point in

the first two steps."Some stinients came upon the answer through

insight. " I he answer came to me while I was eating11I&M's," one student reported. She then went on toexplain how using the colors of the M&M's allowed herto keep track of what she knew about the balls. An-other said, "I literally stumbled onto the answer." I lewent on to describe how he was using pennies and hadthem lined up on the floor when 1w accidentally kickedone group as he was trying a mock attempt to weigh the

Ilw resulting chaos suddenly presented a novelarrangement which 1w found led to the solution.Another had been working on the problem beforeretiring for the night and dreamed about balls falling off


the scale, which led to his solution.Many students correctly identified problem-solving

obstacles. "It took me a long time to get past thinkingthat the only time I learned anything about a ball waswhen it was on the scale. Since we had to weigh them,I fixated on the scale as providing the only usefulinformation. But we actually learn something aboutevery ball, on or off the scale, every time we weigh anyof the balls."

Students were not allowed to talk about the problemamong themselves during the term, but once theprojects were in, there was a lot of discussion. Manystudents found it was easier to identify obstacles othershad met than to see their own.

Assessing whether or not we have been successfulMany students who were sure they had the solution

still had difficulty working through all the possibleresults of weighing the 12 balls. More than once, whiletrying to explain their solution, they recognized theyhad actually met a dead end which forced them to goback and redo the work. Even when they had theanswer, they had to struggle to explain how they knewthey were right. Reports ranged from a one-page colordiagram to a seven-page distillation of one student'sideas and attempts to solve the problem. "I knew I haddone it, but explaining how I did it almost killed me,"this student wrote.

Did the students learn anything about how theirthought processes worked? Two students, with verydisciplined math backgrounds, evidently had to dolittle work and had not felt a stretch of their abilities.One man with a degree in physics was taking thepsychology course for enrichment. He seemed puzzledby this aspect of the assignment. "I do things like thisin my work all day so it was very easy," Then heasked, "That won't affect my grade, will it?"

But the experience was enlightening for manyothers. Many students admitted to a grudging grati-tude for the assignment. "1 can't say I enjoyed doingthat problem, but it made me use brain cells I didn'tknow I had," one student told me. I also heard expres-sions such as "nightmare," "industrial-strength head-ache," and "haunting."

A returning student said, "1 think the most impor-tant thing I learned was not which ball was heavier orlighter, but that I could really do it. About half-waythrough I was going to quit and do another project.But then I said to myself, 'You can't give up on this.'And I didn't. I gained a lot of confidence in myself."

One student said that as he was forced to examine

his thinking processes he could see a problem thataffected many areas of functioning. He noted that heoften clung to unworkable methods. "Even when Iknew I couldn't get to the solution by weighing sixagainst six, I couldn't let it go. That happens to me alot, not just on the 12 Ball Problem."

I will use this assignment again. This first time, notconfident of the ability of all my students to success-fully solve the problem, I gave them two other optionsby which to earn the same number of points. Somestudents did not even try to solve the 12 Ball Problem.Next time, they will all get to share the growth experi-ence!

Carolyn L. Wright, Instructor, Social Science

For further information, contact the author at I inn,Benton Community College, 6500 SW Pacific Boule-vard, Albany, OR 97321-3779.

Sunni 0. Rouocho, Editor

October 14,1994, Vol XVI, No. 21The University of Texas at Austin. 1994


institutions for that own personnel,

INNOVATION' ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISODI,Department of Educational Administration College of Education, EDS 348. The University of Texas at Austin. Austin, Texas78712, (5121 471.7545. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X.


Jlet INNOVATION ABdTRACTSit t?' r Pv4 I IV,11 Jur ()H ", AF F AND ()Fi6ANI2ATIONAL t)E LI I 00,1f "v )11 / l.0 tfh -C4litIN THE

llNllf1? ;,1I III if) A, 4IA, c, 1W WIINSL IPF' OHTFROMTHEVVKKELLOGGFOUNDA111INAN IIIot ,5 r it( (Aril }:,( OHNPA HON

Want to Cut Up Something Different in Biology?Try a Journal Article Dissection

One challenge in teaching introductory biology coursesis making it clear to students that science is not just a staidold body of knowledge, but rather a process, a means ofacquiring and adding to our body of knowledge. Mostcurrent introductory textbooks include at least a shortdiscussion of "the scientific method" in Chapter 1, andmost instructors lecture on the subject. However, withoutan abundance of examples in the text and in class,students acquire little real understanding of the process ofscientific inquiry.

Laboratory exercises are one option for developing thisunderstanding, as they can be conducted along the linesof scientific inquiry. Students may even be asked to writetheir laboratory findings in a short mock-up ()I a manu-script to be submitted for publication in a silent ticjournal. Here I describe on alternative approach, whichinvolves analysis of the scientific methodology of pub-lished journal articles.

In teaching the scientific method, it is standard prct-dUre to label a series of steps that scientists follow.Various authors and instructors may differ with regard tohow many steps they use. However, we all recogni/eessentially the same process, the process ingrained inpracticing researchers. Fragmentation of the process intoa series of steps also dovetails nicely with the standardformat used for publication in biological journals.

For the past four years, students in the first semester ofa majors-level Principles of Biology sequence have beenassigned "dissections" of short journal articles. As Ipresent the steps of the scientific method, students findand discuss examples from their articles. This class meetsfor three lecture hours and four laboratory hours eachweek for two semesters, allowing plenty of time toexamine various nuances of scientific methodology andconsidering a variety of examples. In the first part of thefall semester, I devote one-and-one-half weeks of lectureto scientific methodology, including a lecture on the basicprinciples of statistical inference. Two-and-one-halfweeks of laboratory time are spent working with ex-amples, including conducting simple statistical tests. Thestudents are then ready to complete a series of fourjournal article dissections over the remainder of the fallsemester. Fach assigned article is read for clarificationduring the latter half of a laboratory session, and students

4

then have two weeks to submit written dissections.Students may work singly, or may collaborate with apartner. The top three grades constitute approximately 20percent of both the lecture and laboratory course grades.

I recognize the following steps:Background informationusually composedlargely or wholly of literature citationsObjectivealternatively called a question and anhypothesisTest of.hypothesismay or may not be a controlledexperimentNull hypothesisto which statistical analyses areusually appliedResultsa.k.a. dataI .evel 1 conclusionsdetermining the validity ofeach null hypothesisI.evel 2 conclusionsdeciding whether or not theseresults and analyses are consistent with the hypoth-esis being testedPublication

These steps can he recovered from the sections of astandard journal article as follows: The Abstract, ofcourse, summarizes everything from background infor-mation to Level 2 conclusions; the Introduction beginswith a discussion of the background information (al-though frequently sonie background information is notdiscussed until later), and ends with a statement of theobjective; the Materials and Methods section includes adescription of the test of hypothesis and sometimes statesthe null hypotheses; the Results section includes datatogether with the results of the tests of the null hypoth-eses, or Level 1 conclusions; and the Discussion section isorganized around the Level 2 conclusions. Thus, thechallenge for students is to know where to look to findthese steps in the work they are dissecting and recognizethe steps when they find them.

Locating the steps is only one part of dissecting anarticle, however. Students also are asked to use theobjective to explicitly state the question and hypothesis ofthe research; to identify independent and dependentvariables, and, if applicable, control variables and experi-mental and control groups or treatments; to formally stateeach null hypothesis and interpret, with statisticalconfidence levels, each null hypothesis test; and toidentify in the discussion section any new hypothesesoffered which might be tested in the future. Finally, I ask


that students end their written dissectionsions with a criticalappraisal of the work they have dissected, Four roundsof this and they are ready to write their own manu-scripts, using simple scenarios and small data sets.

I follow feur major guidelines when chixising thearticles that will he dissected each year. First, for fresh-men who generally are getting their first real exposure toactual research, succinct articles of two to five printedpages in length are my preference, as are articles address-ing a single hypothesis. (However, an article addressingtwo or more hypotheses simultaneously may he used fora later assignment.) 1 look in the Notes or Short Commu-nications sections of journals for articles of appropriatelength. Second, as a field biologist not prone to manipu-lating conditions experimentally, I have no qualms aboutusing articles based on similar such field work, but thesearticles do lack the opportunity to consider controlvariables and the difference between experimental andcontrol groups; at the very least a mix of articles shouldbe used. Third, students who have not yet taken anintroductory statistics class may be taught to understandthe general idea of 1-tests, analyses of variance(ANOVAs), X2-tests, and simple linear regression, buteven many brief articles use more sophisticated statisticalanalyses that can overwhelm the students and should beavoided. Finally, the research subject matter must becomprehensible to the average freshman student. I findthat simple 1- iavioral and ecological papers work verywell for the ,,rst assignments, while more latitude insubject matter develops as the semester progresses andmore course material is covered,

This is scarcely the type of dissection freshmanbiology majors expect to do. The results, however, are adramatically increased understanding of scientificmethodology, developed well beyond that achieved bythe old "read- Chapter I -and-take-good-lecture-notes"approach, Although the work required to complete fourconsecutive assignments is substantial, students alwayshave seemed to reali/C the practical value to them intheir professions, One student recently admitted tomedical selling told me that the experience of dissectingjournal articles was valuable preparation for his entranceexams. And, since biology majors can expect to he veryinvolved with journal articles, if not as authors then atleast as readers, we might as well ask our freshmen toroll up their sleeves and dig in.

Peter V. Lindeman, Assistant Profi'sRll., Biology

For further information, contact the author atMadisonville Community College, 2000 College Drive,Madisonville, KY 42431.

;)II

Sono. D. Routcht, Editor

October V, 1994, Vol, XVI, No. 24© The University of Texas at Austin, 1994


institutions fox thee own personnel

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD).Department of Educational Administration, College of Education. EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin. Texas78712. (512) 471,7545 Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X.


tixt INNOVATION ABSTRACTSPURL (SHED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMf NT A ,1 , ;, A ;I, qv I; if

UNIVE RSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM TI-IE W K KELLOGG FOUNDATION AND /tit '.f/iLv I.I. ILUiI i',,)N I )1f NI)A r

Getting to Know Your Students: The "Success Speech"

Isach semester my speech and communication classtills with students, apprehensive and insecure about thepriess of public speaking. Usually 70-80 percent neverhave taken a speech class and do not remember giving areport or speech in the last four years.

The ice-breaker speech can be deadly to those students,I have tried the standard "getting to know you" speechand found my students telling the same old story. Theygive little thought to the information about themselves;they fill the allotted time with their years in town, maritalstatus, children, hobbies, and so on. The speakers werenot particularly motivated, and the listeners becamerestless after a few speeches. All that initial speechseemed to accomplish was lowering further the student'sself-perception of his/her speaking ability. Then I triedthe "success speech."

Now after the introductory class session, I ask thestudents to bring in a symbol of a success in their livesand tell about it for approximately five minutes. I explainthat the speech is not given a grade, nor is it critiqued. It

simply will be a time of listening and enjoying. Thestudents may talk of successes as early in life as theywish. I assure them it will not he a contest, just a sharingof something important in their lives; and I give themexamples of other success speeches from the past.

In past speeches, classes have seen baseball gloves andheard stories of students' dreams coming true; a black beltand the journey getting there; pictures of children andspouses; cheerleading jackets; trophies; a sample of wallpaper; report cards, high school diplomas; letters ofappreciation; and letters of acceptance to college.

This assignment has become my favorite. We, as aclass, are immediately touched by some of the obstaclesthat students have overcome in their lives. One studentshared that his greatest success was graduating from highschool. Ile realized that some people may not view thatas much of a success, hilt as the first member (It a largefamily to ever make it through high school, he recalledwith pride the tears of his mother, father, and siblings ashe walked up on stage to receive his iphinia,

One of my students told of his past history as a gangmember. I le talked of a teacher Ihat pulled him aside andtold him Iii' WIN destinedit'd he somebody. His teacher'swords had stuck; he lelt the gang, with great difficulty,

(tcr.)

along with the alcohol, the drugs, and the crime. He wasworking hard to make this teacher's words come true.

One semester I had a basketball player in my class. Hewas about 6'10" tall. His name and picture appearednearly every week in the sports section of the localnewspaper. After the initial class meeting I viewed himas being rather cocky and a tad abrasive. I expected himto bring a trophy for his success speech. Instead, thisyoung man stood before us telling about the greatestsuccess in his life. He pulled out a wallet-sized photo ofhis mother and began to share with us her constantreassurances and prayers that her son would one dayescape from the ghetto. After all, she reminded him, hewas special; and she promised him he would succeed. Hesaid all his publicity, his trophies, and the attention hereceived should go to his mother, for she had made ithappen.

Many of my students remarked that the assignmentwas difficult but meaningful. They had to dig deep andponder successes in their lives. One woman, named Rose,called to tell me she would be unable to give the speech.She explained, "I am not able to do the assignment. I

have had no successes." I quickly reassured her andbegan giving her suggestions. "Have you been married?"I asked. "Yes," she replied, and that was definitely not asuccess. "Children?" I quickly responded. Again shereplied, "Yes, but they were not a success." After severalother questions, and still no successes, I suggested shetalk to a friend and ask him/her to help her determineone of her successes.

The following week I immediately looked to see if herseat was empty. Fortunately, it was not. After all of theother speeches were completed, this woman quietlyshared with the class that she had phoned and told meshe could not give the speech. But, she said as shelistened to the others talking about their successes, sherealized that perhaps she had underestimated her accom-plishments. She went on to tell us that as a high schooldropout and a divorced mother with four children, shemanaged to find two low-paying jobs to support herfamily. She had just put a down payment on her firsthome, At 40 years of age, she had received her GED andwas now beginning college. The students respondedwith thunderous applause. Their support continued for

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDS 348, Austin, Texas 78712

the entire semester, as they sensed her need to bepraised.

We give our students few opportunities to talk aboutthe successes in their lives, and Often in the collegesetting, we give students the perception that no onereally cares. It amazes me that we can spend an entiresemester together and never know that someone sittingnext to us is vying for Miss Yuma County, has a blackbelt in karate, was valedictorian of his high schoolgraduating class, was a past drug addict and overcame it,was spelling bee champion in 1992, or won first place inthe state art contest.

After the assignment, we discuss that most successesin our lives have not come easy, but rather that they are

obstacles we have had to overcome. We ponder the tactthat true success is not handed to us, but comes fromworking hard.

I recommend the "success speech" to any class. Notonly does it give the students a quick boost of self-esteem, support from the other students, and practicespeaking in front of a group, but it gets them focusing onsuccess.

Karen Spencer, instructor, Speech

tor further information, contact the author at ArizonaWestern College, 2297 East 25th Place, Yuma, AZ 85365.

Encouraging Students to Start Their Personal Academic Libraries

Almost every student %vim wines into my officecomments on the number of books en my shelves. "Arethey all yours?" "I hive you read them all?" I explainthat this is my personal academic library, that somebooks are 30 years old or older, and that most are used asreference hooks, saving a number of trips to the library.

To begin my own academic library, I kept all booksfrom my undergraduate and graduate science coursesand hooks I purchased from other students. In my firstcollege teaching position, other teachers and textbookrepresentatives gave me books. In my current position, Iexchange with other science teachers.

During the second semester of the academic year, Iask all natural science majors (imited in my lecture and/or lab to drop by the office. I begin our visit by tellingthem that I hope they plan to keep their s( Wilco hookswhen they finish their current e nurses and use them asreferences in others. Then I give thi,ni a text I rum theshelf to he used for starting their owii ae ademic library.The book is usually a second eeiitiuu of a book that hasgone to a third edition, and I try to inatch the book to thespecific field of study each student wishes to pursue.

I have been giving books to nal lira I ,4 tence majors Incthree years. Only two of the appnnit telv 2r; sinifonv,had already started a collection of mien( e 1114 Ik!, !AI lily,.on faces were nice to see. Most students were liltshocked, but they all were thankful. In the set mil year, Ireceived a letter from a former slut lein who liking ajunior-level science course at another scluml. I he I (Hum.

bonne D. Remit*, Editor

October a, 104, Vol XVI, No, 250 The Uniyeisity or Texas at Austin, 1994



did not have a textbook, but he was using the one I hadgiven him to help in the transition and wanted me toknow it had been a great help to him.

Encouraging students to keep their textbooks andgiving them another should help get. them started withtheir personal academic library. The students willappreciate your encouragement.

Lloyd L. Willis, Associate Professor, Biology

For further information, contact the author at PiedmontVirginia Community College, Route 6, Box 1,Charlottesville, VA 22902.

INNOVA I ION ABS I NAG IS is a pubncation of the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development (NISOD),Department of f ducational Administration, College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas78712, (512) 4? 1 1545 F muting in part by the W. K Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when deem are in semen during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199-106X.


L)",',j-L INNOVATION ABSTRACTSPUBLISHEDBY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANVA i1(1541 (Ml NI , Nf'. 1 I 111.1 ,1 Ou:AIR-IN THE

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE W )(;(, 1 1 iiiNliA I )( N AM) I 1 a JI I iv ;11( i ;A; ti )11'sJ I UUNDATION

The "Three Language" Class

Your mission: Teach a bilingual computer class ofmostly Spanish students with limited English-speakingskills. The lecture shall be primarily in English, andyou will offer individual help with translation toSpanish when necessary.

Textbook: The same text used for the regular class.Length: The same as other credit classes.Handouts and lab assignments: Whatever you wish.The introductory computer course at Mattatuck

Community College includes hands-on instruction onthe IBM disk operation system, word processing,spreadsheets, database, and as many general computerprinciples as possible in order to give students acomprehensive background. It includes one labassignment per week, several written tests, severallaboratory hands-on tests, extra projects, etc. Whenanother experimental class was opened, to he taught ina bilingual mode, I was concerned! This-approachwould require, in a manner of speaking, using threelanguages.

Pedagogical ConcernsThis class was not remedial, and the content was to

be the same as that in the regular computer class. Thiswas achieved by using additional one-on-one help,extra handouts to clarify material, two bilingual tutors,translations of the hands-on computer lab tests, andoral translations of the written tests.

Technical terms were translated into the students'native language; however, they remained Englishlanguage terms, and explanations for the terms weremade in English.

Methods and ProceduresI modified some methods and procedures to accom-

modate the students:Class was held in a small room which had an ample

supply of computers, one per student plus spares. Thisproved essential because it turned the lecture into ahands-on session.

I used a projection unit connected to my computerso students could see what I was doing in my demon-

5 3

strations. This was not unusual in a computer class,but it was eseritial in this class.

Some students, seizing the opportunity to use thecomputer in front of them, took class notes using theword processing package we were learning andprinted the notes at the end of class.

The lectures and presentations were made in Englishwith immediate Spanish translations. This, of course,was for the benefit of students whose English waspoor. However, I found that the slower pace and thereinforcement that the repetition provided helpedlearners who were fluent in English.

I constantly evaluated the potential reasons for anydeficiencies, to determine whether they were due tolanguage deficiency, lack of previous academic prepa-ration (such as poor reading comprehension), or lack ofclass preparation. Soon, this mental evaluation becamesecond nature.

ObservationsI can make some interesting and significant observa-

tions from having taught this course.Tenacity: Advance warningseven repetitious at

times---were provided about the deadline for studentwithdrawal, including a handout to each student withgrades and averages to dale. Yet, even those studentswho were in danger of tailing did not drop the course.

Social aspects: Many of these students knew eachother before the class; some were from the sameneighborhood. This proved to have positive andnegative effects, since some students helped each otheroutside of class and others had personal problems withclass members. Even though the students felt sup-ported by college staff, personal comments and classquestionnaires told us that they felt more comfortablewith peer help,

ta.ademic preparation: Some students were aca-demically deficient in their native language. Thisdeficiency should be a major consideration during theplacement or advising process, since an academicallydeficient student who also has a language problemrequires extra attention and resources, as was evident


in the quality of questions and necessary amount ofrepetition.

reacher communication: I had to he careful not totake some things for granted. For example, the correctspelling of commonly used words in the Spell Checkword-processing feature was not always obvious tosome, this was especially true of the spelling featurethat uttered alternatives for misspelled words. Also, !had to explain or retrain from using English idioms.

Outside concerns: These students faced consider-able outside personal problems. For example, thereyew many single mothers with several children,

serious r ontlicts with neighbors, transportationproblems, etc. I hese problems came to my attention

Tzvo-Minute ScrambleFora long time I have been a proponent of collabora-

tive learning; almost all of my classes use some form ofgroup learning in daily assignments or in testing. Forexample, in literature classes I use group testing; inInterpersonal Communications I use dyadic or triadictesting, and in Composition II the students set their ownsemester learning (course) agenda. Despite this posi-tion, until recently I still held on to some old philoso-phies e.g., that information is a "secret" kept behindilosed doors for which the teachers hold the only key.SIodents must suffer before they can have access toinformation and generally are never given the key.At coss is only through the teacher. Consequently,students never learn how to use the key (to find infor-mation on their own).

I had read "Who in Their Right Mind..." llitHoz,atien.'11,,tra( in Volume NV, Number 161 about giving essayqiiestions to students prior to exams so that they couldcompose well developed answers. I liked the idea andsubsequently tried it with pleasing results. The two-minute 'A ramble is my latest attempt to encouragecollaborative learning.

the two-minille scramble is not entirely iny idea; itwas suggested (with modifications) by students duringa group literature examination. As a whole, studentswere doing fairly well on the exam, but as I walkedaround the room, I discovered areas where studentrecall was poor. One student whimsically asked if shecould look in her notes or hook for just a minute. Shesaid she knew the answer and could almost see it on thepage. All eyes turned pleadingly to ow; I thought,

because I emphasized that absences would he detri-mental to classroom performance; the excuses forabsenteeism reflected these problems.

Teaching this course was interesting, challenging,and rewarding; the students appreciated the addi-tional help and special opportunity that this classoffered. The experiment appeared to work.

Jose Sainz, "1,:iqant Proley6m., L'amputer Science

For further information, r ontaL t the author atMattatuck Community College, 750 Chase Parkway,Room I q, Waterbury, C I 11670S.

"Why not?" Toward the end of that exam, I allowedone student in each group to look at the text or notes (itdid not matter whose notes) for two minutes. Whatscramble!

What flit! they lealt? They learned to access informa-tion efficiently, enhance teamwork skills, increasecommunication skills, practice time management, andevaluate and synthesize information quickly. Moststudent groups chose to leave questions they could notanswer for the two-minute scramble. There seemed tobe increased self-esteem ("I knew that answer wasthere") and decreased frustration.

What lid I learn? Flow to access information can 00longer be kept a secret; teachers can no longer be thesole key holders. Students must learn they can be incontrol; they can he the "key to their own learning.

Sue Darby, Ohtillill,i1100, 1111111111illit'S (Coil'101/ Cot nth/

Community KS I; Graduate Student, CommunityColltwel.eadeiNhip Pnwnon

For further information, contact the author at TheUniversity of Texas at Austin, EDI3 348, Austin, TX78712.

54

Suanne 0, Roueche, Editor

Novrnbtr 4, 1994, Vol XVI, No. 26The University of Texas at Austin. 1994



INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development (NISOD).Department of Educational Administration. College of Education, EDB 348. The University of Texas at Austin. Austin. Texas78712, (512)471-7545. Funding in part by the W K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199106X.

VOLUME XVI NUMBER 27

t INNOVATION ABSTRACTS

Adopt-A-Scholar Program for Hispanic Students

About 2S percent of the population in Torrington,I% %owing, area is I lispanic, but most in that group do noti',1( h their toll potential or even get a chance because so

many yiliiligsters dropout of the public schools or do notgti tti college. Parents and family members sometimesfind it difficult to motivate or encourage the children toaccomplish all they can in the education system. Gettingparents involved is one of the key factors in Eastern

rooting College's Adopt-A-Scholar program.I lispanic youngsters in this program are encouraged to

!cumin in school, to strive for scholastic achievement, asu ell as to retrain from drugs. The Adopt-A-Scholarprogram introduces these young people to real rolemodels who present the idea that it is possible to do moreu Oh their lives. It is a compilation of other similar

pn ogranis across the country, as well as tour years oflistriung to common problems and learning about optionsfor too situation

I he scholars arc selected in the sixth grade and receivea t,lriety ot benefits from F.WC starting at the time ofsole( thin and L ontinuing through their second year ofLollege. Scholars are selected from among minol it N.

st iklen Is within the counts' elementary schools Whoseparents or guardians lack college experience oF whoselinani I support is limited. The scholars must show nevilfor the support and potential for success.

Scholars receive free tuition for many of the programsFIVC otters in both community education and creditclasses, starting at the sixth-grade level and oultinuingthrough four semesters at EWC. Other benefits to thescholars include: recognition of academic progress; EW(hats and 'T-shirts; participation in EWC athletic andcultural events; development of relationships with 11M.'student role models (mentors); and participation in athree-day summer youth conference.

The summer program includes opportunities to meetregional and national role models of minority descent,self-esteem enhancement, alcohol and drug abuse preven-tion, career exploration, on-campus living, and studyskills training.

Sixth graders are selected because we telt that notenough attention has been locused on younger students.

By the time colleges contact seniors in high school, theyhave already made up their minds, or they are past thepoint when they could begin to prepare for college or acareer.

To begin the program, all eligible sixth graders and 10eligible students from seventh through 12th grade areselected. Each year thereafter, all eligible sixth graderswill be included, and all of the previous seventh through12th grade students will continue to receive programbenefits.

To remain eligible, scholars must remain drug-free andmaintain a certain grade-point level that graduallyincreases with their educational progress. Grades six andseven must maintain a 2.00 G.P.A.; grades eight throughID, a 2.90 G.P.A.; and grades 11 through the first twoyears in college, a 3.1) G.P.A. The scholar must provide aopy of grades and/or transcripts each year to the college

to prove continued eligibility. If the scholar's annual',A. falls below the prescribed minimum, he/she must

write an appeal letter. EWC has the final decision inilelermining continued student eligibility.

4t

Benefits To the CollegeHlllkis relationships with the public schools at alllevels.Builds relationships with students, their families,neighbors, and friends.I h.velops positive public relations within the commu-nity.Ixposes various groups to EWC's resources.Creates ambassadors who are walking advertisementsthroughout the public schools for a full seven years.Involves institutions outside of the college.Encourages minority enrollment.

Benefits To the Scholars and Their FamiliesScholars are selected during their sixth-grade year.l'he program is explained to students and their par-ents.I hiring the sixth through 10th grades, the scholar is

r)

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)(IA): Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational Administration


given free tuition to enroll each ear in two commu-nity education classes, including any sports clinic.Appropriate EWC attire is provided.Each student is issued a student activity card forathletic and cultural events.During the llth and 12th grades, the scholar isprovided free tuition to enroll in college creditcourses.Upon successful completion of high school and theprogram, EWC pays for the first four semesters oftuition at the college.Opportunities are available for the parent(s) and/orguardian(s) to participate in college activities and/orpersonal development activities.

Not -So- Obvious Benefits To the StudentsStudents who are least at risk in ability but most at

risk in other criteria categories (finances, family educa-tion background) are offered the chance to succeed.

Students have had continuing support and experienceon the campus (for seven years) during which they couldconsider and experience college.

Noe lle Kierstyn, Director, Public Rehitions

Billy Bates, Dean, Student Services

Tim Alvarez, Assistant I)irector, Admissions

For further information, contact Billy Bates at EasternWyoming College, 32(t) West C Street, Torrington, WY82241, or Tim Alvaro/ at University of Nebraska, 901North 17th Street, 1.incoln, NE oti5titt.

!Note: Authors acknowledge the important work atJohnson County Community College (KS) that providedEWC with the concept of the Adopt-a-Scholar Program.]

Suanno D. Roach', Editor

November 11, 1094, Vol. XVI, No. 27

0 The University of Texas at Austin. 1994

Further duplication is permitted by MEMBE R


rU

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of fhe National Ins facile for Staff and Organizational Development tfollSOD),

Department of Educational Administration. College of Education. EDB 348. The University of Texas at Austin. Austin. Texas78712, OM 471.7545 Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W Richardson Foundation Issuedweekly when classes are in session during tall and spring terms. ISSN 0199106X,

S


At INNOVATION ABSTRACTS' 1, , ,1',) ,

ig , 'I A, I I, ]/L,d lirf ',1i ' ,,1;11 ,A;

Portfolio Creation

Iwo years oa-F, was asked to institute new pro-gram in computer drafting and design (CADD) at acommunity college. I am a licensed architect and haveused CALM in my own work and taught it to a widevariety of students. I know and understand the cre-ative power the computer brings to design professions.

My students learn how to draw with a computer bycreating one drawing per week for most of the I0-weekquarter, followed I w a drawing project. I choose thedrawing assignments carefully; they represent aladdered approach to learning the current softwareprogram. Mach week's assigned drawing builds uponskills learned in previous weeks. So by demonstratingthese drawing skills, students learn how to useAutoCAD, or whatever program I am teaching.

The weekly required drawing creates a fast-pacedlearning environment. It represents a big challenge,intended to build up to the academic piece deresistance: the student's portfolio of work- -a newvehicle for academic evaluation, tar more valuable thana letter grade.

This portfolio, or book of drawings, is critical. I

require that all course assignments and the project gointo this graphic notebook; they should have profes-sional appearance and style. The hook of drawingsdoes not have to be large (standard "A" folio slit, of 8I /2 x I I sheets from a Hewlett Packard Laserjet printeris fine), but it has to have a graphic presence. I recom-mend a title page with an individual logo or theme,possibly a table of contents. All work goes into plasticsheet protectors, and each student is required topurchase an appropriate hard-cover notebook tomaintain the required style and appearance.

In the basic AuIoCAD course, a three-quartersequence covering the fundamentals of orthographic(two-dimensional) drawing, followed by courses inpara line theory and true perspective modeling (three-dimensional work), the student has the opportunity tocreate an impressive display of talents and abilities.

All of the drawing assignments, the project, and theportfolio receive letter grades. At this juncture, the

skeptic might wonder what all the fuss is about. If I amgiving out conventional letter grades, why make such abig deal out of the portfolio?because the graphicnotebook is much more important to student successthan any transcript grade.

In the design professions, future employers want tosee what a potential employee can do. Can the studentdraw? Can the student produce on the computer? Canthe student make a real contribution to the firm? Thesame questions hold true for my students going on toadvanced degrees in the academic world.

4,*

Portfolio creation is highly applicable to the field ofarchitecture; in fact, the creation of a portfolio of workcan benefit most courses of study. In the sciences,laboratory and experimental work lend themselves toporttolio creation. The same applies to expositorywriting, or fiction, or poetry within the language arts.Research papers in any of the social sciences can betormally tied into a notebook of achievement.

A portfolio is simply a vehicle for demonstratingskills. As such, it is a "put-up-or-shut-up" chance thatevery student should take. There is nothing new orrevolutionary about this procedure.

It gives students the opportunity to show what theycan do. It shows them how to present and display theirwork. The grades they earn along the way mean littlecompared to that tangible end.

Michael Allan Moore, Architect

For further information, contact the author at YakimaValley Community College, Engineering Department,

0, [lox Yakima, WA 98907.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)V)./) Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational Administration


The Virtue of Group Papers

One of the challenges for instructors of Americangovernment courses is that some students feel es-tranged from their government and its politics. Con-fronting a class of jaded Americans can be painfullydisheartening. I have a method for stimulating whatthe Greeks termed "political virtue," or the politicalefficacy necessary to operate in the civic arena withsome sense of principled confidence.

The Greeks believed that civic activity engenderscivic virtue, that citizens gained the virtue necessary togovern and to evaluate the workings of government, byway of political involvement. People excluded fromcivic activity could never hope to understand thevirtuous course of action in any political situation.

If instructors of political science concur with theseinsights, and if they see civic virtue as more importantto their students than memorizing terminology andacademic concepts, they may find themselves involvingtheir students less in listening to lectures and more inclassroom activities. The group essay is an exactingexercise rewarded with a hard-earned grade andperhaps with some measure of political virtue.

In American government classes, students work ingroups (of four or five) to write four essays.

An assignment begins with the class role playing apolitical issue. In their first simulation, they imaginethemselves the citizens of a fragile new country in needof a more centralized political system, and they con-struct a constitution for their country. In their secondactivity, they debate liberal, centrist, and conservativevalues. In their third activity, they work with thedilemmas faced by the Jewish majority in Skokie (II.),when the tiny American Nazi Party insisted on demon-strating. In their last simulation, the students confrontAmerica's national debt, posturing as interest groupbureaucrats demanding public resources and ascongressional representatives attempting to balancethose interests within budgetary constraints.

After each simulation, the students receive aworksheet with questions to answer outside of class:what did they learn; what was the most importantlesson; why did they do what they did; how did theyfeel; would they do anything differently if they had asecond chance; how does the textbook tic in; how didthey formulate their answers? The completed

Suinn D. Rowell', Editor

November 18, 1994, Vot, XVI, No. 290 The University of Texas at Austin, 1994Further duplication is permitted by MEMBER


worksheets are brought to class, and the students areassigned to a writing group. Each group must worktogether to merge its individual ideas into a singleformal essay addressing the questions on theworksheets.

Typed papers are submitted; each student attachesan individual handwritten worksheet, informing theinstructor of his/her initial contributions. On the coversheet, the students also grade individual group mem-bers on participation. Each student grade is averagedand the instructor's grade is averaged in with the totalgrade given to each by the group. Student input on thegrade keeps everyone focused and working during thewriting process.

Most students are enthusiastic about their groupassignmentsthey attend regularly and work hard ontheir papers. Most importantly, I, t leave the classwith political lessons not soon forgotten. Of course, Istill lecture, and the students still take tests over theirtextbook material. Rut, it seems obvious that the mostmeaningful instruction in this class, for example,concerns less the memorit ing of the process by whichbills pass the U.S. I louse of Representatives than whatit means to defend one's political values betore one'speers. There is much to he gained tram stimulatingpolitical virtue in alienated, skeptical, "apolitical"Americans.

Mark Greer, hiqrlictor, American Gooernmott

For further intormation, contact the author at LaramieCounty Community College, 4111) Fast College Drive,Cheyenne, WY 82007,

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD).Department of Educational Administration, College of Education. EDB 348. The University of Texas at Austin. Austin. Texas78712. 15121 471-7545 Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X.


INNOVATION ABSTRACTSfi(if{1 iyit 1110 I HI Na /11 //\/ 141 1 WI, ch 1NI 'A 111 )N4I HI VI.1 Ni Nl,ti1 111. COI I E GE OF EDUCATION THE

UNIVI H.ti111 HI II xA', Al AI 1',1/5 0;1111 / it VI / qt1 Hit 4'' h h/ / I / 01INI HON ANI) 1111 SIDW HICHARDSON FOUNDATION

Issues for Debate: Increasing Student Participation

For many years I have been observing the level ofstudent interaction and participation in my businesscourses. Some students arc shy, afraid to say somethingwrong or be exposed to the criticism, unprepared todiscuss the topic, or simply not assertive. Many of mystudents are commuters who travel an hour or more tocome to campus or are taking a class in the evening aftereight hours of work. They have other roles to play asspouses or family members, parents, heads of house-holds, employees, civic leaders, church members, orciti/ens, so class participation is not their first priority.

After trying different strategies to increase the level ofstudent participation in class, sometimes with greatsuccess and sometimes with lukewarm responses, Idecided to develop a series of isitesli». debate:

"Is it O.K. to use your company's computer to printsome posters for the garage sale that you are going tohave at your home next Saturday?""Is it ethical to make personal calls to your friendsfrom the office on company time?""Should a company institute mandatory drug testingfor all employees without regard for the employee'sprivacy rights?""Does a company have a say in the activities of anemployee during off-work hours?"Does an employer have the right to put TV camerasin offices, employee lounges or bathrooms to monitoremployee activities or to reduce employees' thiev-ery?""Does a retail store have the right to install IVcameras and special mirrors in dressing rooms inorder to control shoplifting?""Is it O.K. for an American sales manager workingabroad to I if teal bribe to a loreign purchasing agentin order to obtain an order, when working in acountry where bribes are customarily given?""Should underdeveloped countries not be allowed tolearn high technology, so we tan have them as !nivel'of our high-tech products, and not as our !inurecompetitors?""Is it ON al to spend millions of dollars to advertisecigarette and tobacco products Ili third worldcountries?"

"Is it O.K. to use the office copier to make a copy ofyour personal tax return?""A domestic company has in storage a large quantityof products that it cannot sell here because theproduct does not meet the safety standards requiredby our government, should this company sell thisproduct in foreign markets where there is no strictregulation, even if the product could be unsafe tobuyers and consumers?""Should an employer have the right to intervene in'office romances'?"

The students receive the issue tier debate one weekbefore the scheduled discussion and are asked to prepareby tapping any information source they wish. Somestudents go to the library and launch a formal researcheffort using periodicals, journals, and encyclopedias.Others use more unorthodox methods, such as askingother faculty members or knowledgeable individuals inthe c(H11111tIlliiv. A student may take a position support-ing an issue, or not, but must explain the reason for takingthe position.

On the day of the discussion, the class members arcdivided into two groups. The students who have acommon position are given time to exchange ideas and toexplain to other students in the group their main argu-ments and strategies to he used in the forthcomingdiscussion. In most cases, there is a lively discussion ofthe issues, with balanced student participation. Moststudents are able to apply concepts and principles of theclass lectures into the discussion of the issues. They areable to form opinions, take positions and defend them,understand other students' and the instructor's opinionsand points of view, and develop an appreciation forcurrent business events and legal issues.

Felipe H. Chia, Assiwiate Professor, Management andMarketing, and Coordinator of the Business Manageme»tProgram

For further information, contact the author at HarrisburgArea COMMunity College, One HACC Drive, Harrisburg,PA 1 7 I I 0- 2949.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)

,kA). Community College Leadership Program, Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDE 348, Austin, Texas 78712

Criminal LawThe "Grimm" TruthMany students of criminal justice perceive the

subject of criminal law to be boring, difficult, or intimi-dating, and the classes to he long-winded lecturesabout elements of crime, culpability, intent, and proof.Aside from the students' personal experiences, littlepractical application is traditionally incorporated inthese courses.

fo increase student interest and provide practicalapplication of criminal law to life, I decided to requireeach student to read one fairy tale from a select groupof tales and to apply the Texas Penal Code to the actsdescribed in the story line. Several children's storiesthat included crimes in the plot were identified: / /WeRef/ Riding I food, Coldilocks and the ''lure Rear., I lon-ieland Girt el. lack am! the Beanstalk, Snow Wide aml the

01191:tS, and The Three Little Pigs.I he basic premise of the assignment was that the

story represented a police report, prepared by an Oliverand submitted to the student, acting as a supervisor.The goal was to have the student/supervisor recom-mend all charges to the prosecutor.

The student was to list, in chronological node'', allcriminal acts that occurred and cite them according toTexas law. Then, all facts of proof from the story wereto he identified for each crime; this required recordingthe elements of each crime. All actors were to beidentified and matched with their criminal acts. Afterthe major crimes were identified, the degree of offense(felony/misdemeanor) and level were to be identifiedaccording to Texas law, and all lesser offenses listed.Finally, all identifiable defenses and justifications wereto he listed and cited according to Texas law. Then,recommendations were made on what charges shouldhe brought against whom.

Students were allowed to work individually or ingnu but each was required to submit an individualreport for grading. They were encouraged to meetwith me at least once before the assignment was due todiscuss progress. I used this time to guide thosestudents who either were making this assignment toohard (several did) or were heading in the wrongdirection. No instructions were given on the length ofthe report, the detail required, or the depth to whichthe student must delve into the law. Students weremerely told to answer all questions in the instructions,

The assignment was made during the 12th week ofthe semester, after the majority of the course work hadbeen completed. This allowed me adequate time tointroduce the class to the principles and concepts ofcriminal law and the Texas Penal Code.

Students were interviewed at the end of the assign-ment. Many were amazed at how violent children'sbooks can be when viewed from an uncommon per-spective. Others said they found the law less intimidat-ing when there was an objective to achieve. Severalexpressed concern over accuracy and comprehensive-ness of stories/reports, while others said they learnedmore about the law in two or three weeks than theyhad in the previous 12. Not one of the students indi-cated that this assignment was useless or unnecessary.

Students were allowed to use the Texas Penal Codeduring the comprehensive final exam. Fewer studentslooked at the Code during the exam than in previoussemesters, and those that did spent less time huntingand searching for answers. They were more confidentin their ability to use the Code, and final grades wereconsiderably higher than in previous semesters.

Robert W. Peetz, Criminal justice Coordinator

For further information, contact the author at MidlandCollege, WO North Garfield, Midland, TX 79705-2398.

G

Suanne D. %mho, Editor

December 2,1994, Vol. XVI, No. 29

The University of Texas at Austin. 1994



INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication of the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development 1NISOD).Department of Educational Administration, College of Education, EDB 348, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin. Texas78712, (512) 471-7545. Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are in session during gall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X,


INNOVATION ABSTRACTSI

I.

Teaching Empathy and Understanding With a Game

It is difficult to teach students concepts in the affectivedomain. It is even more difficult to get students to examinetheir feelings and biases effectively. I struggle with thistask each year in teaching beginning nursing students.

These students have particular difficulty identifyingwith the elderly. The component of the course that dealswith older patients is often met with reluctance, anxiety,and negative attitudes. Entering the clinical setting withthese feelings typically results in a poor experience for thestudents and for the patients. It is obvious that for studentsto learn about and care effectively for older patients, theymust think critically about their own attitudes and increasetheir understanding and empathy for the problems of theelderly. This year, we used a game to create an environ-ment for helping them accomplish these objectives.

The GameThe students "lived" the experiences of the elderly in

this game. They started at the "identity table" where theywere asked to select an age (older than 65), an occupationfrom which they have retired, a retirement lifestyle, andthree personal possessions that they would like to takewith them to a nursing home. To aid in the process ofidentifying with the elderly, students were given simulateddeficits associated with aging: cotton placed in their earssimulated some degree of deafness; glasses with vaselineon the lens simulated cataracts; gloves with tonguedepressors in one or two fingers simulated the stiffenedjoints of arthritis; shoelaces tied together produced thelimited gait of arthritic hips; and pebbles placed in shoesprovided the pain of walking with corns, bunions, orarthritic deformities.

The game identified three functional levels of elderliving: independent, assisted, and totally dependent; eachlevel was located at a separate table. Each had a tableoperator who wore an identification badge, Game OverallDirector (GOD). Operators were coached to display biasesand discriminatory practices typical of those seen insociety At Table 1, a newly retired player might bediscouraged from learning to drive a car by being told he istoo old to learn that now. A player at Table 2 might havecash (three pennies) confiscated for safekeeping and toldhe is not capable of handling his own finances. At Table 3..,

a player might be tied into a chair and labeled senile. Anincome grid allowed players an opportunity to supplementtheir fixed income. The operator of this area was equallydemeaning to the players, attempting to cheat them orinvolve them in questionable money-making schemes.

At each table, players drew cards and proceededthrough the game as the cards indicated. Some cards hadpositive consequences; however, the greatest number hadnegative consequences which caused the players to movefrom their independent healthy state to an eventualassisted, or total dependent state, with the loss of personaleffects and income. Even their identities were threatenedwith nicknames such as "Pops," "limey" and "Sweetie.!'As totally dependent, they were left on bedpans forprolonged periods of time, fed baby food, and theirrequests and complaints were ignored, until finally theconsequence of death, instead of invoking dread, actuallybecame a relief that the struggle was over.

The game was played for approximately one hour, thendiscussion allowed students to verbalize their feelings andobservations. Students also were asked to critique thegame for its value as a learning experience.

EvaluationBy altering students' perspectives of the elderly, we had

hoped that their attitudes would change and that the carethey delivered to their aged clients would improve. Afterthe game, students in the clinical setting did show greaterpatience, concern, and empathy for their elderly clients.The nursing home rotation was seen as an opportunity tointeract with the elderly, instead of a dreaded requirement,and a few students expressed a desire to return to thenursing home for further clinical experiences.

The utilization of this game as a teaching/learning toolallowed students the opportunity to experience the life ofthe elderly in a safe, reality-oriented environment. Stu-dents were able to explore their feelings and examinebiases from a perspective designed to promote insights andunderstanding. The instructors worked to create anemotional and intellectual climate that was constructiveand caring in order for students to freely participate and tobe able to draw their own inferences and conclusions fromthe experience without fear of censure.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD)Community College Leadership Program. Department of Educational AdministrationCollege of Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712

ConclusionResponse, from students about this game and their

experiences were positive. They were intensely involvedin the experience, fighting to keep the identity and inde-pendence of their character. They had some fun whilegaining insights and understanding of older people andtheir problems. Student suggestions and responses haveled us to work on offering this experience as a continuingeducation workshop to health care providers and otherinterested students. We also are considering other gaming

strategies. This creative, multifaceted teaching/learningsituation promoted the development of critical thinkingand creative problem-solving skills necessary for studentsto meet the challenges of caring for the elderly.

Lynn M. Young, Director; Nursing Elitical ion

For further information, contact the author at MohaveCommunity College, 1971 Jagerson Avenue, Kingman, AZ86-101.

The Craft of Imaginative Writing: A Short Course on DisciplineThough all undergraduate institutions offer a range of

English composition courses and many offer courses increative writing, few programs allow interested, motivatedstudents who are also good writers to hear firsthand howthe professional writer of journalism, fiction, creativenonfiction, and poetry progresses in the day-to-dayengagement with the written word. Sensing an interest insuch a course from a sufficiently advanced group ofstudents, I offered "The Craft of Imaginative Writing"during a six-week semester.

Over the short summer semester, I invited 15 publishedwriters from a wide range of genres to read to the Classfrom their work and discuss it in terms of influence, craft,intention, and goals. The students, who had read some-thing from the work of each writer, then questioned thevisiting author closely, drawing, for the most part, from apool of relevant questions we had written in our initialclass meetings.

Who (and what) have been your major influences?What is your typical writing routine? Do you writedaily?Do you keep a journal? Why/why not?What techniques do you use to find "inspiration"?Do you use (have you used) any writing "exercises"?How much revision do you typically do?What is the formal content/intention of your work?What advice would you give a young writer?

On days when no writer visited, we compared reactions,discussed similarities and differences in approach, anddiscussed the work of upcoming writers.

Students were to respond to each visiting writer with anextended journal entry and to write a final 10-page paperdiscussing the work of any writer or writers who hadvisited the class. The midterm and final essay exams askedstudents to discuss insights they had gained about theprocess and practice of serious writing. I was pleased withthe results of the course both in terms of what transpired in

the classroom and in terms of the insights my studentsreached in their written work.

The course was a pleasure to teach; in fact, I often felt asthough, having wound up and started a machine, I hadonly to stand hack and watch it purr. There were surpris-ingly few lulls in the question-and-answer period; in manycases, the discussion lasted an hour or more beyond theallotted class time. My students learned a great deal, tooabout dedication and hard work, about the importance ofreading, and about how one becomes a writer -- simply bywriting, and then by writing (and revising) more. Theinformation was both practical and literary: Studentslearned specific writing practices, and they engaged indiscussions of aesthetics and values. Student feedbackindicated that the course was not only interesting but thatit was, for some, inspiring.

For the instructor, the success of such a course as "TheCraft of Imaginative Writing" requires hard work in themonths prior to the semester during which the course willbe taught. It is imperative that the visiting authors notonly be interesting, accomplished writers, but that theyalso be personable speakers who are honestly willing toshare. (With the permission of the visiting writers, I makean audiotape of each speaker for use in future classes.) Thestudents must he screened, as well, to ensure they aregenuinely interested and are sufficiently advanced in theirown writing that they will he able to engage in fruitfuldiscussion with the visiting authors. And a course like thisis best taught during a short semesterthe experiencemight lose its intensity and become tedious over a longerterm.

Michael Hettich, Associate Professor, English

For further information, contact the author at Miami-DadeCommunity College, Wolfson Campus, 300 NE 2ndAvenue, Miami, FL, 33132.


!Newby 9, 1994, Vol XVI, No. 30©The University of Texas at Austin. 1994


institutions for their own personnel,

INNOVATION ABSTRACTS is a publication ol the National Institute for Stall and Organizational Development (NISOD).Department ol Educational Administration, College ol Education, EDB 348. The University of Texas at Austin. Austin. Texas78712, (512) 471.7545 Funding in part by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation. Issuedweekly when classes are in session during fall and spring terms. ISSN 0199.106X.

DOCUMENT RESUME ED 375 918 JC 940 638

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