November 21-24, 2002

Marcum Conference Center
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio

Meet The Parents: The Faculty's Newest Accountability to Millennial Students

Robert DeBard, School of Leadership & Policy Studies, Bowling Green State University

Abstract:

It is one thing to meet the needs of millennial students who have the highest expectations of any college generation in this nation's history; it is another to also have to meet the needs of their parents. The "parent as agent" has come to the academy from the soccer field with the same need to ensure that children succeed. Boomer generation faculty members are now confronting parents of college-bound students from the same self-righteous generation. To treat this phenomenon as an intrusion is to cause conflict, but to use it as a strategy can result in enhanced student performance.

Proposal:

Much has been written about the strengths and weaknesses of the Millennial student and the impact this newest generation of college students has had on effective teaching. On two previous occasions, I have presented sessions at the Lilly Conference concerning interacting with Millennial students. In 1999, I presented a session entitled “‘Just Do It’ or ‘Just Say No’: Dealing with the Millennial Generation.” Last year, I presented “Clash of the Titans: Boomer Faculty Engage the Millennial Student.” Both sessions attracted large audiences and were well received. My continuing research on this subject has led me to delve into an added complexity to the generally increasing accountability being expected of college faculty: the variable of the “parent as agent” on behalf of the Millennial student.
It is one thing for Boomer faculty members, who are used to being treated as correct, to deal with needful Millennial students who wish to become correct. It is quite another for these same faculty to take on Boomer parents who are used to being correct. This generation of college student parents is the richest and best educated in history. For the first time, the majority of parents sending traditional-age students off to college have been to college themselves. The awe of academe has been largely removed, and the age of consumerism has taken over. Psychiatrist Alvin Rosenfeld and co-author Nicole Wise have written a book entitled Hyper-Parenting: Are You Hurting Your Child by Trying Too Hard? (2000). In it they discuss the continuous pressure on parents to plan and enrich the lives of their children who are now getting ready to go off to college. They suggest that old habits will die hard as parents exercise their concern over securing the best future for their children. In a world of high divorce rates, career mobility and technological change, it has been suggested that parents feel a sense of instability. Stephanie Coontz, a professor of History and Family Studies at Evergreen State College, discussed the anxiety today’s parents of college-bound students feel by saying “Thirty years ago a college degree was the key to the good life. Today’s parents fear that a B.A. isn’t good enough” (Kantrowitz & Wingert, 2001, p. 50).
The result of this combination of expected accountability in an age of consumerism and assertive parenting from the Boomer generation has produced what William Damon, director of Stanford University Center for the Study of Adolescence, described as a new phenomenon of “parents as agents.” He ascribed this phenomenon to smaller families that allow for intensified focus on fewer children. He asserted that the overbearing parent of an earlier generation is now the norm (Damon, 1996). Parents have pressed for higher standards, have joined politicians in advocating more testing, and have held schools more accountable. With the ever-rising cost of going to college, today’s faculty must be prepared to understand what drives Millennial students and their parents.
One of the realities discussed at the Lilly Conference session last year was that in a learner-centered atmosphere, Millennial students are in position to choose where they will learn, how they will learn, when they will learn, and what they will learn. When the projected 76 million members of the Millennial generation stream through the academy in increasing numbers, sponsored by the potentially 70 million Boomer generation parents who view themselves as consumers of an ever more expensive list of alternatives in higher education, the result can be provocative for the faculty and staff charged with serving them.
This session will begin by offering a comparison of Boomer and Millennial generation values. It will then consider the reasons why increased external accountability has raised the stakes for faculty who are used to the autonomy of academic freedom. Then the session participants will discuss ways for reconciling potential conflicts in such a way as to actually enhance the academic performance of Millennial students. Instead of attempting to block parents out of the learning atmosphere, it will be advanced that there is a way of making them part of the motivational equation. It is the intended educational outcome of this session that participants will not only come to appreciate the root causes of the intrusion of parents and the impact this can have on Millennial students’ attitudes, but will also develop strategies to use this concern and energy to advance learning in college.
References
Coontz, S. (1997). The way we really are: coming to terms with America’s changing families. New York: Basic Books.
Damon, W. (1996). Greater expectations: Overcoming the culture of indulgence in our homes and schools. New York: Free Press.
Galinsky, E. (1999). Ask the children: What America’s children really think about working parents. New York: Morrow.
Gardner, H., Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Damon, W. (2001) Good work: When excellence and ethics meet. New York: Basic Books.
Hersch, P. (1998). A tribe apart: A journey into the heart of American adolescence. New York: Fawcett Columbine.
Kantrowitz, B., & Wingert, P. (2001, January 29). The parent trap. Newsweek 137 (5), 48-55.
Levine, A., & Cureton, J. S. (1998).When hope and fear collide: A portrait of today’s college student. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Howe, N., & Strauss, W. (2000) Millennials rising: The next great generation. New York: Vintage Books.
Rosenfeld, A.A., & Wise, N. (2000). Hype-parenting: Are you hurting your child by trying too hard? New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Whitman, D. (1998). The optimism gap: The “I’m OK—they’re not” syndrome and the myth of the American decline. New York: Walker and Company.

MALA: A Framework for Classroom Management

Matt DeLong, Department of Mathematics, Taylor University

Abstract:

Our main objective will be to present and explore a framework--the MALA (Motivation, Activity, Learning outcomes, and Attribution) framework--for classroom management. This conception of classroom management is particularly compatible with ideas of student-centered instruction in mathematics. We will discuss analytic frameworks generally, and in particular their role in the scholarship of teaching. We will develop the MALA framework, which is closely tied to the literature on motivation in the classroom. Finally, we will show how to employ the framework to generate and systematize interpretations of complex classroom management situations.

Proposal:

During the last 15 years, many members of the college mathematics community have made serious efforts to address perceived problems with undergraduate mathematics education. One part of this effort has been to encourage instructors to use student-centered instruction (SCI) in addition to, or in place of, lecturing. For characterizations of SCI in science and mathematics, respectively, see Felder and Brent (1996) and DeLong and Winter (2001). Implementing and sustaining SCI appears to be a difficult undertaking for many college mathematics instructors (DeLong & Winter, 1998). One large class of difficulties arises from the disconnect between the norms of an SCI classroom and the assumptions underlying much of the standard classroom management advice.
Any conception of “classroom management” must be rooted in a conception of the work that teachers do. Synthesizing Doyle (1986) and Martin and Baldwin (1996), we suggest a broad definition of classroom management that consists of establishing and maintaining a classroom environment in which students can learn, and that this task consists of monitoring, directing and responding to a wide range of different forms of information and activity including student learning, behavior and interactions.
With this conception of classroom management, we develop our analytic framework. By an analytical framework, we mean a tool designed and employed for the purposes of generating and systematizing interpretations of complex situations. Geertz (1973, p. 5) characterizes the practice of analyzing a culture as “. . . the analysis of [culture] to be therefore not an experimental science in search of law but an interpretive one in search of meaning.” In creating a framework, we are not attempting to devise something with the imagined status of a physical law. Instead, we are attempting to create an aid for the discovery and expression of meaning. In other words, the goal of developing and employing such frameworks is to help interested individuals deepen their understanding of complex phenomena, rather than to synthesize statements of absolute truth.
Our analytic framework, the Motivation, Activity, Learning Outcomes, and Attribution (MALA) framework, is synthesized out of a survey of research results in education and psychology. In particular, Hudley (1997) notes that surveys of educational research consistently identify classroom management and student motivation as having particularly strong effects on student achievement outcomes. Moreover, Keller (1987) suggests that learners must see an activity as having relevance or potential for meaning to them, and that they must feel confident in their ability to successfully complete the task, before they will put forth extensive efforts to complete it. Therefore, the components of our framework are student motivation, student activity, student learning outcomes, and student attribution of success. With this framework we hope to generate some valuable insights into the student-centered classroom, and in particular, to the functions that an instructor might attempt to perform while establishing and maintaining a classroom environment in which students can learn.
We hope our framework will be useful in the professional development of instructors. Evidence (Emerson, Mosteller, & Youtz, 2000) suggests that advice on teaching that is not meaningfully integrated with instructors’ perceptions of their classes is unlikely to produce any substantial or long-lasting change. However, collaborative interpretation of feedback with an expert teacher familiar with the class in question was shown to significantly increase the likelihood of significant gains in proficiency. In this vein, we will have participants employ the framework to analyze vignettes describing actual class sessions with varying issues of classroom management, in order to generate systematic interpretations leading to suggestions for improved technique. Participants will also be encouraged to employ the framework to analyze their own teaching experiences.
References
DeLong, M., & Winter, D. (1998). Addressing difficulties with student-centered instruction. PRIMUS, 8 (4), 340-364.
DeLong, M., & Winter, D. (2001). An objective approach to student-centered instruction. PRIMUS, 11 (1), 27-52.
Doyle, W. (1986). Classroom organization and management. In M. C. Wittrock (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (3rd ed.). New York: Macmillan.
Emerson, J. D., Mosteller, F., & Youtz, C. (2000). Students can help improve college teaching: A review and an agenda for the statistics profession. In C. R. Rao & G. J. Szekely (Eds.), Statistics for the twenty-first century: Methodologies for applications of the future. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Felder, R. M., & Brent, R. (1996). Navigating the bumpy road to student-centered instruction. College Teaching, 44, 43-47.
Geertz, C. (1973). The interpretation of cultures. New York: Basic Books.
Hudley, C. A. (1997). Teacher practices and student motivation in a middle school program for African American males. Urban Education, 32 (2), 304-319.
Keller, J. M. (1987). Strategies for stimulating the motivation to learn. Performance and Instruction, 26 (8), 1-7.
Martin, N. K., & Baldwin, B. (1996). Perspectives regarding classroom management style: Differences between elementary and secondary level teachers. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Southwest Educational Research Association, New Orleans.

Applying Mastery Learning in the College Classroom

Ron DelPorto & Carla Torgerson, Division of Science, Penn State Erie – The Behrend College

Abstract:

This presentation discusses the mastery learning techniques implemented in a summer class and compares students’ feedback to that of students in courses taught in the past without the mastery learning approach. Some of the key techniques implemented are mastery learning quizzes and end-of-class self-assessment. Students do electronic mastery learning quizzes before coming to class. The quizzes focus on concepts from the reading that has been assigned for class and give immediate feedback. The implementation of these quizzes has raised the level of student comprehension and has increased the quality of questions students ask in class. At the end of each lecture the students submit a short self-assessment paper where they discuss the most important point learned, any questions they may have, and the “muddiest point” of the lecture. (These questions come from the Minute Paper developed by Angelo & Cross, 1993.) This allows the instructor to determine the level of student learning and address problem areas in the next lesson.

Proposal:

Applying Mastery Learning in the College ClassroomThis presentation will discuss the mastery learning techniques I have implemented in my summer class and compares the students’ response to the students in courses I’ve taught in the past. Some of the key techniques I implemented are mastery learning quizzes and end-of-class self-assessments.
Mastery Learning Quizzes
I have created mastery learning quizzes that my students do *before* coming to class. The quizzes focus on concepts from the reading that has been assigned for class. This encourages students to not only read the text, but also read it well before coming to class. Students can do the quiz as often as they wish which encourages them to do the quiz until they get a nearly perfect score. I do the quiz electronically, using a course management system, so students can get the feedback immediately and they can do the quiz repeatedly without increasing my grading time.
I have found that the implementation of these quizzes has raised the level of student comprehension of the material I cover. It has also increased the quality of questions my students ask in class. Not only have they done the reading, but they’ve thought about it in advance which allows them time to consider how those concepts relate to other parts of the course or things they’ve done outside of class.
End-of-Class Self-Assessment
At the end of each lecture I have students submit a short self-assessment paper, answering three questions:
1. What was the most important thing you learned in this class?
2. What important question remains unanswered?
3. What was the “muddiest point” in today’s lecture?
(from Minute Paper, developed by Angelo, 1993)
Students write short answers to each of these questions and then I review them to find out where students are confused or didn’t catch the key points of my lecture. This allows them to reflect on what they learned (or did not learn) in class and also lets me know what areas I need to cover again in the following class.
References
Angelo, T. A., & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Integration of Service Learning and Teleconferences for Fostering a Transformative Learning Experience

Timothy Dowd, Department of Psychology, Miami University

Christine E. Pawelski, Global Institute, National Center for Disability Services

Alberto Bursztyn, School of Education, Brooklyn College/The City University of New York

Abstract:

Service learning and teleconferences were used to foster a transformative learning experience among Miami University students enrolled in a Psychology of Physical Disabilities course. Students spent four days volunteering in an 8th grade class at the Henry Viscardi School (HVS) for physically disabled children in New York. Students applied psychological concepts and theories to experiences of interacting with children with physical disabilities. A teleconference was held between MU students and HVS students prior to the visit in order to develop personal relationships. A teleconference was also held between MU students and Brooklyn College students to discuss psychological issues of physical disabilities.

Proposal:

There are numerous ways that learning can take place. The most traditional method in a college classroom is for students to be assigned readings and for the teacher to impart knowledge through a series of lectures (Carbone, 1998). Another popular teaching method is for students to be assigned readings and come together as a group to discuss their impressions and thoughts (Kramer & Korn, 1996). However, how does a teacher impart to students what it is like to live the life of another? Certainly, you can read autobiographical accounts of lives and have guest lecturers come to tell their stories (Wasserman, 1993). Service learning (Cantor, 1997) provides another way students can have a transformative experience (Bursztyn, 2002) in which their thinking is altered in fundamental ways.
Psychology of Physical Disabilities Course
During the spring semester of 2002, Timothy Dowd taught a Psychology of Physical Disabilities course at Miami University (MU). One purpose of this class was to expose students to various psychological, social, and educational issues related to physical disabilities (Henderson & Bryan, 1997). Students were assigned a diverse set of readings, including journal articles on research and theories related to issues of physical disabilities (Harper, 1997; Krantz, 1995) and autobiographical accounts of those living with physical disabilities (Viscardi, 1972; Young & McNicoll, 1998). The class was limited to nine students in order to foster an in-depth analysis of the content area by each participant.
Service-Learning Component
A second purpose of this course was to provide students an opportunity to interact extensively with children having physical disabilities in order to gain an understanding of issues that cannot be easily portrayed in journal articles or autobiographical accounts (Cantor, 1997). During spring break, the class traveled by van from Oxford, Ohio, to the Henry Viscardi School (HVS) in Albertson, New York. The Henry Viscardi School is one of the few schools in the United States, which exclusively serves children with physical disabilities with programs from pre-K to high school. A co-curricular grant was obtained from Miami University to cover most expenses (e.g., transportation and lodging).
The MU students volunteered at HVS for four days with teacher Nancy Beardsley’s 8th grade class. The 8th grade students had physical disabilities ranging from cerebral palsy to muscular dystrophy. The MU students spent time in the 8th graders’ academic classes (science, English, etc.) and other courses (e.g., industrial technology, physical education, etc.), and they all ate lunches together.
Teleconferences
A key component of the course was to establish relationships between the MU students and the 8th grade students at the HVS prior to the MU students’ visit. This was accomplished by having a teleconference between MU students and the 8th grade students at HVS two weeks before the trip. Dr. Christine Pawelski, Director of the Global Institute (a program of the National Center for Disability Services, within which HVS is also a division), facilitated a get-to-know-you session among all the participants involved. This was an invaluable component to the service-learning aspect of the course because it established connections between the two groups and served to enhance anticipation of all participants for the visit.
The MU students also held a teleconference with Dr. Alberto Bursztyn’s class, which was taking the course Urban Children and Adolescents: Development and Education from Brooklyn College during their visit to HVS. MU students shared their experiences of volunteering at the HVS with the Brooklyn College students and in the process both groups were exposed to student cultures unlike their own.
Transformative Learning Experience
Learning utilizing more field-based formats requires different types of evaluation that are not always easy to construct in order to measure outcomes effectively (Bursztyn, 2002). Assignments included critical analysis papers, a journal of experiences at HVS, and a group project on the feasibility of starting a school like HVS in Ohio. However, perhaps the best way to demonstrate the meaning of this course is to quote one student’s (Jaclyn Tooley, a junior psychology major and pre-law) impressions:
. . . it was honestly a life-changing experience for me because this learning environment is just so completely different from anything I had ever experienced, and the kids here they accept each other, they are so mature. I was especially impressed by the kids . . . it really changed the way I thought I wanted to do with my future. Now I say “possibly” law school because at this point it’s something that I look at as I only want to go to law school if I know I’m going to be able to help somebody out. And not just go to law school and become an attorney who practices corporate law that doesn’t help anybody. So I guess life change is my perspective.
Jaclyn showed the kind of transformative learning experience hoped for, and this probably occurred because of the service-learning component of the course.
Presentation Outline
We plan to organize our presentation for the Lilly Conference into five parts: (1) Timothy Dowd will discuss the parameters of the Psychology of Physical Disabilities course and the importance of the service-learning component (i.e. students volunteering at HVS); (2) Dr. Christine Pawelski will discuss the value of teleconferences bridging the geographical distances to prepare participants for service learning; (3) Dr. Alberto Bursztyn will discuss the educational benefits of having teleconferences with two diverse college student populations and the possibilities of having colleges offering similar courses network among its students; (4) Jaclyn Tooley and Christy Hill, undergraduate students who participated in the course, will convey their personal experiences related to service learning at HVS; (5) audience members will be encouraged to share their own experiences with service learning and teleconferences in other undergraduate disciplines.
References
Bursztyn, A. (2002). What makes a transformative learning experience? Manuscript in progress. Brooklyn College/The City University of New York.
Cantor, J. A. (1997). Experiential learning in higher education: Linking classroom and community. Washington, DC: Graduate School of Education and Human Development, The George Washington University.
Carbone, E. L. (1998). Teaching large classes: Tools and strategies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Harper, D. (1997). Children’s attitudes toward physical disability in Nepal. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 28 (6), 710-729.
Henderson, G., & Bryan, W. V. (1997). Psychosocial aspects of disability (2nd ed.). Springfield, IL: Thomas Books.
Kramer, T. J., & Korn, J. H. (1999). Class discussions: Promoting participation and preventing problems. In B. Perlmen, L. I. McCann, & S. H. McFadden (Eds.), Lessons learned: Practical advice for teaching psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Society.
Krantz, S. (1995). Chronic physical disability and secondary control: Appraisals of an undesirable situation. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 9 (4), 229-248.
Viscardi, H. (1972). But not on our block. New York: Paul S. Eriksson.
Wasserman, S. (1993). Getting down to cases: Learning to teach through case studies. New York: Teachers College Press.
Young, J., & McNicoll, P. (1998). Against all odds: Positive life experiences of people with advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Health and Social Work, 23 (1), 35-43.

Juggling Content, Pedagogy, and Assessment Through the Use of Cases in the Classroom

Douglas Eder, Director, Undergraduate Assessment & Program Review & The Undergraduate Research Academy
Cathy Santanello, Program Director, Excellence in Learning & Teaching Initiative, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Abstract:

We have found that the use of cases in the classroom engages students’ attention and provides enjoyment, partly because cases have an air of mystery. Students often respond as sleuths. Cases also require students to invoke deeper aspects of learning such as critical thinking, ethical decision making, writing, speaking, and quantitative reasoning. By making these attributes visible while students are learning them, cases allow for assessment of these deeper components. Participants in this session of good humor and interactivity will examine a model case and apply Primary Trait Analysis to assess the outcomes produced by this learning environment.

Proposal:

“The job of the artist is to deepen the mystery.” –Frances Bacon
“Well . . . that little mystery solved.” –Martin Crane (on Frasier)
Almost everyone loves a good mystery. Whether it is the thrill of gathering clues or the surprise of uncovering the solution itself, we appreciate the journey of discovery. The journey of discovery in the classroom is similarly enhanced when accompanied by the enthusiasm and motivation of solving a mystery. Moreover, when students assemble knowledge and skills in order to approach a mysterious case, they reveal their competence and control of the material they should of learned...a process some people term “assessment.” How might a professor juggle the elements of creating a sense of mystery, generating cases in the classroom, and then using them to assess student learning?
What are the elements of a good case? As reported by Robyn (1985), Bennett and Chakravarthy (1978), and Herreid (1997), elements to be considered include
Ý currency and relevance for the audience
Ý interesting plot
Ý element of suspense
Ý empathy for main characters
Ý dialog
Ý conflict for the reader
Ý requirement for a decision
Ý generalizability
Ý brevity
Ý strong pedagogical purpose
Ý environment for comfort and humor
The presenters have found that using cases with the aforementioned elements has enriched the classroom setting. One method has been to provide short, thought-provoking cases that include “critical incident” questions. We have needed to provide enough background content to enable students to do a thorough literature review. Like mysteries that attract good detectives, cases work best when they include various angles worth pursuing. Conversely, the best cases are also brief, so that readers stay engaged and feel encouraged to respond creatively. Students were expected to create a response paper and defend it in class. The classroom was always buzzing at the onset of class on the day papers were to be discussed. This approach not only fostered a critical-thinking environment, it also added an element of anticipation and mystery. Descriptors from student evaluations concerning cases have ranged from “cool,” “informative,” and “thought provoking,” to “I felt a sense of community”, and “I felt like a sleuth.” Use of cases has deepened student engagement and enjoyment. An additional advantage is that through case studies, the various components of student learning become evident and assessible.
Assessment is a process that makes visible the content and skills that have been learned. In contrast to the usual practice with grades, assessment provides feedback to students during the learning process, thus allowing for modification and correction. Among the many assessment devices available, one of the most powerful is Primary Trait Analysis (PTA). This device, simply put, allows a professor to test for the presence of specific, intentional elements in student work and, moreover, to appraise the level of student achievement in each element. The feedback information so obtained is then used to celebrate those areas where students are strong and to review and strengthen those areas where students are weak. Applied to case studies, PTA makes student learning visible and facilitates subsequent learning.
Case studies are embedded in the teaching and learning process, thereby providing a nearly transparent assessment opportunity. In addition to content knowledge, the academic elements accessible through PTA of case studies include, but are not limited to, critical thinking, problem solving, team work, oral communication, written communication, ethical awareness, creativity, scientific literacy, and quantitative reasoning (the latter two depending on the facts in the case).
So, how does one juggle the three items of course content, case pedagogy, and meaningful assessment? For the Lilly Conference, we have planned the following scenario, to be delivered with much good humor and great interaction with the audience:
1. We will outline through a purposely droll five-minute lecture on a module of content to be learned.
2. We then ask the audience what goals for student learning should accompany the content. Anticipated responses include critical thinking, problem solving, ethical awareness, written communication, etc. As part of the discussion we will discuss what pedagogies are appropriate to achieving these goals.
3. Next, we ask how one knows when students are achieving these goals. Especially in a content-rich discipline, there is a tendency to lecture. In so doing, this tends to treat content as an explicit goal and other goals as implicit goals. The facilitators will outline Primary Trait Analysis and engage the audience in an interactive, humorous assessment that demonstrates that they can actually “do PTA.” Two goals of this exercise are (a) to acquire 3-5 sets of standards by which PTA can be practiced immediately in the room and (b) to calibrate the participants in the use of those standards.
4. We will put the participants in groups and present a case that contains content similar to that of the droll lecture of step #1 above. A subset of groups will be assigned to do not the case study itself but, rather, PTA. These groups, by using the goals generated in step #2 and the standards generated in step #3, will perform PTA collectively on the reports emanating from the case study. This is not the same thing as grading, and the group reports will not be graded. Rather, the Primary Trait Analysis will reveal performance across all groups on the intended goals in order to provide feedback on “curricular performance” as provided by the facilitators.
5. We will debrief the participants and discuss the exercise by examining where and how the Primary Traits themselves were taught, where they could be taught with more emphasis, and where they might be finessed more easily through the use of cases.
In our experience, we find that course content can be delivered in much the same time frame through the use of cases as through lecture. In addition, we confirm that in order to learn the deeper baccalaureate goals, they must be practiced. This requires active participation on the part of students. Solving cases engages students actively and, moreover, makes their achievement of goals evident. Hence, their learning can be assessed.
References
Bennett, J. B., & Chakravarthy, B. (1978, March/April). What awakens student interest in a case? Harvard Business School Bulletin, 12-14.
Herreid, C. F. (1997). What makes a good case? Journal of Case Study Teaching, 163-165.
Robyn, D. (1985). What makes a good case? Presidential Fellows of Harvard College Notes, N15-86-673, 1-7.

Teaching the Principles of Behavior Modification Using Problem-Based Learning

Diane Feibel, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Raymond Walters College-University of Cincinnati

Abstract:

The objective of this session is to show the value of using problem-based learning (PBL) in teaching the principles of behavior modification. PBL uses student-centered, interactive, collaborative learning, to help students achieve short-term goals (course objectives) as well as long-term goals of more critical, creative, practical thinking that they can carry forward. After a minimal amount of basic knowledge is learned to start the process, the teacher acts as coach and tutor to facilitate the process of learning via real-life problems.

Proposal:

Problem-based learning (PBL) is having students learn by using real-life problems serving as the motivation and framework. (Harper-Marinick, 2001). In wanting to know or being able to solve the problems, students learn the required basic knowledge as the first stepping stone toward the solution (Bloom, 1956). As the solution process continues, students learn vital critical-thinking skills along with the necessity for adaptable, flexible, and creative thinking in the face of barriers. With the endpoint of a solution being part of the motivating force, students must realize that divergent thinking, a generation of new hypotheses/alternative pathways, will help them get there.
Based upon the original work on PBL done at McMaster University (1969) on medical school education at the Family of Health Sciences, learning has been described as having four separate aspects. These are that (a) learning is student-centered, rather than teacher-propelled; (b) learning is a collaborative effort occurring in small groups and generating a combined solution; (c) learning is facilitated by teachers serving as tutors or coaches who facilitate “discovery, inquiry, analysis, and reporting” (Harper-Marinick, p. 1); and (d) learners are stimulated by the problem they are presented with and the need to work with their group members leading to effective solutions.
The PBL process involves hypothetico-deductive reasoning (Barrows & Tamblyn, cited by Wilkerson & Gijselaers, 1996). This type of reasoning involves the formation of hypotheses and “top-down” processing from a total concept into specific examples. In order to prepare students for successful PBL, the teacher (coach) must first make sure that a minimal amount of basic information/knowledge has been mastered. This can occur via teacher-centered didactic teaching/instruction or via student-centered archival research/readings. Students can then use that knowledge to generate and synthesize hypotheses for the solution of the problem, recognizing what additional information may need to be acquired. This sets up a feedback loop to motivate additional research. Students use the newly acquired information that is shared with other group members, leading to the generation of newly-revised hypotheses. When the problem becomes solved, feedback occurs, again leading to self- and group-assessment of the accuracy and effectiveness of the solution. The role of the teacher in all of this is that of a coach who asks directed questions, monitors the problem-solving process, and suggests appropriate resources for further research.
According to Fink (2001), there are several specific criteria that determine a well-designed course. They include active learning and educative assessment, which lead to teaching/learning activities, coupled with feedback/assessment, which leads to the learning of goals and objectives, which leads to higher level learning.
Applying PBL to a Behavior Modification Course
Setting up a course in Behavior Modification using PBL required me to have an educational structure in addition to the content structure of the knowledge of the course. First, I determined my objectives for the students in the course. In other words, what were my learning goals for my students by the end of the course. There were short-term goals (within the context of the specific course) and long-term goals (achievements that will transcend the specifics of this course).
Short-Term Goals
(1) Learn the basic definitions, concepts, facts, etc.
(2) Apply information to the individual problem.
(3) Analyze all the aspects of the behavior mod. Establish a contract they will carry out to determine what appears to be the best variables, i.e., schedule of reinforcement, types of reinforcement, etc.
(4) Synthesize new ideas from previous ones and relate information from several sources.
(5) Evaluate the success of applying the theories and basic information to their specific problem.
(6) Recognize the importance of adapting principles of behavior modification to the changing needs of a contract in order for it to be successful in the real world.
Long-Term Goals
(1) Abstract new critical thinking skills from the short-term goals
(2) Improve critical, creative, and practical thinking:
a. Critical Thinking: students analyze and evaluate.
b. Creative Thinking: students use divergent thinking, generation of ideas, creation of novel/original ideas.
c. Practical Thinking: students become more capable in solving problems and making decisions.
(3) Improve integrating goals:
a. Relate knowledge in the course to application to self, work, etc.
b. Relate information in other contexts to the present problem, i.e., generalizing, differentiating, etc.
(4) Human Dimension Goals:
a. Students learn more about themselves, i.e., personality traits (McCrae & Costa, 1990), learning styles, learning skills, etc.
b. Students learn more about others, i.e., understanding and interacting with others
In summary, in assigning a PBL behavior modification assignment of setting up a contract, and then carrying it out, students learn essential aspects of the principles of the course material but also, learn additional practical, creative, and critical thinking skills that they will carry onto other learning experiences.
References
Wilkerson, L., & Gijselaers, W. (Eds.). (1996). Bringing problem-based learning to higher education: Theory and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bloom, B. (Ed.). (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives, handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay.
Fink, L. D. (2001). Higher level learning: The first step toward more significant learning. To Improve the Academy, 19, 113-130.
Harper-Marinick, M. (2001). Engaging students in problem-based learning [On-line]. Available: www.mcli.dist.maricopa.edu/forum/spr01/tl1.html
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (1990). Personality in adulthood. New York: Guilford Press.

Application of Peer Assessments in Base Groups

Steven A. Freeman, Iowa State University

Abstract:

This session explores the process of using peer assessments in cooperative learning to hold students individually accountable and thereby provide fair grading to students who do the work, as well as to those who do not. The presenter will begin the dialogue by providing some background information and then discuss the evolution of using uses peer evaluations in his classes along with the results of a case study looking at the application of peer assessments. The session will also allow participants to share their successes and failures using peer assessments to help identify best practices.

A Progression From a Low to a Higher Tech Application:
Increasing Student Responsibility for Learning

Robert K. Fritz
Department of Modern Languages & Classics
Ball State University

Abstract:

A serendipitous discovery led to a progression from a low to a higher tech application increasing student responsibility for learning in and out of my Intermediate Spanish classroom. By advancing to this application, my administration of a multi-step process to sharpen my students’ writing and verbal presentation skills was virtually taken out of my hands and placed into those of my students up to the point where I needed to begin evaluations. At the same time, students were required and allowed to progress relatively at their own pace within a restricted period of time.

Proposal:

In the technology revolution in education, the question arises, “Is this way of doing things really different or just the same thing presented in a digital format?” This technological application does make a difference because it is unique in its resolution of problems of efficiency and student responsibility.
The low-tech beginning to this project was that my students’ Spanish vocabulary writing assignments be handed in having been produced by some sort of mechanical as opposed to manual means. The advantage of this use of low tech consisted of my not having to read handwritten submissions. The disadvantage consisted of my needing to write my emendations electronically.
Beginning with access to Blackboard©, one step toward higher tech, the ability to interchange documents electronically appealed to me enormously. The new protocol was that the student would “hand in” the assignment electronically, I would evaluate it, giving it a numerical grade, and annotate it for improvement. If I would write more than a number reference to a chapter section reference, I would write totally in Spanish so that, in addition to indicating the writing problem, the student would get more practice in reading and trying to understand Spanish, since an inaccurate reading of the commentary generally made necessary excessive numbers of drafts of the assignment. The best news was that my “writing” was legible due to being machine produced, and, of course, I could return it electronically to the student.
A need arose to modify the “choosing” of a vocabulary item in order to free up class time for other activities. The first attempt consisted of finding a solution within Blackboard. By using its “Discussion Board,” we were able to devise a way for students to choose a vocabulary item and post it in such a way that as they came to check the board, they could see at a virtual glance what items had already been chosen. This approach was awkward since the Discussion Board was not designed to be used this way. Serendipitously, I was teamed with a technician who was able to modify an application already devised for another use. Together we were able design a means to not only do better what we were trying to do with Blackboard’s Discussion Board but to present it almost 100% in Spanish—an exemplary melding of content expertise with technological expertise.
The advantages of this application over the Discussion Board are as follows:
1. It’s designed specifically for this usage.
2. Although we could have done so with the Discussion Board, had it been implemented from the beginning of the semester, this new application set forth the whole semester’s assignments.
3. The writing assignments are carried out in four cycles which match the four exams over two chapters each that are given throughout the semester. In order to minimize class time devoted to having students pick items via an overhead transparency, I did the choosing activity in two different class periods which necessitated two different deadlines per cycle for electronically handing in the definition. With the new system, I set one deadline and no class time was devoted to the choosing.
4. Although I originally chose the vocabulary presented as the third item in each chapter, with this new way of choosing items, I was additionally able to include the page or pages at the end of each chapter that summarized the vocabulary in a list form without the attractive visuals but which added some items not listed earlier in the chapter and unable to fit on the transparency.
5. If a student doesn’t notice that an item has been claimed, the application warns her/him of the transgression and requires a new pick.
6. I rarely even have to look at this “claiming” application. It is virtually totally under the control of the students.
7. Since the technician and I shared the belief that less is better, the application does not display names to the students as happened with the Discussion Board but I as “Administrator” can find out who claimed what, if the students fulfill the requirement to give their true first and last names.
An advantage as well as a slight disadvantage is that all three classes that I happened to be teaching were visible to all the students. The advantage is that it simplifies the steps I must take to make a link since the same one serves all. The disadvantage is that a few students didn’t pay attention and claimed their vocabulary item in the wrong class.
The disadvantages of this application may be that it possibly favors visually oriented students, and, if a student is careless in writing the vocabulary item in the “claiming” application, it’s possible it may not be noticed and be claimed by someone else.
In conclusion, it seems to me that this technological enhancement to the “vocabulary project” provides a way to facilitate the activity in ways that a nontechnological approach cannot accomplish. Putting the process on line frees up 20 to 30 minutes of class time. Students are required to determine their own approach to timing and effort to accomplish the task. Although this there may be away to accomplish this latter goal in a nontechnological way, the technological solution takes it out of the professor’s hands unless an intervention is required. Finally, since it was originally conceived for a purpose other than a Spanish class, this application is readily modifiable for other disciplines.

Using Animation to Enhance Learning

Raymond D. Frost
Management Information Systems Department
Ohio University

Abstract:

The session describes the use of animation to teach systems concepts and program flow in a database course. Examples include animating problem analysis as well as the creation of modeling diagrams, forms and reports, SQL queries, normalization, and so forth. The techniques described can be applied to any course that uses diagrams or logically sequenced ideas to present concepts. Survey results showing the success of the animations will be presented. The session will also describe how to teach students to create animations. It will be argued that animation supports kinesthetic learning—which is the dominant learning style among students.

Rewarding Criticism: Combining Social Rewards, Bonus Points, and Tangible Rewards

Raymond D. Frost, Management Information Systems Department, Ohio University

Abstract

The session describes the use of social rewards, bonus points and tangible rewards to encourage students to criticize each other's presentations as well as the professor's lecture. The technique grew out of frustration at the code of silence normally exhibited by students when attending each other's presentations. With the technique, over 100 incidents of criticism were recorded in a single quarter. When surveyed, students reported that the reward structure motivated them to better prepare for presentations and increased their learning. Further research will explore ideal team size, reward thresholds, and reward product mix.

Working Smart: Assignments, Classroom Activities, and Grading Strategies That Save Time While Still Providing a Dynamite Learning Experience

Regina A. Galer-Unti, Department of Health & Kinesiology, Purdue University

Peggy Holmes-Layman, Department of Recreation Administration, Eastern Illinois University

Abstract:

How do college professors, faced with increasing workloads resulting from administrative and research duties, create meaningful assignments, and formulate mechanisms that accurately assess student learning without significantly amplifying their workload? We present the results of a survey designed to reveal timesaving techniques employed by professors. After presenting the survey results and discussing common characteristics of reported techniques, we will engage participants in a problem-solving exercise. Participants will identify an area for evaluation in a course, discuss the desired outcome of the learning experience, and design a timesaving assessment mechanism. Finally, an idea exchange will be moderated by the session leaders.

Proposal:

As colleges and universities increase the expectations for professors’ research and administrative duties, the amount of time for dedication to one’s teaching responsibilities is concomitantly reduced. This is a particular problem for faculty who must dedicate a disproportionate amount of time to writing grants and articles or face the consequences of the “publish or perish” standard. Unfortunately, these time considerations often result in conflicts regarding the amount of time spent on grading student assignments. How, then, can dedicated collegiate-level teachers uphold excellence in teaching, encourage students to engage in critical thinking, and provide for appropriate experiential activities--all without increasing the percentage of their time devoted strictly to teaching duties?
This session is intended to present the results of a survey designed to discover the timesaving techniques of university professors. The survey was distributed to a convenience sample of faculty in a variety of disciplines, and at colleges and universities of various sizes. Professors were asked to comment on the structure of the courses they taught (for instance, large lecture format) and to answer questions regarding the timesaving techniques they have developed, borrowed, or reformulated during their years of teaching. Respondents were asked to give detailed explanations regarding their use of timesaving strategies in student assessment that actively engaged students in critical-thinking activities and/or encouraged student engagement, yet did not significantly increase professors’ workload. Respondents were asked to comment regarding perceived and documented measurement of student satisfaction and learning with regard to these timesaving activities. Finally, the respondents were queried about other timesaving techniques they have employed over the years that have successfully reduced the amount of time spent on tasks related to teaching administration (such as grading systems).
After presentation of the survey results, participants in this session will complete a survey in which they answer questions about a particular class in which they have trouble controlling the time spent on grading tasks. A workshop approach will be used, as participants identify the problem areas, identify the significance of the teaching objective, and develop strategies to decrease the time spent on grading. This part of the presentation will involve a free exchange of ideas among all participants.
References
Angelo, T.A., & Cross, K. P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques (2nd ed.) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ballantyne, R., Bain, J. D., & Packer, J. (1999). Researching university teaching in Australia: Themes and issues in academics’ reflections. Studies in Higher Education, 24 (2), 237-257.
Bean, J. C. (1996). Engaging ideas: The professor’s guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Blythe, H., & Sweet, C. (Eds.). (2002). It works for me, too! Stillwater, OK: New Forums Press.
Hilgers, T. L., Bayer, A. S., Stitt-Bergh, M., & Taniguchi, M. (1995). Doing more than “Thinning out the herd”: How eighty-two college seniors perceived writing-intensive classes. Research in the Teaching of English, 29, 59-87.
Hilgers, T. L., Hussey, E. L., & Stitt-Bergh, M. (1999). “As you’re writing, you have these epiphanies”: What college students say about writing and learning in their majors. Written Communication, 16, 317-353.
Larson, L. (1995). Making writing real: “Rewrite Days” and other empowerments. College Teaching, 43, 132-133.

Lowman, J. (1984). Mastering the techniques of teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

McMullen-Pastrick, M., & Gleason, M. (1986). Examinations: Accentuating the positive. College Teaching, 34 (4), 135-139.
Phoenix, C. Y. (1987). Get them involved! Styles of high- and low-rated teachers. College Teaching, 35 (1), 13-15.
Valde, G. (1997). Promoting student participation and learning through the use of weekly writing assignments. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 8 (3), 67-76.

Young, S., & Shaw, D. G. (1999). Profiles of effective college and university teachers. The Journal of Higher Education, 70 (6), 670-686.

Using Technology to Increase Class Participation

Alice Gardner, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy

Abstract:

A problem identified in a large undergraduate core curriculum science course for non-science majors was decreased class participation. Several inherent features of this type of course were identified as problems contributing to this phenomenon. The challenge was to engage students in a meaningful way that would increase their interaction in class, while developing motivated and proactive learners. Potential solutions leading to increased class participation were explored and incorporated into the classroom. A combined approach of a practical application of technology with traditional pedagogical methods was used.

Proposal:

Introduction
As course director for a science course at a large Midwestern research university, one of my major goals was to develop an introductory pharmacology course that was offered to non-science major undergraduates to satisfy their core curriculum science requirements.
The format of the course was in contrast to other undergraduate courses offered at this institution in that it was team-taught. A team of lecturers, including me and graduate teaching assistants in the Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science, taught the course, with each instructor teaching for four or five consecutive class sessions before rotating with another.
Because this course was specifically developed as a core curriculum science class, the students were primarily those with non-science backgrounds, and their elected majors were highly diverse: theology, psychology, economics, information systems, language, and theatre.
A persistent problem observed was the low level of student class participation. Several inherent features in this type of class were identified as contributing to this problem. First, class size was an issue. Typically, 65-70 students were enrolled in the class each year. An intrinsic problem with this large class size is that it potentially creates psychological barriers towards meaningful class interaction.
Second, the team-taught aspect of the course was identified as a further problem. The wide range of teaching styles among the six or seven instructors teaching this course could further discourage students from active class participation. In the past, while evaluating the instructors, it was observed that at the beginning of a lecture module by a new instructor, class interaction was low, but this improved slowly as students became accustomed to his or her style. However, because a new instructor then had to take over, the whole process repeated itself. This created a cycle of low and inconsistent class participation.
Third, the course type was associated as a problem. Because this was a lower division course, the standard method of evaluating students was solely by written exam. This was identified as leading to reactive learners and contributing to diminished class interaction.
The challenge, therefore, was to engage students in a meaningful way that would increase class interaction while developing motivated and proactive learners. Therefore, my objective was to initiate changes in the syllabus that would lead to increased class interaction. I therefore used a combined approach of traditional pedagogical methods with technology. To enable the process, I utilized Web Course Tools (WebCT), an “integrated e-learning system” (“About WebCT”) that allows an instructor and the respective students to utilize the internet to provide and receive instruction, respectively, as a practical application of technology. For example, WebCT allows an instructor to present course material quizzes and exams, conduct online discussions, post messages, manage grades, show images etc. In turn, the students can review material, submit assignments and take quizzes, etc. (Olliges, 2001). The flexibility of the system allows an instructor to implement select features of WebCT and thus tailor their course to suit their needs.
Aim 1: Incorporate Student Discussions
as a Potential Solution Leading to Increased Class Participation
Discussions were initiated as an approach to answering questions in pharmacology while simultaneously engendering class interaction. On WebCT the instructor placed an announcement on the calendar to review a paper/article to which a link had been created. For example, during lectures on HIV-AIDS, a link to an appropriate scientific journal was established that focused on the devastating effects caused by the disease, in particular the lack of affordable medication in Sub-Saharan Africa. A question was then posted on the Web, and each student was then asked to defend or refute a specific position. For example, students had to imagine themselves as either a CEO of a pharmaceutical company, a health minister of a developing country, an economist, or a grandparent who had lost her children to the disease, and determine what steps to undertake to resolve the problems. In the next class, the instructor, student presenter, and students would initiate a discussion about their positions.
Aim 2:
Incorporate Group Presentations as a Potential Solution
Leading to Increased Class Participation
Group presentations were initiated as an approach to expose students to a variety of online learning resources for study and exploration of health topics in an interactive manner. The goal was for an assigned group of students to choose a journal/newspaper article of choice that was related to the lecture material and present their joint findings as a group. This was perhaps the most challenging objective, as it required students to mediate and organize a large number of students to work together in their assigned groups, analyze and synthesize material, and present their findings as an in-class group discussion. For this purpose a number of features on WebCT were utilized.
Bulletin Board
Bulletin Board was initiated so that each student could use this feature to communicate with the respective students in their assigned group, set up meetings, and discuss strategies and problems regarding their assignment with each other. If an overwhelming problem arose, the instructor could be contacted by e-mail on WebCT, but otherwise this was a tool to be used specifically by the students.
Links
A “Links” icon was created with the objective of that students use an online learning resources tool. This allowed students to gain access to numerous health databases, therefore allowing them to study and explore the health topic of their choice. In addition, the students could also chose to access any other Web site of choice in an endeavor to acquire the necessary material.
On the assigned day of their group presentation, students were free to use any of the facilities in the classroom, which was equipped with projector and computer, to enhance their presentations. At the end of each discussion, a question-and-answer session was held. The typical group size was four to five students. Each member of the group presented a portion of their cumulative efforts, and the topics were highly varied. Moreover, the majority of the presentations were given using PowerPoint.
Conclusions
The aim of this study was to increase class participation of non-science major undergraduates in an introductory pharmacology course. To achieve this goal, a focused use of technology combined with traditional pedagogy was utilized. Increased participation by students was apparent, as evidenced by the quality of the presentations and discussions. Moreover, an outcome of this approach was that students became motivated and interactive, as opposed to passive, learners while gaining a sense of responsibility and achievement through their own organizational skills. Although this model was used in an undergraduate science course, this strategy could be adopted as a general educational strategy and used throughout a variety of disciplines.
References
About WebCT. (n.d.). [On-line]. Available: http://www.webct.com/service/
Olliges, R. (2001). A brief crash course in WebCT [Handout]. Saint Louis, MO.

Incorporating Realistic Project Constraints
For Student Project Teams

Tom Goulding and Carol Masuck, Computer Science & Information Systems

Abstract:

Daniel Webster CollegeIn the first part of the session, participants will be encouraged to share their experiences guiding student project teams. We will then discuss a perception that professional academics teaching applications courses is akin to a physician teaching surgery who studied surgery by reading a book. To remedy this perception, we propose that student software engineering projects can recreate project development pressures identical to those found in industry. These realities can include unrealistic schedules, technical constraints, compromise with requirements, cost limits, and, finally, project leaders selected on the basis of technical prowess rather than leadership skill. We discuss our experience introducing these realities to DWC freshmen.

Proposal:

I. Opening Dialogue
We propose to begin the session with a dialogue in which participants will be encouraged to share their experiences guiding student project teams. We will keep our discussion general enough that attendees outside of the computer science discipline will feel free to share their experiences. Thus, the following questions will be posed to the audience:
What are the primary educational goals for a student project team
(Meyer, 2001)?
Do academics understand industrial teamwork, technical, and management challenges to competently recreate these experiences for students (Davis, 1996)?
How have you created a realistic teamwork experiences in your classroom?
What constraints encountered within a workplace setting should we attempt to reproduce in an educational setting? (We will solicit input from the attendees on such issues as: time pressures, technical expertise, poor performing teammates and supervisory problems).
What are hiring managers looking for when they identify good teamwork as an important skill required of new hires?
How do we fairly grade student performance on a team?
The attendees’ comments will be summarized on a flip chart during this opening phase of the session.
II. A Realistic Software Engineering Project
During the second phase of our session, we will introduce the audience to our freshman software engineering project. We will avoid the use of most software terms and acronyms in order to encourage continued participation by non-technical audience members.
The Team Setting at Daniel Webster College
Daniel Webster freshman are taught C++ in their first programming class. The pace is brisk, and within 15 weeks these programming novices are well beyond basic language constructs and into Object-Oriented Design. However, neither the first nor second semester lectures covers the event-driven and messaging concepts necessary to complete the second semester team project.
In the second semester the class is divided into a half dozen student software engineering teams consisting of 5 members each. Each team is charged with developing a complete set of System Development Life Cycle documentation for the various process stages in software development (Radice, 1999) along with a completely functional computer version of the Monopoly game using a graphical user interface. We choose a game development for three reasons. Game development can be quite complex; the students understand immediately the final goal; and, finally, games tend to be an excellent vehicle for teaching information systems development (Martin, 2000). We do not believe it is possible to incorporate CASE tool training within this single semester software engineering; therefore, this important experience is introduced in the sophomore year (Boloix, 1998).
Reproducing Realistic Constraints
We charge each team to work under three constraints common to all teams and one constraint that is unique to each team.
Common Constraints
1. The students are deliberately provided minimal instruction on the new and difficult technical knowledge that must be mastered to achieve the project goal. (Comment: In the workplace setting employees frequently must master new material on their own.)
2. Texts and reference materials are neither recommended nor provided the students. (Comment: Employees must find the necessary sources of knowledge).
3. The top 5 students in the first semester programming class are chosen as the project leaders for the second semester team project. (Comment: Typically, the best technical contributors are promoted to be first line supervisors and project leaders in the workplace. )
Team-Specific Constraints
Each of the five teams has a unique team constraint to further reproduce the pressures that exist in industry.
a. Quality Team: (This team must create a bug free game).
b. Most Fully Featured Game: (This team must implement more
game features than any other team).
c. Primitive Language Constructs Team: (This team must utilize the simplest computer language syntax possible)
d. Minimum amount of code and memory usage: (This team
must use very advanced language concepts to minimize code).
d. Cost: (This team must utilize the least amount of student hours. Each team member submitted weekly timecards as required in a typical workplace setting).
During the discussion of our constraints, we will continue to interact with the audience and compare these constraints to those presented by the audience during the opening dialogue.
We will also discuss the merits of putting students under commercial-type constraints. Some writers believe that student teams which are not constrained by commercial marketing and financial pressures will be more enthusiastic and produce more useful results. Similarly, it has been suggested that students are more receptive to user suggestions if they are not under pressure to produce a product for the mass market (Mishra, 1999). Are we, therefore, “polluting” the purity of student motives and student altruism by attempting to recreate the harsh realities of software development and teamwork in the real world?
We support the view that authenticity and realism provide the most meaningful educational experience (Parker 1999). Students are not impressed by artificial projects dreamt up by professors to preserve the purity of the academic experience.
III. Reviewing Student Assessments of the Experience
Two surveys were taken in order to assess team member and project leader experience on the game project. We will summarize the results of these surveys grouped according to the following subjects:
a. Project Management performance
1. Planning difficulties
2. Peer performance assessments
b. Value of the Software Engineering processes
c. Technical skill development
d. Questions about student growth and confidence
e. Student ratings of the overall project team experience
IV. Grading Student Performance
Finally, as a group we will grapple with the grading dilemma. We will focus our discussion on the following issues.
a. Student evaluation of peers: The difficulties and the opportunities
b. Proportional contribution: Can it be measured?
c. Attendance: A key indicator
References
Andrews, J. H., & Lutfigga, H. (2000). Experience with a Software Maintenance Project course. IEEE Transactions on Education, 43 (4), 383-389.
Boloix, G., & Robillard, P. (1998). Case tool learning in a software engineering course. IEEE Transactions on Education, 41 (3), 185-194.
Davis, A. (1996). Practitioner, heal thyself, IEEE Software, 13 (3), 4-5.
Macvitte, D. (2002). School of project management wizardry. Network Computing, 13 (5), 68-72.
Martin, A. (2000). The design and evolution of a simulation/game for teaching information systems development, Simulation & Gaming, 31(4) 444-463.
Meyer, B. (2001). Software engineering in academy. IEEE Computer Society, 34 (5), 28-36.
Mishra, P., Zhas, Y., & Tan, S. (1999). Sophia from concept to software: Developing a framework for understanding the process of software design. Journal of Research of Computing in Education, 32 (20), 220-238.
Parker, H., Holcombes, M., & Bell, A. (1999). Keeping our customers happy: Myths and management issues in “client-led” student software projects, Computer Science Education, 9 (3), 230-241.
Radice, R., Harding J., Munnis, P., & Phillips, R. (1999). A programming process study, IBM Systems Journal 38 (2/3), 297-308.
Sherman, M., & Drysdale III, R. (1988). Teaching software engineering in a workstation environment. IEEE Software, 5 (3), 68-77.

Service Learning, Study Circles, and Problem-Based Learning: College Students Confronting the Question of Race

Larry E. Greeson, Educational Psychology, Miami University Middletown ;Brad Farr, Computer Services, Miami University Middletown

Abstract:

What is problem-based learning (PBL)? What role, if any, can students play in problem identification, description, and/or development? Must PBL problems be formally stated and teacher defined? Can problems be ongoing and student defined? These questions emerged through participation in Miami University’s Faculty Learning Community on PBL. This presentation will identify ideas, information, and insights common to service learning, study circles, and PBL that, when applied to real-world problems, may result in new pedagogical perspectives and possibilities. The problem to be addressed will be the question of race--race relations, stereotyping, prejudice, privilege, discrimination, racism, and civil and human rights.

Proposal:

What is problem-based learning (PBL)? What role, if any, can college students play in problem identification, description, and/or development? Must PBL problems be formally stated and teacher defined? Or, can problems be ongoing and student defined?
These questions, and others like them, have emerged as a result of participation in the Miami University Faculty Learning Community on Using PBL to Enhance Teaching.
What follows is an attempt to identify ideas, information, and insights common to service learning, study circles, and PBL that, when assimilated and applied to real world educational and societal problems, may result in an integrated pedagogical model providing new perspectives and possibilities. The problem focus for this purpose will be the question of race—race relations, stereotyping, prejudice, privilege, discrimination, racism, and civil and human rights.
Possibilities for applying service learning, study circle, and PBL methods will be discussed with regard to concepts and definitions concerning race. Noteworthy curricula and pedagogical models will be described. Finally, suggestions will be made regarding problems for future consideration and possibilities for further application.
Service learning experience—learning associated with the performance of work—has been found to promote long-lasting learning, personal and professional growth, and moral development with college students (Rhoads, 1997; Saunders, 1998). Often service learning addresses the needs of poor people, people of color, and other disenfranchised populations (Rhoads, 1997). Recently, study circles have been employed to help students talk constructively about race with the ultimate aim being to change student and teacher consciousness—“to break down barriers and rework the internal process that happens when stereotypes are formed” (Ruenzel, 1997, p. 23). Meaningful cross-racial dialogues were the result, with teachers and students sharing powerful stories about things that had happened to them in the context of the issues under discussion.
Regarding PBL, Mierson and Parikh (2000), in a collaborative teacher/student effort, have shown how PBL methods can result in students “functioning independently,” “taking charge of their [own] learning,” and “deciding for themselves” how to seek solutions to complex problems of real-world importance (pp. 21-23). Students successfully posed their own questions, identified what they needed to know and where to find it, and made sense of what they had learned. Everyone became both a teacher and learner (Mierson & Parikh, 2000), and students and teachers alike seemed to really care about understanding and addressing the problems presented (Wilkerson & Gijselaers, 1996).
One ongoing societal problem that students really seem to care about concerns human diversity, in particular, the question of race (Myrdal, 1944; Nieto, 2000; Ruenzel, 1997; West, 1994). How is race to be defined? For what reasons, and with what effects, have particular definitions been employed? How have various definitions of race influenced other aspects of human relations, such as racism, stereotyping, prejudice, privilege, discrimination, race relations, equality of educational opportunity, and civil and human rights? Finally, how can educators encourage greater student understanding of these concepts and promote action to affect positive change? Each of the above questions appears to be relevant to service learning, study circles, and PBL.
Paolo Freire advocated “problem posing” education as opposed to “solution giving” or “banking” approaches whereby teachers dispense knowledge to students in a unidirectional non-critical way (Freire, 1970; McLaren, 2000). Freire and his mentee, Peter Mclaren, have stressed the importance of ‘coexisting with peripheral, impoverished, and excluded populations’ in attempting to unlearn privilege and counter forces of patriarchy and Eurocentrism (see McLaren, 1998). For college teachers and students, this means beginning to ‘candidly and critically’ face society’s complicity in the roots, structures, and reproduction of inequalities and injustice, and to empower students to overcome their ‘cultures of silence’ and become agents for social change (McLaren, 1998). References to “problem posing,” “liberationist teaching,” and “learner empowerment” are becoming increasingly apparent in education texts (lefrancois, 2000) despite Freire’s (1974) concern that critical pedagogy has “too often been domesticated and reduced to self-directed learning approaches devoid of social critique” (cited in McLaren, 2000, p. 35).
It remains unclear whether critical pedagogy is being co-opted by, or may be compatible with, PBL and other related teaching/learning strategies, including study circles and service learning. In either case, a PBL model affording possibilities for student identification of problems and student-initiation of problem solving activities, within real-world service-oriented contexts, would appear to hold great possibility for promoting self-determination, problem solving, cooperation, and critical thinking skills. This approach might be referred to as student-initiated service-oriented PBL (SSPBL).
References
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.
Freire, P. (1974). Pedagogy of hope. New York: Continuum.
Lefrancois, G. (2000). Psychology for teaching. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson.
McLaren, P. (1998). Life in schools (3rd Ed.). New York: Longman.
McLaren, P. (2000). Che Guevara, Paulo Freire, and the pedagogy of revolution. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Mierson, S., & Parikh, A. A. (2000, January/February). Stories from the field: PBL from a teacher’s and a student’s perspective. Change, pp. 21-27.
Myrdal, G. (1944). An American dilemma: The Negro problem and modern democracy. New York: Harper.
Nieto, S. (2000). Affirming diversity: The sociopolitcal context of multicultural education (3rd ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.
Rhoads, R. A. (1997). Community service and higher learning. New York: SUNY Press.
Ruenzel, D. (1997, Spring). Crucial conversations: Study circles help students talk constructively about race. Teaching Tolerance, 6 (1), pp. 18-23.
Saunders, M. D. (1998). The service learner as researcher: A case study. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 9 (2), 55-67.
West, C. (1994). Race matters. New York: Vintage.
Wilkerson, L., & Gijselaers, W. H. (Eds.). (1996). Bringing problem-based learning to higher education: Theory and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Use of Different Kinds of Case Studies to Enhance Instruction

Robert Grossman, Psychology, Kalamazoo College

Abstract:

At the conference there are usually presentations of the “discussion” type case study. This idea swap provides examples of several other types of cases that can be used in the classroom. One is a “jigsaw” type that puts each student in a teaching role and increases the mutual interdependence of students. The example topic of this case I will share is various treatments for depression, which can be used in General or Abnormal Psychology courses as well as courses in nursing and pharmacy. This method has been shown to decrease prejudice and increase liking when used with multiethnic groups (see the work by Elliot Aronson). Another type of case is the “interrupted case,” which has students stop several times and discuss the case. The example topic of the case in this format is “unintentional racism,” and it is designed for racism workshops as well as Introductory and Social Psychology courses. The third type of case involves the application of conceptual skills. This example was designed for General and Personality Psychology courses but applies to almost all disciplines. It requires a lecture on some topic and then offers structured practice cases for students to practice applying the concepts learned in the lecture. These cases can be done individually but work best when used with cooperative-learning groups. They are ideal for faculty who are highly structured but want to try out some cooperative learning. I would hope that some others who use cases or other problem-based learning techniques might stop by to share their ideas, and, of course, anyone who is thinking of using cases for the first time might like to see some examples.

Teaching Squares: Improving Teaching Through Observation and Reflection

Gail Heyne Hafer, Department of Business/Economics
Kelly Ballard, Department of Mathematics
David Montgomery, Department of Art
Joni Thanavaro, Department of Nursing
Anne Wessely, Department of Accounting

St. Louis Community College Meramec
St. Louis, Missouri

Abstract:

Like students, instructors learn about teaching and classroom management through cooperative activities, for example, peer observation and discussion of teaching. While the benefits of cooperative activity are well documented, few faculty participate. To encourage peer observation and cross-disciplinary discussion of teaching, the Faculty Development Advisory Committee at St. Louis Community College Meramec developed the Teaching Squares project. This presentation reviews the procedures and materials developed to implement the Teaching Squares project including documents, timelines, and workload estimates, reviews the “lessons learned” by faculty who participated in the Teaching Squares, and summarizes recommendations for further research and faculty development activities.

Proposal:

Because few colleges and universities provide their faculty the opportunity to team teach, faculty often teach in isolation from their peers. This is unfortunate, because it is most often faculty peers who are able to provide constructive feedback about classroom teaching issues (Keig & Waggoner, 1994). If collaborative activity produces better classroom instruction, how can institutions create an environment that encourages and supports peer discussions aimed at improving teaching? (Mento & Giampetro-Meyer, 2000).
In some institutions, a formative peer evaluation process may provide opportunities for faculty to observe one another’s classroom activities, to review course materials and to discuss the teaching process. The number of faculty eligible to participate in a formal peer evaluation process, however, remains small, and many eligible faculty hesitate to participate (Arreola, 1995; Miller, Finley, & Vaincko, 2000; Seldin, 1984). The potential benefits from peer evaluation are well documented though not without debate. Proponents of peer evaluation often cite improvements in faculty attitude, collegiality and classroom performance (Krieg & Waggoner, 1994). Opponents, however, argue that it is too time consuming, too subjective and limits academic freedom (Berstein & Edwards, 2001; Krieg & Waggoner, 1994; Osborne, 1998).
The Teaching Squares project designed by the Faculty Development Advisory Committee at St. Louis Community College Meramec attempts to capture the best aspects of the peer evaluation process, i.e., the peer observation and discussion, while eliminating the peers from the evaluation phase. We had two primary objectives when designing the project: first, to develop a process that expanded cross-disciplinary discussions of teaching; and second, to design a non-threatening approach to peer classroom observation. The model developed includes classroom observations by a team of colleagues from different disciplines, a self-reflection of the individual’s own teaching based on the observation of others, and a final sharing of ideas with team members.
Prior to the classroom visits, the faculty participants in the Teaching Squares shared syllabi, a goals summary sheet for each course, and general observations about their classes. Each faculty member on the four-person team observed at least one class session of the remaining square partners. Following the completion of the classroom observations, square partners completed a self-reflection. In the culminating activity, square partners met to discuss their reflections.
Participating faculty reported a variety of lessons learned from their observations. Many expected to change their teaching methods as a result of participating in the Teaching Squares project. Faculty also observed first-hand some of the challenges that face students today. The single most important outcome of the Teaching Squares reported by participants is the forum for cross-disciplinary discussion of a variety of teaching-related topics, including student workload, research projects, testing and classroom management.
This presentation begins with a review of the procedures and materials developed at St. Louis Community College Meramec to implement the Teaching Squares project. Participants in the session will receive copies of the materials distributed to Teaching Square participants, possible time-lines for completion of the project, a list of potential problems, and an estimate of the project administrator’s workload. In the final portion of the presentation, we’ll review the list of “lessons learned” by faculty and present our recommendations for further research and faculty development activities. Participants in the session will receive a summary of the faculty response to the post-project survey.
References
Arreola, R. A. (1995). Developing a comprehensive faculty evaluation system: A handbook for college faculty and administrators on designing and operating a comprehensive faculty evaluation system. Bolton, MA: Anker.
Berstein, D., & Edwards, R. (2001). We need objective, rigorous peer review of teaching. Chronicle of Higher Education, 47 (17), p. B24.
Keig, L., & Waggoner, M. D. (1994). Peer review: the role of faculty in improving college teaching. Washington, D.C.: The George Washington University School of Education and Human Development.
Mento, A., & Giampetro-Meyer, A. (2000). Peer observation of teaching as a true development opportunity. College Teaching, 48 (1). 28-31.
Miller, R., Finley, D., & Vaincko, C. S. (2000). Evaluating, improving, and judging faculty performance in two-year colleges. Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.
Osborne, J. (1998). Integrating student and peer evaluation of teaching. College Teaching, 46 (1), 36-38.
Seldin, P. (1984). Changing practices in faculty evaluation: a critical assessment and recommendations for improvement. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Secondary Teachers' Concerns Across Experience Levels and School Settings and Their Implications for Teacher Education

Brian Haley, Education , Heidelberg College

Abstract:

This study looked at teacher concerns across experience levels and school settings. Kagan (1992) initially called preservice teachers' views on teaching "fantasy." It was hoped that information on teacher concerns might be able to improve preservice teaching by providing relevant and useful information to preservice teachers about the concerns of those already within the schooling system, giving them a more realistic picture of the task at hand. Significant results were found indicating the need to make aware preservice teachers of the complex nature of the act of teaching, challenging their idealistic notions.

Proposal:

I was led into the research on teacher concerns by considering the concerns of my own preservice teachers as I taught introductory education classes. Students seemed to have a degree of idealism or, as Kagan (1992) called it, “fantasy” towards teaching. The research literature showed that Fuller and Bown (1970) specifically had looked at the issue of preservice and inservice teacher concerns. They had developed the concepts of self, task, and impact with respect to teacher concerns. It was their model that I used.
Data were collected and sorted by experience levels at the novice level (0-2 years of teaching experience), postnovice (3-5 years), and experience level (6 or more years) as well as in urban and non-urban settings. In both urban and non-urban schools, teachers’ impact concerns significantly declined as experience was gained. This was surprising. Novice teachers in urban schools had a higher degree of impact concerns than novice teachers in non-urban schools; however, these concerns decreased more drastically as experience was gained.
Other results showed that tasks concerns (resources, class size, non-instructional duties, etc.) were significantly different in urban school settings than in non-urban settings. This result was not as surprising, for obvious reasons, but still spoke to the need of understanding of how context affects the act of teaching.
The focus group dialogue gave an insight into why task concerns are significantly different across school settings and why impact concerns declined as experience is gained. Specifically, class size, too many non-instructional duties, proficiency testing, resources, discipline issues, dealing with too many students per day, and parental support were the common themes expressed in both the focus group dialogue and the written comments.
This information has given me a better insight into how to approach my introductory classes with preservice teachers. Teacher educators need to be aware that this idealism needs to be tempered due to the nature of the schooling system, which can be difficult. Preservice teachers need to be aware that the school environment, with its bureaucratic tendencies, can make their task more difficult than first imagined. Knowledge of the way schools work will perhaps help give preservice teachers a sense of realism that will help them make the transition from preservice teacher to inservice teacher more effectively. Understanding teacher concerns, prior to actually working in school settings may in fact help the retention of novice teachers, which is especially critical in urban settings.
In addition, this research would be useful for those in control of the system to take a close look at the “factory model” of education that has, according to the teachers surveyed, dehumanized their work .
References
Bullough, R. (1989). First year teacher: A case study. New York and London: Teachers College, Columbia University.
Bullough, R. (1997). ‘First year teacher’ eight years later. New York and London: Teachers College, Columbia University.
Fuller, F., & Case, C. (1969). Concerns of teachers: A manual for teacher educators. Austin, TX: Texas University, Austin Research Center.
Kagan, D. M. (1992). Professional growth among preservice and beginning teachers. Review of Educational Research, 62 (2). 129-169.
Pigge, F., & Marso, R (1994, February). Outstanding teachers’ concerns about teaching at four stages of career development. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association of Teacher Educators, Atlanta, GA.
Reeves, C. K., Kazelskis, R., & King, D. (1994). Teaching concerns of preservice and inservice teachers. Journal of Educational Research, 78 (5), 267-271.

Making Connections: The Dynamic Duo of Service and Learning

Phyllis Hastings, Department of English, Saginaw Valley State University

Abstract:

The presentation looks at the dynamics of service learning, particularly as they relate to connecting parallel courses in campus and prison, writing for community organizations, and doing volunteer work as a way of researching a non-profit community agency. It asks what makes service-learning work, under what assumptions it operates, and what it offers university students and faculty.

Proposal:

Remember Batman and Robin–Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson? In their normal lives they were rich and famous and quite unspectacular, but when an emergency came they sprang into action and worked together to accomplish amazing feats for the sake of law and order. How did they make the transformation, readers wondered. We watched it happen, but we couldn’t really see what was going on.
Service and learning, in everyday life, are often fairly unspectacular. Volunteerism gathers persons, sometime by the hundreds, to do good deeds and help the “needy.” It’s an important part of our social fabric, but it sometimes it doesn’t go far beneath the surface of social problems. It is seen as what the rich or the retired do, making themselves and, presumably, the needy feel better.
Learning, too, in its everyday garb, even in the university, can be fairly mild-mannered. Students learn what the instructor tells them to learn. Attend lectures, take exams, produce papers, and pay the tuition bill. But what happens when there is an emergency, and service and learning are called on to work together to meet a crisis? No fancy outfits here, or high-tech vehicles. But the scene changes and people take notice. And of course, evil is vanquished and good is restored--temporarily, at least.
But let’s leave the comic-book version and look at reality: the crises we face in the United States and the ways service and learning can be and are working together to respond.
It would not be difficult to argue that this is a time of crisis in the US, but the crisis is usually defined in relation to 9/11 and the threat of terrorism, with the response being war and a call for unity in support of that effort. Many of us, however, are more concerned about the less-visible internal threats to the ideals and traditions on which our country was built. What we endorse in our pledge of allegiance, “liberty and justice for all,” is being undermined by materialism, individualism, and isolation that threatens community and unity on many levels. Attempts to reform our welfare system, our medical delivery systems (particularly health insurance), our education systems, our political systems, and our prison systems to provide equal access to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness often become stalled or directed toward the values, beliefs, and needs of those already privileged. As suggested by low voter turnouts and declining membership in civic organizations, a growing number of citizens find time too short and issues too complex to allow them to engage in community dialogue, address social issues, or meet human needs.
Some persons respond to this social crisis by calling for an increase in volunteer activity to replace government-provided services. But volunteer action can easily deteriorate into blind do-goodism that keeps those in need of services marginalized and powerless. What is required is authentic engagement of citizens who invest themselves by working with the marginalized rather than for them, attempting to solve problems, not just hide them. Higher education is an ideal place to prepare persons for such engagement. Uniting service and learning can further the aims of learning and provide the basis for deeper, more meaningful service, not just during the life of the projects but on into the lives of the graduates.
Service projects provide a variety of opportunities for enhancing and even transforming learning in a college-level class. By participating in a service activity, students can acquire knowledge they own rather than knowledge handed down to them. As they report on their work as volunteers in agencies they have selected for my Writing in the Professions classes, students are much more alive than when they present ideas from assigned readings. Their volunteer work is theirs; the readings are mine. Work in service projects frequently calls into play critical thinking because, no matter how thorough the guidelines and preparation, students are likely to meet situations neither they nor the instructor has anticipated. Problem-solving abilities are called for and, thus, developed, beginning with the initial selection and contact with an agency. Students must take the initiative and assess for themselves the responses they receive to their inquiries. Stereotypes about the kinds of persons using the services are often challenged. Meeting intellectually alive inmates in a prison or guests in a soup kitchen can call into question previous, often unconscious, assumptions about the people found in these establishments. As in other project-based learning, the instructor must set up the tasks carefully, guiding without directing, providing resource material but not final answers, and calling for and responding to reflections as students proceed through their projects.
Service, in turn, can be enriched and transformed by being combined with the learning expected in a college-level course. By placing a particular program in a broader community context, the instructor can help students see the roots of community problems and also their interconnectedness. One can’t solve one problem without addressing others. In addition, the disjunction between their previous assumptions and the reality they see can move students to look for causes of problems, not just address symptoms. Students can be expected to analyze what is necessary to make an agency work: having concerned citizens as board members and as volunteer workers and exerting a great deal of effort to gain public support and solicit funding. Finally, students can be enabled to critique operations of agencies, seeing how they might be failing in their mission due to structural problems, inadequate understanding of the needs they are trying to address, or inadequate personnel. All of these activities play an important role in preparing students to guide policies and engage effectively in meeting community needs.
Like Batman and Robin, service and learning can work together to serve the community. To be effective, the service-learning process must involve authentic service that validates rather than belittles those who are served, and it must involve authentic learning that opens dialogue, allows for ambiguity, and seeks deeper truth.
References
Adler-Kassner, L., Crooks, R., & Watters, A. (Eds.). (1997). Writing the community: Concepts and models for service-learning composition. Washington, DC: AAHE.
Deans, T. (2000). Writing partnerships: Service-learning in composition. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English.
Eyler, J., & Giles, D. E., Jr. (1999).Where’s the learning in service-learning? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Rhoads, R., & Howard, J. P. F. (Eds.). (1998). Academic service learning: Action and reflection. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, No. 73. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Junior Faculty Participation in Curricular Change

Judi Hetrick, Department of English, Miami University

Abstract:

The scholarship of teaching is replete with examples and advice for effective change by individual instructors inside individual classrooms. But what if the larger course of study needs transformation? Participation in curricular change can be both a necessity and a professional landmine for junior members of the faculty. We do not, however, have to choose only between sitting on the sidelines or working to spark large-scale change at the expense of our young careers. The literature contains pieces of information that can be built into a framework for effective participation in the curricular change process by beginning professors.

Proposal:

The scholarship of teaching is replete with examples and advice for effective change by individual instructors inside individual classrooms. But what if you start your career in a program, a department, or even a college where you believe the larger course of study is in need of transformation, or where curricular change has been mandated?
Participation in the process of curricular change, at times a critical component of effective classroom teaching, can be both a necessity and a professional landmine for junior members of the faculty. We do not, however, have to choose only between sitting on the sidelines or working to spark large-scale change at the expense of our young careers. The literature contains pieces of information that can be built into a framework for effective participation in the curricular change process by beginning professors.
This session borrows from three Lilly Conference categories: innovation, integration, and research. It suggests an innovation: broadening the concept of the scholarship of teaching beyond a focus on classroom learning to include an examination of faculty roles transforming the larger curriculum, which in turn shapes classroom content. This examination has taken place mostly in the professional development or educational leadership literature, and this session is primarily integrative in that it synthesizes that literature into one comprehensive model as it relates to junior faculty. Finally, the work is supplemented with the author’s experience as a junior faculty member involved in curricular change to suggest ways new college teachers can act as effective change agents outside their individual classrooms to influence what happens in many classrooms.
The session will begin with a brief presentation that includes
• definitions of the terms “curriculum” and “curricular change” to mean systematic and institutionalized transformation of a course of study beyond one course as taught by one teacher.
• an outline of the dimensions of the curricular change process, including intellectual, instructional, and political change, adapted from Keller (1982) and others.
• a summary of the various roles that can be assumed by people involved in the curricular change process, including sponsors, opinion leaders, acceptable innovators, and resisters, adapted from Middendorf (1998) and others.
• a list of the types of tasks people in those roles can perform, including benchmarking, constituency surveys, networking, developing of pilot courses, teaching of pilot courses, and assessment work, adapted from Bradley (1985) and others.
• advocacy for a conscious use of the above role and task information to analyze and successfully participate in the curricular change process.
After the presentation, audience members will work in small groups to analyze selected case studies in which junior faculty were involved in curricular change efforts. For each case study, they will be asked to identify which roles were undertaken by the junior faculty and which roles were not undertaken--but might have changed the outcomes? Finally, what specific tasks were--or could have been--performed by the junior faculty that led to the success or failure of each effort? The groups will report back during the last 15 minutes of the presentation, and two lists will be constructed from the audience input:
1. The roles adopted by junior faculty in the case studies and whether those roles led to success or failure of the larger curricular change effort.
2. The specific tasks performed by the junior faculty that led to the success or failure of each effort.
If time allows, members of the audience will be asked to share their personal stories of curricular change, using the framework of junior faculty roles and tasks to help analyze the efforts’ success or failure. An annotated bibliography on curricular change in the university will be distributed at the end of the session.
References
Arnold, G., & Civian, J. T. (1997, July/August). The ecology of general education reform. Change, 19-23.
Bradley, L. H. (1985). Curriculum leadership and development handbook. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Cuban, L. (1999). How scholars trumped teachers: Change without reform in university curriculum, teaching, and research, 1890-1990. New York: Teachers College Press.
Gaff, J. G., & Ratcliff, J. L. (Eds.). (1997). Handbook of the undergraduate curriculum. San Francsiso: Jossey-Bass.
Hord, S. M., Rutherford, W. L., Huling-Austin, L., & Hall. G. E. (1987). Taking charge of change. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Jacobs, H. L. (1992). Getting the inside outside: Transforming craft knowledge into professional curriculum. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 3, 121-130.
Keller, P. (1982). Getting at the core: Curricular reform at Harvard. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Levine, A. (1978). Handbook on undergraduate curriculum: A report for the Carnegie Council on Policy Studies in Higher Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
McNeal, A. P. (1998). Death of the talking heads: Participatory workshops for curricular reform. College Teaching, 46 (3), 90-92.
Middendorf, J. K. (1998). A case study in getting faculty to change. To improve the academy, 17, 203-224 (along with three related articles published in 1999, 2001, and 2002).
Smith, B. L. (1988). The Washington Center: A grass roots approach to faculty development and curricular reform. To improve the academy, 7, 165-177.
Toombs, W., & Tierny, W. (1991). Meeting the mandate: Renewing the college and departmental curriculum (ASHA-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 6). Washington, DC: The George Washington University.

Introducing Student Development Theory to Faculty as a Way to Enhance Teaching and Learning

Michael Hieber, Art, Miami University

Abstract:

The term student development is often heard in higher education, but what is meant by it? It is the use of human development concepts to promote increasingly complex developmental tasks, self-authorship, and interdependence. Student development theory can provide insights for novice educators in constructing early approaches to teaching. For more experienced faculty, it provides frameworks which can help enlighten teaching and other interactions with students. This session is an introduction to only a few of the many ideas and findings from student development theory that can be used to enhance teaching and learning for all.

Proposal:

The term student development is often heard in higher education. “Facilitating student development is almost universally viewed as a good thing” (Evans, Farney, & Guido-DiBrito, 1998, p.4). But what is meant by student development? Sanford (1967) defined development as “the organization of increasing complexity” (quoted in Evans et al., p. 47). Miller and Prince (1976) suggested that student development is “the application of human development concepts in postsecondary settings so that everyone involved can master increasingly complex developmental tasks, achieve self-direction, and become interdependent” (quoted in Evans et al., 1998, p. 4). How does this relate directly to teaching and learning? Learning involves a complex set of circumstances and forces unique to each individual. “Learning is developmental, a cumulative process involving the whole person, relating past and present, integrating the new with the old, starting from but transcending personal concerns and interests” (Joint Task Force on Student Learning, 1998, p. 6).
The body of studies and writings called student development theory recognizes the complexity and uniqueness of learning processes and growth within an individual. That is why there is not just one universal theory that captures all aspects of student learning. Each study or writing can be seen as one possibility, one small slice of the whole in looking at students and their experiences that can be used to better understand where a student is coming from, where they are, or how they are making meaning. Student development theory includes such things as identity development; cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal development; learning styles and preferences; environmental factors effecting learning; and issues about gender, race, sexual preference, age, and other such factors that may play a part in an individual person’s learning and development. Student development theory encompasses an array of research studies and findings, writings, and theoretical frameworks that can be utilized to enrich learning and enhance teaching.
Being informed by student development theory can open doors to insights and understanding for novice educators to help them construct early approaches to teaching and learning. For more experienced faculty, student development theory can provide frameworks which can help enlighten their teaching and other interactions with students. The insights gained from considering the theoretical constructs proposed by student development theory, woven with past teaching experiences, as well as reflection upon one’s own developmental level, can truly invigorate and stimulate teaching. Matching theory with practice can also help us better understand and evaluate a student’s current meaning-making ability and help us understand what we are expecting and asking of students. For example, “Why won’t she just tell us what should be in the paper?” a student laments to a friend. “They will not think; they just want the answers handed to them,” a professor complains to a colleague. This gap in expectations exists across campuses, across disciplines, for veteran and new teachers, and for talented and not-so-talented students. Students assume that professors who do not clearly state the “truth” are incompetent; professors assume that students who want only the answers are poorly prepared or lazy.
Student development theory can provide “ways to engage in dialogue with students to tap into their particular ways of making meaning, and [can assist faculty in creating] teaching practices that effectively link teaching and students’ diverse ways of meaning-making” (Baxter Magolda, 2000, p. 1). Every student approaches learning and meaning making in a different way. Mary may state, “Tell me what I need to do to get an A. Tell me what you want so that I know what I need to do.” Ted comes to class disinterested and disengaged. He seems able to grasp the material, but has trouble staying with the assignments. Alicia is willing to take an assignment, do the research and preparation necessary. She is able to build upon existing ideas and come up with her own insights to enhance the project within the given scenario. Mary represents the first level of knowing, the absolute stage, where everything is black and white and authorities are the “owners of the truth.” Ted may be disengaged because he and his ideas have never been validated before. He may be an independent thinker, who wants more freedom and responsibility for his work, rather than playing the same old “school game.” Alicia is exhibiting what most instructors and the Miami Plan Goals for Learning strive for, a contextual thinker, able to critically think and act appropriately within a given context, from a position of internal voice.
I see this range of students every day in class. With the help of the framework of student development theory, I am better able to meet each student where he or she is to help foster more complex thinking, enhanced learning and more sophisticated ways of making meaning. I am better able to teach to the individual, while maintaining a positive group dynamic. Improvements in classroom interactions, discussions, critiques, and overall student ownership and engagement in their learning can easily be seen to have improved since I have more consciously utilized student development theory.
This workshop is meant as an introduction and overview of only a few of the many ideas and findings that can be found under the umbrella of student development theory. To place learning within your own experience, you will be asked to see if you recognize any of the patterns or constructs posited in the theories that will be outlined. In particular, we will investigate a common path of development evidenced in the literature, that of student progression from more concrete, absolute modes of meaning making to more independent and contextual paradigms. We will discuss ways to foster this progression toward living effectively with increased complexity, as well as focus on an overarching consideration of student development, that of the development of self-authorship “the necessary foundation for mutual, collaborative participation with others in adult life” (Baxter Magolda, 2001, p. xvi).
This session will encourage new ways of thinking about your teaching, establish new possibilities for better understanding students, provide awareness and access to a new set of resources, and promote ideas to better foster student development as a key to enhanced teaching and learning environments for us all. Presentation objectives include:
1. Introduce and enhance faculty’s understanding of student development theory.
2. Discuss how these theories can help educators better understand students.
3. Explore how these theories can help educators better understand ourselves: What we are asking and expecting from students; where are we at in our own development?
4. Demonstrate how these theories can help educators better understand what the university expects and asks from students and educators.
The session will begin with a quick presentation of the above learning objectives. A constructivist approach will then be taken, by asking facilitative garnered from the objectives. We will then overlay these with some of the more prominent student development theories to help inform teaching and learning.
References
Baxter Magolda, M. (2001). Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher education to promote self-development. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Baxter Magolda, M. (Ed.). (2000). Teaching to promote intellectual and personal maturity: Incorporating students' world views and identities into the learning process. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Evans, N. J., Farney, D. S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Joint Task Force on Student Learning: American Association for Higher Education, American College Personnel Association, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. (1998). Powerful partners: A shared responsibility for learning [On-line]. Available: http://www.aahe.org/teaching/tsk_frce.htm
Miller, T. K., & Prince, J. S. (1976). The future of student affairs: A guide to student development for tomorrow's higher education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Sanford, N. (1967) Where colleges fail: A study of the student as a person. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

What Instructors Really Want to Know: How Best to Use Student Viewpoints in Course Delivery

Martin F. Hill, Counseling Center, Central Michigan University

Abstract:

Instructors use course evaluations as their means for evaluating how students feel about their course. However, sometimes students do not fully express how they feel in these evaluations. Students may express deeper feeling about courses and instructors in safe environments with friends and family. Another environment where students feel safe is a college-counseling center working with a counselor/psychologist. From my experience as a counselor and instructor, I want to bring some of these feeling to the forefront and discuss how we as instructors can help develop safe environments for our student to express what we may really need to hear.

Proposal:

The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the viewpoints of students on how they evaluate the effectiveness of their instructors. The focus is on how student evaluations say one thing, but when students are in more comfortable/trusting environments, they report something much different. Students discuss their true feelings regarding instructors among themselves, friends, roommates, or maybe family members. These discussions are the deeper reactions of students as to how instructors deliver their course material, whether effective or in need of improvement. These interactions are in safe environments where students do not feel that by expressing themselves, they may run the risk of harming their potential grade. The point is that students express themselves more openly when in a safe environment.
Another environment where students feel safe is the office of a trusted faculty or staff member where a close relationship has been established. One such environment is the office of a counselor/psychologist at the university counseling center. Counselors hear much more than just the difficulty students have with courses. Students will report on the course material, instructors’ behavior, grading system, and other reactions to the class. Also the student will report on their belief that they are or are not prepared to handle the level of work in a class. The counselor is in a position to provide support as well as assist in gaining skills/knowledge to pass a class. Counseling centers are offices with a lot of involvement in academic success as well as personal growth.
The approach of this presentation is an open discussion format. The focus is to allow attendees to discuss their opinions on what the true feelings are of students as well as compare their thoughts with a counselor who is also an instructor. The goal is to generate a list of possible true feelings and reasons for these feelings. Another goal is to generate possible ways to create a trusting environment so students feel more comfortable to express their true feelings. There may be ways to maintain the level of respect needed by instructors to conduct a successful class while also balancing the flexibility and approachability needed so that students feel at ease expressing their real reactions and thoughts. From this, a better understanding of students’ reactions as well as tailoring of instructors’ delivery styles can be achieved.

Cooperative Learning in the Classroom: Exploring Methods to Use in Teaching

Mackenzi Huyser, Department of Social Work, Trinity Christian College

Abstract:

Cooperative learning strategies provide opportunities for undergraduate educators to create a unique learning environment in their classrooms. This presentation demonstrates how one cooperative learning strategy known as the "simple jigsaw" was used by a social work educator in an introductory social work course. The presentation also provides information on other cooperative learning strategies and empowers educators to apply cooperative learning strategies in their classrooms, in whatever discipline they teach.

Proposal:

This session demonstrates the use of a cooperative learning strategy used in an undergraduate social work course. Cooperative learning strategies, with their foundation in the field of education, use small-group instruction and formally structured groups to meet educational goals (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1994). By using cooperative learning strategies, social work educators reinforce many of the skills students will use in the future. These include small-group skills, effective communication, and critical thinking (Steiner, Stromwell, & Brzuzy, 1999). Steiner et al. (1999) assert that “. . . in spite of the demonstrated effectiveness of cooperative learning strategies, little has been written and even less research conducted, on the uses and effectiveness of cooperative learning strategies in social work” (para. 27).
This presentation provides a model used in an introductory social work course that adapted a cooperative learning strategy known as the “simple jigsaw” to engage students in learning perspectives essential to social work education. These perspectives include strengths, ecological, generalist, and Reformed (a perspective unique to the Christian mission of the program).
Students were divided into four formal (pre-selected) groups of five students. These four groups were each assigned one perspective. Each group developed goals, gathered research, and designed a presentation. Next, the students were divided into five new groups and as the experts on the assigned perspective each student presented the information to the “new group.” Class time was allocated for students to work in their groups so that the instructor could evaluate each student based on a rubric of participation. Students were also assessed on how well they knew each perspective through a written exam and how well the class performed on their perspective. These forms of assessment evaluated “positive interdependence,” a necessary component of cooperative learning (Johnson, Johnson, & Holubec, 1994), which demonstrates that cooperation among students is necessary for the group to be successful.
The presenter will share the results of student evaluations of this cooperative learning strategy and provide participants with information and resources (including assessment tools) to use in the classroom. Through this presentation educators will be empowered to apply cooperative learning strategies in their classrooms, in whatever discipline they teach.
References
Johnson, D. W., Johnson, R. T., & Holubec, E. J. (1994). Cooperative learning in the classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum.
Steiner, S., Stromwell, L. K., & Brzuzy, S. (1999). Using cooperative learning strategies in social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 35, 253-264. [Electronic version]