Jan 19: Unit One

Hello 301;

Today I want to talk about the evaluation process and assignments for lesson 1:3 – definitions and peer review.

The Evaluation Process:

I asked you all to discuss your learning styles in your introduction to your blogs. In turn, here are the central tenants of my pedagogy for teaching wiriting

• Learning is a process
• Writing is a complex art requiring a range of specialized techniques:
  • analytical strategies
  • composition skills
  • creative thinking
  • aesthetic techniques
  • critical thinking
  • digital literacy
• Students of writing need time to develop these skills and learn how to weave these skills together with confidence.
• Writing is a voice; each student needs to discover her or his voice within the perimeters of genre.
• Practice is the key to developing a writing voice

With this in mind, I design my evaluation process with a focus on encouraging practice, as much as possible. One of the ways I encourage you to practice is by allowing you to self-edit your blogs whenever you like. The other way I encourage practice is by distributing the majority of your points at the end of the semester, after you have had ample time to practice and reflect and learn the skills of self-editing.

To be as clear as I can be:

• Every three weeks, at the end of each unit I begin the individual evaluation process for that unit
• It will take me at least ten days to read and comment on all of your work. You will recieve my evaluative feedback via an email message
• You are always free to edit your blog postings
• Indeed, you want the work on your blog to make it perfect by the end of term; this is when you are seriously graded because your blog will transform into your web folio worth 18%.

 

For each Assignment, I evaluate a few students with more rigor and completeness in order to provide examples for the entire class, which I post on the Instructor’s Blog. I do this in order to cope with the ridicules class size that I am confronted with each new semester; I am sure you can appreciate the impossibility of providing adequate feedback to 54 people every couple of weeks, for a single class. The students that receive this ‘extra’ evaluation are ‘lucky’ to have the extra attention. You are one of those students of good fortune this time around. Please see my many comments and examples below as a reflection of your good fortune, and not as extra criticism. My selection of work to use as examples is 100% random.   Thank you.

Writing tips:

1. Focus on eliminating words:

• Remove ‘essay type comments’ – you do not need to worry so much about this type of flow when working with professional writing. Always assume your reader is busy and aim for conciseness.
• Take a look at the example below and note how I have used an ‘ing’ verb in the first sentence in order to provide more information in a concise manner
• Remove this word from your vocabulary: got

EXAMPLE:

• I am a student at the University of British Columbia. More specifically, I am in the computer science second-degree program. Previously, I got my bachelor’s of arts in interdisciplinary studies, with a focus on history and social sciences. [39 words]

• Rewrite: I am studying Computer Science at UBC in a second-degree program; my first degree is interdisciplinary with a focus on both history and social sciences. [26 words]

2. Create a balance between your individual/friendly voice and your professional voice. This is an art.

Definition and Peer Review:

With lesson 1:3 assignments you are practicing four writing techniques:

1. The art of definition — and the importance of always considering your reader’s needs first.
2. The art of Peer Review
3.  Self-editing based on review
4. Reflection on your writing techniques

 Assignment #1: Definitions, should not present too much of a challenge as long as you keep your focus on satisfying the needs of a novice reader and the instructions in our textbook.

Assignment # 2: Peer Review, is more likely to be a challenge for those of you who have not had previous experience with providing peer review.

I have a few tips for you to follow:

• Your task is to provide feedback, both positive and critical comments — on all relevant elements of the document:
  • To do so, create a list of the important parts of the document.
  • For example:
    • have the audience’s needs be met?  If so, why? If not, why not?
    • Is the chosen term appropriate for the assignment?  If so, why? If not, why not?
    • Are the diagrams or visuals helpful? If so, why? If not, why not?
    • Are the visuals correctly labelled and cited?
    • Proof read for typos, spelling, and phrasing and suggest improvements where required, and/or comment on the quality of the writing positively. What makes it good writing?

You can add to the above list, and you also have a hand-out to help your phrase your comments for this first peer review.

The point is to know what you are looking for before you begin to read the document, in order to ensure your review is complete and both positive and critical.

Be sure to also concern yourself with the organization and layout of your peer review. Follow the textbook guidelines on organization and layout.

Assignment # 3: Self editing and reflections on your writing techniques.

After you receive your peer review you will self-edit your definition and post the this draft on your reflections blog. You will find that the process of reading your peer’s work with a critical eye, is as valuable as the review you will receive. The lesson has clear enough instruction on what I expect from your reflections.

These are my evaluation criteria for Unit one:

• Completeness: all assignments are complete
• Timeliness: assignments are on time
• Thoughtfulness: assignments are completed with thoughtful attention to instructions and readings

Point distribution for Unit One:
Memorandums and emails: 2%
Blog set-up, application letter and reflections : 10%
Peer Review & Team Forum: 5%

It is my expectation, that once you have received my evaluative comments, if necessary, you will return to your blog and self-edit. For future Units the criteria for evaluation begin to include specific writing skills.

Please do post any question on our group Facebook page, thank you.