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Designing Effective Writing Assignments. PDI January 6, 2011 Emily Morgan. Session Overview. Writing and Discussion: Why do we assign writing? A.D.D.I.E Assignment Writing Workshop Writing Resources Please feel free to ask questions or add comments at any time.
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Designing Effective Writing Assignments PDI January 6, 2011 Emily Morgan
Session Overview Writing and Discussion: Why do we assign writing? A.D.D.I.E Assignment Writing Workshop Writing Resources Please feel free to ask questions or add comments at any time
What is an EFFECTIVE writing assignment? Take a moment and respond to the question: What is an effective writing assignment? In other words, why do you assign writing in your classroom? Effective: definition having an intended or expected effect/result.
Give a man a fish; he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish; he’ll eat as long as there are fish in the pool. • Design an assignment that helps him learn how to stock and manage his pool, and there is no telling how far he might go!
A.D.D.I.E Analysis Design Development Implementation Evaluation
AnalysisDo you know what you need to do? Look at course objectives; keep these as central focus Who are your students? What do they know? What will they need in order to be able to meet objectives? Do the students know the objectives and the standards expected of them?
DesignWhat do you want students to do? Break down course objectives into more manageable goals that promotes graduated learning Explain what each objective looks like in student work/performance; observable behaviors (avoid “know” and “understand”) Decide how you want your students to show you their learning (ie: what genre of writing? Collaborative or independent? Stages or end-product?)
Bloom’s Taxonomy in Action • Knowledge/Comprehension: • summaries, reports, reviews, quizzes--demonstrate comprehension or understanding • Application/Analysis • analyze--break the whole into parts and describe the relationship of the parts to the whole • apply--using concepts in new or different contexts • Summary/Response writing • Synthesis • •synthesize--pull together ideas and show relationships among them • Argument papers, letters to editor…any time they must make and support a claim • Evaluation • Peer review
Genres of Writing • Choose an appropriate genre for your discipline and your audience Examples: • Report • Argument • Review • Summary • Letter • Poster • Proposal • Brochure • Web page • Powerpoint • Speech
Questions to ask when in “Design” mode What will it tell about what’s been learned? Is it connected to the “real world”? Does it appeal to the interests of the students? How does it connect with the course? And the goals of the course? Does the assignment assess what students can do or what they know? Does the assignment require specialized knowledge?
DevelopmentIs the prompt explicit for the end result? Explain how the assignment fits into the course List purpose/objectives of assignment Identify a specific audience Explain all requirements necessary Give some kind of evaluation criteria Make the assignment as transparent as possible Decide what kind of direct instruction needs to happen
ImplementationAre students getting what they need? • Direct instruction may be required • Have some writing resources at your fingertips • Have a clear idea of how you want the paper formatted and spend a few minutes of class time going over it/sharing resources • Are class lessons reinforcing the writing assignment? Do the students see the connection? • Are multiple drafts being done?
EvaluationDid it do what you wanted it to do? • Two levels of evaluation • Student Assessment (Grading) • Instructor reflection • Stick to your grading criteria when assessing • How will I evaluate the work? • What constitutes “successful”? • Reflection • Did the assignment meet the objectives? • Did the students show signs of learning/growth? • What are some gaps in learning to revise next time? • Were there any unintended consequences? • Will you have to do more direct instruction/implementation?
Assignment Design Workshop • Part 1: using the acronym ADDIE, design or improve one of your writing assignments • Choose a writing assignment you intend to give in your course or course objectives you would like reach and/or assess through a writing assignment. • Write down your objective(s) and a brief description of the assignment. • Complete the grid by answering applicable questions about your assignment.
Assignment Design Workshop • Part 2: Peer feedback on assignments. • Exchange grids among a small group. • Read the assignment description and the responses on the grid. • Make notes about areas that need further consideration. You might raise questions, make suggestions, or note how students might respond.
CSU Writing Resources Writing Across the Curriculum http://wac.colostate.edu/intro The Writing Center (located in Eddy 6) http://writing.colostate.edu/wcenter Writing@CSU http://writing.colostate.edu g(uaranteed)t(ransfer)Pathways http://writing.colostate.edu/gtPathways
