Revising the Researched Essay Assignment: Reaching Information Literacy Goals in a First-Year Experience Course

Type of Presentation

Individual paper/presentation (20 minute presentation)

Target Audience

Higher Education

Location

Room 217

Abstract

Southern Oregon University students take a required year-long series of courses called University Seminar. This program meets goals in writing, public speaking, and information literacy. One assignment in particular, the F.U.S.E. (Final University Seminar Essay), has been a common, shared assignment required at the end of the University Seminar sequence. Used for programmatic as well as university assessment, this assignment is fraught with issues. This year, we set aside valuable faculty time throughout the year to redesign this assignment and conduct a systematic review and revision of this assignment, including a revision of the shared rubric for assessment.

As the program Chair, my hope for this redesign project included more than just better student writing and stronger skills in information literacy. I wanted my diverse faculty (regular, full-time instructors teaching three courses per term as well as adjunct instructors teaching one course per term) to come together and experience team building and a stronger sense of collegiality. Moreover, I wanted to honor and respect what instructors were already doing in their courses while agreeing on a set of minimum requirements and common goals and outcomes.

While this project is still underway, I am excited to compare writing samples with those from previous years. This presentation will provide a detailed plan for assignment redesign that can be adapted by other programs and disciplines. Already, we have attended one regional conference focused on transparent assignment design and presented an assignment design workshop for SOU faculty from all disciplines.

Presentation Description

This interactive presentation will detail how Southern Oregon University's University Seminar program has undergone a year-long assignment redesign process to improve the F.U.S.E. (Final University Seminar Assignment). This shared assignment, used for programmatic as well as university assessment, is a required project to demonstrate student's proficiency in information literacy. Participants will leave with a step-by-step plan that they an adapt to redesign assignments in any discipline.

Keywords

Assignment Redesign, Shared Assignments, Researched Essays

Publication Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

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Sep 15th, 4:15 PM Sep 15th, 5:30 PM

Revising the Researched Essay Assignment: Reaching Information Literacy Goals in a First-Year Experience Course

Room 217

Southern Oregon University students take a required year-long series of courses called University Seminar. This program meets goals in writing, public speaking, and information literacy. One assignment in particular, the F.U.S.E. (Final University Seminar Essay), has been a common, shared assignment required at the end of the University Seminar sequence. Used for programmatic as well as university assessment, this assignment is fraught with issues. This year, we set aside valuable faculty time throughout the year to redesign this assignment and conduct a systematic review and revision of this assignment, including a revision of the shared rubric for assessment.

As the program Chair, my hope for this redesign project included more than just better student writing and stronger skills in information literacy. I wanted my diverse faculty (regular, full-time instructors teaching three courses per term as well as adjunct instructors teaching one course per term) to come together and experience team building and a stronger sense of collegiality. Moreover, I wanted to honor and respect what instructors were already doing in their courses while agreeing on a set of minimum requirements and common goals and outcomes.

While this project is still underway, I am excited to compare writing samples with those from previous years. This presentation will provide a detailed plan for assignment redesign that can be adapted by other programs and disciplines. Already, we have attended one regional conference focused on transparent assignment design and presented an assignment design workshop for SOU faculty from all disciplines.