English 305 Modes of Writing

About the OER

Community Tool Box

Description:  

This is an open access website that provides tools and direction for assessing and addressing community issues, and developing and implementing projects and programs to meet those needs. This is just one of many free web-based resources that I provide during the course, but this one is specifically used for two major assignments.

The vision behind the Community Tool Box is that people – locally and globally – are better prepared to work together to change conditions that affect their lives. Their mission is to promote community health and development by connecting people, ideas, and resources.

With the belief that people can change their communities for the better, and informed by disciplines including applied behavior analysis, public health, and community psychology, partners at the University of Kansas and collaborating organizations developed the Community Tool Box as a public service.

Authors:

• Work Group for Community Health and Development - University of Kansas

Formats:  

The entire resource is web-based and free to access via the internet.  Students access it themselves directly.  I obtained specific permission from the KU Work Group to use particular sections for my assignments. 

Cost savings:  

Previously, I assigned the textbook Writing Analytically by Rosenwasser and Stephen. This book retails at $115. I teach these two classes to approximately 150 students per year, so the potential annual cost savings for students is $17,250.

License:

The Community Toolbox is licensed by a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 license. This means You are free to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and remix, transform, and build upon the material. If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original. You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

About the Course

I use this resource to teach two different classes.

English 305 (Modes of Writing)

Description: 

An online course in effective expository writing.  Emphasis on writing as a process.  Prerequisite:  Grade of "B" or better in ENGL 110 or the equivalent, upper division standing, and Internet and word processing skills.  Fulfills the GWAR.  Counts towards the Teacher Preparation Programs in Liberal Studies and Child Development.  Does not count toward the major or minor. GWAR

Prerequisites: Grade of "B" or higher in ENGL 110 and upper division standing.

GE credit:  5 quarter units, GE, GWAR requirement options

English 310 (Advanced Writing)

Description: 

Comprehensive study of the techniques of effective expository writing.  Emphasis on development of prose style.  Frequent writing exercises both in and out of class.  Prerequisite:  ENGL 110 or the equivalent, and upper division standing.  Does not count toward the major or the minor. GWAR

Prerequisites: Grade of C or better in ENGL 110 or its equivalent and upper-division standing.

GE Credit: 5.0 - Does not count toward the major or the minor. 

Learning outcomes for both courses: 

• Students will evaluate how effectively a writer’s rhetorical choices (e.g., bias, rhetorical modes, organization, diction, etc.) and logic meet the needs of a particular rhetorical context.    
• Students will create effective thesis statements for various types of writing tasks.
• Students will effectively use discourse-appropriate prose. 
• Students will use logical reasoning, at the appropriate level, to develop and organize ideas. 
• Students will find and evaluate diverse, reputable sources for a specific writing task. 
• Students will effectively and correctly use summary, paraphrase, and direct quotes to synthesize sources. 

Curricular changes:

Using these materials allowed me to incorporate different types of writing assignments (not strictly essays and reports).   It also allowed me to easily vary the topics quarter to quarter.  

Teaching and learning impacts:

Collaborate more with other faculty: Yes
Use wider range of teaching materials: Yes
Student learning improved: Yes
Student retention improved: Yes
Any unexpected results: No

I did collaborate more with other faculty members because we share resources and discuss our experiences–using online resources allows me to change the material each term, trying new things easily, and this also discourages plagiarism

I use a wider range of materials because with the use of the internet, we have access to multimedia from all over the world.  I can quickly find related material (videos, interactive quizzes, visuals, games, handouts) and provide links for students.  I can also quickly access these materials during class meetings.

Student learning improved, as students are much more engaged, which naturally leads to increased participation, increased attendance at class meetings, and increased comprehension of the course content.

Student retention improved because they are anxious to go to class and/or eager to participate in online discussions because they are intrigued by the material and can easily access it.

Sample assignment and syllabus:

Assignments
These are some of the assignments I use for these classes.

Syllabus for 310
This is the syllabus I used for English 310 in Spring 2016.

Syllabus for 305
This is the syllabus I used for English 305 for Spring 2016.

OER Adoption

OER Adoption Process

I began this in my online class because it was so easy and convenient to vary course materials and stop using the textbook. I also liked the practical application of the resources in the Community Tool Box. After developing and polishing assignments in the online course, it was easy to transfer them to the traditional face-to-face course, and students appreciated saving the textbook costs.

Student access:  

The resource is an online site, so all students access it directly online.

Student feedback or participation:

Students were asked two questions: 

What is the most significant benefit (to you personally) of having course materials available online? Some responses include:

• Saving money because tuition is expensive. 
• I am able to access materials at any time from wherever
• Financial relief.  I work full-time in order to buy textbooks . . . Seriously.
• I don’t have to carry a load of books with me to class.
• Textbooks cost money.  Sometimes a lot.  I have other classes and carrying all those books becomes a hassle.
• I appreciate the ease of accessibility; materials are only clicks away.
• The most significant benefit would be not worrying about getting the book before the class starts.  Also I don’t have to worry about spending money on a book that I might not use very often.
• It’s easy to follow online.

What are the disadvantages or difficulties (to you personally) of having course materials available online? Some responses include:

• I personally like having actual books to read.  I don’t like etextbooks. 
• I can’t highlight and take notes in the book online. 
• On rare occasions, I don’t have internet access.  But generally, I have no difficulty with online materials.
• If we didn’t have our class meetings in a computer lab, I wouldn’t be able to pull up the material in class.  I don’t have a laptop. 
• Occasionally online materials or courses have technical difficulties.
• My eyes start to hurt when I stare at a computer screen for a long time.  Also, if assignments don’t upload properly, I can’t do my homework. 
• Slow Wi-Fi
• Having to carry a laptop is annoying. 
• I cannot afford internet at home, so I do all my work online at school or places with free Wi-Fi.

Rebecca Bryant Hewett, M.A. 

I am a faculty member of the English Department at California State University, Bakersfield. I regularly teach all levels of composition/rhetoric--from freshman composition to graduate-level discipline-specific writing courses.

I believe that good writing skills are a powerful tool and a key to success in today's world.  Students should be given ample opportunities to practice, develop, and master these skills using cost-effective, easily accessible materials and real-life contexts.

My most important interests are service learning and community engagement and using computer technology in the classroom. I want to develop my teaching skills to reach students as effectively as possible.