Fall 2002 AISL Report
Bev Stimson Course grades, completion rates, and student survey 
Course Grades:
Section 002 MWF:
   19 Students: 1 withdrew and 14 completed the course with a C or above (74%)
   6=A, 6=B, 2=C, 2=D, 2=F, 1=W
   Class Average Grade: 78
Section 003 MWF:
   17 Students: 4 withdrew and 13 completed the course with a C or above (77%)
   4=A, 7=B, 2=C, 4=W
   Class Average Grade:  85

Total Completion Rate:  75%
Student Surveys = 12 responses

Seventy-five percent of the students completed the course successfully. This is somewhat below the rate I would expect. The mastery level ranged from an average of 78 in Section 002 to an average of 85 in Section 003. I plan to confer with students at the first sign of trouble-excessive absences, failure to turn in work, failure to work at "C" level-in an effort to increase completion and mastery rates. The student surveys were completed anonymously and covered topics on the use of the St. Martin's CD-Rom, the Blackboard computer program, use of a computer lab routinely for English composition class, and most and least useful aspects of the course. Most students expressed satisfaction with the course and found it useful. Sample comments included: 

* "It helped broaden the way I write.  The activities that we did in the process 
  of writing our essays really helped."
* "I liked the class critiquing.  It was very helpful to have the view of the 
   other students.  I enjoyed class discussion and working in groups."
* "[I liked] learning how to properly write an MLA paper."

Students also commented favorably on the use of the computer and software programs. Sample comments: 

* "Most useful:  the computer."
* "I think it [Blackboard] is a great tool and means of communication between 
   student and professor."
* "I liked how it [St. Martin's CD] took each task step by step.  It didn't 
   overload your brain."

Overall, I think the classes were successful. I will continue to use computers and computer software. I'll try, also, to keep a mix of techniques, using textbooks as well as the software, using group work, and writing along with the students, sharing successes and frustrations at each stage of the process.

I plan some fine-tuning next semester. I hope to increase the effectiveness of group work by assigning partners or group of three to work together for a three-week unit, changing groups after each unit. I hope to focus more effectively on grammar as well. I plan to use the groups and every tool I can think of-the Hacker text, the St. Martin's CD with its on-line data base of exercises, etc.-to increase students' mastery of grammar.

I emphasized peer evaluation by using the sample peer evaluations in the St. Martin's CD. That worked well, and students' evaluations were much more complete and useful. I'll continue to award points for these also.

At the beginning of the semester, Peggy Weurding of the advising center suggested that English instructors devote some class time to writing personal narratives for scholarship and transfer applications. Another student wanted help on resume writing. I covered these topics during the final week of the semester. I was surprised to find that students were largely ignorant of these subjects and were genuinely interested in them. Next semester I'll present the material earlier and more extensively.
Bev Stimson Course grades, completion rates, and student survey 
Course Grades:
Section 001 MWF:
   11 Students: 2 withdrew and 8 completed the course with a C or above (73%)
   4=A, 4=B, 1=D, 2=W
   Class Average Grade: 87
Section 003 MWF:
   4 Students: 4 completed the course with a C or above (100%)
   2=A, 1=B, 1=C
   Class Average Grade:  88

Total Completion Rate:  80%
Student Surveys = 7 responses

Eighty percent of the students completed the course successfully. This is an increase over the previous semester, when 75% completed the course successfully. I still would like to see higher completion rates. Also, both sections had a higher level of mastery (87/88%) than the range of 75-85% for three sections last semester. Though I'd like to see a higher completion rate, I see improvement in retention, and I'm pleased with the higher mastery level.

The student surveys asked students how much they had learned about argument, research, and writing techniques, what they found most and least useful, what they wanted more of or less of in the class, and what they thought of using computers in class, including the specific software programs used. Most students felt they had learned a great deal and that the course had met their needs. Here are some sample comments: 

* "I was always scared to take 122 because I hated research papers.  I felt 
   as though there was little expression that could be shown in a research 
   paper; however, I have learned that in fact you can express your ideas 
   greatly.  Most importantly, I am no longer scared of research papers."
* "I relearned the art of research through this course . . . and it helped 
   me in my other classes throughout the semester."

Most of the students liked the availability of computers in the class and approved of the computer software. Here are some sample comments: 

* ""Useful was the computer, and the internet was great."
* "The computer allows ideas to be shared easily and thus increases learning."
* "It was hands on and more readily available for us to use, and it made 
   writing easier."

I think the course was successful. I will continue to use the computers and computer software. I'll try, also, to keep a mix of techniques, using textbooks as well as the software, using group work, using the workshop approach, and keeping lectures to a minimum. Researching and writing along with the students, sharing successes and failures at each stage of the process, is working well. I will continue this practice.

Having an English computer lab has been enormously helpful. I would not wish to teach English any other way.

I'm still concerned about the lack of community in my English 122 classes. Students tend to work independently, resisting group work and class discussions. Thus it's difficult to generate that sense of intellectual excitement which should come as a byproduct of argument and research. Students may be genuinely excited about their own papers, but they are seldom interested in those of other students'. This semester, instead of allowing students to write on any topic, I'll try limiting essay topics to a particular broad theme-sports issues, for example, or health issues, etc. Perhaps a common subject matter will increase our sense of classroom community.

This semester I worked to improve the quality of peer evaluations. The St. Martin's CD has a sample peer evaluation for each essay (something which is not in the text itself). We viewed the CD and discussed the process at the time of each evaluation. The extra attention paid off, for students' evaluations were much more thoughtful and thorough. I will continue this practice.

At the beginning of the semester, Peggy Weurding of the advising center suggested that English instructors devote some class time to writing personal narratives for scholarship and transfer applications. Another student wanted help on resume writing. I covered these topics during the final week of the semester. I was surprised to find that students were largely ignorant of these subjects and were genuinely interested in them. Next semester I'll present the material earlier and more extensively.