Context for Study

1. Improving the Teaching of Academic Genres in High-Enrollment Courses across Disciplines: A Three-Year Reiterative Study Chris Thaiss University of California, Davis (US) Brenda Rinard University of California, Davis (US) EATAW 2011 Conference University of Limerick July 1, 2011

2. Context for Study • Three-year Spencer-Teagle grant part of five-year project to expand and deepen general education at UC Davis (ge.ucdavis.edu)

3. Context for Study The “writing experience” general education requirement at UC Davis (6-9 units) Augments 8-credit lower- and upper-division composition requirements “Writing experience coursework provides students instruction on how to communicate ideas in the subject matter of a course. Students write in appropriate forms under the guidance of faculty and graduate students. The opportunity to revise writing after having received careful commentary is crucial to this requirement” (Revised General Education requirement March 2008)

4. Context for Study Spencer - Teagle Grant was timely, in that it allowed us to do a pilot case study of a large-enrollment course that was “on the books” as meeting the old writing requirement, but which in fact did not. Grant allowed us to modify and assess this course over 3 years, then use its methods and assessment as a prototype for similar courses across departments. Study would exemplify cross-disciplinary cooperation(PI from Univ. Writing Program, GSRs from Education, instructor and TAs from Sociology).

5. Focal Course • Sociology 25: Popular Culture • Undergraduate lecture course. Approx. 150 students per quarter • Previously used multiple choice and essay exams as assessments • 3 TAs –hold 1-hour session per week and office hours, grade exams; 50 students per TA • New interventions: Added a “progressive” paper and weekly reading-response assignments

6. Year-One Goals • Create and administer pre- and post-course student surveys • Create writing assignments with Laura Grindstaff, sociology professor • Collaboratively develop rubric from year-one assignments and sample papers (based on Thaiss/Zawacki, 2006, model) • Informally and formally interview course TAs, students, and professor • Decide on study adjustments based on year-one findings

7. Student Sample

8. Pre-course survey asked about previous writing instruction, amount of writing, and attitudes about writing. Post–course survey asked students to evaluate the writing assignments and quality of feedback. Used Likert Scale 1-10 1 is least helpful/10 is most helpful Student Surveys 2009 - 2011

9. Changed weekly reading responses to TAs to an online “blog” forum that all students could read and respond to Changed progressive paper prompt to allow greater choice of readings, and required application to “real-life” situation, chosen by each student Rubric became tool to guide instruction on progressive paper and feedback on proposals and drafts Key Changes from Y1 to Y2

10. Did the writing assignments in SOC 25 help you to understand the major concepts in popular culture?

11. Did the writing assignments in SOC 25 help you to understand the assigned readings in the course?

12. Have the writing assignments helped you to understand how sociologists view popular culture?

13. In general, did the TA feedback on the progressive paper help you to improve it? %

14. As we redesign the course for 2012 , which of the current assignments would you keep?

15. Student Responses to the Online Blog Assignments • The forum posts allowed me to view the opinion of others and express my thoughts. • Really did get to interact with course reading to really understand how it all ties in. • They were helpful because they made me think more critically about the topics and allowed me to see other classmates’ perspectives. • I definitely saw the connections made via the progressive paper and blog entries. They strengthened my understanding of course material. • Forum posts allowed me to think of pop culture, in my own way and dive deeper into the readings than I normally would have. Progressive paper allowed me to connect all concepts into something that I found interesting making me more fascinated with the class.

16. Student Responses to the Progressive Paper Assignment • The paper required me to think more critically on the core concepts discussed in class. • The progressive paper has been challenging to write, but it has been helpful in applying the concepts and analyze like a sociologist • Progressive paper was helpful because we got feedback. • The progressive paper is a good way of helping the step to step process to producing a solid paper. • I had trouble with the initial paper so that forced me to rewrite it but it ultimately helped me get the concepts. The blogs helped by reinforcing the concepts along the way.

17. Successes • Overwhelmingly positive feedback from students about all aspects of the course • Professor and TAs reported better quality papers and higher than average course grades. • TAs stated that the course changes made their workload more manageable and their work more effective and targeted. • TAs appreciated being able to use the year-one rubric with students.

18. Year-Three Goals and Beyond As GE reform has moved from course approvals (1500 WE courses in 80 majors) to implementation and assessment (2011-2014), we have begun to apply pilot successes to • (1) faculty/TA training workshops (through University Writing Program WAC structure, writing.ucdavis.edu) • (2) assessment of sample of representative courses across majors (using instructor surveys & interviews and student focus groups)