Texas A&M International University

1. Texas A&M International University Pearson Course Redesign Case Study: MyCompLab in the Composition Classroom Seattle, WA Friday, April 13, 2012 Deborah M. Scaggs, PhDAssistant Professor of CompositionWriting Program Administrator Laredo, TX

2. Demographics • Located in Laredo, a south-western city of 250,000 people • Largest in-land port in the United States -la fronterra- • Total enrollment ≈ 7000 • First-generation post-secondary students • 95% Hispanic • English as a Second Language (ESL): Spanish is primary/English is secondary • English Language Learners (ELL): Bilingual, but English is primary • *Heritage Language Learners (HLL): Unique discursive practice

3. First Year Writing Program • Enrollment ≈ 1000 students • Roughly 40 sections with a cap of 30 • One day lab/One day non-lab • Consists of 2 courses • English 1301: College Composition I • English 1302: College Composition II • 85-90% of the courses are devoted to the evaluation of written work

4. Challenges • Institution: • Increased enrollment, increased cap, limited lab space and classrooms • Instructors: • Class load (up to 5 classes) • Class cap • Paper-load • Students: • Limited exposure to higher-education culture/expectations • Inexperienced writers • Unique language needs

5. Previous Experiences • Public schools focused on state tests • Skills drill approach • Focus on grammar and mechanics • Limited writing experiences • Very few papers graded or few comments made • Limited knowledge of the writing process

6. Responses: Bring it on! • Writing is easy: “auto-pilot” technique • Writing is important • Writing is exciting • Writing leads to better being a better writer • Can express ideas in a detailed manner • Know they need to use quotes • Can find mistakes • Feel ready for college

7. Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) • English 1301 • Know and be able to use several rhetorical strategies and purposes. • Be familiar with several pre-writing, invention, revision, and editing strategies. • Be able to compose essays employing the features of a given genre. • Be able to articulate the concept of “writing as a process.” • Be able to write an effective introduction or opening that establishes focus, purpose, main idea, and direction; be able to create a body to any writing assignment that is organized, unified, and developed; be able to create an effective conclusion, one comparable in depth and precision to the introduction. • Be able to identify and eliminate major grammatical errors from all writing. • English 1302 • Be able to write, employing several rhetorical strategies, purposes, and features of a given genre and using several pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing strategies. • Understand research principles and strategies needed at the university level. • Be able to document sources accurately in MLA and APA formats. • Be able to identify, evaluate, and effectively incorporate appropriate sources into their own prose. • Be able to summarize and paraphrase effectively. • Be able to make cogent, logical, and effective arguments in writing. • Be able to eliminate grammatical, mechanical, and usage errors from all writing.

8. Responses: Uh-Oh!Concerns and weaknesses Higher Order Lower Order • Feel unprepared • Fear writing • Lack direction/focus • Have writer’s block • Have trouble getting ideas • Have trouble starting essays • Repeat ideas • Do not comprehend words • Make lots of errors • Have poor grammar • Have poor sentence structure • *Writing is hard to read

9. Genre-Based Writing • English 1301 Specific Information • Diagnostic: 600-650 words • Personal Essay: 800 words • Review: 800-1,000 words • Argument: 800-1,000 words • Reflective Essay/e-portfolio: 700-800 words • English 1302 Specific Information • Critical Essay #1: 1,000 words • Critical Essay #2: 1,000 words • Ethnographic Essay: 2100 words • Annotated Bibliography: 100-150 words (per source) (700+ words) • Reflective Essay/e-portfolio : 700-800 words

10. MyCompLab’s Power

11. Diagnostic/Terminal Essay Analysis

12. MyCompLab Results: Overall Average Scores Spring 2009 43 students • Average pre-test score: 75 • Average post-test score: 83 8 Fall 2009 176 students • Average pre-test score: 67 • Average post-test score: 80 13 Spring 2010 323 students • Average pre-test score: 67 • Average post-test score: 72 5

13. “Old” MCL Curriculum Data Fall 2009 n=181 ENGL 1301 • Pre: 66 • Post: 73 • 7 n=128 ENGL 1302 • Pre: 68 • Post: 73 • 5 Spring 2010 n=187 ENGL 1301 • Pre: 67 • Post: 74 • 7 n=189 ENGL 1302 • Pre: 70 • Post: 75 • 5

14. “New” MCL Curriculum Data Fall 2010 n=102 ENGL 1301 • Pre: 65 • Post: 69 • 4 n=19 ENGL 1302 • Pre: 62 • Post: 66 • 4 Spring 2011 n=171 ENGL 1301 • Pre: 74 • Post: 79 • 5 n=197 ENGL 1302 • Pre: 73 • Post: 74 • 1

15. “Old” vs. “New” Fall 2010 / Spring 2011 n=102 ENGL 1301 Pre: 65 n=197 ENGL 1302 Post: 74 9 Fall 2009 / Spring 2010 n=181 ENGL 1301 • Pre: 66 n=189 ENGL 1302 • Post: 75 • 9

16. Average Score: “Old” MCL

17. Average Score: “New” MCL

18. ¡Muchas Gracias! Deborah M. Scaggs, PhD dscaggs@tamiu.edu 956-326-3033