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Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, and Fall 2009 W Courses

Writing at Saint Mary’s Data from Basic W Rubrics, Student Questionnaires, and College-wide Surveys. Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, and Fall 2009 W Courses. Portfolio Evaluation and W Decisions. FAQ: How consistent is portfolio evaluation?.

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Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, and Fall 2009 W Courses

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  1. Writing at Saint Mary’sData from Basic W Rubrics, Student Questionnaires,and College-wide Surveys Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, and Fall 2009 W Courses

  2. Portfolio Evaluation and W Decisions

  3. FAQ: How consistent is portfolio evaluation? • There is no significant difference between readers in evaluating portfolios. • There is a significant correlation between scoring components (thesis, development, support, and style) and the overall recommendation score (strong pass, pass, borderline, and no W).

  4. Average Component ScoresThere is no significant difference between readers in evaluating portfolios. ¹Does not include fall 2009 rubrics as only one rubric was used. ²Includes average of two readers in spring 2008 through spring 2009, as well as rubrics from fall 2009.

  5. Components: Content Analysis of Comments on Style • Positive comments on style most often noted • Smooth and engaging writing style • Negative comments on style most often noted • Awkward sentence construction • Poor word choice • Wordiness

  6. Components: Content Analysis of Comments on Mechanics • Comments often noted • Sentence structure • Word choice • Comma usage • Quotation usage • Spelling

  7. Faculty Pre-Conference Evaluations & W Results Readers’ evaluations are consistent with instructors’ evaluations.

  8. FAQ: What characteristics of student writing seem to be most strongly correlated with not receiving the W? • Writing that showed • Lack of clarity and maturity of thesis • Poor flow and use of transitions in development • Inability to provide context to evidence presented • Style concerns • Problems with mechanics including • Misuse of commas • Grammar • Punctuation • Spelling • Word choice

  9. FAQ: What do we know about students who don’t receive the W? • 8.4% of students did not receive the W. • These students most frequently • were in the bottom quartile on the SAT Critical Reading (18.5% did not receive the W) • were in the bottom quartile of high-school GPA (15.8% did not receive the W) • had an SMC cumulative GPA below 2.79 (15.3% do not receive the W) • Two-thirds of students who didn’t earn the W had SAT Critical Reading scores <490 and/or HS GPA <3.38.

  10. SAT Critical Reading

  11. High School GPA

  12. Cumulative GPA at SMC

  13. Distribution of Decisions of No W: Race/Ethnicity

  14. FAQ: What happens to students who receive at least one borderline or no-W recommendation from their readers? • Overall, 8.4% of students did not receive the W. • Only 9.1% of students who received a no-W recommendation from both readers received the W. • 59.1% of students who received a split recommendation (one no W, one borderline) earned the W. • Of students who received at least one borderline recommendation, students who did not receive the W had higher rates of retention than did those who earned the W. • The lowest rates of retention were seen from those students who received at least one no-W recommendation. • Students who received at least one borderline recommendation improved on their SMC GPA following the W term. Students receiving at least one no-W recommendation saw little if any improvement.

  15. Retention by Recommendation

  16. Students Repeating the W

  17. Average Scores for Repeaters

  18. Success in W by Course

  19. Academic Profile of Students by Course

  20. Success by Course

  21. Distribution of Enrollment for Students below the Advising Recommendation Advising currently encourages students with a combined SAT Writing and Critical Reading score of below 940 or ACT English score below 20 to enroll in 103/104W. However, the majority of students in this range opt not to take 103/104W.

  22. Success by Course (for students below the current advising recommendation)

  23. Rubric Scores by Course (for students below the current advising recommendation)

  24. Success by Course (for students below the revised advising recommendationSATV < 490 and/or HS GPA < 3.40)

  25. Students’ Views of Writing at Saint Mary’s

  26. FAQ: What do students want from their W courses? • In a questionnaire given at the beginning of the semester, students most often said they wanted to improve these aspects of their writing: • Grammar/mechanics • Focus/structure • Introduction/conclusions • Execution of ideas

  27. FAQ: What do students still want to learn after their W courses? • In a questionnaire given at the end of the semester, students most often said they still wanted to improve • Grammar/mechanics • Students also wanted to improve • Articulation of ideas • Persuasiveness • Overall clarity of writing

  28. FAQ: What do we know about students’ writing development after the Basic W? • 92% of seniors indicate that SMC moderately or greatly enhanced their ability to write effectively. • Approximately 70% of alums five-years-out indicated that the writing program prepared them for their current writing tasks.

  29. SMC undergraduate experience enhanced writing effectively: HEDS SENIOR SURVEY

  30. Five-Years-Out Alumnae Survey: 2004 Graduates

  31. To what extent do you think the Writing Proficiency requirements prepared you for your present writing tasks? (2004 grads)

  32. Future Research • What happens to students after the Basic W? • Track through four years at Saint Mary’s • Correlate with graduate test scores • Correlate with retention and graduation rate information • Correlate with GPA • Gather data on the Advanced W and the middle years • Compare entry self-report characteristics of students who achieve various levels of success

  33. Strengthening the W Program • Consider strengthening students’ skills in mechanics. • WPC sessions on grammar • National Grammar Day • Piloting more attention to grammar in W courses • Continue to seek effective, sustainable methods for portfolio evaluation. • Improving recruitment of and training for readers, including being more attentive to disciplinary styles and creative assignments • Fall 2009 pilot (nice try!) • Survey of how students use their portfolio feedback • Using the rubric throughout W courses

  34. Strengthening the W Program Investigate how we’re serving students with our current offerings, including offerings for students who need multiple W courses. Learn more about students’ preparation for the Advanced W: What are departments and programs finding? What do students need throughout their college careers? And then there’s Gen Ed.

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