Success vs Access and the Role of the Writing Portfolio

In a recent conversation with Lincoln faculty about the success and struggles of our graduates, the issue of success vs access came up. We help our students succeed in college, but how well do we do when it comes to giving our students access to job opportunities beyond the borders of Lincoln? Case in point: the writing proficiency program with its required writing portfolio.
Every story may have a beginning, but many beginnings are borne out of stories. The story behind Lincoln Writing Proficiency Program goes something like this: Once upon a time, a member of the board of trustees read a resume or job application written by a Lincoln student and was so alarmed that s/he convinced the board to issue a directive designed to ensure that all Lincoln graduates are proficient writers. A few years later the Lincoln Writing Proficiency Program (WPP) was conceived. 

The goals/objectives of the WPP are:

• To create an environment at Lincoln University in which writing skills and writing instruction are given the highest priority
• To ensure that Lincoln University students graduate with a high standard of competence in formal English writing as reflected in course work throughout the disciplines
• To provide Lincoln University students with writing skills that will ensure the achievement of their lifelong personal and professional goals

We accomplish the first two parts by requiring the students to pass a “blue-book” essay in the first English composition course (ENG 101), through the writing intensive major courses, and the writing portfolio requirement. The latter specifies that each student must create a discipline-based writing portfolio that passes department approval for graduation. The requirements of the writing portfolio are stipulated by the department and can be found here: http://www.lincoln.edu/departments/writing-proficiency-program/writing-portfolio-rubrics-departments

Through all of these requirements we prepare our students to be proficient writers and to be successful at Lincoln and beyond, but we do very little to provide access to actual job opportunities. What good is success with limited access?

Other universities offer students access to online portfolios that are mined by employment agencies and all types of large and small companies. By allowing students to showcase work through electronic portfolios, Universities help their students to find employment and move on beyond college. There are many ways of doing this, but in this day and age, any portfolio that can be shared online is likely to attract much more attention than a physical paper portfolio and thus lead to greater access for student to succeed. Currently, most departments at Lincoln use writing portfolios that are stored as paper or computer files – never to be shared by anyone but the student and the advisor or department. Wouldn’t it be great if we required our students to make those portfolios online where they can be share by the world, ultimately giving Lincoln graduates greater access to success?

What is your view of success vs access? In your opinion, what is the role of the student writing portfolio beyond Lincoln? Do you have a favorite portfolio platform that you recommend? Should we work towards using a common portfolio platform or let each department choose a platform that works best for that department?

Choosing Moodle

Guest Blogger: Brenda Snider

Four years ago, Lincoln University implemented a new learning management system, MOODLE (Module Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment).  The vendor we currently use is Moodlerooms, which is owned by BlackBoard.  In this blog, I want to discuss personal and professional change and some reasons to use Moodle for your courses.

Have you heard of ADKAR?  ADKAR is used by businesses and for personal use to change habits. The acronym is Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement.  So, as the New Year has begun, I have been thinking about applying this model to some of my personal issues as well as learning more about Moodle. I noticed that I did not want to learn Gradebook and was having a difficult time picking up all of the concepts. I only wanted to learn one aspect of the tool. After looking at the ADKAR model, I realized that I am aware of the features, I know where to obtain the knowledge, I have the ability, but I did not have the desire to learn all of the features. It seemed overwhelming. In my position, I need to know all aspects of Gradebook since each instructor has their own grading scheme. I had to force myself to change my attitude.
Let’s consider applying the ADKAR model to our usage of Moodle. Think about your awareness, desire, knowledge, ability, and where you can obtain reinforcement. What is prevents you from using Moodle?  Or, if you are using the learning management system, why do you continue to use it?

Awareness:  Are all of Lincoln’s Professors and Adjunct Professors aware that we have a learning management system?  Are you aware of the many features of Moodle?

Desire:  Do you have the desire to change or add to your method of sharing information and communicating with your students?

Knowledge:  Do you have the knowledge or do you know how to use Moodle?  If you are not aware or you do not have the desire to use Moodle, then participating in Moodle training and workshops will probably not connect with you and the training will be futile.

Ability:  Do you feel you do not have the ability to use Moodle?  ATS staff can help with this. We can offer one-on-one training and give you the opportunity to practice Moodle in the Faculty Lab, Library Room 116.  I am a firm believer in chunking. I break learning down and learn one tool at a time. If you think Moodle is overwhelming, you can use this method, too.

Reinforcement: Nancy Evans, Director of ATS, offers LU-MUGS meetings (Lincoln University-Moodle User Groups). The group meets frequently to discuss Moodle issues, which reinforces your learning.  In addition, ATS offers workshops and recently started teaming up with CETL Director, Anna Hull, to offer workshops that demonstrate Moodle features along with Anna’s perspective and pedagogical benefits.

So, what are some reasons to use Moodle?

·     Course enhancement

·     Students always have their course materials available if they have access to their computer or phone. Consider the students who miss class, for whatever reason, i.e. athletics, band, illness, or if the university is closed for some reason, the students can still access their courses and even participate in a forum.

·     Transparent grading (students do not have to ask you about every grade, they can see all of their grades)

·     Easier quiz grading

·     Attendance

·     Ability for students to take their quizzes wherever they have access to the Internet

·     Students can no longer use the excuse, I lost the assignment or I was not in class to get the assignment

·     Reports (i.e., logs: do the student access the class as stated, student engagement)

·     Export data for other uses

Are you ready or are you already using Moodle?  We would appreciate your comments. Why are you using Moodle?  Would you encourage others to use Moodle? Are you ready to start using Moodle?  If not, what are your hesitations?

Respectfully,

Brenda Snider

Instructional Support Specialist

ATS

Countering ‘Social Curriculum’ and ‘Alternative Truths’

Guest Blogger: Abbes Maazaoui

In this era of rising xenophobia, ethnocentrism and “alternative truths”, the question that may be raised, particularly during and after the US elections, is whether schools and universities are doing enough to educate students and prepare them for what might be called “ le vivre ensemble” (= living together) or global citizenship. For it is academia where students are expected to learn how to think critically, make ethical choices and develop an inclusive global mindset.

One quick way to appraise what higher education institutions teach students and what types of curriculum, courses and experiences they offer is to examine actual course schedules.

For instance, a quick glance at Lincoln University‘s fall and spring courses, as listed on the Registrar’s website for 2016-17 academic year, reveal a glaring lack of diversity in course offerings. Major regions of the world and notably those marginalized and/or demonized in today’s polarized world are inexistent. Our students, like most Americans, are left with what Carlos Cortés calls “social curriculum.” Their education about other cultures, countries and religions is mainly fed through media of all kinds (TV, film, Facebook, Tweeter, etc.).

The question is to consider what can be done to strengthen student learning with regard to multicultural/international education and help confront the illiberal forces of political, social and religious extremism. Here are a few areas where these forces can be resisted:

1.     A globally-rooted curriculum. In most cases, this implies revising the curriculum and developing strategies for incorporating multicultural education in all academic majors, not just foreign language programs. Courses targeting marginalized cultures, religions and regions should be developed with specific assessable outcomes in all majors.

2.     The liberal arts component of the curriculum. Students should be provided with ample opportunities to explore multiple perspectives, the clash of truths instead of the “clash of civilizations,” to make judgments based on facts and not opinions, and counter the effects of ethnocentrism. Truly multidisciplinary (team-taught) courses should be implemented. For instance, developing team-taught courses has been a Lincoln’s dream for a long time, but as far as I know, was never really carried out with any coherence or consistency.

3.     Faculty development grants should include money for developing international/multicultural courses.

4.     Study abroad activities and exchange programs. Cross-cultural contacts have the potential of increasing student tolerance, broadening their horizons, and lessening the harmful effects of “social curriculum.” “Currently, less than 10% of U.S. students graduating with associates or baccalaureate degrees each year study abroad” (Institute of International Education).  But we should do more, and aim at reaching 25%, 50% of students going abroad. This is true of Lincoln University too. Around 3-4% of students study abroad annually at Lincoln. As the chair of the Committee on International/Global Initiatives, I must acknowledge here the efforts of the current Lincoln’s president who made study abroad a cornerstone of his educational leadership, as well as the growing number of colleagues who have been accompanying (or are planning to accompany) students abroad.

 These four areas, in my view, must be strengthened in all U.S. institutions, particularly liberal arts colleges, if we are concerned about true diversity, tolerance and democracy in this country.  I hope these random thoughts will trigger serious reflection and discussion, and better yet, be followed by action. 

Are tweets literature?

Last year, Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in literature and Donald Trump tweeted his way to become leader-elect of the free world. While these events have little to nothing in common, they both make me ponder the future of literature. In the past century, when I attended college at Suffolk University in Boston, we studied Lincoln’s Gettysburg address in the entry level English literature class. Even as a newbie to this country, I could engage with those words, the subtleties, the passionate art of trying to unify a nation. Lincoln rocked! While I don’t personally object to the selection of Bob Dylan for the Nobel Prize, I know that it raised a few eyebrows around the world. I’m fairly certain that Trump’s tweets are raising more eyebrows – both because of the content and the grammar. So, what are we to do?

As teachers and faculty members we are obligated to keep up with the latest trends in our respective subject areas. This means that professors in Political Science, English, and even Philosophy and History, will need to consider how to handle the White House’s latest mode of communication. But writing and communication cuts across disciplines. When you can become president of the US and put your name by sentences like “Having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing. Only ‘stupid’ people, or fools, would think that it is bad!” what are we to do with general writing instruction? Is it really necessary to clarify that a good thing is not a bad thing and that stupid people equal fools, especially when you only have 140 characters to get your point across? I would try to use some of those characters to back up my arguments. But research, scientific facts and good arguments seem to be a thing of the past.

140 characters do limit you, and it may make sense to try to simplify your language, use the shortest words possible (e.g. sad), and leave out obvious arguments, but why all the quotation marks? I am not a writing teacher and my first language isn’t English, but even I know that quotation marks are supposed to be used when you quote somebody else, or possibly to indicate that you question or blatantly discredit the word in quotation marks. As in, “according to the administration’s ‘alternative facts’ more people attended the current president’s inauguration than any other inauguration”.  For more about the US president’s use of quotation marks you may want to explore Trump’s ‘Use’ of ‘Quotation Marks’ an article found in the February 1, 2017 edition of the Chronical of Higher education by Ben Yagoda: http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2017/02/01/trumps-use-of-quotation-marks/?cid=trend_right_a

Where does all of this leave college writing instruction? I’m curious to find out if students are using Trump language as arguments in their own writing – and if they do, do you accept it? How are you navigating this ‘brave’ new world?