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Making the “Write” Choices: MyWritingLabPlus at CSUB
Pearson Course Redesign, April 2012
Randi Brummett ([email protected])
Brooke Hughes ([email protected])
CSU, Bakersfield
About California State University, Bakersfield
Quarter-based campus (10 weeks) Non-traditional students
Most do not live on campus Average age = 23
Enrollment: over 8,000 Students 38% Hispanic (3,040 students)
73% of those students are ESL or Generation 1.5 62.5% First-Time Freshman Regular Admits requiring
English Remediation Commuter Campus Budget Cuts/FurloughsBecause of the items above, we decided to rethink our
course design.
Challenges that Lead to Using Technology
We lackedMoneyTimeSpaceQuality & Consistent LearningA Better Way to Track SLOs (and information for WASC accreditation)Small class sizes (from 23 to 35)
COURSE REDESIGN DATA CSU, BAKERSFIELD
MAKING THE TRANSITION
Our Path to MyWritingLabPlus
We piloted/tested 5 programs from different publishers
Our decision was made by the students and instructors
We chose MWLP for these reasons: Intuitive; easy to use Price Diagnostic abilities Progression from literal comprehension to internalization in
their own writing Capability to assess SLOs more easily Consistency of learning (esp. for a large group of students)
Course Type of Class
English 50 Developmental, Summer only, Grant funded course
English 80 Developmental course, Focusing from Para-Essay
English 99 Developmental course, Focusing on Essays
English 110 Freshman Composition
Humanities 207 & 407 One-unit grammar brush up course
Our MWL/MWLP Timeline, 2005-20092005:Piloted/Tested out Programs
2006:Replaced mandatory grammar workshops with required lab hours in Eng 80 Changed 207/407 to completely online course
2007:Replaced mini-lectures and grammar workshops with outside of class work in Eng 80 and 99Paired 207/407 with Student Success Center (Probation/Dismissal students)Paired 207/407 with Athletics (Division 1 tutoring requirement)
2008:Replaced tutoring with required walk-in lab hours in Eng 50
2009:Replaced mandatory grammar workshops with outside of class work in Eng 50
Our MWL/MWLP Timeline, 2010-20122010: Worked with Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum courses using option of 207/407 and with individual instructor usePaired with multiple Upper Division Writing Courses as Supplemental and Fully Online modelsAuthored MWL integrated portions of the adopted text in Eng 80 (Mosaics - Flachmann)
2011:Paired 207/407 with Graduate Studies CenterUniversity Adoption of MyLabsPlus version of MWLCustomized 4-year access via Student FeeOptional model as a supplement in Eng 110Worked with two universities to redesign based on our modelOpened MyWritingLabPlus Headquarters on campus
2012:Bridging with two local high schools using MWLPRunning two pilots (Required hour & Unlock pilot)
Course Type of Class Percentage of Course
# of Topics Example Topics
English 50 Developmental, Summer only, Grant funded course
10% 10 (determined by a committee)
Pronouns, Verbs, Nouns
English 80 Developmental course, Focusing from Para-Essay
10% 10 (determined by a committee)
Commas, Fragments, Run-Ons
English 99 Developmental course, Focusing on Essays
10% 15 (determined by a committee)
Topic Sentences, Developing Paragraphs
English 110 Freshman Composition
OPTIONAL Up to 10% (instructor discretion)
OPTIONAL Up to 10 (instructor discretion)
OPTIONALInstructor discretion
Humanities 207 & 407
One-unit grammar brush up course
100% (Credit/No Credit course)
20 (of the student’s choice)
Research, Subject-Verb Agreement, Illustration Essays
Impact On Our CampusFACULTY/STAFF
Have more time in class to go over content, rather than grammar topics Closely monitor the class’s activity in the program and hone in on class problems Provide extra immediate help to students who need it Explain grammar in a different way, especially for students who have different
learning styles Create consistency of information given Use the alert system as a teaching tool to focus in on one student having difficulty Grade faster and more efficiently (via Pearson Tutor Services) Are able to get help immediately (via MWLP Headquarters) Read better papers
STUDENTS Learn about a topic as many times as they need Work on their own time, at their own pace Become responsible for their own learning process Are able to get help immediately (via MWLP Headquarters) Write better papers
To Infinity and Beyond! Obtain more assistants and hours for the MWLP
Headquarters Work with the community college and more high schools to
create a MWLP “bridge” for students Keep working with faculty outside of English Roll out MWLP 2.0 (Fall 2012) Offer instructors a choice for the required MWL Integrated
text in Eng 80 (Mosaics or our forthcoming text) Continue pilots from 2012 Work on non-English data Work on MWLP impact on students later in academic
career
Course Redesign Data CSU, Bakersfield
TIPS FOR REDESIGNING
Ways for Faculty to Buy in
Start with a small pilot & show faculty the data Single them out (i.e., take them to lunch/coffee/etc.) Bribe them (i.e., gift cards, sweepstakes, etc.) Provide a mentor system Make additional support available (i.e., MWLP
Headquarters, IT, tutoring center, etc.) Use an integrated textbook (i.e., we use Mosaics in Eng
80) Include them into decision making (committees deciding
topics, mastery, etc.) Create learning communities for faculty to join
Ways for Admin/Staff to Buy in
Present data frequently Keep them in the loop Find admin/staff that share your common
problems/concerns to fight for you Get them involved early on (especially IT)
Advice
Start small, and don’t rush it. Before you start, make a list of the problems/issues you
need to solve. Find others (admin/faculty) who want the same things Try to find schools that have done the redesign you want to
do. Apply for grants. Don’t get discouraged. Keep an open mind. Make friends with your Pearson technology specialist. Keep all data, even if it seems insignificant. Check out the NCAT website (http://www.thencat.org)
