RWS 200 Assessment

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RWS 200 Assessment
pICT Innovations

• James Towner
• Katie Hughes
• Liane Bryson

January 10, 2006
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Innovations

• Students created PowerPoint presentations
  addressing central course concept
• Students researched and used blogs as evidence of
  contemporary discussion of paper topic
• Students imported a photographic image into their
  essays
• Students constructed visual arguments with
  PowerPoint using internet sources, including

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Assessment approaches

• Blackboard surveys
• Criterion-based assessment allowing for
  comparison of student proficiency before and
  after innovation

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Factors contributing to use of this assessment
approach

• Easy access to Blackboard Survey
• Analysis of results available through Blackboard

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Conclusions based on assessment

• Criterion-based assessment showed marked
  improvement in student work
• Higher grades in projects one and four

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Student Surveys Show Intervention Success

• Written Comments
• Project 3
• I realize using visuals is effective in
  supporting arguments and claims.
• Project 4
• I think that the use of technology is very
  helpful for making an argument, and the visual
  presentation is a great way to expand the
  understanding of the argument.
• I learned that there are many ways to make an
  argument by using technology, speech, or writing.

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Using PowerPoint to teach Central Course Concepts

• To what extent did using technology help in
  understanding the basic course concepts and being
  able to demonstrate that understanding?

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Using a Visual Image in Project Three Essay

• Using a visual image in my paper helped me
  understand how images can be seen in different
  contexts and how different viewers might
  interpret the image differently.

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Constructing a Visual Argument with PowerPoint

• Creating a visual argument to complement a
  written argument enhanced my understanding of
  visual rhetoric.

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Feedback from Assessments

• Feedback from
• Criterion-based assessments and
• Blackboard surveys
• Confirmed our expectations and observations.

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Problems we encountered

• Using blogs problematic in academic writing
• Smart classrooms are scarce
• Difficult to setup in standard classrooms

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Changes or Improvements Based on Assessments

• No major changes
• We will continue with our course pICT innovations