Writing and Assessing by Designs

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Writing and Assessing by Designs
http//mycase.engl.iastate.edu

• David Fisher
• (and an overworked and underpaid cast of
  thousands)
• ddfishe_at_iastate.edu
• English Department
• Iowa State University
• March 24, 2004

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Assembling by Designs

• Reflecting on how network-enabled ready access
  to all texts constitutes . . . a challenge to
  the former power of texts, Gunther Kress
  observes, writing is becoming assembling by
  designs in ways which are overt, and much more
  far-reaching, than they were previously (6).

Kress, G. (2003). Literacy in the New Media Age.
New York Routledge.
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MyCase Our Goals

• Acknowledge the reality of assembling by
  designs and develop writing pedagogy that
  leverages this concept for improvement of
  transfer and assessment
• Project planning as preparation for future
  learning
• Content sourcing as a central information design
  decision
• Adding value as a concrete notion for technical
  communicators

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Design and Transfer

• Preparation for future learning as alternative to
  direct application theory
• SPS (sequestered problem solving) methodology and
  DA (direct application) theory
• PFL (preparation for future learning) and
  knowing with previously acquired concepts and
  experiences

Bransford, J. D., Schwartz, D. L. (1998).
Rethinking Transfer A Simple Proposal with
Multiple Implications. Review of Research in
Education, 24, 61-100.
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Take it home Stuff you need

1. Case (or other language game) with which you are
   familiar
2. Long enough time span so that it makes sense for
   students to explicitly plan their work (i.e.,
   create a project plan)
3. Complexity (or time constraints) of assignments
   that will force students to pull together
4. Assessment instrument (rubric or other) that
   gives students credit for document sourcing
   decisions and various divisions of labor within
   groups

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1. Dynamic Case
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Docuverse
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Caught in the Act
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Intranet
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Communication Tools
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2. Time span

• Classroom time, case time, and exigencies
• Budgeted time vs. Actual time

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3. Assignment complexity

• Contributing factors
• Richness of information
• Conflicting information
• Varying quality of information
• Time allotted for assignment completion
• Skills needed to complete assignment (e.g.,
  writing, drawing, software knowledge)
• Number of students in group
• Students decide about division of labor
• Students have guess about resources and tasks
  required to complete assignment

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4. Assessment instrument

• Collaborative Students and Teacher
• Acknowledges various divisions of labor
• Encourages students to struggle with concept of
  value and how activity adds/detracts value from
  information product
• Helps instructor gain perspective on how work
  undertaken by students manifests itself in
  communicative acts

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Re-mix Rubric
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One teams preparation
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ContentandSourcing