Texas A&M International University

Pearson Course Redesign Case Study:MyCompLab in the Composition Classroom

Seattle, WAFriday, April 13, 2012

Deborah M. Scaggs, PhDAssistant Professor of Composition

Writing Program AdministratorLaredo, TX

Located in Laredo, a south-western city of 250,000 peopleo Largest in-land port in the United States

-la fronterra- Total enrollment ≈ 7000 First-generation post-secondary students 95% Hispanic

o English as a Second Language (ESL): Spanish is primary/English is secondary

o English Language Learners (ELL): Bilingual, but English is primary

o *Heritage Language Learners (HLL): Unique discursive practice

Enrollment ≈ 1000 studentso Roughly 40 sections with a cap of 30o One day lab/One day non-lab

Consists of 2 courseso English 1301: College Composition I o English 1302: College Composition II

85-90% of the courses are devoted to the evaluation of written work

Institution:o Increased enrollment, increased cap, limited lab space

and classrooms Instructors:

o Class load (up to 5 classes)o Class capo Paper-load

Students:o Limited exposure to higher-education

culture/expectationso Inexperienced writers o Unique language needs

Public schools focused on state tests

Skills drill approach

Focus on grammar and

mechanics

Limited writing experiences

Very few papers graded or few comments made

Limited knowledge of the writing process

Writing is easy: “auto-pilot” technique

Writing is important

Writing is exciting

Writing leads to better being a better writer

Can express ideas in a detailed manner

Know they need to use quotes

Can find mistakes

Feel ready for college

English 13011. Know and be able to use several

rhetorical strategies and purposes.2. Be familiar with several pre-writing,

invention, revision, and editing strategies. 3. Be able to compose essays employing the

features of a given genre.4. Be able to articulate the concept of

“writing as a process.”5. Be able to write an effective introduction

or opening that establishes focus, purpose, main idea, and direction; be able to create a body to any writing assignment that is organized, unified, and developed; be able to create an effective conclusion, one comparable in depth and precision to the introduction.

6. Be able to identify and eliminate major grammatical errors from all writing.

English 13021. Be able to write, employing several

rhetorical strategies, purposes, and features of a given genre and using several pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing strategies.

2. Understand research principles and strategies needed at the university level.

3. Be able to document sources accurately in MLA and APA formats.

4. Be able to identify, evaluate, and effectively incorporate appropriate sources into their own prose.

5. Be able to summarize and paraphrase effectively.

6. Be able to make cogent, logical, and effective arguments in writing.

7. Be able to eliminate grammatical, mechanical, and usage errors from all writing.

Feel unprepared

Fear writing

Lack direction/focus

Have writer’s block

Have trouble getting ideas

Have trouble starting essays

Repeat ideas

Do not comprehend words

Make lots of errors

Have poor grammar

Have poor sentence structure

*Writing is hard to read

Higher Order Lower Order

English 1301 Specific Information o Diagnostic: 600-650 wordso Personal Essay: 800 wordso Review: 800-1,000 wordso Argument: 800-1,000 wordso Reflective Essay/e-portfolio: 700-800 words

  English 1302 Specific Information 

o Critical Essay #1: 1,000 words o Critical Essay #2: 1,000 wordso Ethnographic Essay: 2100 words

• Annotated Bibliography: 100-150 words (per source) (700+ words)

o Reflective Essay/e-portfolio : 700-800 words

Spring 2009 43 students Average pre-test score: 75 Average post-test score: 83 8

Fall 2009 176 students Average pre-test score: 67 Average post-test score: 80 13

Spring 2010 323 students Average pre-test score: 67 Average post-test score: 72 5

Fall 2009 n=181

ENGL 1301o Pre: 66o Post: 73

• 7

n=128

ENGL 1302o Pre: 68o Post: 73

• 5

Spring 2010 n=187

ENGL 1301o Pre: 67o Post: 74

• 7

n=189

ENGL 1302o Pre: 70o Post: 75

• 5

Fall 2010 n=102

ENGL 1301o Pre: 65o Post: 69

• 4

n=19

ENGL 1302o Pre: 62o Post: 66

• 4

Spring 2011 n=171

ENGL 1301o Pre: 74o Post: 79

• 5

n=197

ENGL 1302o Pre: 73o Post: 74

• 1

Fall 2009 / Spring 2010 n=181

ENGL 1301o Pre: 66

n=189

ENGL 1302o Post: 75

9

Fall 2010 / Spring 2011 n=102

ENGL 1301o Pre: 65

n=197

ENGL 1302o Post: 74

9

¡Muchas Gracias!

Deborah M. Scaggs, PhD

dscaggs@tamiu.edu

956-326-3033