using journals

Using JournalsUsing Journals

Crafting Informal Writing Questionsto Help Structure Discussions and Formal

Assignments

Monday, September 17, 20078:00-10:00 am

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Using JournalsUsing Journals

This is a workshop intended to assist those teaching QU101 and QU201 sections, or any discussion-based course, on how to use various kinds of informal/low-stakes writing to help their students think about the readings and to promote discussion in class. Specific emphasis will be given to crafting informal questions for use in and out of class, structuring those assignments into group exercises, and into longer scaffolded assignments. We’ll also talk about how to evaluate those assignments—on their own or as part of a journal assignment, and the presentation will include models for each part of the talk.

Presented by Bob Smart Professor of English

What kind of Journals?What kind of Journals?

In writing circles (English and non-English), folks talk about three kinds of academic journals:

1.Freewrite journals2.Lab journals3.Thinking and writing journals

We are mostly concerned here with #3

What are freewrite and lab What are freewrite and lab journals?journals?

A freewrite journal is a kind of work diary in which you note passing ideas, associations with things you have learned about or though about before.

A lab journal is usually attached to an extra class in a science or archaeology or computer science class in which measurements or lab results are recorded.

A Thinking and Writing Journal?A Thinking and Writing Journal?

Is pretty much what it says:

The thinking part:The thinking part:

The specific relationship between the journal and your class is that the journal allows the students to learn how to think critically or problem solve in a low stakes environment. That means that they will be graded on effort and thoroughness, not necessarily on correctness.

(note that this would not necessarily be true of a lab journal, which might need to be corrected for a grade)

The thinking, part deux:The thinking, part deux:

The usual in this kind of practice is to promote new ideas, new ways of thinking about old ideas, and different solutions to various problems by having students rethink what you have done in class and in the reading/discussions----

To do that you use WTL’s, or writing to learn, low stakes writing.

The Thinking, part trois:The Thinking, part trois:

At Quinnipiac, your friendly, local WAC committee has promoted using three cognitive tasks (which together define what we mean by critical thinking):

1. Prioritization: this is the “gateway” task for critical thinking—if students can’t tell the difference between what’s most important and what’s least important, they won’t be able to accomplish anything that looks like analysis in their papers

Thinking, quatre:Thinking, quatre:

Samples of prioritization WTL’s:

1.After you have read the first half of Zimbardo, underline the most important line or phrase in what you read and explain briefly in your journals why you believe this to be the most important line.

2.In his essay, Zimbardo offers three arguments for his situationalist theory of human evil (pages 23, 25, 27): which of these three do you believe is the most persuasive and why? One paragraph in your journals, please, and be ready to share.

Thinking, cinque:Thinking, cinque:

Prioritization works because it doesn’t ask for a right or wrong answer, it asks students to make sense of something on paper, and it asks them to explain what they said. You can work with this in class.

Thinking moving into writing:Thinking moving into writing:

The next higher order thinking skill we promote is translation, which amounts to locating or being assigned tough passages which you need to restate in your own words.

For example, this is Zimbardo on page 8 of your QU Readers: “We are not born with tendencies toward good or evil but with mental templates to do either. What I mean is that we have the potential to be better or worse than anyone who has existed in the past, to be more creative and more destructive, to make the world a better place or a worse place than before.”

Thinking moving into writing 2Thinking moving into writing 2

In your journals, identify the key part of the passage I just quoted for you, explain why you believe it to be the key one, and then restate what Zimbardo says in a specific and clear sentence of your own. Be prepared to share this sentence with the class.

Now that you have translated Zimbardo, do you agree with him? Why or why not?

Thinking into writing 3Thinking into writing 3

Notice a couple of things:

1.We always go back to prioritization, since that is also the gateway skill to critical reading, and this is what you are asking your students to do; and

2.The tasks are always connected to something we are doing—class discussion, group work they have to report out on, a later assignment


This is important:

Journals of any kind fail, almost invariably, when the students (and usually the instructor) can’t see any connection to the work in class.


Third higher order thinking skill, one that builds on the first two: analogization, the art of drawing analogies between things.

You can think critically if you can draw analogies between things: this argument is like the one we talked about in class two weeks ago because……………..

You have to be able to see the most important features of the two comparatives (prioritization), to understand the main points for yourself (translation) and then to explain the connections and comparisons.

Shall we try it briefly?Shall we try it briefly?

At QU, the WAC folks have called this exercise “thematic triangulation,” something that’s briefly explained in the preface to your QU Reader.

Thematic Triangulation 1Thematic Triangulation 1

First thing,

Look at the fancy handout I brought in, the one with the story called “The Eclipse” on it.

Read the story quickly (it should take a couple of minutes at most), then underline the most important line or phrase in the story. Explain why on the page, below the story. Use 2-3 sentences if you would.


Now, on the other side of this story you will find something by Mohandas Gandhi:

look closely at the advice that Mohandas Gandhi gave his grandson before the elder Gandhi died: how many of these blunders are represented in “The Eclipse?” In the spaces below the list, identify the blunder and the place in the story where you see it exemplified.


Exercise 1, with “The Eclipse,” works primarily with prioritization, which exercise two on the “blunders” works with both translation and with analogy:

Notice what you are ready to do now—lead a discussion about the story in a lit class, explain how working overseas often carries with it the opportunity to blunder this way, create a group exercise on other cultures that highlights differences and similarities? The list goes on.

Writing 1Writing 1

You can do both exercises in one 50 minute class: the point is to have your students use the writing they do in the journals to think creatively and deeply about the issues you have arranged for them in the course.

Now they can also write more cogently about those topics, using the work they did with you as the basis for that work.

Writing 2Writing 2

Example:

“Using the responses you composed for both the story and the list of blunders, I need you to prepare a 1-2 paragraph explanation of why Brother Arazzola failed and was ‘eclipsed.’”

Once you are done, post the paragraphs on Blackboard, as part of a threaded discussion—then choose 2 other comments by classmates and post a response to both. Come into class with a paper copy of both your original post and the two best responses to your posting.

Writing 3Writing 3

The important point to remember is that you can make your journals “count” in a variety of ways that do not require you to drag them home and grade them:

1.Use them as part of class discussion or group work;

2.Have your students build longer (and longer) assignment responses to the work. You only need to count the formal paper written at the end.

3.Give them credit: total number of points possible, check + or -, see examples.

One very cool exercise One very cool exercise

This is an exercise that John Bean, author of Engaging Ideas (I have a few copies to give away) came up with. It’s called a “frame paragraph” and it’s a deliciously useful way to move someone towards a longer essay, argument, text.

See the quick handout I brought in.

Finally, thanks.Finally, thanks.

1. Thanks for your attention—let me know if anything works.

2. Let’s do questions and queries3. In November, we will be asking folks who

have tried doing something like this and have found something that works well to help us create a “WAC Casebook” on our website. Please consider yourselves invited to share this with other faculty. Email them to me.

Something for later today:Something for later today:

using journals

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