I think the topic of PowerPoint in presentations came up at our last meeting (and Michael mentioned Tufte’s critique of Powerpoint). I’m posting this link to an amusing article in today’s Times about the military’s (over)use of PowerPoint. I wonder what Corey thinks, in the context of his research on the Army…
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/27/world/27powerpoint.html

–Leigh

Here is the other reading for April 13.  Note that it is fewer pages then listed in the original post by Dara.

Assessment for Learning

TEACHING AND LEARNING SEMINAR

April 13, 2010 

Assessment of Oral and Written Communication

Assignments for seminar

1.  Assigned reading:

Dunbar, N.E., Brooks, C.F., & Kubica-Miller. T. (2006). Oral communication skills in higher education: Using a performance-based evaluation rubric to assess communication skills. Innovative Higher Education, 31(2), pp. 115-128.

Black, Paul, Harrison, Christine, Lee, Clare et al.  Assessment for Learning:  Putting It Into Practice.  (Open University Press:  New York, 2006).  pp 1-2; 30-57; 81-96.

2.  Come prepared to give a 2-3 minute presentation on how you assign, facilitate and assess speaking in your classrooms.  See Teaching and Learning Activity 1 assignment below.

3.  Bring a two-page piece of writing that presents your theory and practice about how you assign, facilitate and assess writing in your classroom. See Teaching and Learning Activity 2 assignment below.

4.  Bring an assignment that you are about to give or have given to your students that involves speaking or/and writing.

Teaching and Learning Seminar Assignments

Activity 1:  Oral Presentation

How do you assign, facilitate and assess oral communication skills in your classroom?

 The Purpose:

This assignment will give you the opportunity to present a 2-3 minute informative speech. Your speech should explain, describe, clarify, report or educate your audience about how you assign, facilitate and assess oral communication skills in your classroom. (If you do not evaluate oral communication in your course, please feel free to prepare a speech that addresses why you feel this is unnecessary in your course). Your overall goal is to enlarge your audience’s knowledge and understanding of your approach to evaluating oral communication skills as they apply to your discipline (or what you hope to accomplish in terms of student learning).

Speech Format:

Each SoTL participant is expected to speak for 2-3 minutes on April 13^th. Developing a detailed or keyword outline is essential.  Please aim to deliver this extemporaneously.

The following steps are necessary in preparing for the informative speech:

• Develop the focus of the topic
• Develop a plan or strategy – (consider your teaching philosophy, the literature in your discipline or the goals of your course)
• Develop an informative speech outline – introduction with attention getter, body (expand main thesis points), and conclusion
• Rehearse your presentation to ensure it falls within the time frame

Evaluation:

Your speech should have a beginning, middle and an end.  The speech should be delivered extemporaneously from your outline. Your grade will be affected by a lack of preparation or excessive reading. It is important that you attempt to talk to us.  An unprepared 3 minutes is a long time. The speech must fall within the stated time limit as you will be penalized for speaking under 2 minutes or over 3 minutes 30 seconds.

Activity 2:  Writing Assignment   

How do you assign, facilitate and assess writing in your classroom?

1)     In clear, declarative statements describe the theory behind how you use writing in your courses. (Note:  If you do not use any writing in your courses, please theorize on why writing is not necessary in your course.)

2)     Describe a particular writing assignment that you think worked especially well or one that flopped.  Give the course and context for the assignment and tell us what you wanted the students to learn from the written assignment.  Please also describe how you evaluated the students’ work. (Note:  If you do not use any writing assignments in your courses, please invent an assignment that you could use.)

3)     Narrate what you think went well or wrong with the assignment.  Provide specific details of how the assignment played out in the course.  (Note:  If you invented an assignment in the step above, do a hypothetical narration on what you think the problems will be in carrying out the assignment.)

BRING TWO COPIES OF THIS PIECE OF WRITING.

In this assignment you will be evaluated on the clarity of your theory, the thoroughness of your description and the depth of your analysis.

Your audience for this assignment is your fellow seminar members.  The assignment should be as long as you think necessary