Semester projects

Here are brief descriptions of the semester projects, as described on the prospectuses. If your project changes, or you think this is inaccurate, feel free to email me a one-paragraph description.

So you can collaborate, names are links to email addresses. Please note that I have added the name of Our Favorite Author to the beginning of every email address to foil address-collecting spambots. You will want to delete this name and the dash which follows it if you send an email message.

Joe Adams (QC): Small student groups for collaborative conferencing and tutoring, associated with first-year composition—applying writing-center style tutoring to comp. Focuses include ESL, online content, and student responsibility.
Jane Carman (M): Development of materials for an introductory creative writing course which uses collaborative learning heavily. Items include syllabus, introduction to collaborative learning, introductory exercises, daily exercises, and peer editing rubric. Suggest ways to avoid Lencioni’s “Five Dysfunctions” and explore more of McKeachie’s Teaching Tips.
Troy Charleston (QC): Adaptation of structure of three-day baseball camp to learning language acquisition, using a variety of collaborative activities (large and small groups; one on one).
Nicole Chavarria (QC): Collaborative lesson plans for high school English classes, with focus on genealogy or the Holocaust. Units would incorporate a wide range of content (historical, literary, etc). Forms for research would be multimodal.
Dan Citro (M): Several ideas which revolve around CL and the role of the individual, recognizing this as an area Bruffee is deficient. One idea is the tension between a social-constructivist epistemology and the notion the self can be corrupted by society. Does the collaborative group seek to create a “cooperative self” out of many individuals? Is this even possible? Another idea: the dynamics of collaborative writing and co-authorship—authorial voice, writing partnerships, etc.
Kendra Crede (QC): Extension and expansion of the “play of theories” presented in class, which casts the writers in the course texts as actors in a play (perhaps Myers, Tarule, Trimbur, and Fish). Focus on the practicality and extent of using collaboration in the classroom, in the face of standardized testing and increased calls for assessment.
LeeAnn Dixon (QC): Teaching English as a second or foreign language in China: the role of reacculturation (for student and teacher), development of a collaboration-rich curriculum which includes a variety of activities, considering notable pedagogical restrictions.
Ellen Donaghy (M): Development of syllabus and other materials for a 200-level course “From Novel to Film.” The course examines literature and film side-by-side. Consensus and dissensus groups are used, as well as group projects with presentations.
Janet Fransciso (QC): Finding software to support collaborative learning activities in English classes taught in Brazilian fifth grade schools. Necessary because of recent changes which will allow Brazilian students to study Spanish instead of English—which they may do because it’s easier.
Susan Gray (M): Two papers: (1) Does collaborative learning really work? Four problems: consensus, conflict, accountability, and effectiveness. (2) Time and distance in collaborative computer mediated communication (CMC).
Brielle Hill (M): Collaborative learning and the less active student. Focuses: group size, means of discussion and collaboration, constructive peer editing and evaluation.
Georgjean Liras (QC): Development of materials for a collaboration-intensive English class taught at a community college, focusing on students who do not actively participate, as well as problems like anti-intellectualism, intimidation, insecurity, and other negative attitudes.
Eric Long (M): Collaboration and law school: critique of Bruffee’s portrayal of the latter as merely practical and foundational; considering role of reacculturation; roles of collaboration in law education and practice.
Norbert Padilla (QC): Application of Bruffee and other notions of collaborative learning to high school curricula. Hope to spread the approach through the school.
Brent Robinson (M): Application of Bruffee’s consensus groups in ENG 180, in the hopes of rectifying problems with the reflective essay assignment. Focuses are reacculturation, dissensus, zone of proximal development, and authority.
Todd Saxton (M): Analysis of cooperative and collaborative learning theory and practice. Argument: these two learning styles need not be mutually exclusive, but can in fact be used together quite well. Show this using materials developed for high school English, especially the notion of “Literature Circles.”
Gavin Wolever (QC): Study of the relation of cooperative and collaborative learning in high school literature, especially poetry, and writing. Also the effects of competition on cooperative and collaborative learning—looking into both positive and negative aspects.