Using Ungraded Writing to Improve
Students' Learning
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| With the exception of passive
note-taking, writing is valuable as an active form of learning. In-class
writing can be used to (a) improve class discussions, (b) show students
where their thinking lacks clarity, (c) prepare students to listen and
observe critically, and (d) alert professors to content that should be
reviewed or explained further. Following are some suggestions for
using writing to help students learn course content more effectively. |
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| (a) When you ask a question
for class discussion or write it on the board, give students a few minutes
to write their answers before you begin the discussion. To underscore
the importance of this activity, you should write your response too.
After the students have finished their answers, you can: |
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Ask various students "What did you
write?" which should produce much more structured responses from more students
than asking the class as a whole "What do you think?" It's also a
much less threatening question, since everyone has written something.
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Direct students to exchange papers
within small groups (3-5 students), explaining to each other their reasons
for answering as they did. Students who share their opinions in this
manner are often surprised by the sheer variety of approaches and perceptions.
They are also receiving valuable practice expressing their opinions and
listening to others. After a brief discussion period, you can have
the groups report their findings to the larger class.
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Collect students' papers in order
to get a quick check on the class's overall understanding of the particular
concept being discussed. You might read some of the papers aloud
as you skim through them, commenting on your reaction to the students'
answers.
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| (b) Having written their answers
to a discussion question, students won't be able to convince themselves
that they would have answered exactly as the brightest student in the class
did. Their own answers will be on the page before them. If
their thinking is confused or inadequate, they will have a chance to review
the material before they are graded on a test. |
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| If you see that the class is
confused about a point you are making, stop and ask the students either
to write out an explanation of the concept for themselves, or make a statement
about why they find the material confusing. Call on some students
to read what they have written. A good follow-up for this activity
is to ask students to write "I used to think that ______ could be explained
as______, but now I understand that it is ______" |
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| (c) Before providing a key definition,
ask students to write one for themselves. Call on several students
to read theirs aloud. After the class has formulated a definition
through a group effort, they will be much more alert to the precise wording
of the discipline's formal definition. |
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| Before beginning a new section
in a lecture, ask students to write down what they already know about the
topic. For example, in a sociology course, students might be asked
to jot down as many causes for domestic violence as they can. The
student who has listed five or six causes will be interested to hear which
of those are listed by the professor, and she will be particularly conscious
of those she has not heard before, or has not remembered to put on her
list. |
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| (d) At the end of a lecture
or demonstration, give students five minutes to summarize the main points
of the presentation or to write a statement about the most confusing aspect
of the material. By collecting the papers periodically, you can pinpoint
areas of misunderstanding. |
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| All of these writing activities
should produce positive results, even though few of the papers are handed
in, and none is graded. |
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| These suggestions are taken
from "The Busy Professor's Travel Guide to Writing Across the Curriculum,
by Lois Barry. For a copy of this guide, or for further information
about these and other writing-to-learn activities, please contact Donnalee
Rubin at 978-542-6076 or at donnalee.rubin@salemstate.edu. |
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