Instructor’s Name

Elizabeth Birmingham

Course No., Name, and Call#

English 358, Intermediate Composition, Call # 19526

Semester Taught

Fall 2002

No. of Students

24

Type of Active Learning (AL): Cases/CL/ PBL/etc.

8–one or two day problems, daily group work, two large collaborative research projects, peer review of work

Frequency of AL: Used in how many percentage of your class.

Everyday. I thought it was funny on the SSE 100% of the students answered the question "Worked with other students during class time" with a 4 or "very often." I don’t lecture–I occasionally present information (10 minutes or less 1 or 2 times in a 75 minute class period), use directed small group discussion, employ in-class writing, use student presentations, have students do work and receive feedback in class.

Brief Description of AL methods? How did you use them? Your reflection on how effective the methods were in enhancing student learning?

I think the class was successful. Students produced very strong work–and I required a lot work, both in and out of class. There was no complaining about the work load, which is one of the heaviest in our department in terms of writing (6 formal papers, 8 small group writing tasks, two major presentations.) I think the lack of complaint was because they thought they were having fun. Students demonstrated a good mastery of materials in both their written and orally presented work. The only students who did not succeed were those who did not come to class.

Please rate

Considering the types of active learning methods (cooperative learning, problem-based learning, etc.) and how often they were used in your class, please rate the overall usage of AL method(s) in your current class as (please bold one): 1) Never, 2) Occasionally, 3) Often, and 4) Very often

If applicable, rate the overall usage of AL method(s) in your class taught in the previous semesters as (please bold one): 1) Never, 2) Occasionally, 3) Often, and 4) Very often. NA–first time teaching this course.

Class Score on the Survey of Student Engagement

45.2

Course URL (if any):

syllabus–http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/birmingh/web%202002/358/index.html calendar–http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndsu/birmingh/web%202002/358/administrative/calendar.html

Other Comments

Elizabeth Birmingham
Assistant Professor, Department of English
320J Minard Hall
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota 58105

Office: (701) 231-6587
e-mail: Elizabeth.Birmingham@ndsu.nodak.edu

Prospective students may schedule a visit by calling: 1-800-488-NDSU.