Beginning with Results

Backward Design Theory

Backward design theory looks at the end product goals for teaching, and plans lessons that develop the skills needed to reach that goal (McTighe & Thomas, 2003; Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). Therefore, I looked over the course overview for English 1B, examined the SLOs and course objectives, and considered the potential parts of a final product that reflected authentic learning.

Examining Research Patterns

It was also important to consider the research process, the pitfalls that tripped students up, and the content units that aligned with the course topics.

As such, the research paper is built out of the course objectives, and most assignments are designed to teach students skills needed to reach the course objectives. In class essays and individual (smaller) papers are based on student chosen research topics.

Project Based Learning

Starting with the Driving Question

Working with a Project Based Learning School, I quickly absorbed the importance of a project based structure to the research process. As such, I shifted an early focus on students choosing their topics, developing their research, and starting with a driving question (OSLA, 2010).

The Writing Process

The process writing typically goes through a structure with several drafts. Attempting to force students to write multiple drafts results in a lot of grading for the professor as well as frustration when students fail to look at the professor's comments. Hours of grading can feel wasted.

On the other hand, I was trained to mark errors once, so students learned to look for the error and correct it instead of learning to fix what the professor marked up. This aligned with Bean & Melzer's (2021) suggestions for minimal mark ups to help students think about the edits. Something was working, but it wasn't working well enough.

Typical Writing Process

First draft
Peer review
Second draft
Revise
Edit
Final draft

Revised Writing Process

Prewriting
- Pull your template.
- Understand the assignment.
- Do the research.
- Go over model papers.
Sandbox Draft
- Run your first draft through a TurnItIn Sandbox.
- Fix flagged grammar and originality errors.
Peer Review Draft
- Share drafts with peers and critique each other's work.
Tutor Review
- Meet with a tutor for general feedback.
Professor Review
- Meet with the professor for targeted feedback or approval.
Re-write Cycle
- Fix any professor flagged "fatal flaws."
- Test major rewrites in the Sandbox.
Final Draft
- Final clean up. You're done. Turn it in.

Building a Different Process

Eventually, tired of penalizing students for not revising their drafts while I wasted my time on feedback they didn't use, I developed a new cycle with students.

The magic was that students finally began seeing that it was in their best interest to revise--which is what good writers do. I didn't monitor the sandbox--it was better for them to make decisions based on what the system flagged.

Adding Flexible Thinking

Next, I added flexible thinking to my course when I realized that students needed to understand growth mindset and grit to help them persevere past poor drafts, continue through rewriting, and not give up.

Grounded Theory Cycles

In my experience, English papers tend to be structured beginning to end:

Write your thesis.
Pre-write/outline your paper
Write the paper
Add a conclusion

As such, the first ideas on the paper are the thesis (and often the introduction), which means it should be revised at the end, but often isn't, leaving the weakest writing as the first impression your reader has.

Grounded theory goes through a constructivist pattern with data cycles (Burke, 2003). Each cycle clarifies the ideas and refines the questions so that the real claim comes at the end. Coming from a background in educational research theory, grounded theory made more sense paired with a research paper. Furthermore, it aligned with the Saddleback College Library's (2019) recommended research models.

Strategic Unit Planning

Works Cited

Bean, J. C., & Melzer, D. (2021). Engaging Ideas: The Professor's Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. Jossey-Bass.

Burke, Julie M. (2003). Why a Qualitative Grounded Theory? Untangling Preservice Teachers from the Web of Idle Talk: Grounded Theory for a Generative Model of Teacher Education. North Carolina State University, pp. 29-62.

McTighe, J., & Thomas, R. S. (2003). Backward design for forward action. Educational Leadership, 60(5), 52-55.

Ontario School Library Association (OSLA) (2010). Together for Learning. Learning to Learn. Ontario Library Association, pp. 23-24.

PBLWorks, PBL Gold Standards. Buck Institute for Education.

Saddleback College Library (2019). Basic Library Guide. LibGuides.

Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. A. (2005). Understanding by Design Expanded 2nd Edition. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

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