10

The language that should be used should be understood by everyone taking the survey.  Questions should not be asked that are not understood by the participants.  Surveys can collect different information.  Surveys can collect information regarding what students have learned, what students hope to learn, what students have not learned, and how students felt a certain professor performed in a course.  However, surveys are not always accurate.  Researchers need to take into account that not everyone taking the survey is going to be honest or give their undivided attention to the questions asked.  Also, researchers need to be aware of the language they use when creating the survey.  Some students may not understand the questions because of the word usage.

9

Student Learning Outcome #1: students will produce essays through a series of drafts that include exploratory writing or talk, as well as revisions that include addition, deletion, substitution and rearrangement.

Questions: 1. I typically revise my writing multiple times. 5. When I revise my first draft, I spend most of my time on issues related to purpose, audience, content, and/or organization. 12. When I revise my first draft, I spend most of my time on grammatical issues. 14. When I revise my writing, my revisions typically include addition, deletion, substitution, and rearrangement. 15. I typically brainstorm or do other planning activities. 16. Overall as a writer, I would rank myself:

*Learning outcome: Students will be able to understand the effectiveness of drafting and realize that all the other outcomes are hard to achieve unless this outcome is mastered. The information provided is very descriptive and clear for the reader to understand and master this outcome.

Student Learning Outcome #2: students will identify central ideas/themes of a text through class discussion and writing.

'Questions: 8. I feel comfortable talking about the main ideas of a text in class discussions. 11. I am able to interpret the main ideas of a text. 13. I have given a presentation where the audience used writing to respond to my ideas. 17. Overall as a critical reader, I would rank myself: 19. Overall as a critical thinker, I would rank myself:

*Learning outcome: Students achieving this outcome are able to read between the lines of a text. The information provided is detailed and allows the readers to understand what is to be achieved during this outcome.

Student Learning Outcome #3: students will use two or more methodologies from English Studies to develop original research or creative products.

Questions: 2. I am confident in my ability to conduct primary research. 4. I am able to use textual analysis to explore research questions. 6. I am able to use discourse analysis to explore research questions.

*Learning outcome: students will be able to apply methods to their research. Even though the questions provided list one method to conduct research, more questions should be centered on other methods that students have learned at the end of their English courses.

Student Learning Outcome #4: students will demonstrate ability to give a compelling oral presentation.

Questions: 8. I feel comfortable talking about the main ideas of a text in a class discussion. 10. I am comfortable giving presentations. 18. Overall as a speaker, I would rank myself:

*Learning outcome: Students will be able to give oral presentations. However, the information provided should discuss how presentations should be conducted and how often presentations will be conducted.

Student Learning Outcome #5: students will connect ideas from classroom assignments to contemporary issues in class discussion and presentations.

Questions: 3. I know how to make connections between topics discussed in class for the English Writing Major and real-world issues. 9. I know how to make connections between the topics discussed in classes for the English Writing Major and concepts studied in other courses.

*Learning outcome: Students will be able to use what they learn in their English courses in the real-world. The information presented is detailed and allows the students to understand how they will incorporate what they have learned in their English courses in the real-world.

List of things the English Department Needs:

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Students ethnicities

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Type of learners the students are

Writing defined in this survey is that students have mastered how to write drafts and from mastering the basic skills in drafting they are able to interpret the text in depth, use different methods to conduct their research, give oral presentations, and connect all that they have learned from their classes into the real-world.

Learning defined by this survey is that the students will be able to use these skills forever once they learn all five outcomes.

The definitions are good matches because those who view this survey will be able to recognize the outcomes of a writer, and realize that once a person is a proficient writer using these skills, they will have learned how to become a good writer. They are only a good match for the students taking the survey once they have completed all the English courses because for a new student entering the English program, they have not yet mastered the five learning outcomes, which will make this survey confusing.

How might you change this survey so that it could provide a more accurate reflection of what students learn in this program? List your suggestions.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Ask students which learning style they reflect.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Ask students which level of college they are in.

<!--[if !supportLists]-->· <!--[endif]-->Leave a section for neither agree/disagree (this is beneficial for students who are new to the English program)

8

-How to integrate fun activities into the language arts curriculum.

-What are different teaching tecniques that can be incorporated into the curriculum in order to foster the students interests?
-How do teacher's references to children's interests make activities fun and keep children engaged?

-I can gather information from scholarly journals about teachers and their curriculum and views on fun activities in the classroom.
-I can find the current theory in engaging children in language arts.
-I can make a checklist for the classroom describing how engaged the children are.

-Techniques for using humore and fun in the language arts classroom by Minchew and Hopper.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/TCHS.81.5.232-236
-ALSO: Coach Bombay

-I plan to observe in various first grade classrooms. My plan is to observe in a classroom with a teacher who is more typical and traditional. Then, I want to observe in a classroom with a teacher who is modern, lively and observe how they teach language arts.

-I will collect my information in a couple different elementary schools near my town.

-I will study the teachers and their teaching tecniques.

-I will use interview and observation in order to conduct my study.
-ethnography
-literature review

7

-How to integrate fun activities into the language arts curriculum. 

-What are different teaching tecniques that can be incorporated into the curriculum in order to foster the students interests?

-I can gather information from scholarly journals about teachers and their curriculum and views on fun activities in the classroom.

-Techniques for using humore and fun in the language arts classroom by Minchew and Hopper.
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/TCHS.81.5.232-236

-I plan to observe in various first grade classrooms.  My plan is to observe in a classroom with a teacher who is more typical and traditional.  Then, I want to observe in a classroom with a teacher who is modern, lively and observe how they teach language arts.

-I will collect my information in a couple different elementary schools near my town.

-I will study the teachers and their teaching tecniques.

-I will use interview and observation in order to conduct my study.

6

I do believe that our class is a Discourse Community.  Our class has a common goal of learning how to use different research methods for our research projects.  Also, our class has our own lexis.  Our language in class differs from the language used in other classes.  My other classes would not understand the meaning of a "discourse community" or "lexis."  The terms used in our class may not be understood from outsiders.  As individuals in this class I would say that we have different genres.  Each student has different views and opinions about what English is, but as a whole, we can come to a broad definition.  Our class is part of a larger Discourse Community for writing majors at Kean.  We all have to take the same courses in order to graduate and possibly have the same professors as well.  Evidence from my field work proves that we are a Discourse Community.  We all have to partake in class meetings, we all have identical assignments due for the class, we all know how to type on a computer, and we are all human beings.

5.5

I picked up my blue pen and began writing down my observations.  The first thing I noticed was that everyone in the classroom was writing.  Then, I glanced at Robert and he looked up at me, made eye contact and smiled.  I was sitting the front of the classroom when I looked two rows back at Robert.  Chandler asked Joanna to dicuss her research project.  Joanna was smiling and speaking with a tone that showed her excitement behind her ideas.  Chadler asked the class a question regarding Gee.  Nobody knew the asnwer and the whole class looked at eachother and began laughing.  From the front row looking back at the second row I noticed that Corrine's cheeks turned red when she was laughing.  Chandler continues to talk and uses her hands a lot when speaking.  I spoke about my research topic and Chandler said something about a "200 page paper."  Immediately, Joanna and I locked eyes.  My facial expressiona dn Joanna's were the same, unaware if Chandler was joking.  Chandler laughed and made it clear that it was just a joke then preceeded to say that Joanna's research ideas and mine were excellent.  Chandler's face gets red when she laughs.

5

The reasearch project that I am most interested in studying is how to integrate fun activities into early education language arts.  I would need to discuss maybe some of the differences between how boys and girls learn differenlty.  Also, I can find out the different interests that boys and girls share so that the activities could target their interests.