The Learning Record
Grades in this course will be determined by use of the Learning Record online, a system which requires students to compile a portfolio of work at the midterm and at the end of the semester. These portfolios present a selection of your work, both formal and informal, plus ongoing observations about your learning, plus an analysis of your work development in terms of the five dimensions of learning and the goals for this course.Dimensions of Learning
The dimensions of learning have been developed by teachers and researchers, and they represent what learners experience in most any learning situation:- Confidence and independence
- Knowledge and understanding
- Skills and strategies
- Use of prior and emerging experience
- Reflectiveness
You must convincingly demonstrate growth in the five course strands listed below by providing evidence, in the form of work samples and observations, and also by writing summaries, interpretations, and evaluations of your evidence. In these summary, interpretation, and evaluation statements, you should explain how your evidence shows learning in the five course strands, using the dimensions of learning. The two (the course strands and the dimensions of learning) can be imagined as a matrix through which you and the instructor can interpret the evidence presented by the LR itself. Not every box in the matrix will be filled, of course. You may not contend, for instance, that your learning to research (a course strand) shows growth in confidence and independence; mastery of skills and strategies; use of prior and emerging experience; knowledge of content matter; and reflection or “metacognition” (the five dimensions of learning), but you might argue--based on the evidence of her observations and works--that your skills and strategies at research improved, that you gained confidence in the practice of research, and that you were able to incorporate new information into her research plans, thus demonstrating development in three dimensions of learning for one course strand. More can be learned about the dimensions of learning on the Learning Record Web site.
Course Strands
The five course strands for RHE 309 are as follows:- Presentation Presentation includes the ability to effectively present your work, ideas, and arguments in writing, other media, or in person. Presentation in writing includes writing style (clear sentences, appropriate vocabulary, distinct voice) as well as mechanical correctness (“error”-free prose, proper punctuation, and correct formatting). Presentation in other media includes the ability to create a polished finished product and to make the most of the medium (whether video, powerpoint, or blog post). Presentation in person includes the ability to communicate complex ideas, maintain a live audience’s attention, and respond immediately to an audience’s questions and concerns. Student development in this learning strand should demonstrate editing and revision techniques, knowledge of genre conventions, and awareness of audience expectations.
- Rhetoric Rhetoric includes the ability to present a convincing argument (incorporating evidence, connecting reasons and evidence, appealing to emotions, soliciting trust, demonstrating goodwill) and the ability to organize information in a convincing manner (arranging material so that it can be understood and so it conciliates and moves the audience). This strand also includes an understanding of rhetorical strategies, and the ability to identify them and explain how they work in other people’s arguments. Student development in this learning strand should demonstrate an acquired ability to analyze the arrangement and persuasive material in an argument as well as the ability to write and arrange a persuasive argument.
- Writing Process The writing process covers all efforts that contribute to a final piece of writing. This includes the stages before the writer finally sits down to compose (brainstorming, planning, note-taking, brief writing to record information or test ideas) as well all critical reconsideration and reshaping of a written product (evaluating one’s own work or another’s work, forming and executing goals for revision, reconceptualizing an argument in light of new information or new circumstances). Student development in this area should demonstrate a more complete knowledge of how effective writers compose as well as a more refined ability to plan, write, and revise.
- Digital Literacy Digital literacy includes the ability to locate, manage, synthesize, analyze, and share information in electronic environments; to compose multimodal texts (incorporating some combination of writing, images, video, and sound) using digital technologies; and to participate in collaborative online spaces. Student development in this area should demonstrate a critical awareness of media and an improved ability to compose and analyze multimodal texts.
- Reading Reading includes the ability to understand, summarize, and explain a text (whether written, visual, or aural). Reading in this sense is not simply the absorption of a string of words or images from beginning to end. It also includes re-reading, looking up unknown terms, doing further research for contextual information about the text or author, and generating original questions and ideas from the reading. Student development in this learning strand should show an ability to understand more complex texts, improved research skills for finding information about the text, and a habit of asking questions and thinking critically about what is read.
Grade Criteria
The grade criteria for evaluating your learning record are as follows:- A Represents outstanding participation in all course activities, perfect or near perfect attendance, and all assigned work completed on time. Also represents very high quality in all work produced for the course. LR provides evidence of significant development across the five dimensions of learning. The Learning Record at this level demonstrates activity that goes significantly beyond the required course work in one or more course strands.
- B Represents excellent participation in all course activities, near perfect attendance, and all assigned work completed on time. Also represents consistently high quality in course work. Evidence of marked development across the five dimensions of learning.
- C Represents good participation in all course activities, minimal absences, and all assigned work completed. Also represents generally good quality overall in course work. Evidence of some development across the five dimensions of learning.
- D Represents uneven participation in course activities, uneven attendance, and some gaps in assigned work completed. Represents inconsistent quality in course work. Evidence of development across the five dimensions of learning is partial or unclear.
- F Represents minimal participation in course activities, poor attendance, serious gaps in assigned work completed, or very low quality in course work. Evidence of development is not available.
- I Work for the course is incomplete and the instructor will allow the student additional time to complete it. The amount of time allowed is at the discretion of the instructor.
