University of Massachusetts at Boston
Graduate College of Education
Critical and Creative Thinking Program

Processes of Research & Engagement*

CCT 692*
Fall 2008 Syllabus


Instructor: Peter Taylor, Critical & Creative Thinking Program
Email: peter.taylor@umb.edu
Phone: 617-287-7636
Office: Wheatley 2nd flr 143-09 (across from Counseling & School Psych office)
Class meetings: Mondays 7-9.30pm, Sept. 8-Dec. 8 (holiday on Oct. 13) in Wheatley 2-209
Office/phone call hours: Monday 1.40-6.20pm by sign up (http://cct.wikispaces.com/PTOfficeHours) or by arrangement
Websites: Syllabus: http://www.faculty.umb.edu/peter_taylor/692-08.html, plus Assessment and Timing of Assignments and Tasks
Wiki: http://cct.wikispaces.com/692, incl. Sign up sheet to bring refreshments
Listserv/discussion forum: Emails sent to cct692@googlegroups.com will go to everyone in the course

(*formerly, CCT698, Practicum: Processes of Research & Engagement.)

Course description and overview

In this course you identify a current social or educational issue that concerns you, e.g., you want to know more about it, advocate a change, design a curriculum unit or a workshop, and so on. You work through the different phases of research and engaging others on that issue--from envisioning a manageable project to communicating your findings and plans for further work. The classes run as workshops, in which you are introduced to and then practice using tools for research, communicating, and developing as a reflective practitioner. The class activities and course as a whole provide models for guiding your own students or supervisees in systematically addressing issues that concern them.
If you are a CCT student, you should integrate perspectives from your previous CCT courses and will end up well prepared for--or well underway in--your synthesis project. Students from other graduate programs and the honors program will find this course helpful for development of dissertation/research proposals and initial writing about their topics.

SECTIONS TO FOLLOW IN SYLLABUS

Course Objectives
Texts and Materials
Overview of Assessment and Requirements, incl. Project Options
Schedule of Classes (with links to specific classes on the web version of the syllabus)

Additional materials on the web and pdf compilation (ready September 1)include:

  • Notes on teaching/learning interactions, with links to relevant sections of:
  • Phases of Research and Engagement, which includes notes on the tools/processes introduced during class and on the recommended assignments and tasks.
  • Annotated examples of previous students' assignments (Phases A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J)
  • Assessment and Timing of Assignments and Tasks

    Additional materials on the web only include:

  • Briefings on issues in research and engagement (some of which are included in the examples for Phase I).
  • Book manuscript (in development), using materials from CCT692 and 693.


    Note: Printouts of the compilation of materials for the course can be organized with dividers in a binder. When the text is a different color (or fainter in a black-and-white printout), then it's a live link on the web/wiki version. Unless the URL is given, the link is generally to somewhere in the compilation.
    Students who prefer to access course materials online should create a bookmark to the table of contents above for this syllabus and key online materials, http://www.faculty.umb.edu/pjt/692-08.html#TOC.
    In either case, it is important to have ready access to: These are the most important documents to keep you oriented and informed during the semester.

    Course Objectives

    By the end of the semester, for each of the goals listed below, students will be able to identify These goals are divided into two sets:
    I. "My Project Product Shows That..." II. Developing as a Reflective Practitioner, Including Taking Initiatives in and Through Relationships

    TEXTS AND MATERIALS

    Required: Recommended: Recommended: portable storage (e.g., flash drives), synchronization & bibliographic software. (For more info see http://www.cct.umb.edu/competencies.html.)

    Overview of ASSESSMENT & REQUIREMENTS

    Project Options

    Options for the course project include: A Literature Review of what other people have written or done in the area you intend for your Synthesis or other Research Project
    A Grant, Research or Project Proposal
    Short versions of the options for the CCT Synthesis Project, namely, In contrast to the CCT Synthesis Project, the Final Report or Documentation of this project is shorter--10-20 pages (2250-4500 words) as against 20-40 pages--and it is typically more open, indicating where further work is planned or needed. The project is developed through a series of assignments and participations items. Detail about the assignments and expectations is provided in Notes on Teaching/Learning Interactions (with links to relevant sections of the Phases wikipages); Assessment, Assignments, and Tasks; Assignment Checklist; and in the examples from previous years downloadable from the course website (see links above). In brief:
    Written assignments and presentations, 2/3 of course grade: Initial attempts for at least 11 of 14 assignments, however sketchy or minimal, must be submitted by the due dates.
    At least 7 of the assignments should be revised and resubmitted in response to instructor's comments until "OK/RNR" is received. This is required for practice work in progress presentation and the complete draft report.
    Participation and contribution to the class process, 1/3 of course grade. At least 20 of the 25 items should be fulfilled.
    Overall course grade: The system is simple, but unusual. It is designed to keep the attention off grades and on teaching/learning interactions. Read the Rationale in the Notes on Teaching/Learning Interactions and ask questions to make sure you have it clear.
    80 points or a B+ is earned automatically for 7 Written items marked OK/RNR (=OK/ Reflection-revision-resubmission Not Requested) plus 21 Participation items fulfilled. (Not requiring every assignment or item allows you to make choices based on your other commitments about which participation items and revisions to skip.)
    If you reach that level, a simple rubric is used at the end of the course to add further points.
    If you don't reach the automatic B+ level, your points = 3 for each writing assignment submitted on the due date + an additional 4.5 for each writing assignments OK/RNR + 1.25 for each participation item fulfilled, up to a maximum of 80.
    Overall points are converted to letter grades as follows: The minimum grade for A is 95 points, for A- is 87.5, for B+ is 80, for B is 72.5; for B- is 65; for C+ is 57.5; and for C is 50 points.

    ACCOMMODATIONS: Sections 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 offer guidelines for curriculum modifications and adaptations for students with documented disabilities. If applicable, students may obtain adaptation recommendations from the Ross Center (287-7430). The student must present these recommendations to each professor within a reasonable period, preferably by the end of the Drop/Add period.

    Students are advised to retain a copy of this syllabus in their personal files.

    This syllabus is subject to change, but workload expectations will not be increased after the semester starts.
    Version 27 September 08

    SCHEDULE of CLASSES


    Overview
    The Sessions are structured to introduce ten phases of research and engagement. Assignments and recommended tasks for each phase are intended to keep you moving through the phases. The order and timing of the phases for your project may vary according to the opportunities that arise, especially if your project centers on new teaching practices, workshops in the community, or other kinds of engagement as an intern or volunteer. In any case these phases are overlapping and iterative, that is, you revisit the "earlier" phases in light of See the accompanying webpage to see how to pace and prepare assignments and tasks for each upcoming session.

    Session 1 (9/8)
    Getting oriented, orienting oneself
    a. The course as a process
    Intro remarks on Developing as a Reflective Practitioner--including Taking Initiative in & through Relationships--and on Phases of Research and Engagement
    Interview an alum of this course, Jeremy Szteiter, about experience of doing the course
    Free writing on what your prior experiences (good and bad) in the areas of research, writing, engagement, and/or reflective practice.

    b. Initial ideas about individual projects
    See Phase A. Overall vision; Goal: "I can convey who I want to influence/affect concerning what (Subject, Audience, Purpose)."
    In-session exercises on Proposed investigation--Who do you want to reach? What do you want to convey to them? Why do you want to address them about that? What obstacles do you see ahead? (Individual brainstorming, pair-share, first stab at Governing question and Overview paragraph of proposed project, and verbal reports to the group)

    Session 2 (9/15)
    Initial sources of information and informants
    See Phase B. Background information; Goal: "I know what others have done before, either in the form of writing or action, that informs and connects with my project, and I know what others are doing now."
    Meet in TBA for a session on Reference material available through the library.
    (See also on-line tutorial and library wikipage)
    Use the catalogs or databases to locate articles or sections in books for your research. Look especially for scholarly articles (i.e., ones having extended bibliographies) that review the range of things that others have said and done, or discuss the state of some active controversy.

    Session 3 (9/22)
    a. Models of engagement (see phases F and I)
    Presentation by alum, Luanne Witkowski, showing how one person built on their Processes of Research & Engagement project into a CCT synthesis and beyond (see a previous years' Presentation1, Presentation2)
    b. Organizing and processing research materials (see phases B and C)
    Share ideas about organizing and processing research materials
    Record ideas to be put into practice on research organization worksheet)
    Organizing one's Computer
    Note-taking, summarizing, and annotating references

    Session 4 (9/29)
    Initial formulations -> Governing Question
    See Phase C. Possible directions and priorities; Goal: "I have teased out my vision, so as to expand my view of issues associated with the project, expose possible new directions, clarify direction/scope within the larger set of issues, decide most important direction expressed in revised Governing Question."
    From phase B: Verbal report on conversation with initial informant
    For all phases: Discussion of sharing one's work with others and getting support over other concerns that arise during research.
    For phase C:
    Creative and critical aspects of any phase of research and writing ("opening-wide, focusing & formulating")
    Discovering/inventing/defining subject-purpose-audience
    Mapping--student presentation, with PT probing
    In session exercise: Initial map-making, then probed by another student

    Session 5 (10/6*)
    Component Propositions
    See Phase D. Propositions, Counter-Propositions, Counter-Counter-Propositions...; Goal: "I have identified the premises and propositions that my project depends on, and can state counter-propositions. I have taken stock of the thinking and research I need to do to counter those counter-propositions or to revise my own propositions."

    * Because of the timing of Columbus day in 2008, we will do shorter versions of sessions 5 and 6 in the 10/6 session

    Session 6 (10/6*)
    Design of Research and Engagement Process
    See Phase E. Design of (further) research and engagement; Goal: "I have clear objectives with respect to product, both written and practice, and process, including personal development as a reflective practitioner. I have arranged my work in a sequence to realize these objectives."
    Strategic personal planning (handout)
    Translating strategic personal planning into research design (incl. sequence and timeline).

    No class 10/13, but work is recommended on phases D and E from sessions 5 and 6.

    Session 7 (10/20)
    Interviewing
    See Phase F. Direct information, models & experience; Goal: "I have gained direct information, models, and experience not readily available from other sources."
    Getting people to speak about/explain what they usually don't; dealing with experts; effective questions. 5 question activity.
    Tips on interviewing
    Prepare interview guide and practice interviewing

    Session 8 (10/27)
    Preparation for Public Presentations on Work-in-Progress
    See Phase G. Clarification through communication; Goal: "I have clarified the overall progression or argument underlying my research and the written reports I am starting to prepare."
    Analyze overall arguments implicated in a previous student's research.
    Clarification of the overall structure of your argument.
    Visual aids, and their use in aiding this clarification.
    Draft sequence of visual aids that highlight your overall argument.
    Supply working title for your presentation that conveys what is distinctive about your project.
    For phases E & J: Discussion of Mid-project self-assessment/ (gap between where you are and would like to be), plus (time permitting) competencies and evolving research organization.

    Session 9 (11/3)
    Practice Presentations on Work-in-Progress (Phase G continued)
    Practice presentations (10 minutes) to class (one person) and to base groups (each student) with peer evaluations.

    Session 10 (11/10)
    Presentations on Work-in-Progress, open to Public(Phase G cont.)
    Titles of current students' projects can be viewed on the course wiki when available.
    Session 11 (11/17)
    Getting and Using Feedback on Writing (Phase G continued)
    Activities
    Varieties of ways to respond
    Peer review of narrative outlines or overall arguments, in the class as a whole (one person) and then in pairs
    Writing Preferences

    Session 12 (11/24)
    Direct Writing & Quick Revising
    See Phase H. Compelling communication; Goal: "My writing and other products Grab the attention of the readers/audience, Orient them, move them along in Steps, so they appreciate the Position I've led them to."
    Direct Writing & Quick Revising (to produce narrative draft)
    Journal/workbook/research system perused by instructor: bring all materials to class this week or next.

    Session 13 (12/1)
    Peer commenting on drafts
    (Phase H continued)
    Drafts commented on by other students.
    Journal/workbook/research system perused by instructor: bring all materials to class.
    Phase I. Engagement with others; Goal: "I have facilitated new avenues of classroom, workplace, and public participation."
    You should be ready by this point to practice/present what you've developed/discovered in, e.g., the spring CCT Orientation or CCT in Practice Open House.
    (See also briefings on the grant-seeking, participatory action research, facilitation of group process, writing a business plan, video resources, volunteering, and others)

    Session 14 (12/8)
    Taking Stock of the Course: Where to go from here?
    See Phase J. Taking stock; Goal: "To feed into my future learning and other work, I have taken stock of what has been working well and what needs changing."
    PT's evaluation process (evaluation form), including Sense of Place Maps
    GCE course evaluation

    12/15 Submit by email attachment: Report and Self-assessment in relation to goals
    Kristin Capezio Marie Celestin Jeffrey Craig Alyssa Hinkell Deepika Ika Sandra Knight Ann Leary MaryBeth LeFaivre Mary McGurn Jeneen Mucci David Nieto Sheila O'Shea-Resto Andres Reyes Ashley Smith Tara Tetzlaff Diana Truong Lisa Williams
    First meeting for Spring Synthesis students, 5.30-6.30pm