A Grant, Research or Project Proposal
Short versions of the options for the CCT Synthesis Project, namely,
-
Long essay/paper;
Case Study/Practitioner's Narratives;
Curriculum Unit/ Professional Development Workshop Series;
Original Products (with documentation); and
Arts Option (Performance) (also with documentation)
- dialogue with the instructor and other students; and
- revision (re-seeing) in light of that dialogue.
Written assignments and presentations, 2/3 of course grade
-
Initial attempts for at least 11 of the 14 assignments, however sketchy or minimal, must be submitted at or before the session indicated in brackets below (or a note submitted explaining when it will come).
At least 7 of the assignments should be revised and resubmitted in response to instructor's comments until "OK/RNR" (=OK, Reflection-Revision-Resubmission not Required) is received. Revision in response to comments on a complete draft report (H) is required before submission of final report. Public work-in-progress presentation is also required.
Final date for submissions and revisions: session 14, except one week after that for H and J.
You are welcome to propose alternative assignments that move you towards the goals of the various phases.
-
A. Project governing question and paragraph overview [session 3]
B1. Sense-making digestion of relevant article [3]
B2. Review or controversy article w/ paragraph [4] OR
Report on conversation with initial informant [verbally in session 4]
B3. Annotated bibliography of reading completed or planned [5]
C. Revised map (incl. updated Governing Question) [5]
D. Summarize the different sub-arguments for your topic [6]
E. Research & engagement design [8]
B4. Updated annotated bibliography [8]
F1. Interview guide [8]
G1. Presentation on Work-in-Progress [practice in 9, public version in 10): REQUIRED
F2. Brief written report on i/view, part. obs., or workshop [11]
G2. Narrative Outline [11]
H. Report [draft in 13, revised one week after 14: REQUIRED
J. Final self-assessment of your work in relation to goals of the different phases of research and engagement [one week after 14]
Participation and contribution to the session process, 1/3 of course grade
-
a. Prepared participation in session meetings (=13 items)
b. Syllabus treasure-hunt [session 2]
c. Minimum of two in-office or phone conferences on your projects [one before Session 5, the other before session 11] (= 2 items)
d. Research workbook(s) perused during conference before session 5 and again during session 12 or 13 for changes made in response to comments (= 2 items).
e. Mid-semester self-assessment of project, competency list, and research organization [7]
f. Peer commentaries on other students' assignments (5 times, excluding those in session 13).
g. Assignment Check-list maintained by student and submitted in time to resolve discrepancies [12 or 13, no later].
Extra participation items
h. Briefing on research and engagement issues (a summary of key resources that gives other students in this and future sessions a quick start when they face that issue) (= 2 items, draft by session 7)
i. Volunteering to have your work discussed in front of session for certain assignments, session 4, 6, 9, 11 (signup sheet)
Overall course grade.
The rubric is simple, but unusual. It is intended 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 20 Participation items fulfilled. (Not requiring every assignment revised or item fulfilled allows you to make choices about sessions and revisions to skip based on your other commitments.)
If you reach this level, the rubric used to add further points is that, for each quality below "fulfilled very well" you get 2 additional points or, if you "did an OK job, but there was room for more development/attention," you get 1 point.
- A sequence of assignments paced more or less as in syllabus (and revisions timely),
- often revised thoroughly and with new thinking in response to comments.
- Project innovative, and
- well planned and carried out with considerable initiative.
- Project report clear and well structured,
- with supporting references and detail, and professionally presented.
- Active, prepared participation and building session as learning community,
- including conscientious peer commentary on other student's assignments.
- Consistent work and development of your research organization outside session as evidenced in workbooks and computer files
- Self-assessment in relation to course goals that shows deep reflection on your development through the semester and
- maps out the future directions in which you plan to develop
- Briefing submitted, summarizing important themes/tools/resources related to the chosen topic and suggesting that you are ready to teach others about processes of research & engagement
You are welcome to submit your own assessment according to this rubric along with your final report.
If you don't reach the automatic B+ level, your points = 3 for each writing assignment submitted + an additional 4.5 for each writing assignments OK/RNR + 1.33 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.
(Note: In theory it is possible for a student to earn 104 points, but this is still awarded an A.)
PACING AND PREPARING THE ASSIGNMENTS AND OTHER TASKS
Activities during the class sessions and the assignments and tasks listed for each phase are intended to keep you moving through the phases (see the Chart below). Phases A, B, C, E, G, H are especially important.Use the Assignment Check-list to keep track of your own progress, which helps keep interactions with the instructor focused on your project, not on grades.
The tasks are not part of the required assignments, but if done will make sessions more valuable to you. To keep track of the tasks to prepare for any upcoming session scan the start of each line and make a note in the left hand margin.
To use this chart to guide you should:
- Fill in the dates for the sessions, aka, class meetings.
- Refer to the chart when you want a reminder at any point of where you should be if you want to keep in sync with the sessions and on target for finishing the project.
- Take note of the goal of each phase. The assignments are steps towards fulfilling the goals, not hoops to jump through.
- Note that phases are not finished with the session in which they are emphasized. They continue and overlap with later phases (as indicated approximately by arrows). They should govern the way you address any assignment you undertake and be revisited as you undertake later assignments.
- Consult details and rationale for the assignments (A, B1, B2, etc.) given in the Notes on Teaching/Learning Interactions (with links to the Phases of Research and Engagement wikipages).
- Note that public G1 and final H are required. Revisions till OK/RNR are expected for a minimum of 5 of the others.
- Use assignment checklist to keep track of initial submission of assignments and of resubmission until OK/RNR.
- Take note of and undertake some of the additional tasks that contribute to your fulfilling the goal of that phase-see Phases of Research and Engagement wikipages & summaries to follow (A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J).
General
Session 1, Sign up to bring light refreshments OR volunteer to have your work discussed in front of session for certain assignmentsSession 1, submit information sheet
By session 2, Review previous years' evaluations linked to (http://www.faculty.umb.edu/peter_taylor/portfoliocct698.html).
By session 2, Read Elbow, chaps. 1-3 on writing, freewriting, and sharing
By session 2: Participation Item: Submit syllabus treasure-hunt to review syllabus, Notes on teaching/learning interactions, and Phases of Research and Engagement. Email questions or bring them to session 2.
By session 2 or 3: Review briefings, decide if you want to add one, and submit a topic
By session 3: Review http://www.cct.umb.edu/competencies.html and http://www.faculty.umb.edu/peter_taylor/virtualoffice.html
By session 5, Participation Item: So PT can peruse the system you have developed to organize your research, bring to office hours conferences your journal/workbook with any material and notes derived from research to date, and your laptop, backup/storage medium, or printout of the system of directories/folders on your computer.
After session 5, Sign-up for second conference (to be held before session 11 -- participation item)
By session 7, Submit draft Briefing (or skip this participation item)
By session 7, Participation Item: Submit Mid-project Self-assessment, including research organization and competencies worksheet.
By session 9, Submit revised Briefing on or before this session (unless you skip this optional extra participation item)
Session 12 or 13, Participation item: Submit a copy of your Assignment Check-list in time for PT to alert you about discrepancies with his records.
Session 12 or 13, Participation item: To show the system you have developed to organize your research, submit journal/workbook, system for storing and taking notes on research materials on paper and on computer (e.g., flash drive).
Recommended tasks and assignments for phase A
Goal: "I can convey who I want to influence/affect concerning what (Subject, Audience, Purpose)."Annotated examples of previous students' assignments
By session 2, Task : Review previous years' reports (online thru password protected site) to get a sense of the scope of previous projects and reports
Due date session 3, Asmt. A: Governing Question and Revised single paragraph overview of your subject, audience, purpose
By session 5, First conference to discuss your ideas (bring journal and work materials) -- participation item
Practice using freewriting (suggested topics) and journaling
Recommended tasks and assignments for phase B
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."Annotated examples of previous students' assignments
By session 3 (after session 2), Task: Establish off-campus connection to UMass library
By session 3 or 4, Task: Establish your bibliographic and note-taking systems
Due date session 3, Asmt. B1: Photocopy of (or online link to) the review or controversy article (or section in a book) with a paragraph describing how it moves you towards fulfilling goal B
OR "sense-making" protocol used to indicate how an important article connects with your proposed research.
Due date session 4, Asmt. B2: Identify an initial informant, make contact, make appointment for a conversation before session 4, prepare verbal report on conversation with informant to be given during session 4. (If meeting hasn't happened by session 4, submit a brief written report after the meeting happens describing how it moved you towards fulfilling goal B.)
Due date session 5, Asmt. B3: Annotated bibliography of reading completed or planned
Due date session 8: Revised and updated annotated bibliography
Recommended tasks and assignments for phase C
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 researchable Question."Annotated examples of previous students' assignments
Exercise in session 4: Initial map
Due date session 5, Asmt. C: Revised map with Governing Question
Recommended tasks and assignments for phase D
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."Annotated examples of previous students' assignments
By session 6, Asmt. D: Summarize the different sub-arguments for your topic and positions regarding each, email to PT for comments
Recommended tasks and assignments for phase E
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."Annotated examples of previous students' assignments
In-session exercise: Strategic personal planning processBecause Columbus day is late in 2008, this will be done in second half of session 5
By session 7, Task: Complete Strategic personal planning process
Due date session 8, Asmt. E: Research & engagement design
Recommended tasks and assignments for phase F
Goal: "I have gained direct information, models, and experience not readily available from other sources."Annotated examples of previous students' assignments
For session 7, Task: Write down your top 5 questions you would like someone to talk to you about because you can't easily get answers from published literature
Due date session 8, Asmt. F1: Revised interview guide
Due date session 11, Asmt. F2: Brief written report on interview conducted, participant observation, or workshop attended
(See also briefing on interviewing)
Recommended tasks and assignments for phase G
Goal: "I have clarified the overall progression or argument underlying my research and the written reports I am starting to prepare."Annotated examples of previous students' assignments
After session 8, Task: Complete in session exercises.
In session 9, Asmt. G1 (equivalent of initial submission): Practice presentations to session or small groups
For session 10, Asmt. G1 (equivalent of OK/RNR): Public Presentation on Work-in-Progress
By session 11, Task: Read "Exploring your writing preferences" and identify strengths and issues to work on.
By session 11, Task: Read Elbow, chap. 13; re-read chap. 3
Due date session 11, Asmt G2: Narrative Outline
Recommended tasks and assignments for phase H
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."Annotated examples of previous students' assignments
By session 12, Task: Read Elbow, chaps. 4 -6; reread chapters 1-3
By session 13 or 14 (after session 11), Task: Read, or at least dip into, Elbow, sections III-VI
Due date session 13, Asmt. H: Draft of research report -- two copies: for fellow students & PT (returned with comments from both by session 14)
In session 13 or by session 14, Participation item: Comment on another student's complete draft
Due date one week after session 14, Asmt. H: Final version Research Report as email attachment
Note: For the final report to be accepted as final, you must have revised in response to comments by PT and another student on a complete draft.