Practicum CCT698 Fall 1998
Instructor: Peter Taylor, Critical & Creative Thinking Program, U. Mass. Boston
Email: peter.taylor@umb.edu; Phone: 617-287-7636
Office: Wheatley 2nd flr 143-09 (near Counseling & School Psychology)
Class Time: Tu 4-6.30; Office Hours: Tu, Th 2.30-3.30 & 6.45-7.45; by sign-up.
Course Website: http://www.faculty.umb.edu/peter_taylor/698-98.html

Course description
In this course you identify a current social or educational issue that concerns you, i.e., you want to know more about it, advocate a change, or design an intervention. You work through the different stages of research and action -- from defining 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, writing, communicating, and supporting the work of others.

The course as a whole provides a model for guiding your own students or supervisees through the stages of systematically addressing issues that concern them. You will add to your box of tools for self-reflection and development, teaching, and involvement in group processes. If you are a CCT student, you shoud integrate perspectives from your previous CCT courses and will end up well prepared for -- or well underway in -- your synthesis project.

Overview
Assessment
Expectations
Texts and Materials
Schedule of classes & assignments
Teacher-Student-Subject interactions (a schema)
Instructor's role and challenges
Research Briefings, by current and former students
Tasks in preparation for class, elaborating on or in addition to those printed in the syllabus
Notes on writing and revising, including
Freewriting suggestions
Useful web sites
Dimensions of the workshop process
Student presentations, schedule (TBA)
Chat room, for internet dialogue between classes (password needed)

Overview
In this course you identify a current social or educational issue that concerns you, and work through some or all of the following -- overlapping & iterating -- stages of research and action:
¥ define and refine the issue;
¥ initiate and develop a supportive community for your development during this semester;
¥ do background research into who has interests in the issue, its history and comparison with similar issues;
¥ define and design a manageable project;
¥ establish contacts with and interview specialists who can interpret the science and identify where you might pursue studies in greater depth;
¥ establish contacts with and interview activists who can help you interpret the controversies and politics around your issue;
¥ identify the arguments and counter-arguments for the different aspects of your issue;
¥ conduct a pilot survey or intervention and then design and undertake a revised version;
¥ begin drafting your reports or research proposals early so the revision process helps you clarify what research is needed;
¥ make and revise written and spoken presentations;
¥ explore avenues of public participation and define proposals for (further) action; and
¥ plan future extensions of your research.
The syllabus describes the provisional sequence of activities and assignments to help move you through the stages.

The course aims to cultivate research and action processes that you will continue to use, including:
1. Integration of perspectives rom previous courses into your own research and action;
2. Organization of time, research materials, computer access, bibliographies, etc.;
3. Self-discovery and self-clarification of direction to take;
4. Not getting blocked by obstacles, but turning them into opportunities to move into unfamiliar or uncomfortable territory;
5. Developing your own criteria for doing work (that is, criteria other than "the professor is setting the hoops that I jump through to get a good grade");
6. Getting support and advice from peers, professors and outsiders;
7. Connecting knowledge and skills to an interest in social and educational change;
8. Experimenting with new tools, even if not every one becomes part of your toolkit as a learner and as a teacher/facilitator of others.

Assessment There is no P/F option for this course. The overall grade is divided into two parts:
Written assignments and presentations, 2/3; Participation and contribution to the class process, 1/3.

For each part, satisfactory completion of "basic work" gives you a B+. If you do not complete the basic work, the grade is pro-rated downwards, so that a D corresponds to half of the basic work requirement. Completing assignments cannot compensate for below-basic-level participation, and in that situation the overall grade is capped so that it is no higher than the participation grade.
To have a chance -- but not a guarantee -- of getting a higher grade, "additional work" is taken into account, mostly at the end of the semester. (On the third last class I will let you know whether your basic work looks like being satisfactory, borderline, or less than satisfactory.)

Written assignments and presentations: Basic work = 80% of assignments submitted and revised & resubmitted until OK/RNR.
(Final report (or research proposal) counts for two assignments; some assignments are half weight. Final report requires responding to comments on at least one draft, which may entail more research. Outlines and drafts of reports may be marked OK, not because revision isn't required but because later drafts are assumed and will not be OK unless comments are taken into account.)
Additional work = Final research report will be graded.

Participation and contribution to the class process: Basic work = Attendance (at least 11 sessions unless proper medical excuses are provided) & Prepared participation (especially when you've signed up to present to the class or smaller groups).
(Active participation can make up for some absences, but if you are behind in your research and/or you haven't picked up the handouts you missed, you aren't likely to be well prepared to participate actively when you do come to class. Missing conferences counts against you; volunteering as facilitator or presenter for peer groups counts for you.)
Additional work = Active participation and end-of-semester Portfolio.

Expectations 0. Proceed through the stages, redirecting your remaining research efforts accordingly, and pursue the goals given in the Course Description & Overview. Take note of requirements given in the section above on Assessment.
1. Independent work on your project outside class steadily, i.e., every week, throughout semester. Preferably, set aside clear block(s) of time each week.
2. Responsible involvement (pre-reading, attendance, discussion, contact about non-attendance, and contact about late work).
3. Engaged participation in your base support group (to clarify your own projects, ideas and arguments; to learn about each other's projects; and to help each other by acting as constructively critical reviewers of those projects).
4. Wordprocessed assignments (so you can revise & update them).
5. Assignments on due dates (often we'll discuss them in class on the due day).
6. Volunteering to make class presentations, which in some cases require completion of assignment before the rest of the class.
7. Resubmission of assignments when requested, responding to comments from me and from other students. Submit a note whenever you don't re/submit an assignment on the due date, answering these questions: Are you still interested in your project? What are you doing instead of the assignment/revision?
8. Keep an eye on assignment deadlines and other tasks ahead so you give yourself time to prepare. (Assignments due are marked in this syllabus with a *A*)
9. Experiment with/ practice each of the tools introduced in the course, even if after the course is over you adopt only some of them.
10. Bring workbooks to every class, because you will do in class assignments making a carbon copy for me to comment on. Bring a ball point pen to make a clear copy.
11. Make suggestions about changes and additions to the course activities, materials, and name.

Texts and Materials
Elbow, P. (1981). Writing with Power. New York: Oxford University Press.
Xeroxed handouts and other readings will be provided at an estimated cost of $15 (payable to PT). (To help you appreciate what is required in, for example, a narrative outline, the handouts will include different examples of student work from previous years in a related course (focused on science and society). These are not all gems -- note comments made on them -- so do not slavishly copy any one of them.)
Compilations of final reports from previous years are on reserve in the Healey library.
You need a workbook/journal to carry with you at all times; and also an organized system to store loose materials (e.g., a 3 ring workbinder with dividers and pockets, an accordion file, or file folders).

** SCHEDULE OF CLASSES ** Suggested changes welcome.
You may need to move ahead of this schedule, especially if your project involves an actual intervention.
Additional information about classes, assignments, and other tasks will be provided in regular handouts, which will also be emailed to you and posted on the course website.

I. INVENTING
Class 1 (9/8)
Introduction: Workshop process and initial ideas about individual projects
Names
Supportive listening
Review of previous reports
Freewriting and Verbal reports on proposed investigations
In class Asmt: Title and paragraph description of proposed project
Sign-up for conferences, class presentations, and research briefings
Post-reading: Elbow, chaps. 1 & 2.

Class 2 (9/15)
Initial formulations -> Controlling Question
Pre-reading: Elbow, chap. 1.
Discovering/inventing/defining subject-purpose-audience
Free writing (Who do you want to convince? Of what? What obstacles do you see ahead?)
Creative and critical aspects of any phase of research and writing
Mapping (student presentation, with audience probing; then everyone else in base groups)
(Where is the issue/ controversy happening?; Who is implicated?; What changes are envisaged?; Arguments for change & counter-arguments. Categories & definitions; What related questions have other people investigated?; Need for primary vs. secondary research. General area & specific questions; Background vs. focPre-reading: Research holes; Residual ambiguity)
First base group meeting -- establish procedures and "share" initial descriptions
Pre-reading: Elbow, chap. 3. Asmt related to class 3: Identify an initial informant, make contact, deliver or send letter of introduction, make appointment for a time before class 4.

Class 3 (9/22)
Initial sources of information and informants
Meet in Healey Library instructional room (4th. flr.) for a session on Reference material in the libraries, including the printed sources as well as on-line.
Asmt: Use the catalogs or databases during the class to locate an article or section in a book describing a controversy related to your issue. Submit a xerox of this with a paragraph describing the different sides and use "sense-making" protocol to indicate how the article or section in a book connects with your proposed research. Submit revised title and description Due: Class 4

II. RESEARCHING
Class 4 (9/29) A. Sources of information and informants II
Meet in Computer Center (Healey library UL) for a session on using the WWW
Different approaches to research & different sources of information (Questionaires, interviews, snowballing, statistics; Primary vs. secondary material)
Class review of first research briefings
B. Organizing and processing research materials
Note-taking and summarizing
(Bring your workbook with any material and notes derived from research to date)
More towards controlling question
Asmt: Annotated bibliography of reading completed or planned; due class 6.
*A* Asmt due: Verbal report on conversation with initial informant

Class 5 (10/6)
Arguments I
Argument and counter-argument
Pre-reading: Xerox handout on a controversy TBA.
Class exercise: summarize the different sub-arguments for your topic and positions regarding each.
Asmt: Continue class exercise in preparation for next class.

Class 6 (10/13)
Design of Research Process
Discussion of one person's draft research design
Strategic personal planning
In class asmt: Draft research design.
*A* Asmt due: Annotated bibliography of reading completed or planned

Class 7 (10/20)
Interviewing and getting people to speak about/explain what they usually don't; dealing with experts.
Prepare questions and practice interviewing
Guest speaker (who will also observe your practice interviews): TBA
*A* Asmt due: 5 questions you would like someone to answer for you -- questions for which you can't easily get answers from published literature

III. COMMUNICATING
Note: This section of the course does not presuppose that you will have finished your research. In fact, you could continue to do research up until the day you submit your final report. At this point in the course you will probably still be rethinking the direction and scope of your research. Nevertheless, because writing is an excellent way to work out your ideas, your research will be helped by starting writing now.

Class 8 (10/27)
Preparation for Public Presentations on Work-in-Progress
Visual aids, and their use in aiding your on-going clarification of the overall structure of your argument.
In class asmt: Draft sequence of overhead projector transparencies and argument structure.
*A* Asmts due: a) Revised research design and annotated bibliography
b) Submit workbinders and workbook (reviewed in class and returned)
In class asmts: Mid-term self-assessment/ discussion (gap between where you are and would like to be) -> Contract (based on revised research design) for remaining time.

Class 9 (11/3)
A. Practice Presentations on Work-in-Progress
Practice presentations to class or base groups (10 minutes each student), Peer evaluations.
B. Arguments II -- More on arguments as reflected in report outlines.
Argument (structure, main points, connections, steps; contributing & hidden arguments)
Analyze arguments implicated in one student's research and (as in-class asmt) revise your own.

Class 10 (11/10)
Public Presentations on Work-in-Progress (place TBA)

Class 11 (11/17)
Writing Preferences
Pre-read: "Exploring your writing preferences"
Review writing preferences and identify strengths and issues to work on
Post-reading: Elbow, section II
Student presentation of report outlines followed by class and base group evaluation
*A* Asmt due: Nested and connected table of contents (or see week 12's asmt.)

IV. REVISING
Class 12 (11/24)
Getting and Using Feedback on Writing -- More on sharing and responding
More student presentations of report outlines followed by base group evaluation
*A* Asmt due: Narrative outline (or see week 11's asmt.)
Direct Writing & Quick Revising (towards narrative draft)
Pre-reading: Elbow, chaps. 4 & 5; reread chapters 1-3.

Class 13 (12/1)
Taking Stock of the Course I: Where to go from here?
Sense of Place Maps
*A* Asmt due: First draft of research report (two copies; returned with comments by PT and a student by 12/8)
Reading on Documentation: Elements, pp. 129-153

*A* Asmts due 12/8 a) Portfolio, for students choosing to do this
b) Comments on another student's draft.

V. EXTENDING
Class 14 (12/15 -- note date)
Taking Stock of the Course II: Where to go from here?
*A* Asmt due: Final version Research Report (2 copies, laser printed), with address for returning with comments.
Pot-luck dinner, discussion on course, video on participatory research. (Place TBA)
Pre-reading: Ain't No Makin' It
Historical scan
Open question: What is the means of best presenting the group's work to the wider public, and of supporting each other in doing so.