STACEY WHITLOW & KRISTIN SMITH
Objective: Our objective in this project is to further incorporate “workplace”
skills into current course curriculum. We hope to help illustrate the connection
between what we do in our classrooms and what our students encounter in
the workplace. Our goal over the course of the semester is to explore various
methods of teaching students to “present themselves.” In the early stages
of this project, we hope to foster further discussion concerning the need,
impact, and methodology of teaching essential workplace skills to a student
population that is preparing to enter a rapidly changing economy.
Our Goals are to:
· illustrate a link between the workplace and
the classroom;
· demonstrate the relation of course objectives
to eventual workplace
(Logical reasoning, audience awareness, critical evaluation and analysis,
problem-solving);
· show possible adaptations of concepts; and
· develop ideas that can be adapted and used in
other courses.
Pilot: Eng 111-131 will be used as a pilot course for “presenting yourself."
Stacey Whitlow has devised a unit centered on job-preparedness and will
use this as a basis for the traditional core requirements of this writing-intensive
course. Kristin Smith will be present in many of the classes, and will help
to guide the process, to help devise and assess materials resulting from
the initiative.
English 111 has been adapted in five stages. The five stages are summarized
below:
Stage 1: Making Connections
· The class is introduced to “workplace skills”
and the grant project “presenting yourself."
· The class will take a short version of the MBTI
and explore possible career interests/options based on their results.
· A modified diagnostic (a preexisting requirement
for the course) is given. The writing assignment asks student to reflect
and respond to their current characteristics, their skills assessment (MBTI),
their potential professions and the skill requirements (including soft skills)
required by those professions. The last part of the diagnostic asks
students to relate these skills to English 111 objectives and their goals
for the course (see attached diagnostic for further information).
Stage 2: Exploring Connections
· Assignment for Paper One: Pick an article/essay
to analyze and critique concerning a potential problem or challenge in an
individual (potential) workplace.
· Assignment for Paper Two: Explore the different
points of view regarding this workplace issue including possible solutions
to the problem.
· Assignment for Paper Three: Collect, analyze
and summarize at least ten credible sources in the field dealing with your
selected topic.
· Assignment for Paper Four: Create and defend
your own solution/alternative to the research problem/topic.
· Assignment for Final Portfolio and Presentation:
Students will present themselves and the research they have completed during
end-of-the-semester presentations. Focuses on both written and spoken
communications. PowerPoint presentations or acceptable visuals are
required.
Stage 3: Evaluating Yourself
· Students will present informally their 1st drafts
of Paper One on a self-selected workforce problem/challenge.
· These presentations will be used as the benchmark
for current skills assessment and they will be used again later in the course
for self-assessment.
· Videotaped presentations will be reviewed by
instructors, and then placed in the library on reserve for students to view
when they are asked to complete their self-evaluations.
Stage 4: Learning to Present Yourself
· Instructors will use a one-week adaptable unit.
· Lessons will focus on how to develop effective
presentations and portfolios. Stacey Whitlow and Kristin Smith will team-teach
these lessons.
· The informal presentations will be formally
reviewed by individual students (on reserve in library) and self-assessments
will be conducted
Stage 5: Presenting Yourself
· A review of presentation skills will be conducted
at the end of the semester.
· Students will be given subsequent workdays for
portfolios and presentations.
· The final paper's solution to the workplace
problem identified in Paper 2 will be presented formally.
· The final presentations will be videotaped and
reviewed for assessment.
