CEC FIPP Activity Report
Name Ruth Roach
Date September 16, 2010
Department English
FIPP Partner Chris Richardson
Class title & section # English B, Section 9635
Name of Activity/Strategy Out-of-Class Learning at Campus Event
Category: (Please select only one.) (Reminder: You will submit one report from each of
the categories.)
Classroom Activity
Classroom Environment
Classroom Expectations
Feedback & Evaluation
Homework & Out-of-Classroom Learning Experiences
Briefly describe the activity/strategy, providing enough detail so that a colleague can
replicate the activity/strategy.
1. Introduction My FIPP partner and I decided to try to use campus activities
relevant to each of our fields to stimulate students' interest and for application
of learning in our fields--applied knowledge being a higher order of thinking.
2. Set-up & Supplies We only needed to indicate the pertinent context for the
campus event and indicate the expected field-related learning outcomes, so
they would gain the maximum educational benefit from the experience.
3. Directions Students in my English class were instructed to observe closely the
aspects of the cultural presentation in celebration of Latino Heritage Month.
The presentation included a mini-lecture by a history professor, a young
spoken-word artist presenting from his upcoming book of poetry entitled
"Illegals," and performances by two musical ensembles: a decoratively dressed
mariachi band with a range of traditional guitars and Aztec dancers who were
also decoratively dressed and performed several traditional dances with
explanations of their dances made throughout. Students then were to write a
half-page summary of the event to give to me before they departed.
What worked well? I liked the positive feedback about the event itself that emerged,
though I was not surveying students about this activity formally. In particular, students
found the campus event enjoyable, which improves the learning environment, and
informative, which impacts learning outcomes positively.
What would you change? Students seemed to need more time to complete this summary,
rather than complete it on the same day. I especially want them to generate an outline
prior to completing this summary in the future, which requires more time. Therefore, I
would modify the activity to an outline only due by the end of class time; I may,
alternatively, sign-off on their notes only before departing, and have the summary as a
homework assignment instead altogether so that they can attend the campus event
without the need to outline or draft the paragraph on the spot.
Would you use the activity/strategy again? Why or why not? I would definitely use this
activity again. Though I have incorporated campus events into the range of learning
experiences offered to my classes in the past, this time I am benefiting from the
reflection about the use of the campus activity in my pedagogy, to improve its
effectiveness in achieving educational outcomes. As a result, I am convinced by what
they said of the event, and their initial writing about it, that a refined summary
assignment about a campus event of this nature will be worthwhile for both its tangible
and intangible impact on the students and their writing.
Please describe any student learning and/or changes that you observed after the
implementation of the activity/strategy. My students seemed to be affirmed by attending
this event which featured the culture of many of them positively. In my view, the cultural
exchange was also positive for those not directly represented by the performers and
presenters, though the Aztec troupe has an African American member! At some level,
this offers a productive exchange of ideas and mutual appreciation, in addition to a
stimulating writing assignment which goes beyond pedantic topics in terms of impacting
students' perceptions of society, and ultimately impacting society when they join the
ranks of society's leaders upon graduation!