Designing a Signature Course for Freshmen
in an American University Abroad
WASC ARC 2014
Melissa Brown
Sharistan Melkonian
Questions to explore.
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What would you do?
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What did AUA do? - The development process
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What did we learn?
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What’s next?
What would you do?
If you had the opportunity to create a signature course for
freshmen from scratch for a brand new undergraduate program,
what would you do?
What did AUA do?
Freshman English was developed through a collaborative iterative process - a series
of university-wide meetings, discussions, and feedback & assessment opportunities
 Review AUA Mission, Program Goals, and Curriculum Map
 Determine Structure and Overarching Theme of Freshman English
 Brainstorm Expected Population
 Benchmark and Brainstorm Content and Course-based Learning Outcomes.
 Develop Assignments Aligned with Course-Based Student Learning Outcomes
 Design Syllabi and Course Outlines
 Administer and assess a “pilot” Freshman English 1 course in Spring 2013
 Adjust course based on information gathered from students, instructor, and
pilot team
What did AUA do?
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Administer Freshman English 1 for 2013 Freshman
 Weekly Freshman English faculty meetings
 Diagnostic and Exit Writing
 Mid-Term and End-of-Term Student Survey
 Course evaluation
 Instructor survey on course content and materials
Adjust course based on information gathered from students and instructors
Connecting to AUA’s Mission
As an institution of higher learning, the American University of Armenia
provides teaching, research, and service programs that prepare students and
enable faculty and researchers to address the needs of Armenia and the
surrounding region for sustainable development, in a setting that values and
develops academic excellence, free inquiry, integrity, scholarship, leadership,
and service to society.
A Signature Course
Part of the university’s General Education program, Freshman English is one
of three two-course sequenced signature foundation courses, all of which all
grounded in AUA’s Mission and provide an opportunity for assessment of
student learning across programs.
What did we learn from the pilot?
Week 5.
INTEGRITY AS THE BASIS FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
WRITING PROCESS
FORMAL TRAINING AT THE ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER
CLASS READING MATERIALS – SEE MOODLE FOR DETAILS
REQUIRED HOMETASKS ON MOODLE PAGE
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Gregorian, Vartan. Excerpt Chapter 4 “To Beirut, Le
Petit Paris,” p. 63-80, 88-94.
Information handouts from the Academic Resource
Center.
Covey, Stephen R. “Principles of Personal
Management,” p. 146-182; “Principles of Personal
Vision” p. 66, “Between Stimulus and Response”
p.68-70, “Proactivity Defined” p. 70-75, “Listening to
Our Language” p.78-80.
Folse et al. Excerpts from Appendix 1 “Understanding
the Writing Process: The Seven Steps” from Great
Essays.
57 Tips for Writers from Writers
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, Excerpt.
AUA’s Code of Ethics & Student Handbook.
Drive, Chapter 6 Purpose “Policies” p. 138-140; “The
Good Life” p. 141-145.
Grasgreen “Dishonorable Conduct?” by Insider
Higher Ed.
Proctor, “How Not to Plagiarize,” Writing Support at
University of Toronto.
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Reflect upon the academic resources Vartan
Gregorian had at Collège Arménien.
Explore the Academic Resource Center website and
complete note-taking & citation assignment as well
as online tutorial and quiz.
Adapted Time Management Worksheet
Grammar Practice Assignment: English as a Second
Language.
Write and then revise a paragraph that would be
titled “Beyond the policy, the real reasons students
should not cheat”.
Explore the International Center for Academic
Integrity website.
Quotation assignment from International Center for
Academic Integrity Fundamental Values Project.
View: TED-ED “The power of a great introduction”
by Carolyn Mohr http://ed.ted.com/lessons/thepower-of-a-great-introduction-carolyn-mohr
OPTIONAL HOMETASKS
View: First Lady Michelle Obama
Speech U.S. Democratic Convention
2012.
Read: Bhadgwati, “Plagiarism is more
than an academic matter.”
On Writing: A Memoire of the Craft
(200) by Stephen King
*Due Online Journal #2 Group B
What did we learn from the pilot?
TOPIC 2:
INTEGRITY
Week 5
Voice
Week 6
Individual &
Academic Integrity
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Anzuelda, Borderlands, Ch 5, “How to Tame a
Wild Tongue”
Folse, et al, Great Essays, Appendix 1
Gregorian, “Introduction: My Birthplace”
Marshall, “ The Poets in the Kitchen”
Paley, “Language: On Clarice Lispector”
Sandberg, Lean In, Ch 2, “Sit at the Table”
Stafford, “A Way of Writing”
Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective
People, p. 66-80, “Principles of Personal Vision”
Frankel, “Man’s Search for Meaning” (p. 47-52;
60-62; 74-87)
Lincoln Letter, “Abraham Lincoln Denies a Loan”
The Harvard Cheating Scandal: N.Y. Times
Reports Grasgreen, “Dishonorable Conduct”
AUA Student Code of Ethics (AUA Website)
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Summary Final Draft Due
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Optional Activity-Debate/hearing on
Harvard cheating scandal
Letter Draft (Choose 1: Letter to
author; Statement of Purpose; View on
Harvard Cheating Scandal)
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What did we learn from the pilot?
What did we learn from the pilot?
Freshman English 1 Letter Assignment Rubric
Letter Assignment
Process: Completes Stages
of Writing
Content
Organization
Clarity & Mechanics
Advanced (A+…A…A-)
Proficient (B+…B…B-)
Developing (C+…C…C-)
Does Not Meet Minimum Requirements(D-F)
Student completes excellent, carefully
developed products on time for each of
the writing stages:
 Choosing a topic
 Brainstorming
 Outlining
 Drafting
 Soliciting feedback
 Revising
 Editing
Student completes products on time for each of the writing
stages:
 Choosing a topic
 Brainstorming
 Outlining
 Drafting
 Soliciting feedback
 Revising
 Editing
Student creates products which are consistently
incomplete or late, or submits products for almost none
of the stages:
 Choosing a topic
 Brainstorming
 Outlining
 Drafting
 Soliciting feedback
 Revising
 Editing
The letter responds fully to the
assignment. The audience is appropriately
addressed and purpose clearly defined.
Ideas are well developed and supported
using relevant sources. The letter is
approximately 500 words in length.
The letter responds to the assignment. The audience is
addressed the purpose is defined. Ideas are generally
supported using relevant sources, though there may be
some lack of development or effectiveness.
Student creates products which are
sometimes incomplete or late, or only
completes products for some of the
writing stages:
 Choosing a topic
 Brainstorming
 Outlining
 Drafting
 Soliciting feedback
 Revising
 Editing
The letter attempts to respond to the
assignment in part. The audience and
purpose may not be entirely clear.
There is an attempt tp support and
develop the ideas.
Typical of a formal letter, the letter
includes the following components:
 Header (address and date)
 Salutation
 Opening (introductory paragraph)
 Body paragraphs
 Closing Paragraph
 Formal Closing
 Signature
Ideas are connected clearly & logically in
effective paragraphs.
Typical of a formal letter, the letter includes the following
components:
 Header (address and date)
 Salutation
 Opening (introductory paragraph)
 Body paragraphs
 Closing Paragraph
 Formal Closing
 Signature
Ideas are mostly organized in effective paragraphs; logical
connections may occasionally be unclear.
Typical of a formal letter, the letter
includes most of the following
components:
 Header (address and date)
 Salutation
 Opening (introductory paragraph)
 Body paragraphs
 Closing Paragraph
 Formal Closing
 Signature
Paragraphs do not adequately develop
an idea or are not logically connected,
making ideas difficult to follow.
Letter does not include most the following components:
 Header (address and date)
 Salutation
 Opening (introductory paragraph)
 Body paragraphs
 Closing Paragraph
 Formal Closing
 Signature
Language is fluent and accurate as
demonstrated through use of:
 Appropriate, precise vocabulary
 Correct punctuation, capitalization and
spelling.
 Accurate use of grammar
Language is accurate as demonstrated through use of:
 Appropriate vocabulary
 Correct punctuation, capitalization and spelling.
 Accurate use of grammar (though might have some
minor grammatical errors, which do not interfere with
comprehension)
Language contains noticeable errors in
vocabulary, punctuation, capitalization,
spelling or grammar, which occasionally
can interfere with comprehension.
Language contains noticeable errors in vocabulary,
punctuation, capitalization, and spelling or grammar,
which consistently interfere with comprehension.
The letter does not respond to the assignment. Ideas
are insufficiently developed.
What did we learn from the first semester
and how did we learn it?
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Entrance and exit writing
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Weekly faculty meetings (including calibrating grading)
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Mid-term and end-of-term surveys
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Course evaluation
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Instructor survey
What did we learn?
Entrance and Exit Writing – Average Scores
Average Entrance
Average Exit
Language/
Content Organization Mechanics
3.056
3.034
2.875
3.019
3.034
2.883
This isn’t the whole picture.
Total
8.905
8.857
What did we learn?
Have we given students the chance to:
 Develop the academic skills they need for success at AUA?
 Make full use of the resources available to them at AUA?
 Explore the core values contained AUA’s mission
statement?
What did we learn?-Student Feedback
Have we created a learning environment that reflects and promotes these values
expressed in AUA’s Mission?
 “The atmosphere was very democratic and friendly.”
 “Class discussions and activities worked well in this class, as they were interactive.
Everybody participated and felt free.”
 “I really liked discussions as the opinions were different and we could learn from
each other.”
 “..You are free to express your thoughts no matter if they are super-clever or
extraordinarily stupid.”
 “The free communication between students and the teacher…”
What did we learn?-Instructor Feedback
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Maintain overall course structure & content
Adjust readings other course material
Revisit sequencing of assignments
Increase number of in-class assignments
Raise awareness of the value of (or cut)
 university resource assignments
 self & peer participation evaluation
What’s next?
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Incorporated some of was learned from Freshman
English 1 into Freshman English 2.
Set up a faculty working group to revise the course
syllabus for Freshman English 1 for Fall 2014.
Thorough review of surveys, course evaluations, student
portfolios as part of assessment process
Development team and Resources
Freshman English Development Team
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Lissett Babaian, Ed.M., Harvard University. Team Leader conception - May 2013
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Melissa Brown, MA, MFA , AUA and NYU. Team Leader May 2013 - present
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Catherine Buon, Ph.D., Louisiana University
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Sharistan Melkonian, MA, Columbia University
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Tom Samuelian, Ph.D, J.D., University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University
Several of the course readings were culled from the following courses: Duke University's PPS146 Leadership, Development
and Organizations taught and developed by Tony Brown, MBA, Harvard University; Fordham University's two courses in
Psychology of Human Values taught and developed by F.J. Wertz, PhD, and David Marcotte, PhD, ; Harvard University's
Education GoodWork: taught and developed by Howard Gardner, PhD, Harvard University and Exercising Leadership:
Mobilizing Group Resources taught and developed by Ronald Heifetz, MPA and M.D, Harvard University.
American University of Armenia
www.aua.am