Designing Effective Learning Experiences

PWR 2 classes rely on an active learning principle; class activities (both synchronous and asynchronous) should have clear learning objectives and should be designed to scaffold the major assignments during the quarter. During weeks 4 to 6, lecturers also collaborate with librarians to focus on students’ information literacy and to develop effective research strategies. See below for examples of PWR 2 activities from our Teaching Writing archive.

PWR 2 Scaffolding Activities 

Speaking Ice Breakers (Weeks 1-2) 

• Alfano, Christine. “Take a Stand Impromptu Speech” (speaking, ice breaker) 
• Carpenter, Russ. “What We Learned in PWR 1” (speaking, ice breaker) 
• Pittock, Sarah. “Introduce Yourself” (speaking, ice breaker) 
• Johnson, Jennfer. “Two (mini) stories about your name” (speaking, ice breaker)
• Johnson, Jennifer. “Cultural Artifact Introduction” (speaking, media, icebreaker) 
• Hervey, Shannon. “Six Degrees of Separation” (speaking, media, icebreaker)

Other PWR 2 focused speaking activities

• Polk, Emily. “Analyzing Viral Videos” (async+speaking)
• DiPirro, Kevin. “Video screening and small group discussion” (async+speaking)
• Hervey, Shannon. “One Minute Screencasting Activity” (async+speaking)
• Alfano, Christine. “The Speech Bite” (async+speaking) 
• Chris Kamrath. Impromptu presentation: Newspaper translation activity” (speaking)
• Freeland, Tom. Voice Warm-up (speaking)

Research Proposal (Weeks 2-4) Proposal

• Shaeffer, Tesla. “On line Proposal Rehearsals” (research)
• Kinsey, Valerie. “Research Proposal Planning Table” (research-async)

Research

• Becerra-Vidergar, Angela. “Research Refresher: Virtual Scavenger Hunt” (research, library)
• Johnson, Jennifer. “Reflexivity Memo” (research, positionality) 
• Alfano, Christine. “Collaborative Invention: Working with Research Topics” (research, invention)
• Shaeffer, Tesla.Identifying Warrants or Assumptions (argument, research)

Research & speaking

• Hunter, Donna. “Metonyms and Lenses: Focusing your research” (research, speaking)
• Carpenter, Russ. “The Elevator Pitch” (research, speaking)
• Hunter, Donna. “Research Challenge Presentation” (research, speaking)

Research (async)

• Katen, Phyllis. “From Google to Search Premiere” (research, async) 
• Stonaker, Jenne. “Argument as Conversation” (research, async)
• Fulton, Holly. “Channeling the Doubter and Believer” (research, async)
• Brown, Tessa. “Research Journal” (research, async) 

Written Research Based Argument (Weeks 4-7) 

• Savelson, Kim. Bringing Story IQ to Academic Writing (research, narrative) 
• Polk, Emily. Art of Ethical Interview (methods) 
• Tesla Schaeffer, Asynchronous RBA Peer Review (research, async)
• Brown, Tessa. Asynchronous PWR 2 Draft (or Oral Delivery) Workshop (research, async)

Oral Delivery of Research (Weeks 4-7) 

• Raechel, Lee. “Cross Section Dress Rehearsals” 
• Kamrath, Chris. & Johnson, Jennifer. “Embodied Rhetoric in Online Presentations” (async +speaking)
• Valerie Kinsey. “Oral Delivery of Research Post-Rehearsal Assignment” (async)
• Valerie, Kinsey. “Reverse outlining Lunsford presentations” (async+speaking)

Speaking & Style

• Lee, Sohui. “Ventriloquy” (speaking, rhetoric) 
• Brawn, Shay. “Emphasis” (speaking, rhetoric) 
• Alfano. Christine. “We Shall Overcome: Delivery Activity” (speaking, rhetoric)

Multimedia & Design

• Erik Ellis. “Collaborative Design Analysis” (visual media)
• Tarr, Kathleen. “Tell Us Telos” (visual media) 

Reflection & Showcases (weeks 8-10) 

• Cirillo-McCarthy “The Art of Reflection” (speaking, reflection)
• Johnson, Jennifer & Hervey, Shannon. “Q&A Showcase and a Live Symposium” (speaking, showcase)
• Kathleen Tarr, Oral Reflection” (speaking, reflection)

Other Helpful Links:

• Archive of class activities (general; use “browse” menu to see specific categories)
• Canvas PWR 2 Archive
• Integrating library research into your course (not updated yet for 2020-21)