Unit Overview - Peer Workshop

Goals

This assignment aims to

· give each other some substantive feedback as per instructions below

· demonstrate our own procedural knowledge of how to build a problem-posing, inquiry-based unit

· respond as a busy, online reader, letting the writer know if he has communicated succinctly and clearly

Assignment

Comment to the two other people in your assigned group. Although you may give supportive comments about anything you really, really like, I am more interested in you playing devil's advocate. That is, I want you to help each other complicate the unit's line of inquiry (i.e., focus questions) if that line of inquiry is too predictable. One easy (and extremely helpful) way to complicate an issue is to give counterexamples and/or borderline examples. Also helpful is to offer suggestions about other pieces of literature that would create another angle, even if it might seem tangential at first glance. Examining this line of inquiry also entails looking at the order of the texts as well as the quality and type of texts.

Also, we need to give the writer useful feedback on the writing itself. First, let the writer know if the plot summaries are too detailed or too brief. Second (and more importantly), has the writer made it clear why and how each piece will open up another perspective on the problem at hand?

So, to sum up, respond specifically to these three issues:

1. The line of inquiry: Is it complicated enough to keep hormonally-charged, distracted teenagers interested and engaged for at least a couple of weeks? If not, how might it be complicated?

2. The text set: Is it scaffolded? Does the main text (at least the main text) hit within students' ZPD?

3. The rationale: Is the writing appropriately condensed but clear? And is it focused not so much on plot summaries but on analysis, showing how each piece advances the problem posed by the unit?

Logistics

We will be responding in each other's wikispaces. See your groupings on our webpage at www.wsu.edu/~bjmonroe. When you respond, please

1. choose a color of font that hasn't been taken and is easy to read, and

2. sign your name with each comment

Due dates / Evaluation

1). Posting your completed first draft by Thursday, midnight, Oct. 7. (one daily grade)

check-plus = completed your first draft and posted on time.

zero = did not complete your first draft OR did not post on time.

2). Your response to each of two people in your group, due by Sunday, midnight, Oct. 10 (two daily grades taken--one for each response)

Rubric

As a responder, you astutely addressed these three areas:

1. The line of inquiry: Is it complicated enough to keep hormonally-charged, distracted teenagers interested and engaged for at least a couple of weeks?

2. The text set: Is it scaffolded? Does the main text at least hit within students' ZPD?

3. The rationale: Is the writing appropriately condensed but clear? And is it focused not so much on plot summaries but on analysis, showing how each piece advances the problem posed by the unit.

4. You didn't just "make nice" and answer "yes" to all of the above; you really did try to be helpful.