Growing Insight: Course Instructor
Perspectives on Assignment Design
Ryne Leuzinger,
Research and Instruction Librarian,
Cal State Monterey Bay
Jacqui Grallo,
Research and Instructional Technology Librarian,
Cal State Monterey Bay
Question:
“Research assignment design”
What words come to mind?
Session Learning Outcomes
 Gain insight into commonalities in course instructors’
assignment design practices, and reflect on them in relation
to evidence-based, high impact assignment design
strategies
 Gain knowledge of methods used by librarians to
collaborate with or provide support for course instructors
engaged in assignment design
 Critically reflect upon your approach to creating
information literacy-oriented lesson plans and activities that
are connected to course assignments and how these can
be made most impactful for students in light of the data
presented
Cal State Monterey Bay
 8,000 students
 Founded in 1994
 HSI Designation
 Outcomes-based
!!!
!!!
Survey Development
Identifying common, impactful
assignment design strategies . . .
Winkelmes, M. A., Bernacki, M., Butler, J., Zochowski, M., Golanics, J., & Weavil, K. H.
(2016). A Teaching Intervention that Increases Underserved College Students'
Success. Peer Review, 18(1/2), 31.
Bean, J. C. (1996). Engaging ideas. The professor’s guide to integrating writing,
critical thinking, and active learning in the classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Anderson, P., Anson, C. M., Gonyea, R. M., & Paine, C. (2015). The
contributions of writing to learning and development: results from a largescale multi-institutional study. Research in the Teaching of English, 50(2), 199.
Survey Sample
 Recruited instructors of General Education
courses in which IL outcomes are embedded
 First-Year Seminar
 B2: Life Science
 D2: U.S. Histories and Democratic
Participation
Survey Design
 Research assignment: Student work requiring
the use of information sources beyond assigned
course readings
 Design: The creation of research assignments
from scratch, as well as modification of existing
assignments created by others
 Not about making normative claims
Survey Results
 35% response rate (slightly lower for openended questions)
 Answers were informative and revealed overall
awareness of and varying levels of attention to
evidence-based assignment design practices
Alignment with outcomes
Alignment with outcomes
“Because the learning outcomes for course,
major, and institution are all linked, research
assignments are tied to each of them. However, I
most directly think about the course learning
outcomes (and major learning outcomes in some
cases) for research (and all) assignments.”
Scaffolding
Scaffolding: A variety of
instructional techniques
used to move students
progressively toward
stronger understanding
and, ultimately, greater
independence in the
learning process
Scaffolding
“I often break assignments into smaller pieces. For
example, if a research assignment, students may
have to turn in a topic description, research
questions and a working bibliography and receive
feedback on that before they move on to other
steps in the process.”
Model assignments
Clarity of purpose
 One-third explicitly reference outcomes
 Some communicate a “larger purpose,” e.g.,
creating a meaningful connection to subject
matter, or developing career-related skills
Specific strategies for success
Specific strategies for success
“It is important for them to learn the skills, I think,
but I also want [them] to experience the
enjoyment of an immersive experience relating to
a topic/content. If they are expending all their
energy on figuring out the strategies, it impedes
their relationship to the topic/content.”
Specific strategies for success
“I provide specific strategies because of the
different experiences students have had at their
respective high schools or community colleges; if I
can ensure that they have a basic strategy for
research, I know that they're ready to successfully
complete subsequent courses.”
Specific strategies for success
“I usually depend on the library staff to present
the strategies when they visit the class.”
Examples of successful assignments
Examples of successful assignments
“Students need to see an example of what was
done correctly and why it was correct, as well as
have an example that they can examine and
determine what was done correctly and
incorrectly on their own.”
“No but I should”
“Too easy”
Rubrics and grading criteria
What does it all mean?
Learning about course instructors’ assignment
design practices can help librarians successfully
 Develop IL lesson plans to support existing
assignments
 Participate in the design of new and revised
assignments
Supporting existing assignments
 Outcomes are paramount
 How can they be employed in discussions and
activities with students?
Supporting existing assignments
 What relevant work have students already
done? Did they encounter significant
challenges?
Supporting existing assignments
 What relevant work have students already
done? Did they encounter significant
challenges?
 How have students been helped to understand
the purpose of the assignment?
Supporting existing assignments
 What relevant work have students already
done? Did they encounter significant
challenges?
 How have students been helped to understand
the purpose of the assignment?
 What specific strategies or steps have students
been encouraged to take?
Supporting existing assignments
 What relevant work have students already
done? Did they encounter significant
challenges?
 How have students been helped to understand
the purpose of the assignment?
 What specific strategies or steps have students
been encouraged to take?
 Have students been provided with an example
of a successfully completed assignment, a
rubric, and/or grading criteria?
Supporting existing assignments
Opportunities for Collaboration
 Providing professional development materials
 Developing IR assignment collections
 Promoting other forms of assignment
collections (for example . . .)
 Promoting materials such as the AAC&U
Value Rubrics
Digital Commons @ CSUMB
digitalcommons.
csumb.edu/teac
hing/
Assignment Archives
ABL Connect (ablconnect.harvard.edu)
Assignmentlibrary.org
MERLOT (merlot.org)
MIT Open Courseware (ocw.mit.edu)
Teacharchives.org
Teachingcommons.us
...
aacu.org/value/rubrics
Opportunities for Collaboration
 Consultations, Workshops
 Offered through the library in a variety of formats
 Pursuing opportunities for collaboration with other
departments on-campus interested in supporting
assignment design (Writing Program, Center for
Teaching and Learning, etc.)
Conclusion and Key Takeaways
 A key finding -- among those surveyed there are a variety of
practices employed that are not readily evident in assignments
themselves. It will be useful for us to have a greater consciousness
of these practices, as we prepare to teach one-shot course
integrated IL instruction sessions.
 Seeking greater insight through questions that focus on
common, impactful approaches in assignment design
 Reinforcing key assignment design practices in information
literacy instruction sessions
 Results highlight opportunities for collaboration
 Sharing / promoting professional development materials
 Consultations and Workshops
References
Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: Seven
research-based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Anderson, P., Anson, C. M., Gonyea, R. M., & Paine, C. (2015). The contributions of writing to learning and
development: results from a large-scale multi-institutional study. Research in the Teaching of English, 50(2), 199.
Bean, J. C. (1996). Engaging ideas. The professor’s guide to integrating writing, critical thinking, and active learning
in the classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Junisbai, B., Lowe, M. S., & Tagge, N. (2016). A Pragmatic and Flexible Approach to Information Literacy: Findings
from a Three-Year Study of Faculty-Librarian Collaboration. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 42(5), 604-611.
Merlot II: Multimedia educational resource for learning and online teaching. (2017). Retrieved from
https://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
Rhodes, T. (2009). Assessing outcomes and improving achievement: Tips and tools for using the
rubrics. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.
Junisbai, B., Lowe, M. S., & Tagge, N. (2016). A Pragmatic and Flexible Approach to Information Literacy: Findings
from a Three-Year Study of Faculty-Librarian Collaboration. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 42(5), 604-611.
Wiggins, G. P., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Winkelmes, M. A., Bernacki, M., Butler, J., Zochowski, M., Golanics, J., & Weavil, K. H. (2016). A Teaching Intervention
that Increases Underserved College Students' Success. Peer Review, 18(1/2), 31.
Question:
 In relation to your work supporting specific research
assignments, how might you utilize some of our
suggestions?
Questions?
Thanks!
Ryne Leuzinger,
[email protected]
Jacqui Grallo,
[email protected]