I apologise for forcing you to read the last post with little guidance, but could you figure out the aims, measurable objectives and possible instructions on an assignment handout? Did you consider how you might take elements of it for your own student projects?

Figure 6 – I had a whole paragraph about seeing people out and about, but it didn’t fit the overall argument well enough, nor could I find much online to support it, so I had to cut it out of the final product–a process students must experience too.

Getting students interested in writing is one thing. Having them employ research, summary and paraphrasing strategies into their academic writing is an even harder task. Further beyond this, ensuring those who aim to do the least amount of effort to complete the tasks possible gives me headaches.If we simply ask them to demonstrate these in a standard academic writing assignment, we’re surely to be disappointed by superficiality of arguments and students are frustrated by having a lack of schema to have anything “new” to say. Personalising the topics, at least early on in the year, while incorporating mobile tech might help to accomplish all three of these in one shebang. In the assignment below, I’ve attempted to operationalise these strategies without them really knowing it.

The previous post is an exemplar of such a writing assignment. Below are what it aims to accomplish.

Aims

1. Provide students with opportunity to demonstrate introductory application of concepts needed to compose research papers.
2. Engage students in the writing process for research papers.
3. Give students motivation to explore their local surroundings.
4. Ensure student exercises adequate, individual effort in the writing process.

Measurable objectives

• Students can effectively narrow down a topic to argue for one main point i.e. thesis.
• Students can differentiate several distinct arguments to support this main point.
• Students can incorporate relevant material from outside sources through summary and paraphrasing.
• Students can demonstrate meaningful connections between arguments and materials included from outside sources.
• Students can reference appropriately to avoid plagiarism.

Student instructions

In this assignment, you will compose a short paper on your blog about experiences in Toronto over the course of the next month. You need to define an overall argument that you will aim to prove through a series of no fewer than 4 different experiences. Each experience should:

• be at least one, logically organised paragraph in length
• clearly support your overall argument
• include a reference to and commentary about (e.g. summary and relationship to your point)  a related article or statistics available online
• be documented by an original photo (with yourself included in at least 3) of the experience over the course of the month

Did I succeed? Did you in selecting the possible aims, measurable objectives and student instructions? Where do you think it might not be adequate?

This exercise is framed for teacher trainees to analyse a product to determine how successfully the assignment was planned and executed according to that plan. Does is accomplish all those things? Would a student produce a similar product to the previous post (with at a reasonably expected language level) given the instructions?

I argue that though this is framed as a teacher training exercise, it is also highly effective to give students as a model of assignment before they know anything about it. We can ask students to uncover the elements of the product to see what may be expected of them in terms of skills–task-based teaching, one could call it. Having students see the final product and dissect it has raised awareness in my students (as writers) of the elements required for an Arts-related paper at the university level and in this application, done so in a meaningful topic first, before being challenged on a more academic nature.

Torontonians can almost always count on May to be where spring reliably emerges, bringing with it emotional renewal and visible transformations.

Figure 1: A tree transformation outside New College over a 10-day period

May is when vegetation in Toronto makes its swiftest change in appearance and visibility. On a chilly, rainy late April afternoon, tree buds just begin to appear. Within a week into May, full green leaves emerge as though summer has arrived (see Figure 1). For those with floral blooms,  the appearance and replacement with leaves happens so suddenly and at different times during the month, depending on the type of tree. High Park hosts one of the more stunning displays–Sakura Hanami or “cherry blossom viewing”–which if not attended during the best week can be a year-long wait. In fact, High Park Nature Centre suggests the peak time to see them at their 100% bloom may be during the week of May 6.¹

Figure 3 – Enjoying a Tim’s iced cappucino

Another refreshing transition is evidenced in the types of drinks available and ordered at coffee shops throughout the city in May. It is during these early warmer weeks that Torontonians begin ordering cold drinks, like Tim Horton’s iced cappucino. The greater volume of warm days occurring in spring may directly contribute to the greater volume of cold coffee-related drinks sold. While in May 2011 Toronto experienced 7 days above 23°C (average: 25.6°C)², in 2012, these warmer days doubled in number (14) and average temperature (26.7°C).³ In fact, Tim Horton’s revenues in the second quarter of 2012 reported an increase of over $80 million compared to the previous year⁴, which in part is reflected in the strong sales of cold-drinks during this time.

Figure 4 – Friends at  a Duke of York patio

A related outdoor beverage activity that May first affords in terms of frequency is consuming alcohol on patios. Patios in downtown Toronto are widespread in number⁵ and provide local restaurants and pubs with increased sales. Torontonians notoriously relish the opportunity to move out from their indoor confines when weather permits, even in months when normally this would seem impossible. On January 12, 2013, record temperatures of 15°C prompted “several bars and restaurants [to take] the patio furniture out of storage so customers could enjoy a drink or two in the outdoors.“⁶ Despite this passionate patio culture, a city-wide bylaw requires patios to close at 11PM to curb residential noise complaints. Fortunately for some, this bylaw can be circumvented by neighbourhood councillors, resulting in closing time variances between the bylaw requirement and 2AM.⁷

Figure 5 – Loulou and I enjoy the sun at the park

Apart from transformations in scenery and consumption, May in Toronto gives the ample number of dog-owners and their canine companions a first opportunity to spend longer periods of time outdoors. Throughout the winter months, cold temperatures, snow and salted sidewalks make it challenging for both pet owners and their dogs to enjoy for any duration. Toronto has over 30 official off-leash dog parks in the downtown core alone⁸, and discussion continues on whether or not to allow free run in all Toronto parks between 9PM and 9AM.⁹ Regardless of the final decision, it is in May, however, that warmer air and dryer outdoor spaces result in a plethora of dog communities to emerge for the summer.

Though this list of reasons is not exhaustive, one can easily argue that transformations can be seen and they have a renewing effect on Torontonian attitudes after a long winter.

¹ High Park Nature Centre. (2013) ”High Park Cherry Blossom Watch,” High Park Nature Centre.
² Environment Canada. (2011) “Daily Data Report for May 2011,” Environment Canada.
³ Environment Canada. (2012) “Daily Data Report for May 2012,” Environment Canada.
⁴ Johnson, J. (2011) “Tim Hortons profit rises on franchise revenues and stronger sales,” Financial Post: August 9, 2012.
⁵ blogTO. (2012) “Toronto Patio Guide,” blogTO.
⁶ CityNews. (2013) “Spring-like weather hits the GTA,” CityNews: January 12, 2013.
⁷ Winsa, P. (2011) “No patio culture in your ‘hood? Thank your local councillor,” Toronto Star: May 20, 2011.
⁸ Toronto.ca. “People, Dogs and Parks Off-Leash Parks Listing,” Toronto.ca: Parks, Forestry & Recreation.
⁹ CBC. (2012) “City to study dogs running leash-free in parks,” CBC News: November 1, 2012.

As you read through this post, can “teacher-you” see the assignments aims*, measurable objectives* and instructions* from which this emerged? Could these questions be asked of our writing students instead?

In Post 2, I’ll take you through what they are and you can tell me if I succeeded.

*aims = global aims that you want the exercise to achieve for students
*objectives = assessable skills practiced by students doing the exercise
*instructions = what you would write on an assignment sheet given to students