Lesson Study Project Log: Step 1

Welcome to Step 1: Forming a Team

Teams keeping project logs should record the following information: Who will be on your team? For each participant, record the person’s name, dept/unit, and email. Briefly describe the course, its place in the curriculum, and the student population. Submit a Log Entry for Step 1 | What are Project Logs? | How can I join the Lesson Study Project? | Questions?

Psychology Team (UW-La Crosse)

Melanie Cary (cary.mela@uwlax.edu)
Bill Cerbin (cerbin.will@uwlax.edu)
Rob Dixon (dixon.robe@uwlax.edu)
Carmen Wilson (wilson.carm@uwlax.edu).

The Course
Our lesson study focuses on an upper division course in Psychological Measurement. The class examines procedures and principles for the psychological measurement of human differences—including the development, quantitative interpretation, uses, distinctive and desired characteristics of tests of intelligence, aptitudes, achievement, occupational interests and personality. The class is required of psychology majors and is usually taken by seniors.

Only one member of the lesson study group, Carmen Wilson, teaches the class. We will focus on the fundamental and key measurement concept of “validity” for our lesson study.

Contact: Bill Cerbin

Microecomonics Team (UW-La Crosse)

Donna Anderson, Economics (anderson.donn@uwlax.edu)
Lisa Giddings, Economics (giddings.lisa@uwlax.edu)
Betsy Knowles, Economics (knowles.eli2@uwlax.edu)
Keith Sherony, Economics (sherony.keit@uwlax.edu)

The Course
Microeconomics and Public Policy (ECO110) is one of two principles courses offered through the Economics Department. The courses are required for all business majors. Usually, it is attended by freshmen and sophomores and contains very few economics majors.

The course is policy-focused, that is, it is concerned with how incentives affect the behavior of individuals and firms, and how government alters those incentives. The course was recently revamped by our faculty to focus on the "big issues" of the discipline and this is the second Lesson Study Project to focus on this course.

Contact: Lisa Giddings

English Team (UW-La Crosse)

Terry Beck, English (beck.terr@uwlax.edu)
Virginia Crank, English (crank.virg@uwlax.edu)
Susan Crutchfield, English (crutchfi.susa@uwlax.edu)
Bryan Kopp, English (kopp.brya@uwlax.edu)
Mary Helen Mc Murran, English (mcmurran.mary@uwlax.edu)

The Course
Each member in our team teaches sections of English 110, an introductory composition course, on a regular basis. Approximately 1400 students take this course each year (92% of all incoming freshmen). For the vast majority of students, English 110 is the only General Education composition course requirement—although students are required to take Writing Emphasis and Writing-in-the-Major courses as well.

The learning outcomes for English 110, adapted from WPA's statement, are grouped into four areas: rhetoric; critical thinking, reading, and writing; composing process; and knowledge of conventions. Our lesson study team is looking for ways to improve student learning in these areas with respect to prose style, particularly the concept of emphasis.

Contact: Bryan Kopp

Biology Team (UW-La Crosse)

Scott Cooper, Biology, UWL, cooper.scot@uwlax.edu
Roger Haro, Biology, UWL, haro.roge@uwlax.edu
Dan Sutherland, Biology, UWL, sutherla.dani@uwlax.edu
Tim Gerber, Biology, UWL, gerber.dani@uwlax.edu
Anne Galbraith, Biology, UWL, galbrait.anne@uwlax.edu
David Howard, Biology, UWL, howard.davi@uwlax.edu

The Course
Our course is BIO 105, a gen-ed science course that is oriented towards science majors. It is required for all of the life sciences undergraduate programs, and for some others in different colleges. Most students are in their first year.

Contact: Scott Cooper

Macroeconomics Team (UW-La Crosse)

Taggert J. Brooks (brooks.tagg@uwlax.edu)
Glenn Knowles (Knowles.glen@uwlax.edu)
Mike Haupert (Haupert.mich@uwlax.edu)

The Course
Global Macroeconomics (ECO 120), is the other general education principles course offered by the Economics Department. The course is required of all College of Business majors as well as serving a few non-business majors. Like ECO 110 the course is primarily filled with freshman and sophomore students majoring in one of the business disciplines.

The course itself is a bit different than traditional macro courses due to its location in the general education program. The course focuses more heavily on international considerations than a traditional first course in macro would. Our lesson involves looking at how students come to learn and understand the determination of exchange rates and specifically understanding Purchasing Power Parity.

Contact: Taggert J. Brooks

Statistics Team (UW-La Crosse)

Jeff Baggett, Mathematics (baggett.jeff@uwlax.edu)
Brooke Fridley, Mathematics (fridley.broo@uwlax.edu)
David Reineke, Mathematics (reineke.davi@uwlax.edu)

The Course
Our lesson study will focus on the Elementary Statistics (MTH 145) course. The course introduces students to the basic ideas of probability and statistics. Approximately 1200 students take the course each year, with students ranging in majors and years on campus. The course meets a general education requirement, with some students needing MTH 145 for their major. All three of the lesson study participants teach the course on a regular basis.

Contact: Brooke Fridley

Therapeutic Recreation Team (UW La Crosse)

Patricia Ardovino, Therapeutic Recreation (ardovino.patr@uwlax.edu)
Susan BOON Murray, Therapeutic Recreation (murray.sus2@uwlax.edu)
Nancy Navar, Therapeutic Recreation (navar.nanc@uwlax.edu)
Robin Yaffe Tschumper, Therapeutic Recreation (yaffe.robi@uwlax.edu)

The Course
We will focus on a lesson taught in RTH 456: Program Design and Administration of Therapeutic Recreation. All students majoring in Therapeutic Recreation must take the course, which is offered every semester. This is the first time most students are exposed to the foundations of systematic program design, implementation, and evaluation in therapeutic recreation settings. Our study will focus on student learning during a lesson on evaluation. The course is taught by Robin Yaffe Tschmper.

Contact: Patricia Ardovino

Math Team (UW-La Crosse)

Abdulaziz Elfessi elfessi.abdu@uwlax.edu
Heather Hulett hulett.heat@uwlax.edu
Dan Nordman  nordman.dani@uwlax.edu

All team members are in the Math Dept.

The Course
The Lesson Study is intended for  MATH 145 (Elementary Statistics), which is a general education course aimed at promoting
the use of statistics. A central learning outcome for students is to think critically about consuming information in terms of data collection, graphical summaries and other statisticaltools. In particular, each student should be able to apply basic statistical techniques to draw inferences and evaluate claims by the
end of the course.

The students enrolled in the course are varied in both their interest and mathematical backgrounds.  Many in the course wish only to fulfill an education requirement  in mathematics. Other students rely on this course to provide a statistical background needed in future work across various programs of study.

Contact: Dan Nordman

Management Team (UW-La Crosse)

Barbara Bowen, Management/CBA, bowen.barb@uwlax.edu
Brian Bridgeforth, MBA, MA Management/CBA, brian@devbydes.com; bridgefo.bria@uwlax.edu
Dr. Hulya Julie Yazici, Management/CBA, yazici.huly@uwlax.edu

The Course
Course: MGT308-001 and MGT308-002 Organizational Behaviour and Theory
Required professional core class for business
Student population: 70 in two sections.

This course emphasizes individual and group behavioral processes deemed essential for effective menagement of the diverse workforce in the 21st century. Topics include perception, motivation, communication, and group dynamics. Students learn the theories of organizational structure and design, historical development of the field of management, and planning, leading, decision making, and evaluating performance.

Contact: Hulya Julie Yazici

Education Team (UW-La Crosse)

Dr. Jeanne Danneker (Educational Studies) danneker.jean@uwlax.edu
Dr. Sarah Johnston-Rodriguez (Educational Studies) johnston.sara@uwlax.edu
Dr. Teri Staloch (Educational Studies) staloch.teri@uwlax.edu

The Course
C-I 304/504 Understanding the Contexts of Classroom Practice. This is a 4-credit general methods course which introduces middle level/secondary teacher education students to issues related to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and classroom management. The course is one of the first courses in the educational sequence after students are admitted to the teacher education program. This course is taken in conjunction with C-I 305/505 Clinical Experience II Professional Development in Middle Level and Secondary Schjools. There are 19 undergraduate students in this class (mostly 3rd & 4th year) and 1 ME-PD graduate student. The course is being taught at Logan High School in a professional Development School setting.

Contact: Jeanne Danneker

History Team (UW-La Crosse)

Victor Macias-Gonzalez, History (macias.vict@uwlax.edu)
Jess Hollenback, History (hollenba.jess@uwlax.edu)
Jodi Vandenberg-Daves, History (vandenberg.jodi@uwlax.edu)
Greg Wegner, Education (wegner.greg@uwlax.edu)
Dorothy Zeisler-Vralsted, History (zeisler.doro@uwlax.edu)

The Course
History 101, "The Global Origins of the Modern World" is a general education course.  The course is one of two world history courses in the general education program.  All students are reequired to take at least one of the world history courses.  The required course is usually taken during the student's freshman year. All history department members teach at least one of the world history offerings.

The course in which the lesson study will be conducted is emphasizing the theme of "human rights."  One of the proposed outcomes of the course is that students will learn that human rights "are part of older traditions." 

This approach to world history is the result of a departmental revision to the world history curriculum.  Faculty can now teach world history through an individualized thematic approach. 

Contact: Dorothy Zeisler-Vralsted

Philosophy Team (UW-La Crosse)

Eric Kraemer, kraemer.eric@uwlax.edu
Kenn Maly, maly.kenn@uwlax.edu
Sheri Ross, ross.sher@uwlax.edu

The Courses
Philosophy 307--19th and 20th Century Philosophy
This elective is an important supplement to the required History of Philosophy series. Philosophy majors, minors and other interested students, especially English majors typically enroll in this course.

Philosophy 101--Logic
This course serves as both General Education and Philosophy major. It is an importnat option for graduating Seniors with math-phobias or previous math trauma to complete their requirements. Many pre-Law students use it to prepare for the LSAT.

Contact: Sheri Ross

English Team (UW System)

Terry Beck, English Department, UW La Crosse (beck.terr@uwlax.edu)
Nancy Chick, English Department, UW Colleges (nchick@uwc.edu)
Holly Hassel, English Department, UW Colleges (hhassel@uwc.edu)
Aeron Haynie, English Department, UW Green Bay (hayniea@uwgb.edu)
Bryan Kopp, English Department, UW La Crosse (kopp.brya@uwlax.edu)

Coordinating the efforts of faculty across the UW System, our team will develop a lesson that could be used in a variety of literature (and possibly composition) courses.  We are beginning with a bigger question about student learning in English courses--namely, how to "help students value and use complexity to construct understanding."

The Course
We will start with an introductory literature course taught at UW-Green Bay by Aeron Haynie.  The course, with 45 students per section, is called ENG 104: Introduction to Literature.  ("The distinctive characteristics of poetry, plays, short stories and the novel, intended to help students understand, appreciate and enjoy literature ranging from the classic to the contemporary," according to the official course description.)  Most students, but not all, are freshmen. The course satisfies a general education requirement and is a writing emphasis class.

Email our team at englishsotl@uwm.edu
Visit our planning blog: http://lessonstudy.blogs.com/englishsotl/

Accountancy Team (UW-La Crosse)

Ashley Burrowes, Accountancy (burrowes.ashl@uwlax.edu)
Barbara Eide, Accountancy (eide.barb@uwlax.edu)
Ann Hendricks, Accountancy (hendrick.ann2@uwlax.edu)

The Course
ACC 222 (Sections 1, 4, & 5)  Principles of Managerial Accounting

The course is required of all College of Business majors as well as serving a few non-business majors. Like ACC 221, the course is primarily taken by sophomores majoring in one of the business disciplines.

The course focuses on the gathering of financial information and decision making by internal constituencies: managers in all function areas of the firm. Our lesson involves the financial decision analysis described as Capital Budgeting.

Contact: Barbara Eide

Communications & Library Team (UW-La Crosse)

Jim Putz, Communication Studies (putz.jame@uwlax.edu)
Cris Prucha, Library (prucha.cris@uwlax.edu)
Tom Reinert, Communication Studies (reinert.thom@uwlax.edu)
Becky Belter, Communication Studies (belter.beck@uwlax.edu)
Joseph Van Oss, Communication Studies (vanoss.jose@uwlax.edu)   
Stefan Smith, Library (smith.stef@uwlax.edu)
Jenifer Holman, Library (holman.jeni@uwlax.edu)
Galadriel Chilton, Library (chilton.gala@uwlax.edu)
Michael Current, Library (current.mich@uwlax.edu)

The Course
Our lesson study will focus on the information literacy skills component of the Public Oral Communication (CST 110) course.  Among the objectives of the course are the development of research and critical thinking skills necessary for message construction and the development of skills necessary for constructive critical evaluation of information and ideas presented in oral public communication. Approximately 2,000 students take the course each year.  Each CST110 instructor brings their students to the library for an information literacy instruction session.

Contacts: Jim Putz and Cristine Prucha