U100 Information Competence/Critical Thinking Project

Fall 2008

Ticket # 17032

Professor Schofield

Information Competence and Collaborative Presentations

Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America

Purpose:

To individually and collaboratively research an aspect of class in the United States, critically think about it and creatively share the scope of the issue/problem in a presentation that is fully and convincingly developed.

Goals of the assignment:

  1. To introduce you to university level research.
  2. To increase your comfort with the Oviatt Library & its resources.
  3. To improve your ability to work collaboratively and see each other as valuable resources.
  4. To develop critical thinking skills (including the ability to narrow a research focus appropriately).

Each group will be assigned one of the following:

Group 1: What is the predominant attitude in America to government help for those living in poverty? Where does this idea come from? Is this practical in the global economy?

Group 2: Try to define “the middle class” and “the working class” in 2008. What characteristics defined these groups in 1967? What characteristics define them now and how have they changed? Why?

Group 3: Research the life of the middle class/working class in Western European countries like the UK, France, Germany, and Sweden. In what ways is their life easier or harder? Where would you rather spend your working life, the US or Europe? Why?

Group 4: How has the role of education changed in relation to raising people out of poverty in the last 50 years? What is the level of access of the working class/working poor to higher education (and/or a primary education that will prepare for college)? Is a college education enough now to compete with educated workers in other countries like India and China?

Group 5: What is the economic history of the Baby Boomers (your parents)? What is the economic future of your generation (the Millennials)? What economic difficulties will you face that your parents didn’t?

I. INFORMATION COMPETENCE & ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Information Competence: We will meet with Susanna Eng from the Oviatt Library three times this semester, on 10/3, 10/20, and 10/24. Your attendance and participation are mandatory. Your final project grade will be seriously impacted if you miss these meetings.

Specific Annotated Bibliography Directions

EACH student will turn in a three page library product including:

1) A Cover Page with student’s name, group’s members name and project title.

2) The Annotated Bibliography must contain 5-6 sources with at least:

2 academic source found on a database hosted by CSUN

1 credible magazine or periodical

1 credible website

Each source listed will also include a one half page annotation, which will describe the relevance between the information in the source and the topic of the research. The annotated bibliography should adhere to current MLA standards.

3) A one page reflection on your group’s performance, covering what worked, what didn’t work, and what you might do differently next time.

II: THE PRESENTATION

Based on the topic your group has researched, create a presentation that aims to TEACH your classmates about the issue, NOT INFORM. There is a difference. Teaching means giving information to support a point. In other words, you have to show why we should care about the information you are presenting.

Each group member must participate equally in the presentation

Use creative visual aspects like short video clips, powerpoint, etc. If you create posters they must be visually interesting, relevant, and LARGE ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE IN THE BACK CAN SEE. Any poster or powerpoint SHOULD NOT be just an outline of what you are going to say.

College presentations don’t involve just standing in front of the class and talking. So your presentation must have some of sort of interactive component that will engage the class in what you are talking about. Getting peoples’ interest is a big part of presenting in college.

Length The entire presentation should last 15-20 minutes- NO MORE NO LESS! So, time management….

GRADING: While you are working in groups, your grades will be individual.

Information Competence: 75 (25 each meeting)

Annotated Bibliography 100

Collaborative Presentation: 150

Self Reflection25

To Get You Thinking…

In addition to our University 100 website, here is a brief (and certainly not comprehensive) list of web sources to help inspire your ideas:

My Sources:

ESTABLISHING GROUP GROUND RULES: We will have an ongoing dialogue of productive collaboration using the concepts and suggestions in University 100 College Conversations.

Also remember:

1) Accountability! Each individual is responsible for the collective responsibility.

Once issues have been aired, and group decisions have been made as fully as possible, you will designate tasks and determine levels of responsibility for each group member. Everyone needs to take a fair share of the group work. This does not mean that everyone has to do the same thing. It is best when the members of the group have agreed how the tasks will be allocated amongst themselves. Group members also need to be prepared to contribute by building on the ideas of others and validating each other's experiences.

2) Work to the strengths of each member to benefit your group! The work of a group can be achieved efficiently when tasks are allocated according to the experience and expertise of each member of the group.

3)Group deadlines are sacrosanct. The principle, “You can let yourself down, but it's not OK to let the group down” underpins successful group work. Plan group due dates and record them.

Issue:

Group Members and Contact Info: