Faculty-led Inquiry into Reflective and Scholarly Teaching (FIRST)
Date of this Version
2018
Document Type
Portfolio
Citation
Burke, Kelsy, "SOCI 101: Introduction to Sociology—A Peer Review of Teaching Project Benchmark Portfolio" (2018). UNL Faculty Course Portfolios. 102. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/prtunl/102/
Abstract
This benchmark portfolio targets the Spring 2018 semester of SOCI 101: Introduction to Sociology, a large-enrollment course that combines lecture and recitation classes. It describes course objectives (my goals for the course); an overview of course content and a description of the students enrolled (the target audience); teaching methods (assignments and classroom activities); and assessment of student learning (analyzing quantitative and qualitative data of student performance). In order to evaluate course objectives and their relationship to teaching methods and student learning, I collected data from student feedback following each exam (a post-exam questionnaire). I then compared this feedback with assignment grades in order to understand broad patterns on the relationship between lecture and recitation attendance and student demonstration of course objectives. I also analyzed a series of student writing assignments to qualitatively assess different student trajectories and the scaffolding of writing assignments to help students demonstrate course objectives. The portfolio concludes with a summary and list of planned changes for the future.