Course Design for AU's Online First-Year Composition Praised in Inside Higher Ed

In early June, an article by Lee Skallerup Bessette in Inside Higher Ed praised the course design of our online version of English 101 that is taught in Ashland’s Correctional Education platform. Bessette, a learning design specialist at the Center for New Directions in Learning and Scholarship at Georgetown University, also teaches AU English courses to incarcerated students. Citing the “less than ideal situation” of teaching a class built by another person, with the logistical challenges of the correctional environment, Bessette finds that “even with the odds stacked against us, the course is nonetheless a meaningful learning (and teaching!) experience because of the care put into designing, and then delivering, the course.”

Curtis Allen

The primary designer of the course is Curtis Allen, a part-time faculty member who has been teaching for Ashland since 2003. Allen collaborated with Dr. Maura Grady, Director of Composition, and several instructional designers on the Learn AU team, including Charles Piscatello and Emily Weller. The course design that Bessette calls “top-notch,” and “carefully designed with the learner population at the forefront of any and all pedagogical decisions,” is a result of the team’s sensitivity to the personal experiences and backgrounds of the students, as well as Allen’s long track record of teaching writing to diverse groups of students. Allen describes his approach below:

When I begin working on a course, I begin with two questions (and these are questions I keep emphasizing to my students when they write too): Who are these people and what do I want to do to them? The "who" for incarcerated students meant that a LOT of them speak AAVE (African American Vernacular English) as their first language (which really impacted the design of the grammar lessons) and many Black or Latino students had not really seen "respectable" essays from anyone but white guys, so the assigned readings included a LOT of people of color. The "what do I want to do to them" includes giving them a sense of their own ability and moving them toward fitting in with the academic culture (without losing the core of their own identity).

From Bessette’s perspective as an instructor, such an approach helps students find their voices as writers: “The writing prompts explicitly asked them to draw from their own experiences in order to engage more critically and fully with the texts, which, in their final reflections, they all appreciated: some had never before thought that they had anything worthwhile or meaningful to say or share.”

When asked about his favorite part of teaching and course design, Allen explains how he is always looking for new and better ways to reach students:

I really enjoy finding new material and bringing it to students--which means that a course preparation is rarely "done." After years as a professional typesetter, I take great pleasure in pulling things together into a neat, well-designed package on Blackboard. I do enjoy the human contact side too: every semester there are a few students who really shine, and I love being part of that process, even when their "Aha!" moment is something fairly trivial.

Dr. Maura Grady reflects on Allen's strengths and accomplishments in teaching and course design:

I approached Curt as the best instructor to lead the design of this course because of his attention to detail in his teaching. Having observed Curt’s teaching a number of times over the years, I knew that we could work together to create something meaningful and appropriate for this student population. The correctional environment carries with it a number of constraints, so we all worked together to figure out the best way to help the students meet the course outcomes. One thing I really admire about Curt’s teaching is his encouraging attitude combined with his determination that all students can complete the course and make improvements to their writing, no matter where they are at the start of the class. His attitude and philosophy is inspiring to those who are teaching the course we designed.

We appreciate Curtis Allen’s work and congratulate him and the team on this recognition in a national forum.

Alumni Spotlight: Brian Stevens

By Brian Stevens
Class of 2011
English and Journalism major
Court-Appointed Guardian and Volunteers Coordinator

I graduated from Ashland University in spring, 2011. After a brief stint in direct marketing, I left for South Korea to teach English as a Second Language. I had a wonderful time in Seoul. When I had the chance, I hostel-hopped around Cambodia and Vietnam. After completing just one contract in Korea, however, I returned to the US. I meant to be overseas again soon, specifically Malaysia, even taking TESL classes to boost my application. I found “temporary” work coordinating a volunteer program for a small hospice in Cleveland. 

I recruited, trained, assigned, and supervised hospice volunteers. I also had plenty of client visits of my own and quickly learned to love the work. My hospice team was incredible. Their dedication and caring inspired me to take up new direction for my life and stick around Cleveland for a while. I sometimes sat ‘vigil’ with our actively dying patients. Those were strangely peaceful, still nights spent at dimly lit bedsides. I offered whatever comfort I could. Often that meant just being there.

It took a while, but I learned that the only work for me is with people in need. After several years at my “temporary” job, I was offered a position at a much larger hospice. They had no functional volunteer program and meant to change that. With big plans in mind, I established a growing population of qualified volunteers. Barely into my new position, I was suddenly laid off as our programs were rolled back statewide. I had another opportunity to reinvent myself, and I did.

Throughout my short-lived hospice career, I noticed that many of our patients were without family or close friends. They often had a guardian appointed to them, so that they had one person outside the care team visiting and advocating their needs. Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry’s Guardianship Services is a nonprofit guardianship provider for some of Cleveland’s poorest, most vulnerable populations. I now coordinate their volunteer guardian program which includes legal guardians, pro-bono attorneys, and occasional friendly visitors. I’m also a staff guardian working on becoming a National Certified Guardian.

LMM’s Guardianship Services provides probate-appointed guardians to indigent adults mainly in Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties. Most of our clients have debilitating dementia or severe mental illness. With little money, and no one to step into the role of decision maker, we are often their last resort.

Still in Cleveland, with pride, I’ve had a pretty good time since my college days. Just as at home in the woods as I am downtown, I spend most of my spare time hiking, kayaking, and finding and photographing wild mushrooms. I’m a member of the Ohio Mushroom Society and frequent other outdoor recreation clubs. I have no plans to leave anytime soon. There’s too much to do for one thing. I also get to stay nearer my best friends. Of course, I mean the ones I met at Ashland University.

Integrated Language Arts Major Faith Edwards Awarded Competitive Scholarship

Integrated Language Arts Major Faith Edwards Awarded Competitive Scholarship.

Faith Edwards, ILA major (English Education grades 7-12) and this years recipient of the Outstanding Junior in English, was recently awarded the Isaac Webb Memorial Scholarship.

Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield Ohio

The Isaac Webb Scholarship is established by the Board of Trustees of the Ohio State Reformatory Historic Site.  Isaac Webb, as an esteemed volunteer and board member, was a former captain of the guards, author, and historian.  In his honor, the board awards three scholarships each year to students interested in pursuing higher education in English, history, and/or law enforcement.  More information is available here: https://www.mrps.org/learn/isaac-webb-memorial-scholarship.

 
We asked Faith to tell us more!
Q:  What is the scholarship? Why did you decide to apply for it?
Faith Edwards: I received The Isaac Webb Memorial Scholarship through the [nonprofit] Ohio State Reformatory Preservation Society (mrps.org). The committee requested that applicants be pursuing careers in English, history, or law enforcement. As an integrated language arts major, I qualified. Additionally, this scholarship was brought to my attention by Professor Grady in a previous course.

Q: What is it that you look forward to most about being a teacher?
Faith Edwards: In my future classroom, I am looking forward to challenging students to think deeply beyond the surface level and to reconsider their preconceived notions of their world in the past, present, and future. Literature offers an unmatched opportunity for reflection, contemplation, and growth into new ideas that impact the way in which we live. My passion is using English as a tool to help students develop into individuals of strong character, intellectual thought, and concerned citizens.

Q: What have you learned about teaching in the last semester?
Faith Edwards: From my previous experiences with high schoolers, I have learned that the range of differences in students is much larger than I anticipated; however, each student desires to be heard, understood, and known. I have loved the opportunities teaching has already provided me with to invest in these young adults.

Congratulations, Faith!