Scaffolding: With Hilary and Eleni

Too awesome to handle

Overview

• Purpose of URSCA• Eleni’s Steps for Scaffolding• Hilary’s Sample Scaffolding• Table Talk

URSCA is for everyone!

• URSCA in 100-level general education classes– Introduces students to what URSCA is in your

discipline and how to think and know in your discipline

• URSCA in mid-level mixed classes– Deepens students’ appreciation of disciplinary

research and thinking• URSCA in capstones– Helps students evolve from apprentices to scholars

Eleni’s Step One

• Scaffolding attitudes in students about how they approach the discipline – From Apathy/Fear to Curiosity• Can’t have URSCA if students believe the point of

school is tests and memorization

– From Apathy/Self-doubt to Self-efficacy• Can’t have URSCA if students think they aren’t capable

of thinking like practitioners in the discipline

Eleni’s Step Two

• Model Disciplinary thinking– Approach the content not as material to be

mastered, but as theories and ideas that need support

– Point out holes, gaps, and errors in theories (and past data)

– Reinforce questions that ask “What next?” or “Why”– Make data-driven hypotheses and ask students to

do the same (i.e. be willing to be wrong with them)

Eleni’s Step Three

• Relax and let go!– URSCA is your chance to see your field anew.– This should be fun and edifying for you and your

students.

Moral of the Story

• URSCA looks different in 100-level general education class than in 400-level capstones; it is, however, equally important in both types of classes.

• URSCA teaches students about the discipline and expands their cognitive repertoire.

Sample Scaffolding

• Research Project Assignment Sheet• Sequenced Assignments for Research Project• Formulating Guiding Questions

• Handout available online:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SB-iRmE_jwJdTeLeH7pOJkSlHeniP0Xa1SnbBOApU-w/edit?usp=sharing

The Research Process

• Research Proposal• Finding and Evaluating Sources• Annotated Bibliography

The Writing Process

• Organizing Ideas in a Research Paper• Research Paper Workshop

Presenting to Peers

• Research Presentation and Statement of Intent

Student Learning Goals

• What are your main goals for students in your program?

• What do you want students to be able to do, particularly in terms of scholarly work, by the time they graduate from your program?

• How does the curriculum—from the first semester to graduation—constitute a meaningful initiation into a culture of inquiry in the discipline?

(Manak & Shanahan, 2013)

3 Levels of Progress for Students

1. Introduce inquiry-based learning in 100- to 200-level courses

2. Help students develop those skills in 200- and 300-level courses

3. That scaffolding helps prepare students for mastery of the skills, typically in 400-level courses.

(Manak & Shanahan, 2013)

Strengthening Scaffolding

• Mini Curriculum-Map of Research Skills in Your Program

(Manak & Shanahan, 2013)

Table Talk

• How would URSCA look in your discipline at the 100-, 200-, 300-, and 400-level?

• What are some challenges you face in incorporating URSCA in your different level classes? What are unique challenges you face for early-majors, late-majors, and general education students?

• If you reflect on your first experiences with URSCA (in your field or not), what scaffolding did you find helpful? What was missing?

• How would an integrated and scaffolded approach to URSCA look across your programmatic curriculum?

References

• Manak, J. & Shanahan, J. (2013, June). Scaffolding research skills across the curriculum, from the first year to capstone courses. Paper presented at the meeting of the Council of Undergraduate Research, Orange, CA.