Abstract
This chapter explores how civic engagement impacted students’ final research papers in a first semester composition course. Every Freshman English I student at our college is required to submit a final paper that integrates research. The topic for our course was immigration reform and because I was concerned that the students weren’t fully engaging with the topic, I designed a civic engagement project in which my students interviewed immigrant students participating in an intensive ESL program on our campus. This provided the ESL students with an opportunity to practice their English conversation skills, and allowed me to explore if this form of research would impact two of the departmental criteria for the final research papers: originality and voice. I found that interviewing an immigrant peer on campus had a positive impact on these two aspects of the final research papers on immigration reform as this form of civic engagement led to a deeper connection to the topic.
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Notes
- 1.
The official description of the Capstone Project for Freshman English I (which is also referred to as English 12) is as follows, “The Capstone Project represents the culmination of students’ work and learning throughout the semester. In this project, students exhibit not only their strong essay writing skills but also their emerging research and information literacy skills” (“Assessment Guide for the English 12 Capstone Project,” 2012).
- 2.
As of 2013–2014, 48.5 % of KCC students were U.S. born and 51.5 % were foreign born (35.7 % are from Asia, 26 % are from the Caribbean, 25.3 % are from Europe, 5.3 % are from Africa, 5.1 % are from Central and South America and 2.6 % are from North America). Background information about students who were born in the U.S is not available. In terms of race and ethnicity, 34.8 % of the student body is White, Non-Hispanic, 32.7 % is Black, Non-Hispanic, 17.5 % is Hispanic, 14.8 is Asian and 0.2 % is Other. 73 native languages are represented on campus. (“Kingsborough Community College Institutional Profile,” 1–2).
- 3.
In 2010 the Department of Education conducted a study with a representative sample of over 31,000 students, which revealed that most lacked knowledge of American history as only “20 percent of fourth graders, 17 percent of eighth graders and 12 percent of high school seniors demonstrated proficiency on the exam” (Dillon, 2011).
- 4.
The criteria for a High Pass are:
-
1.
Deeper more sophisticated understanding and analysis of texts/sources/idea
-
2.
Ideas are intellectually ambitious and reflect original thinking on the part of the writer
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3.
Analysis is complex and avoids simple generalizations
-
4.
Strong voice
-
5.
Cohesive and logical structure within and among paragraphs
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6.
Coherent and logical argument grounded in close readings of sources
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7.
Synthesis of credible sources/texts
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8.
Citation style (MLA or another known style system) including Works Cited, References or Bibliography
-
9.
Readability (grammar/syntax)
-
10.
Successful completion of all points listed under “passing” which include:
-
(a)
Clear thesis
-
(b)
Development and elaboration of ideas
-
(c)
Comprehension of texts/sources/ideas
-
(d)
Analysis (of ideas/texts)
-
(e)
Evidence of outside research as directed by instructor/assignment
(“Assessment Guide for the English 12 Capstone Project,” 2012)
-
(a)
-
1.
- 5.
The goal of the Writing Across the Curriculum workshop is to revise a course so that if fulfills Kingsborough’s Writing Intensive requirement. That Winter I revised my African-American Literature course, but the experience made me reflect on all of my classes.
- 6.
During the fall 2012 semester the most popular responses were teaching them English, collecting food, and helping them find work. Out of curiosity, I took a survey the next semester, spring 2013. Tutoring in English remained at the top of the list, as the most popular responses were helping them find work, teaching them English and organizing a petition.
- 7.
Specifically, I asked the students what the experience was like, any challenges they encountered, whether they thought I should repeat the experience next semester and if so, what changes should I make.
- 8.
In subsequent semesters the students followed the bill through the branches of government. For instance, during the next semester they had the option of addressing the letter to the President or a member of the House of Representatives.
- 9.
At Kingsborough ESL and developmental English are housed within the English department. Unlike the CLIP program, ESL courses are credit bearing.
- 10.
The Speech professor also changed his first assignment, deciding that the students would introduce their interviewee to the class for their first speech.
- 11.
All student names are pseudonyms.
- 12.
In subsequent semesters the Speech professor, Student Development professor and myself have developed strategies that address these issues to prepare students for the interviews.
References
Bean, J. (2011). Engaging ideas: The professor’s guide to integrating writing, critical thinking and active learning in the classroom (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Dillon, S. (2011, June 14). U.S Students Remain Poor at History, Tests Show. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/15/education/15history.html?_r=0
Ehrlich, T. (2000). Civic responsibility and higher education. New York: Rowman and Littlefield.
Kingsborough Community College English Department. (2012). Assessment guide for the English 12 capstone project. New York. Retrieved from http://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/academicdepartments/english/faculty/Documents/capstone_rubric_f2012.pdf
Kingsborough Community College Institutional Profile 2013–2014. Retrieved from http://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/irap/Documents/IP2013/Page1_2.pdf
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Ulmer, T. (2016). Undocumented Immigrants and Myself: Building Bridges Through Research in a First Year English Course. In: Schnee, E., Better, A., Clark Cummings, M. (eds) Civic Engagement Pedagogy in the Community College: Theory and Practice. Education, Equity, Economy, vol 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22945-4_11
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