MIT: Independent Activities Period: IAP

IAP 2016 Activities by Sponsor - Katherine Olson

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Communicating Science to the Public

Suzanne Lane, Dir. of Writing, Rhetoric, and Professional Communication

Jan/25 Mon 01:00PM-03:00PM 56-162

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/22
Limited to 25 participants

This workshop will provide vivid lessons and hands-on practice in communicating scientific research to a general audience. A panel of science writers will explain strategies for making complex information accessible and memorable, without compromising accuracy. The panelists will then lead participants in exercises for developing clear and vivid explanations of data and concepts. Space is limited to 25. Please contact the Writing, Rhetoric, and Professional Communication program at wrap@mit.edu to reserve a place.

Contact: Katherine Olson, wrap@mit.edu


Responding to Student Writing: Best Practices from the Research

Suzanne Lane, Senior Lecturer, CMS/W and Director of WRAP

Jan/28 Thu 01:00PM-03:00PM E39-335

Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)

What kind of feedback is most effective in helping students to develop and structure their ideas, and to communicate them effectively in writing? This workshop will draw on composition research to explore the range of instruction and responding practices, from rubrics to peer review to individual conferences, and when each is effective. By considering feedback in relation to other forms of instruction, participants will learn to provide the kinds of comments and strategies that will help students understand how to improve both their specific texts and their abilities as writers.

Contact: Katherine Olson, wrap@mit.edu


Teaching Oral Communication: From Invention to Delivery

Suzanne Lane, CMS/W and Director of WRAP

Jan/27 Wed 01:00PM-03:00PM E39-335

Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)

By learning the stages of developing, structuring, rehearsing, and delivering presentations, students can become comfortable with a live audience, and use the interaction as a tool to develop their thinking. This workshop will help instructors think through their goals for oral assignments, so that they can scaffold the steps involved in developing presentations. Workshop participants will be able to work on (re)designing assignments for their current or future courses by developing (i) a deeper understanding of fundamental oral communication concepts, (ii) strategies to integrate oral communication assignments into a class, and (iii) techniques and tools to provide feedback on student presentations.

Contact: Katherine Olson, wrap@mit.edu


Teaching Reading and Writing in Technical Disciplines

Andreas Karatsolis, Associate Director of WRAP and Media Assessment Specialist,

Jan/26 Tue 01:00PM-03:00PM E39-335

Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)

While scientists typically communicate knowledge in the field through proposals, technical reports and journal articles, most undergraduate students spend their time in problem-set based classes which don’t include substantive engagement with readings in their field. In this workshop we will explore ways to engage students in reading and understanding published literature in their field, using that knowledge to design their own projects, and analyzing how the literature conveys meaning. Our overall goal is to help instructors develop and scaffold instructional activities and assignments so that their students can learn how to write effectively in these genres.

Contact: Katherine Olson, wrap@mit.edu