Report on Assessment of the Initial TIPIC Class
Proposal :: Schedule :: Final Report
American Literature
Tim Thompson
Introduction
Because I was physically present in China at Wenzhou Medical College from late December 2004, to late January 2005, it fell to me to conduct additional assessment of student learning in the first TPIC class. My wife, Christine Richardson, a teacher from Newberg H.S. in Oregon, accompanied me for two weeks. Christine has two M. A. degrees, and a certificate in T. E. S. L. and was an important addition to the class.
Because the Chinese term ran until January 19, there was a need for almost an additional month of teaching. Both Christine and I undertook to deliver additional material, both in the classroom in Wenzhou, and then via TPIC IP-based classes after her return in early January. This syllabus is available at: XXXX. In general, following Chinese expressed interests, we added additional material to flesh out Dr. Thompson’s excellent syllabus. In particular we moved more into the post-modern era and into recent literature, adding not so much new materials as new voices to the categories that Dr. Thompson had already established.
This assessment, then, followed upon an additional 10-12 hours of class time, and then a formal process of final examinations conducted orally.
Assessment via additional classes
It was immediately apparent as we undertook additional lectures and discussion that the Chinese students had learned a great deal from Dr. Thompson. “Dr. Tim” said….was a frequent introduction to questions and comments. A great many questions built skillfully upon previous material. I admit to a certain amount of concerned as to what the Chinese students could possible be learning via the Internet, which seemed at times to be a small and uncertain window into an American classroom. My concerns were more than assuaged, I soon felt that the earlier mode of delivery had been astonishingly fruitful, and certainly the Chinese students never had any doubt as to the validity of the class as a device for delivering content regarding American literature.
Oral Examinations
All the students who had gone through the class were interviewed during the last week of class under the following protocols:
Procedure: All 63 members of the class were interviewed for 5-10 minutes each on the following question: “Develop five important generalizations about American literature. You may bring in notes on no more than a 3x5 card but may not read from them, using them only as aids to memory. I will ask you to list all five, then we will discuss for 5-10 minutes one or more chosen by the instructor. You will be asked to give multiple examples of the points you make.”
Summary: Most students accepted American literature on its own terms and tried to understand it within the context of American history and culture. They did tend to focus upon issues that were perhaps more important, or more distinct, in China than in the U.S. Some few were careful to present an orthodox analysis reflecting a sort of Chinese “line” about American society, emphasizing maltreatment of minorities, etc., (which is certainly an issue in many of the works assigned!) but most were very open and unrestrained in their analysis.
Those points where American society is most different than Chinese society (minorities, divorce, alcoholism, etc.,) tended to draw the most analysis. Students were ready and prepared to discuss post-modernism. At same time, students were eager to spot similarities in American and Chinese literatures and society and see such issues as family as very important.
Other puzzling references probably come from fact that this same group is simultaneously taking graded classes in both British Literature and Drama. Frequent references to Tennessee Williams and Eugene O'Neill reflect time they spent staging plays by these two writers. Also, it is important to know that in middle school Chinese students usually read Jack London for his socialist criticisms of American society and several fall back on that knowledge for their generalizations.
In general, students seemed very well prepared. I asked them to discuss only one or two of five themes they prepared, and often I selected those that were unusual and particularly interesting to me. Many of the students could have gone on for 30 minutes or more on one theme I think.
Grades detailed below reflect English fluency, apparent preparation, and depth of analysis.
Group I: Tuesday 8-11:30 January 18, 2005. This group came in small groups of 2 or 3.
1) 0215001 Aaron 8:07 Grade of B
a) American literature is concerned with social classes.
b) Literature discusses the rights of Blacks
c) American lit discusses social problems
d) American lit represents a diverse society
e) Contemporary American lit has a great deal of social criticism.
I asked Aaron to discuss d) and he did so, but depended somewhat on Philip, his partner, so I gave him a grade of B. He cited Eugene O’Neill and Maya Angelou in making his points.
2) 0215001 Phillip “A-”
a) American lit has English and European Roots
b) 20th century lit is quite critical of American society
c) American drama really begins in the 20th century; earlier is reflection of British and other foreign dramas.
d) American freedom influences lit greatly.
e) Many American writers go abroad and reflect upon their country.
i. Discusses E citing Eugene O'Neill and T.S. Elliot. IT should be noted that the students are also studying British Drama. Also discusses C.
ii. Philip was somewhat more fluent and better prepared.
GROUP TWO: Swallow and Karen
1) Swallow “A± #19
a) Puritan beliefs had great impact on American lit
b) Transcendentalism important lasting influence
c) Human imagination very important to American writers: Swallow discussed Whitman
Group 3 June and Haven
1) June A-
1. American writers antisocial and cynical
2. Family love important
3. Sex common topic
4. Conflict between individual and society: Cites Jewett and Hemingway here.
- American writers believe that words have impact and are important.
2) Haven (Female) "A-"
1. American lit imaginative
2. Religion important topic
3. Freedom of topics and materials
4. Lit of melting pot
5. Discusses social problems: discussed Faulkner and Franklin here. Nice job, answers questions very well.
Group 4 Group of 3: Clarke, Lulu and Shelley.
Clarke ("B+")
1) American lit is comparative
2) Commercialized
3) Easy to understand
4) Post-modernism important: here cites divorce and post-modernist concerns.
5) Another aspect of post-modernism.
3) Lulu "A"
a) Freedom important
b) Multicultural
c) Individualism
d) American writers frequently are resisting state or society: Cites Hawthorne, enlightenment and Franklin, and when pressed for modern example cited Tennessee Williams from her drama class, I think
e) Daily life.
I. Lulu is very fluent, thoughtful, and well read.
3. Shelley B/B- Shelly has a marked accent when speaking English and is a bit hard to understand.
1) American lit tries to be popular
2) Humor important in American lit; cites exaggeration for effect as in Mark Twain. All students seemed to really like twain.
3) American lit always reflects its social and historical context.
4) Reflects family concerns.
GROUPS 5-8 are missing….(These were lost in a palm pilot crash and reboot, or files may have been too long to save???)
Group 9 of Connie and Dana/Nancy and Summer.
Connie “B±
1) Individual voices very distinct in American lit.
2) World War I great impact on Lost Generation.
3) Poetry very different than forerunners
4) Reflects strong concern for Southern regional issues such as slavery
5) Feminist movement reflects freedom and equality.
Dana/Nancy (she has changed her name from Nancy to Dana. B+ Very strong analysis but weak English.
1) American voices romantic and naive.
2) Realism greatly influenced by Civil War
3) Realism reflected in stories of common people
4) Modernism internal voices: Uses Hemingway here as an example.
5) Modernist break with traditions
Summer “B±”
1) Black experience important
2) Relationship between nature and man important
3) Women’s rights
4) Poets reflect universal human truths: draws largely on Frost here.
5) Spiritual and mental costs of war a frequent theme
Group 10 FOR BCIS HERE: These two Ella, and Jane, worked very well together, have thought a lot about post-modernism and read a lot of current Chinese lit on the net that they say reflects post-modern concerns. I gave them until May to write me a 5-20 page piece on the impact of the WWW on Chinese writing. Will pay them 100 each, Yang will co-author.
Ella excellent English, fluent discussion, could have talked to these two for hours.
1) Nationalism and romanticism allied
2) Suicide as theme
3) Imagination
4) Female transcendentalist voices different than male ones: developed a very nice argument about the differences between the two gendered voices.
5) Chinese also have post-modernist voices on www.
Jane "A"
1) Post-modernists aware of social problems
2) Children frequent symbol of innocent for plot development
3) Post-modernism a sort of "grey" area between black and white social judgments
4) Post-modernism reflects on race
5) Chinese post-modernism contrasted with American: Chinese voices more external, Americans more internal, less concerned with society and social problems. Cites filmmakers and the petite bourgeois of Shanghai, now much discussed.
Group 11 Carol and Mary
Carol: B too many notes
1) Dickensen’s strong image of self despite her circumstances
2) European and American shared influences
3) Whitman’s egocentrism: Whitman segues into Hemingway
4) Modernism and loneliness
5) Romanticism and human nature
Mary B: Too many notes
1) Stream of consciousness: Uses Pahlniuk as example. Likes it, but is difficult initially to understand.
2) Womanhood
3) Relationship between human beings important
4) Black problems in American society
5) Culture is hybrid
Group 12 of Rhea and Lucy , and Grace.
Rhea B; too many notes
1) Nature as constant concern
2) Slavery
3) War
4) Mental problems: Cites Faulkner Hemingway and Salinger. Really liked Salinger, said it influenced her to be more rebellious with her own parents.
5) Black and white relations.
Lucy “A” Good English, good preparation, limited notes
1) Slavery
2) War
3) Pursuit of Beauty: Used Hawthorne and Birthmark here as example, others, too.
4) Mental diseases
5) Social criticisms very important after 1880
Grace “’ very fluent, well prepared.
1) Content and style reflects history
2) Social concerns but in modest way
3) Style is very free
4) English roots, especially with feminist writers
5) Obvious humor, but often coupled with mental problems: Twain, long discussion here, well done.
Group 13 of Gary and Solid Snake (#39) These guys were not prepared. Snake was able to fake it on the basis of readings of Tom Clancy who he wants to use as a sort of cold war whipping boy.
Gary: he is not prepared, all points pretty much the same, cannot answer questions. C or D?
1) Contrast with history
2) Daily life and feelings
3) US culture is a hybrid and lit reflects it.
4) Jo
Conclusions: I was delighted with the oral assessments. We had originally planned to take only two days, but wound up using four days because the exams were so enjoyable and the students so well prepared that almost all of them ran overtime. I learned a great deal, both about my own American culture, and about Chinese culture, from seeing their reading of our culture from their cultural perspective.
SUMMARY
I felt that all the forms of assessment we followed suggested that the learning process, despite initial technical problems, had been more than adequate.
Additional Assessment Materials can be found in the March-April issue of Interface, the e-journal of the Berglund Center for Internet Studies, found at: http://bcis.pacificu.edu/journal/2005/02/desheng.php
This article, “The Road to Making A Cross-cultural Web-based English as a Foreign Language Project More Accessible Now”
by Yang Desheng, our partner at the Chinese end and the lead teacher on the TPIC class there, adds great additional detail as well as a Chinese perspective on this project.