Using a Deconstruction and Reconstruction Approach in a First-Year Seminar Course
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58425/jetm.v4i1.309Keywords:
First-year seminar, research paper, presentationsAbstract
Aim: First Year Seminars (FYS) are a high-impact practice for student success. FYS seminars can offer both personal development and academic goals. Incorporating research papers and presentations into FYS can be challenging to teach but can provide value to students not receiving these skills in other first-semester courses. The goal of this paper was to lay out the details of a deconstruction and reconstruction strategy for teaching research skills in an FYS course.
Methods: In the deconstruction and reconstruction approach, students take apart research papers into parts to gain a deeper understanding of how research works. The parts of the research paper are then put back together with the student writing a paper and doing a class presentation. Detail is provided into how to implement this strategy in a classroom, including information on assignment language.
Results: This new approach was successful when piloted in a section of the FYS course. Student performance on the deliverables in the course was high. And post-course surveys of students showed positive impacts of their FYS skills on future courses.
Conclusion: This strategy focuses on skills in research, PowerPoint, and public speaking. At the end of the course, the students' presentation skills had improved. A deconstruction and reconstruction approach were found to be feasible and potentially valuable. This represents a new approach to teaching research skills in FYS courses.
References
Clark, IE., Romero-Calderón, R., Olson, JM., Jaworski, L., Lopatto, D., Banerjee, U. "Deconstructing" scientific research: a practical and scalable pedagogical tool to provide evidence-based science instruction. PLOS Biology. 2009 Dec;7(12).
Dean, P. and F.V. Nestor. Assessing Outcomes of an Antiracism Unit in a Required First-Year Seminar, Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, Vol.35, No.1, 2024.
Goodman, S.B., and C.C. Cirka. Efficacy and Anxiety: An Examination of Writing Attitudes in a First-Year Seminar. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, Vol.20, No.3, 2009.
Lawrence, S.M. and S.M. Pliner. Learning about Whiteness in a First-Year Seminar: Challenging Self and Others. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, Vol.19, No.2-3, 2008.
Murray, J.W., Jackson, C.N., and A. Marx. Developing a Habits of Mind-Based Curriculum for the First-Year Seminar: The Design and Implementation of a Pilot Project. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, Vol.34, No.1, 2023.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Michael A. Quinn
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