Please answer the following questions related to the course(s) you are teaching that incorporate the PolicyOptions Issue Brief.  You do not have to fill this out in one setting; you could add to it throughout the semester as your course unfolds.  Bonner Foundation staff will incorporate your specific examples into the Faculty Guide we are developing to aid faculty in the future who work on this initiative.

 

 

Contact

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Faculty Member Name:  

Institution: 

Contact Information: 

 

 

 

Course (titles and descriptions)

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What is the name of the specific courses (or programs) that are incorporating this assignment?

 

 

 

 

Sample Syllabi 

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If you are willing to share your syllabi, please upload the file and link to it here.

 

 

 

 

Course structure/project structure

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How have you incorporated the issue brief research and product assignment into your course(s)? How much of the course does this assignment comprise?

 

 

  

 

Requirements (units/credit)

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What are the details regarding units for these courses?  If the issue brief was an added-credit option, how many units/credits are being awarded?  

 

 

 

 

Incorporating Teams

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Are you organizing your students into teams or small groupings within the project or course structure?  How are these organized?  

 

 

 

 

Preparing Students and Teaching Skills to Support their Success

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What skills (such as interviewing or data analysis) do you think students most need to be successful in this process?  Are these skills taught in your course or are they a pre-requisite?  

 

 

   

 

Advisors & Instructors

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Who are the instructors and advisors for this particular policy research project, course, or assignment?  Please describe them, their roles, and their time commitment.  (For example, if you are using graduate students as advisors to the teams, how is this structured?)

 

 

 

 

Integrating Community Partners

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How are community partners involved in determining the topics or goal statements? How are they involved during the research process?  

 

 

 

 

Points of Feedback

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What are the points of major feedback for students and/or teams during this project or assignment?  Who is involved in feedback (i.e., faculty, advisors, community partners, experts)?

 

 

 

 

Stipends & Rewards

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What stipends or other rewards are you providing to faculty, advisors or teaching assistants, community partners, or others? What is the source of these?  What is most critical about how these rewards are provided?

 

 

 

 

Managing Student Research Process

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What other resources (e.g., readings, teaching) or steps are critical to managing the student research process?  For example, is there a clear timeline and set of steps?  Are there specific readings or books you'd recommend?

 

 

 

 

Policy Recommendations

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Most faculty and practitioners expect students to produce a neutral policy brief, covering multiple solutions.  Some have noted that students most struggle with holding back from presenting their personal recommendation.  If this is an issue for your students, how are you handling this within your course or project?

 

 

 

 

Tips for the Paper and Final Product 

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Are there any additional guidelines you would note for the paper and/or final product for partners (i.e., writing style, elements, characteristics)?  

 

 

 

 

Sharing Research Products

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What will your final product(s) include other than the wiki pages (e.g., paper, powerpoint, public presentation)?  Will students or researchers be expected to share their research products with partners or a broader campus/community audience?  How will this be structured?

 

 

 

 

Evaluation & Assessment

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How will the issue briefs and other products be evaluated?  Are there specific criterion?  What is the broader structure for the assessment of student learning (and/or community impact) for this project?