In a desire to evaluate the outcomes of this classroom project and to validate the collaborative pedagogy and its practice in a West Point composition class, students were asked several questions on the end-of-year course-feedback form regarding the project. Listed below is a sampling of the answers (all students signed a human subjects waiver) in response to the question: To you, what value was there in the Telling War Stories project? Would you have preferred a more traditional assignment? Why or why not?
- Yes. I would definitely recommend this project to other courses. I learned much in this project. Not only did we learn about the writing and revision process, but it gave helpful insight to the pains of war and the life of a soldier. This better prepared us for future writing and “officership.”
- I thought the Telling War Stories project had more value than a traditional assignment. It was very interesting to read the real life accounts of soldiers who have served in our nation's military. The project taught me how to critically read other's works and tactfully make suggestions. The short stories contained lessons in leadership.
- I liked the assignment because it exposed me to stories written by people who share the same profession as I do. It exposed me to styles of writing that could not always be found in a textbook and enabled us to provide analysis for stories that we could at least somewhat relate to. I also loved the presentation portion of the project because it gave us practice teaching a group of people which is an essential skill for a PL (platoon leader) to have.
- I thought the Telling War Stories project was the most valuable unit of the course. It challenged me to really analyze and review a story and provide both positive and negative feedback. It made me focus my writing more than any other assignment.
- I loved the Telling War Stories project. I felt it was more germane to the real reason we attend West Point as well as being a better read generally then the other texts were have used for class.
- I like this project because it relates the process of writing with the military aspect we deal with every day. We can, for the most part, relate to a lot of the stories we are told. It wasn't just learning how to write a true story, but the connection to the world and other writing styles.
- I thought the assignment was great. We had an opportunity to critique well written essays and provide further guidance. We often don't read that material to understand it from a writing standpoint and it gave me a lot of insight into how to write for a broad audience. I liked this a lot more than a normal paper.
- No, I would not have preferred a more traditional assignment, as I really enjoyed both the interesting concept and the actual correcting of soldiers' stories. It was valuable because we were able to help out soldiers who have been out in the field and provide revisions to works that one day may be published.
- It was a creative assignment that effectively instructed student on how to use the pathos argument. I wouldn't have traded it for the world.
- It was nice to know that our writing was for more than a grade. It was better than a traditional assignment because it gave us a chance to put our efforts into something that really mattered.
- I would have preferred a more traditional topic, because I found the concept of how tell to a true story somewhat hard to grasp.
- I had a lot of fun with the Telling War Stories project. I believe that there should be more of these projects especially during this conflict so that we as cadets can help soldiers get their stories revised and published.
- I valued this assignment very much because it opened up my mind to the soul and feelings of a hardened soldier. This was something that was new and very interesting for me, which made the assignment very easy to compose.
- I was very happy to do the project. It really gave me a much greater appreciation for those before me and a better understanding of what they have gone through already. Plus, being able to help them correct their stories gives me an overall good feeling like I was a part of something special for them.
- It was different than anything I have ever done, which made it difficult. But it helped me as a writer to realize what mistakes I was making, and will help me correct myself in future papers.
- I liked the project because there is a lot of satisfaction in knowing that your comments and revisions will actually affect another writer's work which may help it be published. It was an excellent way for us to combine many of the skills we'd learned up to that point in one project.
- I thought this added a lot to my learning. I enjoyed it because the stories felt a little more real and we were actually helping the authors write better stories.
- I would have liked a more traditional assignment because I did not feel that the project improved our writing.
- I thought it was a really cool way to learn about the Army and about revision.
- I would have preferred a more traditional project instead of the Telling War Stories project. In my opinion the project had too much editing.
Telling War Stories Project: Outcomes – 2
Briefing