Student-Centered Approach: Using Outcomes to Guide Assignment Design
Carolyn Gubala
Description
Being student-centered goes beyond creating engaging assignments and teaching projects that students enjoy; it means helping students build writing and critical thinking skills they can apply across contexts. This presentation will share practical approaches for aligning instruction with learning outcomes, reflecting on long-held teaching practices, and integrating outcomes into assignment design.
Link to the video [video.ucdavis.edu]
Submit a question for Dr. Gubala to answer during the live discussion panels at SITT.
About the Presenter
Carolyn Gubala is Director of Teaching for the Writing Center, where she serves as the writing program administrator for entry-level, first-year, and upper-division writing courses. She oversees instructor scheduling, supports faculty development, and helps guide writing program initiatives.
Carolyn has taught a variety of undergraduate writing courses, including editing, technical writing, business writing, composition, and writing for engineers, as well as graduate seminars on plain language and professional communication. Previously, Carolyn worked as a professional editor for more than a decade.
Carolyn’s research focuses on improving writing pedagogy, with interests in rhetorical outcomes, information design, online writing instruction, diversity and inclusion, and student perceptions of writing. She is currently collaborating on a book project that examines effective approaches to teaching professional and technical communication through student data, faculty feedback, and program research.
