CHE 329 Small Group Workshop

CHE 329 Module Two Small Group Workshop Guidelines and Rubric

Overview: For this small group workshop in Module Two, you will work with your classmates in a small group to identify and discuss the costs and benefits of the Older Americans Act (OAA). This will serve as practice for the policy evaluation and analysis you will conduct for your policy topic selection for Milestone Two in Module Three.

Prompt: First, review the OAA legislation detailed in Chapters 2 and 3 of your text, The Aging Networks: A Guide to Programs and Services. Next, in the small group workshop, address the following:

 What are the strengths of the OAA legislation? What opportunities does the OAA provide to older Americans?  What are some of the weaknesses of the OAA? Does the OAA pose any potential threats to the well-being of older Americans?  Do the benefits of the OAA outweigh the challenges it faces, including any challenges the legislation is meant to address? Explain your thinking.  Identify any areas where the OAA can be improved.

Cite from the text readings to support your answers.

Respond to at least two of your peers in the workshop. What strengths and challenges of the OAA did they discuss that you may not have considered?

Your active participation in the workshop forums is essential to your overall success this term. Workshop questions are designed to help you make meaningful connections between the course content and the larger concepts and goals of the course. These workshops offer you the opportunity to express your own thoughts, ask questions for clarification, and gain insight from your group members’ responses and instructor’s guidance.

When responding to the workshop questions, please use terms, concepts, and theories from your readings, lectures, videos, and other course materials. Please do the same when commenting on your group members’ responses. To help internalize the course content and to become more comfortable with it, it is important to have meaningful conversations with your peers and instructor. This does not mean that you simply give your opinion when responding to the workshop questions. You should provide thoughtful responses using the course content to support your statements.

Students are required to post one initial post and to follow up with at least two response posts for this workshop assignment.

For your initial post (1), you must do the following:

 Compose a post of one to two paragraphs.  Complete the initial post by Thursday at 11:59 p.m. of your local time zone.  Take into consideration material such as course content and discussion boards from the current module and previous modules, when appropriate.

For your response posts (2), you must do the following:

 Reply to at least two different classmates outside of your own initial post thread.  Complete the two response posts by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. of your local time zone.  Demonstrate more depth and thought than simply stating “I agree” or “You are wrong.” Guidance is provided for you in each discussion prompt.

Rubric

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (70%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Comprehension Develops an initial post with an organized, clear point of view or idea using rich and significant detail

Develops an initial post with a point of view or idea using appropriate detail

Develops an initial post with a point of view or idea but with some gaps in organization and detail

Does not develop an initial post with an organized point of view or idea

20

Timeliness Submits initial post on time Submits initial post one day late Submits initial post two days late

Submits initial post three days late

10

Engagement Provides relevant and meaningful response posts with clarifying explanation and detail

Provides relevant response posts with some explanation and detail

Provides somewhat relevant response posts with some explanation and detail

Provides response posts that are generic with little explanation or detail

20

Critical Thinking Draws insightful conclusions that are thoroughly defended with evidence and examples

Draws informed conclusions that are justified with evidence

Draws logical conclusions Does not draw logical conclusions

30

Writing (Mechanics) Initial post and responses are easily understood, clear, and concise using proper citation methods where applicable, with no errors in citations

Initial post and responses are easily understood using proper citation methods where applicable, with few errors in citations

Initial post and responses are understandable using proper citation methods where applicable, with a number of errors in citations

Initial post and responses are not understandable and do not use proper citation methods where applicable

20

Total 100%