HomePublicationsTILTed PedagogySection 1 Chapter 2: Investigating the Unfamiliar: Medieval Manuscripts as Guides to Evidence-Based Claims Book MenuTILTed Pedagogy SectionsSection 1Section 2Section 3Section 4ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Book Resources Sarah Pedzinski and Madeline KeyserThis chapter explores an innovative assignment designed to enhance critical thinking and analytical skills in first-year composition and introductory general education courses. The “Medieval Manuscript Investigations” assignment leverages Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and the concept of “slow looking” (Tishman 2018) to engage students in the analysis of medieval manuscript pages. By annotating and discussing these unfamiliar texts, students practice identifying evidence, generating questions, and making evidence-based claims in a low-stakes environment. The chapter details the pedagogical frameworks supporting this approach, including UDL, Question Formulation Technique (QFT), and Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), and provides insights into the assignment’s success in fostering student engagement and confidence. Suggestions for adaptation include applying the framework to other disciplines, such as humanities, science, and math, to encourage critical observation and inquiry. Related Book Resources If you are interested in learning more about this activity’s pedagogical framework, we highly recommend the following work: Bean, John C., and Dan Metzler. 2021. Engaging Ideas. 3rd ed. Wiley. Hrach, Susan. 2021. Minding Bodies. West Virginia University Press. Lang, James. 2016. Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning. Jossey-Bass. Tishman, Shari. 2018. Slow Looking: The Art and Practice of Learning Through Observation. Harvard Education Press. Tobin, Thomas J., and Kirsten Behling. 2018. Reach Everyone, Teach Everyone. Routledge. To find example materials for this activity (of medieval manuscript pages or other primary sources), we recommend investigating your own special collections library, or viewing the materials from the British Library’s digitized Medieval Manuscripts Collection. For a general introduction to medieval manuscripts, we recommend: Clemens, Raymond, and Timothy Graham. 2007. Introduction to Manuscript Studies. Cornell University Press. Finally, we have included some sample annotated manuscript images (below) Sample student annotation of a medieval manuscript page. Sample instructor annotation of a medieval manuscript page. Discussion Questions What teaching challenge is the chapter’s assignment trying to address, and how does that challenge show up in your own courses? How does the chapter’s use of the TILT framework (purpose, task, criteria) change the learning experience described, and what parallels do you see in your own teaching? What assumptions about students or learning does the chapter surface, and how might those assumptions influence assignment design? How does the assignment described in the chapter support student agency, autonomy, or choice? How does the chapter illustrate the connection between assignment design and deeper learning (e.g., critical thinking, metacognition, synthesis)? What evidence does the chapter provide that the assignment worked, and what additional evidence would you want to see? How does the chapter’s assignment align with or challenge your current beliefs about effective assessment? What aspects of the assignment design could be adapted to your discipline, and what would need to change? If you were to implement a version of this chapter’s assignment, what would be your first step—and what potential barriers would you anticipate? Share:
