FLC on Engaged Writing Intensive: Teaching & Researching Disciplinary Writing

Faculty Learning Community

Engaged Writing Intensive: Teaching & Researching Disciplinary Writing 

Call For Participation Form by February 11th

Dates

  • Three consecutive Thursdays: February 24, March 3 & 10 from 3:00 to 5:00 pm

  • Call for Participation

  • Total: 8-12 participants

Facilitators

  • Lisa Tremain, CEW, ENGL

  • Kerry Marsden, CEW, ENGL, CRGS

Description

In this faculty learning community, we will explore strategies for teaching and assessing writing by taking up questions like: What kinds of writing are valued in my discipline? In my courses? When and how do students practice these forms of writing and learn the values that shape them? How do I discern and navigate asymmetrical relations of power, language, and knowledge in my discipline and courses? This FLC will disrupt myths of stable or general writing mastery, and ask participants to explore and apply developmental, equitable, and current theories of writing instruction to their disciplinary teaching as a way to support students as emerging writers and disciplinary experts.

Participants will interact through synchronous virtual meetings during three consecutive 120-minute sessions. In our FLC, we will experiment and play with developing or revising a writing assignment and its assessment rubric, even if it’s an assignment that you’ve taught with success for many years. We encourage interested applicants to bring ongoing high-stakes assignments, signature writing assignments, capstone assignments, or other major writing projects to the FLC meetings as a way to anchor and apply FLC concepts.

Work outside of the FLC meeting times will be minimal. We will explore the following topics through readings, activities, and discussions:

  • Unpack myths about the teaching, learning, and assessment of writing;

  • Explore “troublesome” concepts of your discipline / ”troublesome” concepts of writing;

  • How to give targeted feedback and manage the paper load;

  • Examine and complicate rubric-based assessment;

  • Strategically use peer and self-assessment;

  • Support the transfer writing knowledge beyond your courses;

  • Enact antiracist and anti-oppressive writing curriculum and assessment designs.

Outcomes

  • Choose and implement one change into practice as related to the FLC objectives teaching

  • Document and examine evidence of change

  • Share results/findings of implementation

  • Engage in peer feedback

  • Critically reflect on the teaching of writing in your discipline and classes.

  • Contribute to a community of learners

Commitments

  • Participate in FLC Post Survey

  • Implement and assess one writing instruction practice

  • Participate in a follow-up one-on-one workshop to share a summary of and receive feedback on your ongoing writing instruction practice

  • Share findings at a broader campus event, e.g., Fall Teaching Symposium

  • Provide a summary of your practice and findings for the CTL Showcase, CLT newsletter, and/or CTL Podcast