Writing Inquiry

1. Writing Inquiry August 19, 2010

2. The current situation • Fall 2008 – incoming college students needing writing remediation: • 36.7% of incoming students in 2 year institutions • 8.8% in 4 year institutions • Over 300 Aurora and Douglas County students • From Colorado Commission on Higher Education 2009 Legislative Report on Remedial Education

3. Do we understand each other?

4. What do you assume that higher ed values in terms of writing? • Students that write grammatically accurate papers – scholarship; Students that can write for a variety of purposes and audiences that includes the ability to conduct and incorporate research into writing.

5. My major assumption regarding what higher ed values is the ability to make a coherent argument, support it with evidence, and explain WHY they feel as they do. In other words, boldness in putting forth an opinion as well as the ability to use other's thoughts, ideas, research, etc. to support one's opinion. I feel that higher ed expects students to be able to write well the first time (and I could be wrong here, but it was definitely my experience in college).

6. Mostly I’m curious about how professors define “prepared”, and what kinds of writing, speaking, thinking situations they think college is preparing students to negotiate successfully.  College writing assignments are often abstract and decontextualized—when students graduate, what kinds of skills will their lives demand?  Do they connect their writing tasks to actual writing situations post-college? Or are students writing mostly so that professors can assess their progress, and little other purpose?

7. What questions would you like to ask professors in higher ed about their thoughts on how well students are prepared? • I would love to know what they see as the overall weaknesses and strengths of their freshman writers.  What do they see as the value of writing?

8. Essential Questions for the Project: • What do high school writing teachers and college professors who teach writing need to know about each other’s expectations, curriculum, and instruction? • What writing dispositions, skills, and knowledge are needed for incoming college freshmen to be successful? • What does it mean to prepare students as writers for college?

9. How will we answer the EQs? • Through a lens of inquiry that includes: • Examination of syllabi and other pertinent documents • Visits to classrooms (HS and college) • Reflection on thoughts of a panel of college students • Discussion

10. And then? • A publication and possible conference sessions (CLAS): • Insights from the inquiry; • Suggestions for curriculum and instruction that have the potential for building a bridge between high school and college; • Annotated papers that demonstrate the expected level of writing proficiency for the end of a high school and a college writing course; • A guide for engaging colleagues in conversations about writing expectations that span high school and college.

11. Our next meetings and classroom visits Meetings (9/28 and ___): Classroom visits (10/19, 10/20, or 10/21) • Look at student work • Find samples of writing that reflect the quality of writing for a high school senior (start of year) and for an incoming college freshman • Student panel • Listen to the stories and insights of college students about their writing experiences • Pulling it all together • Begin drafting lessons learned • A high school classroom and a college classroom • Purpose: provide a snapshot into classroom practices • Structure: • Preobservation norm setting • Observation • Debrief

12. Shuffle and talk • Roles: • Select a facilitator and a recorder. • Recorder captures the essential ideas, which will be emailed to everyone. • Please form 3 new groups: • Tell who you are and your role • Tell the story about how you came to be an educator: what drew you to education?

13. Debrief John’s talk What struck you from John’s talk? What questions do you have for John? What would you like to see/hear from college/university writing instructors?

14. Council of Writing Program Administrators (www.wpacouncil.org) • www.wpacouncil.org/positions/outcomes.html • http://comppile.org/wpa+nssse/ • http://www.colorado.edu/flagship2030/

15. The Final Word • In the article that you read, find a phrase or a sentence that resonates with you. • Person 1: • Read the quote and explain your thinking about it. • Rounds: • Person 2: add, elaborate, pose a question • Repeat so each person has responded • Person 1: reflects on responses (i.e., “Now I’m thinking….”

16. Understanding each other’s courses: • Start with college courses: • Instructor (s): explain course, major assignments, assessments, standards. • Table mates: Ask clarifying questions • Open discussion: Based on what we’ve heard, what skills and knowledge are needed for students to be successful in this course? • List on chart paper for Gallery Walk.

17. Gallery Walk • What’s common on each poster? • Where are the differences? • What are the implications?

18. High school course(s) • Instructor (s): explain course, major assignments, assessments, standards. • Table mates: Ask clarifying questions • Open discussion: • Based on what we’ve heard, what skills and knowledge do students gain that will lead to success in college? • What gaps do we notice? • What do we wonder?

19. Look at curriculum or standards: course descriptions, rubrics, etc. • What do you notice? • How does the work reflect our last discussion? • What gaps do you notice?

20. Suggestion for next time • Figure out the ass’ts that determine if students need remediation as a writer. • Panel of college instructors, business folks, college students to address the questions you asked • Round table discussion with college instructors to look at rubrics, assignments, etc. • Reflection time (How would we now answer our inquiry questions?)