Writing is neither a process nor a product; it is an event that transforms those who engage in it. Teachers must acknowledge not just the rewards but also the risks inherent in the
While written assignments are typically growing in length in line with the ever-expanding volume of resources available to student writers, platforms like Twitter demand more succinct approaches to writing and offer a range
I’ve had my arse handed to me a few times online. Enough times to realise that writing provocatively (whether intentional or not) is often worth the activity. The most memorable and behaviour
We like to talk about risk. We talk about the virtues of taking risks, we tell each other to take risks, we tell each other to tell our students to take risks, and,
“What oft was thought but ne’er so well express’d” Alexander Pope’s eighteenth century advice to writers — now known as content producers — has a new relevance for the Internet Age, although
And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. ~ Friedrich Nietzsche When, exactly, do we want less eroticism? ~ Geoffrey Sirc If I can’
A class discussion where the teacher pre-determines the outcome is just a lecture in disguise, dressed up to feel student-centered while still being instructor-directed. When a class involves discussion, we owe it to
Syllabi that reflect the mundane, bureaucratic requirements of the University are at risk of setting an equally banal classroom atmosphere. While administrative personnel may argue otherwise, the syllabus is not simply a contract
The Challenge: Incorporate an open source community service project into every class. What happens to a student paper or project after the individual turns it in or presents it in class? Where does
When faced with a complex, fluid, and potentially uncontrollable situation, I’ve often heard people say, “It’s like herding cats.” I can think of no more complex, variable, and fluid task than
With technological innovations come opportunities for students to compose, communicate, share, collaborate, and express themselves in contemporary ways as well as opportunities for teachers to harness potential academic possibilities. Vlogging, or video blogging,
Every fall when I ask my first year students, “Why did you choose the College of Environmental Science and Forestry?” at least one will answer, “I want to save the world.” By the
Too often, rather than inviting First-Year Composition (FYC) students into the disruptive experience of being a writer, we try to shield them inside the safety of the walled garden of neatly ordered paths
