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/UTCOMES "//+ $EBATE AND #ONSENSUS AFTER THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT
EDITED BY 3USANMARIE (ARRINGTON +EITH 2HODES 2UTH /VERMAN &ISCHER 2ITA -ALENCZYK
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;/,6<;*64,:)662 $EBATE AND #ONSENSUS AFTER THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT
EDITED BY
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,OGAN 5TAH
5TAH 3TATE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS ,OGAN 5TAH ¥ 5TAH 3TATE 5NIVERSITY 0RESS !LL RIGHTS RESERVED
-ANUFACTURED IN THE 5NITED 3TATES OF !MERICA #OVER DESIGN BY "ARBARA 9ALE 2EAD ,IBRARY OF #ONGRESS #ATALOGING IN 0UBLICATION $ATA 4HE OUTCOMES BOOK DEBATE AND CONSENSUS AFTER THE 70! OUTCOMES STATEMENT EDITED BY 3USANMARIE (ARRINGTON ;ET AL= P CM 4HIS VOLUME OF ESSAYS REFLECTS ON THE PROCESS THAT LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE h70! OUTCOMES STATE MENT v AND INCLUDES DEBATE ON THE MANY THEORETICAL PEDAGOGICAL POLITICAL AND ASSESSMENT ISSUES THAT THE OUTCOMES STATEMENT RAISES )NCLUDES BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCE P AND INDEX )3". ALK PAPER ISBN 0-87421-502-1 (e-book) %NGLISH LANGUAGE
2HETORIC
3TUDY AND TEACHING
5NITED 3TATES 2EPORT WRITING
3TUDY AND TEACH ING (IGHER
5NITED 3TATES ) (ARRINGTON 3USANMARIE 0%5/
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&OR ALL THE TEACHERS WHO PLAYED A PART IN DEVELOPING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT -AY THE DIALOGUE YOU BEGAN CONTINUE IN CLASSROOMS AND HALLWAYS TO THE BENEFIT OF YOUR STUDENTS
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(JRUV^SLKNTLU[Z XIII 0U[YVK\J[PVU!#ELEBRATING AND #OMPLICATING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT XV 3USANMARIE (ARRINGTON 7( 9 ; 6 5 , ! * 6 5 ; , ? ; < ( 3 0 A 0 5 . ; / , 6 < ; * 6 4 , : : ;(; , 4 , 5 ;
4HE /RIGINS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT %DWARD - 7HITE
4HE /UTCOMES 0ROJECT 4HE )NSIDERS (ISTORY +EITH 2HODES )RVIN 0ECKHAM ,INDA 3 "ERGMANN AND 7ILLIAM #ONDON
3TANDARDS /UTCOMES AND !LL 4HAT *AZZ +ATHLEEN "LAKE 9ANCEY
/UTCOMES ARE NOT -ANDATES FOR 3TANDARDIZATION -ARK 7ILEY
%XPANDING /UR 5NDERSTANDING OF #OMPOSING /UTCOMES #YNTHIA , 3ELFE AND 0ATRICIA &REITAG %RICSSON 7( 9 ; ; > 6 ! ; / , 6 < ; * 6 4 , : : ;(; , 4 , 5 ; ( 5 + - 0 9 : ; @ , ( 9 >90;05.
4HE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 'OES TO (IGH 3CHOOL 3TEPHEN 7ILHOIT
4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AT A #OMMUNITY #OLLEGE 6ERIFICATION !CCREDITATION AND !RTICULATION * , -C#LURE
#RITICAL 4HINKING 2EADING AND 7RITING ! 6IEW FROM THE &IELD ,INDA !DLER +ASSNER AND (EIDI %STREM
-ORE 4HAN THE ,ATEST 0# "UZZWORD FOR -ODES 7HAT 'ENRE 4HEORY -EANS TO #OMPOSITION "ARBARA ,ITTLE ,IU
0ROCESSES AND /UTCOMES IN !RIZONAS (IGHER %DUCATION 3YSTEM $UANE 2OEN AND 'REGORY 2 'LAU
+NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS AND THE ,OGIC OF %RROR $ONALD 7OLFF
#ELEBRATING THROUGH )NTERROGATION #ONSIDERING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THROUGH 4HEORETICAL ,ENSES 0ATRICIA &REITAG %RICSSON 7( 9 ; ; / 9 , , ! ; / , 6 < ; * 6 4 , : : ;(; , 4 , 5 ; ) , @6 5 + - 0 9 : ; @,(9>90;05.
7HAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT #OULD -EAN FOR 7RITING ACROSS THE #URRICULUM -ARTHA ! 4OWNSEND
&IRST 9EAR /UTCOMES AND 5PPER ,EVEL 7RITING 3USANMARIE (ARRINGTON
5SING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR 4ECHNICAL #OMMUNICATION "ARRY - -AID
5SING 7RITING /UTCOMES TO %NHANCE 4EACHING AND ,EARNING !LVERNO #OLLEGES %XPERIENCE 2OBERT /"RIEN (OKANSON
7HAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT )S .OT ! 2EADING OF THE "OYER #OMMISSION 2EPORT 2ITA -ALENCZYK 7( 9 ; - 6 < 9 ! ; / , 6 9 0 A 0 5 . 6 < ; * 6 4 , :
4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS 4HEORIZING 0OTENTIAL 4HROUGH A ,OOKING 'LASS 2UTH /VERMAN &ISCHER
! &RIENDLY #HALLENGE TO 0USH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT &URTHER 0ETER %LBOW
/UTCOMES AND THE $EVELOPING ,EARNER 2ICHARD ( (ASWELL
0RACTICE 4HE 2OAD TO THE /UTCOMES OVER 4IME -ARILYN 3 3TERNGLASS
(M[LY^VYK!"OWLING 4OGETHER $EVELOPING $ISTRIBUTING AND 5SING THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTAND -AKING #ULTURAL #HANGE +ATHLEEN "LAKE 9ANCEY 5V[LZ 9LMLYLUJLZ *VU[YPI\[VYZ 0UKL_
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!LMOST AS SOON AS THE IDEA OF AN /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS UNDER CONSIDER ATION THE IDEA FOR A BOOK LIKE THIS WAS TOO &ROM THE EARLIEST DAYS THOSE INVOLVED WITH THE 3TATEMENT RECOGNIZED THAT IN MANY WAYS A SHORT STATE MENT OF COMMON OUTCOMES WOULD BE THE MOST USEFUL STATEMENT BUT THAT A SHORT STATEMENT WOULD ALSO BE THE MOST RISKY STATEMENT IN MANY WAYS ! SHORT STATEMENT WOULD NECESSARILY BE SIMPLE AND POTENTIALLY OVER SIMPLI FIED .O ONE WANTED A STATEMENT THAT WOULD SEEM TO GIVE AID TO THOSE WHO MIGHT WISH THE TEACHING OF WRITING COULD BE REDUCED TO TEACHING GRAM MAR 7E HOPED THAT THE PUBLICATION OF A BOOK DEBATING OUTCOMES IN CON JUNCTION WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WOULD DRAW ATTENTION TO THE MANY COMPLICATIONS ANY SUCH STATEMENT RAISES 4HERE ARE MANY MANY PEOPLE WHO DESERVE THANKS FOR HELPING THIS BOOK FIND ITS AUDIENCE &IRST WE THANK THE MANY TEACHERS WHO ATTENDED /UTCOMES EVENTS BETWEEN AND 3UBSCRIBERS TO 70! , FIRST GAVE THE PROJECT ENERGY WITH THEIR INITIAL DISCUSSION AND AN INFORMAL MEETING AT THE #### LED TO THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF WORKSHOP AND FORUM PROPOSALS 0ARTICIPANTS IN THOSE FORUMS AT #### #OMPUTERS AND 7RITING THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS 3UMMER #ONFERENCE AND OTHER SMALLER CONFER ENCES HELPED SHAPE THE 3TATEMENT BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY HELPED RAISE MANY ISSUES AND QUESTIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN TAKEN UP BY THE AUTHORS OF THIS VOLUME 4HE YEARS OF RUNNING DEBATE ABOUT TEACHING PRACTICE AND THEORY AS WELL AS ABOUT THE LANGUAGE OF THE 3TATEMENT HELPED SHAPE THE SCOPE OF THIS VOLUME #HET 0RYOR DESERVES SPECIAL THANKS FOR HIS ROLE IN /UTCOMES PROCESS /F THOSE WHO HAVE NOT CONTRIBUTED CHAPTERS TO THIS BOOK HE HAS BEEN THE MOST PERSISTENT BOOSTER OF THE PROJECT (IS MANY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM IDEAS TO ENCOURAGEMENT TO SPECIAL COLOR THEMED PENS HELPED TO FEED AND SUSTAIN THE PROCESS AT MANY CRITICAL MOMENTS 7E ARE ALSO INDEBTED TO THE CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS VOLUME WHOSE WILLING NESS TO REVISE HAS HELPED THE MANUSCRIPT RE INVENT ITSELF SEVERAL TIMES OVER -ICHAEL 3POONERS ENTHUSIASM FOR THIS PROJECT HELPED WITH THE LASTAND MOST PROFITABLEOVERHAUL OF THE MANUSCRIPT AND WE APPRECIATE THE WAY HIS VISION FOR THE PROJECT HELPED US HIGHLIGHT THE COLLECTIONS STRENGTHS
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4HE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT /3 HAD INNOCUOUS BEGINNINGS ONE PLAINTIVE QUESTION IN AN ELECTRONIC DISCUSSION GROUP FOR WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS WONDERING WHETHER OR hA PITHY AND EFFECTIVE LIST OF OBJEC TIVES FOR WRITING AND MAYBE SPEAKING PROGRAMSv EXISTED 4HIS SIMPLE QUESTION IMMEDIATELY GENERATED ENTHUSIASM AND SKEPTICISM ! FEW PAR TICIPANTS IMMEDIATELY SHARED LOCAL DOCUMENTS DESCRIBING COURSES OR PRO GRAMS 3OME PARTICIPANTS IN THE DISCUSSION SENSITIVE TO THE ROLE OF LOCAL CONTEXT IN MATTERS OF CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT THOUGHT THAT OUTCOMES WERE BEST DISCUSSED LOCALLY /THERS LOOKING AT A DISCIPLINE CENTERED ON FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION THOUGHT THAT OUR THEORETICAL COMMONALTIES COULD LEAD TO PRACTICAL COMMONALTIES AS WELL !ND STILL OTHERS SAW A CHALLENGE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE COULD CONSTRUCT A DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM OUT COMES THAT COULD BE USED IN VERY DIFFERENT SETTINGS 3EVERAL YEARS AND THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF DISCUSSION AND DRAFTING LATER THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS AN OFFICIAL DOCUMENT OF THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORSAND MORE IMPORTANTLY IT HAS BEEN USED IN NUMEROUS WAYS BY INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS AND PROGRAMS TO GUIDE THE DEVELOP MENT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING 4HIS COLLECTION CELEBRATES THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IT ALSO COMPLI CATES IT 4HE /UTCOMES #OLLECTIVE AS THE GROUP THAT DEVELOPED THE STATEMENT PLAYFULLY YET SERIOUSLY CALLED ITSELF WORRIED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT POTENTIAL USES OF THE STATEMENT 7OULD A SIMPLE LIST OF OUTCOMES BE CO OPTED BY BEAN COUNTING ADMINISTRATORS SWOOPING IN TO DO QUANTITATIVE EVALUATIONS 7OULD THE LIST OF GOALS AND OUTCOMES BECOME SO LARGE AS TO BE UNWIELDY 7OULD A FOCUS ON WHAT CAN BE EASILY MEASURED OR COUNTED FORCE OUTCOMES TO VALUE WHAT CAN BE SIMPLY ASSESSED RATHER THAN WHAT IS VALUED IN THE FIELD !NY SHORT STATEMENT OF OUTCOMES COULD EASILY BE TURNED AGAINST A WRITING PROGRAM AND THE DEVELOPERS WERE ALWAYS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THE STATEMENT WOULD BE READ BY AUDIENCES WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF INVOLVEMENT IN COMPOSITION PROGRAMS 0ASSIONATE
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DEBATES AND INQUIRIES INTO ALL THESE QUESTIONS CHARACTERIZED THE WORK OF THE /UTCOMES #OLLECTIVE AND ALSO ILLUSTRATED WHY THE GROUP GRAVITATED TOWARD THE TERM COLLECTIVE #OMMITTEE DIDNT FIT AS THERE WAS NEITHER THE STRUCTURE NOR SPONSORING ORGANIZATION THAT THE TERM IMPLIES TASK FORCE SIMILARLY SEEMED TOO FORMAL #OLLECTIVE CHARACTERIZED THE PLAYFUL CHAOS THAT SWIRLED AROUND CORE QUESTIONS A CHAOS THAT EVENTUALLY FORMED INTO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 4HE COLLECTIVES AWARENESS OF THE MANY AUDIENCES FOR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS ENERGIZED ITS WORK +NOWING THAT STUDENTS PARENTS DEANS LEGISLATORS AND TEACHERS AT OTHER LEVELS ALL HAD A STAKE IN WHAT HAPPENS IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS LED THE DEVELOPERS TO CRAFT A STATEMENT THAT IS PLAIN ENOUGH TO SPEAK TO THOSE OUTSIDE THE DISCIPLINE YET ROOTED IN DISCIPLINARY LANGUAGE ENOUGH TO HAVE STATUS IN THE FIELD &OR MANY OF THE STATEMENTS DEVELOPERS THE EXPERIENCE OF COLLABORATING OVER TIME WITH COLLEAGUES FROM MANY DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS LOOKING AT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FROM MANY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND SOLICITING MANY DIF FERENT VIEWS WAS A FORMATIVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 4HE STATEMENTS SEVERAL DRAFTS WERE REVISED AT VARIOUS POINTS TO MAKE THE LANGUAGE MORE COMPLEX YET MORE SIMPLE TO BUILD BRIDGES WITH HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS OR WITH COLLEAGUES IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS OR PROGRAMS TO BUILD CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS !RTICULATING WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY FEATURES OF A COMPOSITION SEQUENCE AND THEN WHITTLING AWAY AND REFINING THAT ARTICULATION IN ORDER TO MAKE THE STATEMENT SHORTER WAS A FORMIDABLE CHALLENGEAND AN EXCITING ONE 0ARTICIPANTS IN THE PROCESS EXPLORED THEIR DEAREST ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING 7ORKING WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT CYCLICALLY REFLECTING ON THEIR OWN PRACTICE AND ON THE EVOLVING DOCUMENT THE COLLECTIVE TUSSLED WITH MINOR ISSUES OF USAGE AND MAJOR ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE 4HE AIM A ONE PAGE STATEMENT THAT CAP TURED THE ESSENCE OF COMPOSITION PROGRAMS THAT POINTED TO THE FURTHER WORK STUDENTS COULD DO AS WRITERS AND THAT HELPED FACULTY IN ALL PROGRAMS CONSIDER HOW TO TEACH STUDENTS TO BECOME INCREASINGLY EFFECTIVE WRITERS 3IMPLE YET COMPLEX 4HIS BOOK ATTEMPTS TO DO JUSTICE TO THE COMPLEXITY OF THOSE ISSUES BY PUBLICLY ENGAGING THEM IN THE HOPE THAT FACULTY WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO WORK WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT &OR DEPARTMENTS PROGRAMS AND INDIVIDUALS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ENCOURAGES ENGAGEMENT WITH FUNDAMENTALS 7HAT KINDS OF EXPERIENCES SHOULD STUDENTS SHARE 7HAT CONCEPTS SHOULD STUDENTS LEARN (OW DOES LEARNING HAPPEN (OW DO OUR IDEAL CONCEPTS AND PERFORMANCES FIT IN A CURRICULAR SEQUENCE
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4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ISNT PERFECT %VEN AS IT WENT OFF FOR PUBLICA TION MOST OF THOSE INVOLVED IN DRAFTING THE STATEMENT COULD FIND A WORD OR TWO TO TWEAK OR A BULLET OR TWO TO MODIFY OR TO ADD 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE PROCESSES IT SHOULD EVOKE AND WE REPRESENT THAT HERE BY INVITING CRITIQUES OF THE STATEMENT FROM SCHOLARS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN A PART OF THE DRAFTING PROCESS 7E INVITED THEORISTS 0ETER %LBOW 2ICHARD (ASWELL AND -ARILYN 3TERNGLASS TO CRITIQUE THE STATEMENT WITH AN EYE TOWARD CURRICULUM AND DEVELOPMENT THEORY 4HEIR CHAPTERS ILLUSTRATE SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS A FLOOR NOT A CEILING FOR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DOES NOT PRESCRIBE CURRICULUM RATHER IT ENCOURAGES CONVERSATION ABOUT CURRICULUM )TS ARGUABLY NOT COMPREHENSIVE IT DOESNT ATTEND TO PERSONAL WRITING OR TO NONACADEMIC WRITING IT MAY PRIVILEGE AWARENESS OF RHETORIC OVER PERFORMANCE OF RHETORIC SOME READERS MAY FIND THAT THE TONE OF THE STATEMENT IS TOO FORMAL OR NOT FORMAL ENOUGH 4HIS COLLECTION CELEBRATES RESPONSES TO THE STATEMENT AND INVITES OTHERS &OLLOWING THIS INTRODUCTION APPEAR FOUR SECTIONS THAT FOCUS ATTENTION ON CRUCIAL AREAS RELATED TO OUTCOMES ARTICULATION AND ASSESSMENT 4HE OPENING SECTION #ONTEXTUALIZING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROVIDES BACK GROUND ON THE EMERGENCE OF THE STATEMENT %DWARD - 7HITE PUTS THE SEARCH FOR OUTCOMES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FIELDS HISTORY AND A COLLAB ORATIVELY AUTHORED CHAPTER BY ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE COLLECTIVE +EITH 2HODES )RVIN 0ECKHAM ,INDA 3 "ERGMANN AND 7ILLIAM #ONDON SETS OUT THE WORKING HISTORY OF THE STATEMENT #HAPTERS BY +ATHLEEN "LAKE 9ANCEY AND -ARK 7ILEY DISTINGUISH OUTCOMES FROM STANDARDS WITH 9ANCEY OFFERING USEFUL DEFINITIONS AND 7ILEY EXPLORING WAYS THOSE WHO WORK WITH OUTCOMES CAN AVOID THE POLITICAL PROBLEMS THAT HAVE PLAGUED STANDARDS BASED REFORM EFFORTS #YNTHIA , 3ELFE AND 0ATRICIA &REITAG %RICSSON CLOSE THE SECTION WITH A CHALLENGE TO READERS TO CONSIDER TECHNOLOGY AS FUNDA MENTAL TO WRITING COURSE OUTCOMES 4HIS SECTION THEN MAKES THE CASE FOR CONSIDERING OUTCOMES AND LAYS OPEN SOME UNSETTLED CONTROVERSIES ABOUT THE LANGUAGE OF THE STATEMENT 4HE SECOND SECTION 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND &IRST 9EAR 7RITING FOCUSES ON WAYS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN USED TO ARTICULATE AND IMPLE MENT FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS #HAPTERS IN THIS SECTION HIGHLIGHT EACH OF THE FOUR DOMAINS OF THE STATEMENT OFFERING A CLOSE LOOK AT THE COMPLEXITIES INHERENT IN EACH PART OF THE DOCUMENT 3TEPHEN 7ILHOITS CHAPTER OFFERS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL AND WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM EFFORTS * , -C#LURE
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SITUATES THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS THE CORNERSTONE OF A COMMUNITY COL LEGES ASSESSMENT EFFORTS 4HE NEXT FOUR CHAPTERS EXAMINE EACH DOMAIN OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT CAREFULLY ,INDA !DLER +ASSNER AND (EIDI %STREM COMPLICATE ISSUES SURROUNDING CRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING AND "ARBARA ,ITTLE ,IU TACKLES THE IMPLICATIONS OF GENRE THEORY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING RHETORICAL KNOWLEDGE $UANE 2OEN AND 'REGORY 2 'LAU OFFER A DETAILED LOOK AT THE WAYS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTS ATTENTION TO PROCESSES HELPS STRUCTURE DIALOGUE BETWEEN STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER ,OOKING AT ISSUES SURROUNDING GRAMMAR MECHANICS AND USAGE $ONALD 7OLFF TAKES HIS CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTS LANGUAGE ON CONVENTIONS 0ATRICIA &REITAG %RICSSON CLOSES THIS SECTION WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE MYRIAD WAYS THE STATEMENT HAS BEEN USED IN DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS ARGUING THAT CONTINUED ATTENTION TO THE STATEMENT IS NECESSARY FOR IT TO REACH ITS FULL POTENTIAL 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ALWAYS INTENDED TO RAISE ISSUES BEYOND FIRST YEAR WRITING EACH SECTION OF THE STATEMENT CLOSES WITH A REMINDER THAT FACULTY IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BUILD ON THE EXPERI ENCES OF THAT FIRST COURSE OR COURSE SEQUENCE 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BEYOND &IRST 9EAR 7RITING THIS VOLUMES THIRD SECTION EXAMINES WHAT HAP PENS WHEN THE STATEMENT IS USED BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION -ARTHA ! 4OWNSEND EXPLORES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUTCOMES AND WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM WHILE 3USANMARIE (ARRINGTON LOOKS AT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FIRST YEAR WRITING AND THE %NGLISH MAJOR "ARRY - -AIDS DESCRIPTION OF THE WAY THE STATEMENT WAS THE CORE DOCUMENT IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW TECHNICAL WRITING PROGRAM OFFERS AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE OF THE STATEMENTS USE IN BUILDING A PROGRAM WHILE 2OBERT /"RIEN (OKANSONS CHAPTER ILLUSTRATES THE WAY THE STATEMENT CAN ADD TO AN ALREADY WELL DEFINED CAMPUS ASSESSMENT EFFORT &INALLY 2ITA -ALENCZYK SETS THE STATEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE "OYER #OMMISSIONS WORK ENABLING THOSE WORKING WITH GENERAL EDUCATION REFORM TO BECOME SAVVIER CAMPUS POLITICIANS 4HE COLLECTIONS FINAL SECTION 4HEORIZING /UTCOMES CRITIQUES AND EXAM INES THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FROM VARYING PERSPECTIVES PROVIDING A CHALLENGE TO ALL OF US 2UTH /VERMAN &ISCHERS CHAPTER EXPLORES THE ROLE OF THEORY IN THE DRAFTING OF THE STATEMENT WHILE CHAPTERS BY 0ETER %LBOW 2ICHARD ( (ASWELL AND -ARILYN 3 3TERNGLASS EXAMINE THE STATEMENT FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF EXPRESSIVIST AND DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY %ACH OF THESE CRITIQUES POINTS OUT WAYS IN WHICH THE STATEMENT COULD PERHAPS HAVE BEEN MORE BROADLY CONCEIVED AND EACH POINTS OUT WAYS IN WHICH
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USERS OF THE STATEMENT HAVE MUCH TO CONSIDER AS THEY GET TO WORK ON PRESS ING LOCAL ISSUES +ATHLEEN "LAKE 9ANCEY PAST PRESIDENT OF THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS WRAPS UP THE COLLECTION WITH A LOOK AT THE WAYS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROCESS REPRESENTS SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS AT CURRICULAR REFORM AND WITH A REMINDER THAT SUCCESSFUL REFORM IS AN ONGO ING PROCESS 4HE DIALOGUE MUST CONTINUE !LL IN ALL THE CONTRIBUTORS DEMONSTRATE THE MULTIPLICITY OF WAYS THE STATEMENT CAN PROMOTE DIALOGUE DEBATE AND ACTIONALL IN THE SERVICE OF PROMOTING INTERESTING WRITING INSTRUCTION /UR HOPE IS THAT THIS COL LECTION WILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THREE THINGS FIRST READ THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SECOND CONSIDER YOUR SYLLABUS YOUR CURRICULUM AND YOUR PROGRAM IN LIGHT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THIRD DO SOMETHING #ALL YOUR COLLEAGUES 3HARE THE STATEMENT WITH THEMOR WITH YOUR STUDENTS 5SE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO EXAMINE YOUR OWN WORKAND USE YOUR WORK TO EXAMINE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT #HALLENGE YOURSELF CHALLENGE THE STATEMENT
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4HE QUESTION ) POSTED TO THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS 70! LISTSERV IN WAS BASED ON A SERIES OF FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCES AS A CONSULTANT TO COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY WRITING PROGRAMS 4YPICALLY ) WOULD BE ASKED TO ADVISE THE PROGRAM FACULTY ON AN ASSESSMENT DEVICE THAT WOULD PLACE STUDENTS IN THE APPROPRIATE COURSE FOR THEM THE ONE IN WHICH THEY WERE MOST LIKELY TO BE CHALLENGED AND SUCCEED h3URE v ) WOULD REPLY SITTING DOWN AT A CONFERENCE TABLE WITH THE TEACH ING FACULTY h4ELL ME WHAT IS BEING TAUGHT IN YOUR COURSESv 4HIS WOULD BE MET WITH AN EMBARRASSED SILENCE -OST OF THE TIME NOBODY REALLY KNEW WHAT WAS TAUGHT IN THE VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE VARIOUS WRITING COURSES LISTED IN THE COLLEGE CATALOGUETHAT IS IN ANY COURSE BESIDES THE ONE A PARTICU LAR TEACHER WAS TEACHING WITH THE DOOR TO THE CLASSROOM SHUT 3O ) WOULD TURN TO THE FACULTY MEMBER ON MY LEFT AND ASK WHAT THAT PERSON EXPECTED STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO DO AT THE END OF THE CLASS h$O v ) WOULD HEAR ECHOED BACK WITH PERPLEXITY h) TEACH SENTENCE STRUCTURE ;OR GRAMMAR OR PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE OR THE READING OF POETRY OR JOURNAL WRITING OR *AMES *OYCES 5LYSSES OR A DOZEN OTHER CURRICULAR IDEAS= ) SUPPOSE STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW v AND THE SENTENCE WOULD TAIL OFF INTO A SERIES OF INDEFINITE ABSTRACTIONS ,IKE MOST OTHER COLLEGE FACULTY THE PERSON ON MY LEFT HAD FOCUSED ON WHAT THE TEACHER DID AND HARDLY AT ALL ON WHAT THE STUDENT RESULTS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ) WOULD THEN CANVASS THE OTHERS h!RE THOSE YOUR GOALS AS WELL v .OT AT ALL WOULD COME THE REPLY 7HAT THE FIRST TEACHER SOUGHT TO ACCOMPLISH IN %NGLISH "ASIC 7RITING THE SECOND TEACHER TAUGHT IN %NGLISH #OLLEGE #OMPOSITION AND THE THIRD TEACHER TAUGHT IN %NGLISH !DVANCED #OMPOSITION "Y THE TIME WE HAD GONE HALFWAY AROUND THE TABLE IT WAS CLEAR TO EVERYONE THAT WE COULD NOT BEGIN TO TALK ABOUT ASSESSMENT UNTIL THE PROGRAM HAD SOME KIND OF STRUCTURE !S LONG AS EVERY TEACHER DID WHATEVER SEEMED PERSON ALLY APPROPRIATE AND AS LONG AS MORE ADVANCED WORK WENT ON IN SOME OF THE hBASICv COURSES THAN IN SOME OF THE hADVANCEDv ONES THERE WAS NO
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POINT IN TRYING TO PLACE STUDENTS IN THE CURRICULUM 4HE PROBLEM WAS NOT SO MUCH WITH THE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TAKEN BY DIFFERENT TEACHERSTHAT COULD IN FACT BE CONSIDERED A STRENGTHBUT WITH THE DIFFERING GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS THEY EXPRESSED "UT HOW WAS THE WRITING PROGRAM TO GAIN THE NEEDED STRUCTURE !GAIN TYPICALLY EACH TEACHER WAS MORE OR LESS ON HIS OR HER OWN AT BEST GUIDED BY A FEW GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT THE KIND OF READING MATERIAL AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS TO USE IN EACH COURSE )T SEEMED SOMEHOW WRONG TO LIMIT A TEACHER HOWEVER NEW TO THE PROFESSION HOWEVER UNTUTORED IN RHETORIC OR COMPOSITION STUDIES BY STATING JUST WHAT A PARTICULAR WRITING COURSE WAS SUPPOSED TO ACCOMPLISH 4HAT IS AN UNDERSTANDABLE RESISTANCE TO MAKING EVERY TEACHER DO THE SAME THING HAD BECOME A LESS DEFENSIBLE OBJECTION TO DEVELOPING COMMON GOALS FOR A PARTICULAR COURSE !S LONG AS THE FOCUS WAS ON WHAT THE TEACHER DID RATHER THAN ON WHAT THE STUDENT LEARNED THERE SEEMED TO BE NO GOOD ANSWER TO MY UNCOMFORTABLE QUESTIONS 3UCH A SITUATION IS ABSURD UNFAIR AND UNPROFESSIONAL ) HAVE COME TO BELIEVE #AN WE IMAGINE A MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT IN WHICH -ATH HAS WIDELY DIFFERENT GOALS DEPENDING ON WHICH TEACHER HAPPENS TO BE TEACHING IT WITH SOME WORKING ON BEGINNING ARITHMETIC WHILE OTHERS ARE STARTING CALCULUS 3O DURING TERM BREAK ON -ARCH ) POSED THE FOLLOWING QUESTION TO THE 70! LISTSERV 70! , v)S IT AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM TO IMAGINE THIS GROUP COMING OUT WITH AT LEAST A DRAFT SET OF OBJECTIVES THAT MIGHT REALLY WORK AND BE USABLE FOR INSTANCE DISTINGUISHING COMP FROM COMP OR FROM hADVANCEDv COMP 7E MAY NOT HAVE PROFESSIONAL CONSENSUS ON THIS THOUGH OR EVEN CONSENSUS THAT WE SHOULD HAVE CONSEN SUS (OW WOULD WE GO ABOUT TRYING v 7HITE &ROM THAT ACORN HAS GROWN THIS OAK !S IT TURNED OUT THE QUESTION STRUCK A MAJOR NERVE ON THE LIST EPITOMIZING PROBLEMS VEXING MANY 70!S AROUND THE COUNTRY AND ROUSING INTENSE CONTROVERSY AND CREATIVITY 7HILE COMPOSITION STUDIES HAS FLOURISHED AS A GRADUATE ENTERPRISE WITH SIXTY FIVE 0H$ RHETORICCOMPOSITION PROGRAMS NOW PRODUCING SCHOLARS AND TEACH ERS THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSE HAS REMAINED CHAOTIC AND CONFUSED TOO OFTEN IN ITS PRACTICE DENYING THE PROFESSIONAL WORK OF THE GRADUATE PROGRAMS FLOURISHING ON THE SAME CAMPUS )T WAS TIME FOR THE PROFESSION TO START PROFESSIONALIZING THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSE 4HE FIRST STEP HAD BEEN TAKEN SOME YEARS PRIOR IN A STATEMENT BY THE #ONFERENCE ON #OLLEGE #OMPOSITION AND #OMMUNICATION ON THE hPRINCIPLES AND PRACTIC ESv FOR STAFFING THAT COURSE #ONFERENCE .OW WE WERE READY TO TURN TO THE CURRICULUM 7HAT SHOULD ITS GOALS BE 7HAT SHOULD STUDENTS BE ABLE
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TO DO WHEN THEY LEAVE THE COURSE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS WITH A PASSING COURSE GRADE 4HE BOOK YOU HOLD IS THE RESULT OF A LONG AND ARDUOUS EFFORT TO GRAPPLE WITH THESE QUESTIONS AND PROVIDE GUIDELINES FOR ANSWERING THEM "UT MEANWHILE A WHOLE HOST OF OBJECTIONS TO AN OUTCOMES STATEMENT APPEARED MANY OF THEM BASED ON LONG EXPERIENCE WITH !MERICAN COM POSITION PROGRAMS ) WILL FOCUS HERE ON THREE OF THE MOST PROMINENT s 4HERE ARE MANY AND CONFLICTING VISIONS OF JUST WHAT THE FIRST YEAR COURSE SHOULD ACCOMPLISH 7HOSE OUTCOMES SHOULD PREVAIL s -OST OF THOSE TEACHING COMPOSITION COURSES IN !MERICAN COLLEGES AND UNI VERSITIES HAVE LITTLE TRAINING IN COMPOSITION STUDIES AND LITTLE SUPPORT FROM THEIR INSTITUTIONS )SNT IT UNFAIR TO MEASURE OUTCOMES FROM YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS )S THIS A WAY TO FURTHER HARASS THE LOWEST STATUS TEACHERS ON CAMPUS s 4HE STRUGGLE TO DEFINE WRITING PROGRAMS HAS BECOMEPERHAPS ALWAYS HAS BEENHIGHLY POLITICAL 7E MUST RESIST GIVING AMMUNITION TO THE ENEMY WHO SEEKS TO DEFINE OUR WORK AS NARROWLY GRAMMATICAL CONVENTIONAL AND SOCIALLY STRATIFIED
,ETS CONSIDER EACH OF THESE REASONABLE OBJECTIONS IN TURN WITH A PAR TICULAR EYE TO THE WAY IN WHICH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ATTEMPTS TO MEET THEM 7HOSE hOUTCOMESv SHOULD PREVAIL 4HE LOOSE COLLECTION OF WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS WHO VOLUNTEERED TO FORM THE hOUTCOMES GROUPv REPRE SENTED ALL LEVELS OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF INSTITUTIONS !S THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BEGAN TO TAKE SHAPE THIS GROUP HELD WORKSHOPS AND GAVE PRESENTATIONS AT PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCES TEST ING DRAFTS AGAINST REALITIES OF WRITING PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY 4O EVERYONES SURPRISE A GENERAL CONSENSUS DID BEGIN TO TAKE SHAPE +EY TO THE PROCESS WAS A SET OF CRUCIAL DISTINCTIONS OUTCOMES ARE DIFFERENT FROM STANDARDS AND AGREEMENT ON OUTCOMES DOES NOT REQUIRE AGREEMENT ON A SINGLE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE THOSE OUTCOMES /UTCOMES ARE OFTEN CONFUSED WITH STANDARDS BUT THEY ARE QUITE DIF FERENT CONCEPTS !N OPEN ENROLLMENT COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND A HIGHLY SELECTIVE PRIVATE COLLEGE CAN SHARE THE SAME DESIRED OUTCOMES WHILE THEIR STUDENTS MAY ACHIEVE THEM AT DIFFERENT LEVELS 4HE OUTCOMES STATEMENTS OF THE TWO INSTITUTIONS MAY BE QUITE SIMILAR WHILE THE STANDARD OF PER FORMANCE MAY BE DIFFERENT FOR ALL KINDS OF REASONS 4HUS THE OUTCOMES GROUP EARLY ON DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD DEAL WITH OUTCOMES BUT NOT STAN DARDS WHICH MUST BE SET BY EACH INSTITUTION FOR ITS OWN STUDENTS !GAIN
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SINCE NO ONE WANTED TO REMOVE TEACHER INITIATIVE OR CREATIVITY FROM THE CLASSROOM THE OUTCOMES GROUP FIRMLY REJECTED ANY PROPOSAL TO SUGGEST hBESTv CURRICULA TEXTBOOKS OR TEACHING PROCEDURES 3OME INSTITUTIONS PARTICULARLY THOSE WHOSE TEACHERS HAVE LITTLE OR NO PROFESSIONAL TRAINING IN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION MAY PREFER TO PROCEED WITH SUCH REQUIRE MENTS FOR THEIR TEACHERS WHILE OTHER INSTITUTIONS WILL BE CONTENT TO ALLOW EVERY TEACHER TO TRY TO REACH THE OUTCOMES IN HIS OR HER OWN WAY +ATHLEEN "LAKE 9ANCEYS CHAPTER IN THIS COLLECTION h3TANDARDS /UTCOMES AND !LL 4HAT *AZZv ADDRESSEES THIS ISSUE IN CONSIDERABLE DETAIL /NCE THE CONCEPT OF OUTCOMES WAS DIVORCED FROM STANDARDS AND FROM TEACHING METHODS AND MATERIALS WE FOUND IT POSSIBLE TO REACH A CONSEN SUS THAT APPEARED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE WIDE RANGE OF INSTITUTIONS WE REPRESENTED AND CONSULTED 7HILE THAT CONSENSUS IS ALWAYS SUBJECT TO REVI SION AND THE OUTCOMES GROUP EXPECTS THE PRESENT STATEMENT TO BE REVISED PERIODICALLY AS THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS CHANGE WE PRESENT A STATEMENT OF DESIRED OUTCOMES FROM THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSE THAT IS GENERALLY APPLICABLE ACROSS !MERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE FIRST DECADE OF THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY )SNT IT UNFAIR TO MEASURE OUTCOMES FROM YOUNG AND INEXPERIENCED TEACHERS 4HE KEY TO ASSESSING STUDENT OUTCOMES IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT HOWEVER MUCH TEACHERS MAY LABOR STUDENTS MUST ULTIMATELY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN LEARNING 7E MUCH REGRET THE LABOR PRACTICES OF MANY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WHICH ARE OFTEN EXPLOITATIVE FOR THOSE TEACHING THE FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSE !T THE SAME TIME WE KNOW THAT THOSE TEACHING COMPOSI TION IN !MERICAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ON THE WHOLE DO AN EXCELLENT JOB UNDER MOST DIFFICULT CONDITIONS !S WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS WE HAVE A PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVALUATING AND IMPROVING OUR WRITING PROGRAMS 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT LOOKS AT CAMPUS WRITING PROGRAMS NOT INDIVIDUAL WRITING TEACHERS 7E MUST RESIST GIVING AMMUNITION TO THE ENEMY WHO SEEKS TO DEFINE OUR WORK AS NARROWLY GRAMMATICAL CONVENTIONAL AND SOCIALLY STRATIFIED /NE PROFESSIONAL PROBLEM THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS IS THE COMMON REDUCTIVE DEFINITION OF WHAT WRITING PROGRAMS SEEK TO ACCOMPLISH 7E HAVE ALLOWED OTHERS TO DEFINE US AND SOME OF THOSE DEFINITIONS HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH OUR ACTUAL WORK &EW COLLEGE PROGRAMS SPEND MUCH TIME ON VOCABULARY DRILL SPELLING RULES OR HANDWRITING PRACTICE FOR INSTANCE 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT GIVES US A SOPHISTICATED AND MATURE VIEW OF WHAT COLLEGE WRITING PROGRAMS SEEK TO DO DEMONSTRATING WHY THESE WRITING COURSES BELONG IN THE COLLEGE CURRICULUM USUALLY AT THE CENTER OF GENERAL
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EDUCATION AND WHAT OTHER FACULTY SHOULD EXPECT THEIR STUDENTS TO HAVE LEARNED IN THOSE COURSES 7E HOPE THAT A WIDESPREAD UNDERSTANDING OF THESE OUTCOMES WILL BENEFIT STUDENTS AS OTHER TEACHERS EXPECT THEM TO TRANSFER WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED IN COMPOSITION TO OTHER COURSES AND HELP THESE TEACHERS TO REINFORCE WHAT WE DO AS THEY ASK FOR WRITING IN THEIR OWN FIELDS ) AM PLEASED THAT THE QUESTIONS ) POSED SEVEN YEARS AGO AT THIS WRITING HAVE OPENED INTO SO MANY DIFFERENT AVENUES EACH IN TURN RAISING NEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PURPOSES AND THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE REQUIRED BY ALMOST ALL !MERICAN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THAT HAS EMERGED SUGGESTS SOME OF THE ANSWERS THAT THOUGHTFUL AND REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONERS HAVE IN TURN PRODUCED "UT ALL ANSWERS PRODUCE NEW QUESTIONS AND THIS BOOK EXPLORES MANY OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE EMERGED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT A DOCUMENT WHOSE TIME AT LAST HAS COME
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)F EVER THERE HAS BEEN A PROJECT THAT WONT REALLY FIT INTO A NUTSHELL THE /UTCOMES PROJECT IS IT 4HIS PROJECT BEGAN IN FRUSTRATION OVER THE APPAR ENT INABILITY TO SHARE OR EVEN SPECIFY WIDELY WHAT GOES ON IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION 7ETHE /UTCOMES #OLLECTIVE AS WE CALLED OURSELVESPRO CEEDED WITH A GRASSROOTS EFFORT TO DO THAT IF ONLY FOR OURSELVES 7E ENDED WITH A DOCUMENT THAT THOUGH IT IS ADDRESSED TO AN AUDIENCE OF WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS AND WRITING TEACHERS NEVERTHELESS SUPPLIES INFOR MATION THAT THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITIONSTUDENTS ADMINISTRATORS PARENTS LEGISLATORS THE PUBLIC AT LARGE IN ADDITION TO TEACHERS AND 70!S HAVE SOME RIGHT TO KNOW !ND MORE IMPORTANTLY WE ENDED WITH A DOCUMENT THAT CAN BE USED TO PROMOTE SMART AND ESSENTIAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WRITING "EFORE GOING ON WE NEED TO PROVIDE AN ASIDE ABOUT THIS CHAPTER 4HIS HISTORY OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BOOK PROJECT HAS A HISTORY OF ITS OWN 7HEN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS NEW WE TURNED OUR GAZE INWARD AND BACKWARD 4HE STATEMENT WAS FRESHLY CREATED AND HAD NOT YET BEEN ADOPTED BY ANYONE 4HE /UTCOMES #OLLECTIVE CONCEIVED OF THIS BOOK AS ONE THAT WOULD EXPLAIN THE ORIGINS AND MOTIVATIONS OF THAT STATEMENT 4HE FOUR AUTHORS TO WHICH THIS HISTORY IS ATTRIBUTED WROTE SEPARATE ESSAYS EXPLORING DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THOSE ORIGINS AND MOTIVATIONS 7E SOUGHT TO GENERATE THE SORT OF UNDERSTANDING THAT WOULD LEAD TO USES !S IT TURNS OUT THE USES CAME ON THEIR OWN AND AS THEY DID THE PURPOSE OF THE BOOK EVOLVED SO THAT IT NEEDED TO FOCUS OUTWARD AND FORWARD 7E HAD WOVEN A RICH AND SELF SATISFYING HISTORICAL TAPESTRY BUT EVENTUALLY IT BECAME SIMPLY TOO MUCH OF A GOOD INSIDE GAME 4HE ORIGINAL NEED FOR SUCH ESSAYS HAD MOSTLY BEEN MET WITHOUT THEM SO THEY HAVE NOW BEEN REDUCED AND COM BINED INTO THIS ONE
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4HUS THE PROCESS OF WRITING THIS CHAPTER STARTED WITH OUR NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES AS WRITERS BUT THEN SHIFTED TO A CONCERN FOR AUDIENCE !S MIGHT BE EXPECTED THAT IS THE SAME PROCESS THAT THIS CHRONICLE WILL DESCRIBE IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATEMENT ITSELF 9ET THE hWRITER BASEDv MOTI VATIONS MAY STILL INFLUENCE THE INTERPRETATION OF THE FINAL PRODUCT AND SO WE HOPE TO ILLUMINATE SOME OF THE KEY FEATURES OF THAT PROCESS AND OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTS RHETORICAL SITUATION BY PRESENTING SOME PART AT LEAST OF THE INSIDE STORY IN THE INSIDE VOICES 7E WILL NOT BE SO DRAMATIC AS TO MAKE THIS AN OBVIOUS DIALOGUE BUT ALONG THE WAY THERE WILL BE SOME OBVIOUS CHANGES IN VOICE SOME DISJUNCTURES OF FLOW 2ATHER THAN SMOOTH THEM ALL OUT WE HAVE LEFT JUST A BIT OF A TEXTUAL REMINDER OF THE MULTITUDE OF VOICES THAT CAME TOGETHER IN THE STATEMENT ITSELF ;/,*644<50;@6-*6))3,9:
4HERE WAS A GOOD BIT OF JOY AND A LOT OF COMMUNITY IN THE BUILDING OF THIS DOCUMENT AND THAT IS WHY THOSE OF US WHO WORKED ON IT HAVE MAINTAINED A COMMITMENT TO IT 7HAT HAS BEEN MOST GRATIFYING ABOUT WORKING WITH THE /UTCOMES GROUP IS THAT NOT ONLY DID THE GROUP COLLABORATE IN THE MODE DESCRIBED BY *OHN 4RIMBUR AS hENGAGING IN A PROCESS OF INTELLECTUAL NEGO TIATION AND COLLECTIVE DECISION MAKINGv WE ALSO FORMULATED A DOCUMENT THAT WE ALL CAN LIVE WITH PRETTY WELLNO ONE NEGOTIATED AWAY THE FARM 7E WORKED AS A TEAM PARCELING OUT THE WORK WHEN NECESSARY FOR EVERY ONE OF US HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY OR CONTINUALLY SWAMPED WITH WORK OF OUR OWN AND WITH THE DEMANDS OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSI BILITIES )N FORMULATING PROPOSALS FOR PANELS AND WORKSHOPS DRAFTS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND THIS BOOK ITSELF THE PROCESS WORKED SOMETHING LIKE THIS 3OMEONE WOULD NOTICE AN IMPENDING DEADLINE AND SEND OUT A CALL FOR IDEAS )DEAS WOULD TUMBLE IN #ONTROVERSIES WOULD ARISESHOULD THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT INCLUDE A TECHNOLOGY PLANK FOR EXAMPLEAND SIDES WOULD BE TAKEN )NEVITABLY SOMEONE WOULD START A ROUND OF BAD JOKES OR PUNS %D 7HITE WOULD CALM US DOWN LIKE A GOOD UNCLE AND $AVID 3CHWALM WOULD STRUCTURE OUR OPTIONS LIKE THE DEAN THAT HE IS !ND THEN SOMEONEPERHAPS 3USANMARIE (ARRINGTON +AREN 6AUGHT !LEXANDER "ILL #ONDON OR MOST OFTEN 2ITA -ALENCZYKWOULD OUTLINE A FORMAT %VERYONE WOULD RED PENCIL IT INTO SUBMISSION ! FACE TO FACE PLANNING MEETING WOULD BE SCHEDULED WED REVIEW OUR PLANS AND ANOTHER PANEL WOULD SET OFF TO PRESENT THE IDEA AND THE DRAFT TO ANOTHER ASSEMBLAGE OF WRITING TEACHERS 4HE ARCHIVED DISCUSSIONS READ LIKE A TEXTBOOK EXERCISE IN COLLABORATIVE WRITING -OREOVER THE COLORFUL ELECTRONIC DISCUSSIONS THROUGHOUT THE
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YEAR MEANT THAT WHEN WE MET FACE TO FACE ONCE OR TWICE YEARLY AT CONFER ENCES WE WERE NOT AT ALL STRANGERSWE WERE FRIENDS WITH MUCH WORK AND CONVERSATION IN COMMON AND WE COULD WORK TOGETHER EASILY AND EFFICIENTLY TO PUSH THE DOCUMENT ON TO THE NEXT STAGE (OWEVERAND THIS IS CRUCIALWE ALL WORKED TO KEEP THE COLLABORATION OPEN TO NEW MEMBERS AND EXPANDED CONSTITUENCIES %ACH CONFERENCE AND MEETING WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN NEW VOICES WE WANTED THIS TO BE A DOCU MENT ADOPTED AND ADAPTED BY AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE IT FILLED A FELT AND EXPRESSED NEED !LMOST BEFORE THE INK WAS DRY ON THE FIRST DRAFT IT WAS BEING TRIED AND TESTED +AREN 6AUGHT !LEXANDER #HET 0RYOR -ARK 7ILEY AND OTHERS BROUGHT TO CONFERENCE SESSIONS ACCOUNTS OF USING IT TO ARTICULATE COURSES WITHIN AND BETWEEN PROGRAMS AND TO DESIGN WRITING PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS IN NUMEROUS VENUES 4HE COLLABORATION WE ENVISIONED WAS ALWAYS EXTENDING OUTWARD THE IDEA WAS TO LET THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FLY AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED NOT TO TRY TO CONTAIN IT /CCASIONALLY A QUERY WOULD COME FROM SOMEONE WHO WANTED TO CHANGE A PART OF THE STATEMENT HERE OR THERE FOR LOCAL REASONS OR TO FIT AN INSTITU TIONAL NEED /UR SENSE WAS THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WOULD GIVE THE STRENGTH OF PROFESSIONAL VALIDATION TO LOCAL FORMULATIONS OF OUTCOMES AND STANDARDS BUT SHOULD NOT IMPOSE UNSUITABLE RESTRICTIONS ON THEM 4HE STATEMENT IS A DEVICE TO FORMULATE AND VALIDATENOT TO CONSTRAINTHE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL PROGRAMS 4HE COLLABORATION WAS OPEN TO ANYONE WHO WANTED TO JOIN IT 4HE MATERIAL RESULT OF THE FIRST INFORMAL MEETING AT THE #ONFERENCE ON #OLLEGE #OMPOSITION AND #OMMUNICATION IN -ILWAUKEE WAS THE PLAN TO PROPOSE SESSIONS FOR THE ### #ONVENTION IN 0HOENIX AND FOR THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS SUMMER CONFERENCE IN (OUGHTON -ICHIGAN 4HE INITIAL WIDE RANGING DISCUSSION OF THE /UTCOMES PROJECT ON THE 70! , DISCUSSION LIST BECAME THE PROTOTYPE FOR EACH PHASE OF THE PROJECT FROM EARLY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHETHER AN OUTCOMES STATE MENT WAS EVEN POSSIBLE TO LATER CONVENTION SESSIONS EXAMINING PARTICULAR VERSIONS OF THE /3 4HESE DISCUSSIONS SHIFTED TO A SPECIALIZED ELECTRONIC FORM THE /UTCOMES DISCUSSION LIST WHICH WAS BEGUN IN &EBRUARY BUT THE COBBLING PROCESS CONTINUED )N THE /UTCOMES GROUP HOSTED A FULL DAY PRECONFERENCE WORK SHOP AT #### IN #HICAGO AT WHICH TIME DISCUSSION GROUP LEADERS AND WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS COMPARED THE EARLY DRAFT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WITH ASSESSMENT TOOLS USED IN VARIOUS STATES AND AT VARIOUS UNIVERSITIES !T THIS WORKSHOP A NEW STATEMENT WAS DRAFTED THAT WOULD
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PRETTY NEARLY DEFINE THE SHAPE AND SCOPE OF THE hFINALv DOCUMENT "Y THE END OF THE WORKSHOP AFTER CONSIDERABLE HAGGLING OVER WORDING AND PHRASING THE PARTICIPANTS HAD ACHIEVED A THOROUGHLY REVISED DRAFT OF THE STATEMENT WITH WHICH THE WORKSHOP HAD BEGUN !T THIS TIME THE INTRODUC TORY PHRASES WERE ADDED h"Y THE END OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO Xv AND h&ACULTY IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS CAN BUILD ON THIS PREPARATION BY HELPING STUDENTS LEARN Xv THESE PHRASES WERE INTENDED TO BUILD IN A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION AND THE WRITING DONE IN OTHER COURSES WITHOUT WE HOPED MAKING IMPOSSIBLE CLAIMS FOR FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION 4HE WORK OF WRITING AND REVISING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS PRIMAR ILY THE WORK OF WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS 7E TRIED TO EMBED IN THIS DOCUMENT THE KNOWLEDGE DERIVED FROM SEVERAL DECADES OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE IN COMPOSITION WITHOUT TAKING SIDES IN THE ARGUMENTS THAT SEPARATE SAY THE EXPRESSIVISTS FROM THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVISTS "ECAUSE THE /UTCOMES GROUP DREW MEMBERS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND DIFFERENT KINDS OF INSTITUTIONS WITH DIFFERENT THEORETICAL POSITIONS CUR RICULAR REQUIREMENTS AND STUDENT BODIES WE HAD MANY MANY DISAGREE MENTS BOTH PRACTICAL AND THEORETICAL (OWEVER WE KEPT RETURNING TO THE POINT THAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR WHAT WE HAVE IN COMMON WHAT BEST IDEAS AND BEST PRACTICES WE COULD ALL AGREE ON &LURRIES OF DISAGREEMENT WERE MOST COMMONLY RESOLVED BY MOVING TO A LEVEL OF GENERALIZATION THAT COULD ACCOMMODATE MULTIPLE POSITIONS 7HEN THERE WAS A MAJOR ARGUMENT IN ABOUT WHETHER THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SHOULD MANDATE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED WITH A LINE ABOUT TECHNOLOGIES IN GEN ERAL TO KEEP THE ISSUE OPEN ENOUGH THAT IT WOULD NOT EXCLUDE PARTICULAR INSTITUTIONS IN THE PRESENT OR BECOME OBSOLETE A DECADE HENCE WHEN WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL BE THE DESIRED TECHNOLOGY 4HE /UTCOMES LIST CHATTER AND JOKING THAT ACCOMPANIED PREPARING FOR PANELS AND PRESENTATIONS HELPED BUILD THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AMONG THE /UTCOMES GROUP AND REAFFIRM OUR COMMON HUMANITY #HET 0RYOR DISTRIBUTED hPARTY FAVORSv AT 70! AND #### SESSIONS ON THE /3ONE YEAR A PEN ANOTHER A PINAND THESE BROUGHT ATTENTION TO THE DOCU MENTAND NEW VOICES INTO THE COMMUNITY 4HE EVERYDAY LIFE AT THE EDGES OF OUR DISCUSSIONS ALSO BROUGHT US TOGETHER AND KEPT US AWARE OF THE HUMAN COMMUNITIES BEHIND OUR POSTINGS )N THE ARCHIVED DISCUSSIONS ) SEE THE FLOW OF LIVES THROUGH THE PROJECT AS WE MADE OUR PLANS FOR MEET ING AT CONFERENCES SAID OUR GOOD BYES TO THE LIST AS WE LEFT FOR VACATIONS DISCLOSED PREGNANCY AND BIRTH ILLNESS AND RECOVERY RETIREMENTS AND JOB
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CHANGES 4HE HUMAN FACTORS HELPED KEEP OUR DEBATES CIVILFOR THE MOST PARTAND HELPED BUILD THE COMMUNITY OF HUMAN RESPECT THAT ALLOWED FOR THIS COLLABORATION OF COBBLERS ; < 9 5 0 5 . ;6>( 9 + 9 , ( + , 9 :
!S WE GRAPPLED WITH REVISING THE EVOLVING /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WE CON FRONTED AN UNPLEASANT FACT THE TERM FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION VARIED WIDELY IN MEANING )NDEED AS MANY OF THE ENSUING DISCUSSIONS REVEALED THE TERM WAS HOTLY CONTESTED AMONG THE VERY PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF ADMINISTERING IT 3O WE ASKED OURSELVES IF WE COULDNT AGREE WHAT FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION SHOULD BE HOW COULD WE EVER ACCOUNT FOR WHAT WE DO (OW COULD WE EXPLAIN WHAT WE DO EVEN WITHIN OUR OWN INSTITUTIONS LET ALONE BEYOND THEM (OW COULD WE EXPECT STUDENTS TRANSFERRING FROM ONE INSTITUTION TO ANOTHER TO UNDERSTAND WHY ONE SCHOOL WASOR WASNTWILLING TO ACCEPT ANOTHER INSTITUTIONS FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSE FOR TRANSFER CREDIT )F WE COULD NOT DEFINE THE COURSE IN ANYTHING OTHER THAN ESSENTIALIST TERMSWHAT WE DO IN OUR PROGRAMHOW COULD WE HOPE TO CONVINCE EVEN OUR OWN ADMINISTRATIONS THAT OUR COURSE EXEMPLIFIED GOOD PRACTICE THAT IT WAS WORTHY OF ITS FUNDING THAT IT PROVIDED THE INSTITUTION SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF 7ITHOUT THE ABILITY TO DEFINE THE COURSE BEYOND WHAT WAS TAUGHT AT A SINGLE INSTITUTION HOW WOULD WE EVER FIGHT THE TENDENCIES OF LEGISLATURES TO SEEK ACCOUNTABILITY BY ESTABLISHING REDUCTIVE TESTS 4HESE QUESTIONS AND OTHERS LED US TO A DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBILITIES 4HE GREAT AND INTRACTABLE DIFFERENCES AMONG LOCAL SETTINGS LEGISLATED AGAINST ANY AGREEMENT ABOUT STANDARDSABOUT HOW WELL A STUDENT EXITING FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION SHOULD WRITE /UTCOMES HOWEVERWHAT STUDENTS EXITING FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION SHOULD KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DOMIGHT PROVE WORKABLE 7E COULD SPECIFY WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD DO IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSI TION IN TERMS THAT COULD WORK WITHIN ANY OF THE VARIATIONS WE KNEW ABOUT AND WE COULD LEAVE DECISIONS ABOUT HOW WELL STUDENTS SHOULD PERFORM THOSE OUTCOMES WHERE THOSE DECISIONS BELONGEDIN THE LOCAL CONTEXT -OST OF US WORKING IN THE GROUP WERE OURSELVES 70!S SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ADDRESSES THE INTERESTS OF 70!S WE HAD AN IMMEDIATE TEST AUDIENCE WITHIN THE /UTCOMES GROUP AND A MUCH WIDER TEST AUDIENCE AMONG THE SIX HUNDRED OR SO MEMBERS OF 70! , )N ADDI TION SINCE ON A GIVEN CAMPUS THE 70! IS THE PERSON WHO MUST ACCOUNT FOR HER OR HIS PROGRAM TO WIDER AUDIENCES THE GROUP HAD A DIRECT INTEREST IN DEVISING A STATEMENT THAT WOULD WORK NOT ONLY WITHIN BUT ALSO BEYOND SPECIFIC PROGRAMS 7E WROTE A STATEMENT THAT COULD HELP US 70!S AS WE
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WORK ON TASKS THAT 70!S HAVE IN COMMONTRAINING TEACHERS DEVISING CURRICULA ADMINISTERING ASSESSMENTS ARGUING FOR RESOURCES CONDUCTING RESEARCH AND SO FORTH -OST IMPORTANT WE WERE WRITING A DOCUMENT THAT WE OURSELVES COULD USE 7E WERE OUR OWN FIRST AUDIENCE 4URNING TOWARD OTHER AUDIENCES WAS UNUSUALLY COMPLICATED IN THIS CASE !S MANY AS TWENTY FIVE PEOPLE SPEARHEADED THE WRITING AND OVER FORTY CONTRIBUTED PHRASES AND IDEAS .OT ONLY DID WE HAVE A COMPLICATED READER WHO MIGHT LIE ANYWHERE ON A CONTINUUM FROM RHETORICIAN TO CON CERNED PARENT WE ALSO HAD A COMPLICATED AUTHOR 4HE NUMBER OF AUTHORS EXPANDED AND THEIR IDENTITIES CHANGED AS SOME DROPPED OUT AND NEW AUTHORS ENTERED 4HE PROBLEM OF REVISING FOR A COMPLICATED SET OF READ ERS WAS ADDITIONALLY COMPLICATED BY HAVING TO CHANGE A DOCUMENT WITH NO RECOGNIZED AUTHORS "UT IF WE WERE TO CONVINCE ANYONE THAT WE CAN PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH WE NEEDED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE KNEW HOW TO READ THE RHETORICAL SITUATION EFFECTIVELY AND WRITE APPROPRIATELY 7E FINALLY DECIDED FOR INSTANCE THAT WE WOULDNT GAIN MUCH RHETORICALLY IF WE TALKED DOWN TO SECONDARY AND TERTIARY AUDIENCES BY INCLUDING SIDEBAR DISCUSSIONS EXPLAINING OUR STATEMENTS FOR THE OTHER READERS 4O MAKE THIS DOCUMENT WORK WE HAD TO SAY IT CLEANLY FOR ALL READERS 4HE ISSUE OF APPROPRIATE LANGUAGE HAS BEEN ONE OF THESE CONVERSATIONS CENTRAL NOT ONLY TO THE FINAL VERSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BUT ALSO TO HOW WE TEACH WRITING 4HIS ANSWER DEPENDS ON THE ANSWER TO ANOTHER QUESTION 7HO IS THE AUDIENCE !ND THIS QUESTION INTERSECTS WITH OUR PUR POSE IE WHAT CHANGE DID WE HOPE TO EFFECT BY MAKING THE STATEMENT /R AS ,LOYD "ITZER WOULD HAVE PUT IT WHAT WAS THE EXIGENCE AND HOW DID WE HOPE TO ANSWER IT !ND WHO ARE WE &ROM THIS DISCUSSION EMERGED THE FOLLOWING DECLARATION IN THE PENUL TIMATE DRAFT WE EXPECT THE MAIN AUDIENCE FOR THIS DOCUMENT TO BE WELL PREPARED COLLEGE WRITING TEACHERS AND COLLEGE WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS 7E HAVE CHOSEN TO WRITE IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL LANGUAGE
4HE PENULTIMATE DRAFT OF THE DOCUMENT CONSEQUENTLY REMAINED LARGELY IN OUR PROFESSIONAL LANGUAGENOT IMPENETRABLE TO NONCOMPOSITION ISTS BUT NOT FRIENDLY EITHER (ERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE PROSE THAT MIGHT APPEAR UNFRIENDLY TO LETS SAY A PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WHO HAS A BACHELORS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AND WHO HAS BEEN RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS IN INVESTMENT SERVICES FOR TWENTY YEARS
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!S WRITERS MOVE BEYOND THE FIRST YEAR COURSE THEIR WRITING ABILITIES DO NOT MERELY hINCREASEv 2ATHER STUDENTS ABILITIES BOTH DIVERSIFY ALONG DISCIPLINARY AND PROFESSIONAL LINES AND MOVE INTO WHOLE NEW LEVELS WHERE EXPECTED OUT COMES STATEMENTS WOULD EXPAND MULTIPLY AND DIVERGE
.OTHING IN THIS LANGUAGE IS PARTICULARLY MYSTIFYINGNONE OF THE VOCABU LARY IS EVEN DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC "UT IT MIGHT PUT OFF OUR IMAGINED READER 0ERHAPS IT IS THE CONTEXT WITHIN WHICH WORDS LIKE DISCIPLINARY AND PROFESSIONAL LINES OCCUR OR THE SERIES OF ABSTRACTIONS ABILITIES DIVERSIFY DISCIPLINARY LINES AND THE ABSTRACT NATURE OF HAVING ABILITIES DIVERSIFY AND STATEMENTS EXPAND ING MULTIPLYING AND DIVERGING !S *OSEPH 7ILLIAMS HAS PUT IT IN 3TYLE 4EN ,ESSONS IN #LARITY AND 'RACE WE DONT HAVE AN AGENT AND ACTION THAT TELL A NICE SIMPLE STORY 7E HAD TO RECONSIDER WRITING IN OUR PROFESSIONAL LANGUAGE AND SOLELY TO READERS FOR WHOMTO QUOTE FROM THE PREFACE TO THE FINAL VERSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENThTERMS SUCH AS @RHETORICAL AND @GENRE CONVEY A RICH MEANING THAT IS NOT EASILY SIMPLIFIEDv 4HERE ARE OF COURSE MORE ISSUES THAN PHRASING THAT DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE REGISTER OF ANY DISCOURSE 4HERE IS FOR EXAMPLE THE PROBLEM OF SYNTAX !CADEMIC READERS TEND TO BE MORE TOLERANT THAN GENERAL READ ERS OF LONG INTRODUCTORY ELEMENTS EG IN OUR FIRST DRAFTS WE WROTE "Y DEFINING THE COMMON KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ATTITUDES SOUGHT BY THE WIDE VARIETY OF APPROACHES TO FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION CURRENTLY USED IN !MERICAN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION WE SEEK TO DESCRIBE A SET OF COMMON OUTCOMES FOR THOSE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION CLASSES
4O PARAPHRASE *OSEPH 7ILLIAMS AGAIN WE SHOULD WORRY IF IT TAKES MORE THAN A FEW WORDS TO GET PAST THE SUBJECT AND VERB )N THE EXAMPLE ABOVE IT TOOK US TWENTY FOUR WORDS TO GET TO THE SUBJECT 4HE FINAL VERSION PARED THIS DOWN TO 4HIS STATEMENT DESCRIBES THE COMMON KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ATTITUDES SOUGHT BY FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS IN !MERICAN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
3OME OF US WERE STILL NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY WITH THIS SENTENCE BUT THE EDIT ING LIKE THE WRITING WAS AN EXERCISE IN NEGOTIATION AND COMPROMISE 4HE FINAL DOCUMENT GOES A LONG WAY TOWARD FINDING AN ACCEPTABLE MEDIUM BETWEEN DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC AND THE GENERAL DISCOURSE AVAILABLE TO MOST READERS 4HE NOTION OF TONE GETS TO THE CENTER OF OUR PROBLEM 0ROFESSIONAL LANGUAGE CHARACTERIZED BY WORDS LIKE RHETORIC GENRE AND CONVENTIONS AND
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REGISTER IS USEFUL TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE GROWN USED TO A COMMON SET OF ASSO CIATIONS INCLUDING THE HISTORICAL USES OF THE TERMS "UT TO OTHERS IT SMACKS OF SNOTTY LANGUAGE PEOPLE USE TO SHOW THAT THEY UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THEY ARE ON THE INAND OF COURSE PEOPLE WHO DONT UNDERSTAND ARE ON THE OUT (AVING EARNED OUR 0H$S WE SOMETIMES DISPLAY OUR BADGES THROUGH OUR LANGUAGE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT SIMILARLY EMBLAZONED THEMSELVES MAY INTERPRET THAT DISPLAY AS SELF PRIVILEGING 7HETHER THEY ARE CORRECT WE NEED TO ADMIT THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS INTERPRETATION ,ANGUAGE IS ALWAYS IDEOLOGICAL WORDS ARE REPLETE WITH THE HISTORIES OF THEIR USE FULL OF VARIED MEANINGS THAT INCLUDE SOME AND EXCLUDE OTHERS ,+0;05.-69*65*0:,5,::
4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AUTHORS ALSO FACED DECISIONS ABOUT THE OVERALL SCOPE OF THE DOCUMENT 4HE STATEMENT NEEDED TO COMMUNICATE POTEN TIALLY COMPLICATED MATTERS &URTHER THOSE WHO MAKE WRITING THEIR BUSINESS HAVE A FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDING OF WRITING THAN DO MOST POTENTIAL READERS -OST CRITICALLY NEARLY ALL hOUTSIDERSv BELIEVE THE BEST APPROACH TO BETTER WRITING IS MORE GRAMMAR h)NSIDERSv HAVE GOOD REASON TO SUSPECT BASED ON YEARS OF RESEARCH EG (ILLOCKS (ARTWELL (ASWELL THAT NOTHING COULD BE WORSE THAN MORE GRAMMAR 9ET THE STATEMENT MUST REACH SOMEHOW READERS WHO MOSTLY WANT US TO WIELD A KEEN RED PEN 4HE BREVITY OF THE DOCUMENT HAS THE VIRTUE OF ACCOMMODAT ING LIMITED PATIENCE AND ATTENTION SPANS BUT IT PROBABLY HIDES MUCH OF WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO SAY TO READERS WHO BADLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE hINSIDERv VIEWPOINT )N SUM THE BRIEF STATEMENT LEAVES OUT A GREAT MANY HIGHLY IMPORTANT POINTS %VEN SO THERE IS PERHAPS LITTLE REAL LOSS IN THAT BREVITY 4HOSE OF US WHO WORKED ON THE STATEMENT QUICKLY FOUND THAT OUR GOALS FOR OUR STUDENTS DIVERGED FAR LESS THAN ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT US FROM THEORETICAL VIEWPOINTS TO PEDAGOGICAL METHODS %D 7HITE OF COURSE HAD PREDICTED THIS CON SENSUS AROUND AIMS FROM THE START BUT THE REALITY WAS IF ANYTHING MORE UNIFORM THAN ANYONE SEEMED TO EXPECT )NDEED THIS UNIFORMITY OF GOALS WOULD PERSIST EVEN IF WE WROTE IN MUCH MORE DETAIL 7E DONT MENTION FOR EXAMPLE THAT WE EXPECT STUDENTS WHO GO THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS TO BE ABLE TO SUMMARIZE CHALLENGING TEXTS YET AGREEMENT ON THIS POINT WAS UNANIMOUS AT EVERY MEETING 7E DONT EXPRESSLY SAY THAT WE AIM TO HAVE STUDENTS WRITE IN A STYLE THAT MAKES A HUMAN CONNECTION BUT AGAIN THIS WAS A STRONG CONSENSUS AT OUR EVERY MEETING 9ET THE EXPANDING RANGE OF USES FOR THE STATEMENT DESCRIBED LATER IN THIS BOOK AMPLY DEMONSTRATES
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THAT THE STATEMENT CAN FUNCTION IN THIS BRIEF FORM MOST LIKELY BECAUSE IT CAN BE hUNPACKEDv IN LIGHT OF THIS BROAD AGREEMENT 4HE QUESTION REMAINS WHETHER THE STATEMENT ACTUALLY FUNCTIONS BEST IN BRIEF FORM HOWEVER $ESPITE THE DISCLAIMERS IN THE 3TATEMENTS PREFACE WE WERE ALWAYS INTENSELY AWARE OF HOW WE MIGHT BE READ BY AUDIENCES OTHER THAN OUR PEERS 7E WANTED READERS TO KNOW THAT WE WERE NOT RADICAL RELATIVISTS THAT WE HAD STANDARDS EVEN IF WE WERE NOT WRITING THEM DOWN AND YET WE WANTED READERS TO KNOW THAT WE HAD MOVED WELL BEYOND A SIMPLISTIC INTEREST IN CORRECTNESS THAT WE HAD A COMPLICATED RHETORICAL PROJECT IN MIND 4HE RESULT IS A SOMEWHAT TIMID AND RESTRICTED DOCUMENT ONE THAT DOES NOT EXTEND ITSELF COMFORTABLY INTO AREAS LIKE WRITING FOR CITIZENSHIP OR INTO AREAS THAT ARE COMMON FEATURES OF CULTURAL STUDIES COMPOSITION CLASSES 7E CAN CERTAINLY ARGUE THAT OUR INTEREST IN RHETORICAL KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICULARLY THE POWER OF LANGUAGE CAN BE RECONSTITUTED INTO FULL SUPPORT FOR A CULTURAL STUDIES CURRICULUM !LTERNATIVELY WE COULD ARGUE THAT OUR INTEREST IN GENRE AND CRITICAL THINKING CAN SUPPORT EXER CISES LIKE 0ETER %LBOWS hLOOPING v WHERE WRITERS EXPLORE A NUMBER OF IMAGINARY SITUATIONS THAT CALL OUT VARIOUS VOICES AND GENRES )NDEED THE DRAFTERS AND REVISERS DID ARGUE THESE VERY POINTS AMONG THEMSELVES WHILE CONDENSING THE DOCUMENT INTO ITS CURRENT FORM 3TILL THE RESULT VENTURES INTO SUCH CONTROVERSIAL AND SPECIFIC AREAS ONLY BY INFERENCE -EANWHILE THE CONCISE DOCUMENT IS NOT EXACTLY hREADER FRIENDLYv )NSTEAD ITS BREVITY AND hPROFESSIONALv LANGUAGE CONVENIENTLY ALLOWED THE DRAFTERS TO GLOSS OVER MANY OF THESE CONTROVERSIES 4HE STEERING COMMITTEE THAT FINISHED THE DRAFTING WORKED DILIGENTLY AND THOUGHTFULLY AT EXPRESSING WHAT THE ENTIRE EFFORT HAD GENERATED SOLVING MANY RHETORICAL PROBLEMS ALONG THE WAY 9ET BY THAT POINT GLOBAL REVISION WAS BARELY POSSIBLE AND EVEN MORE QUESTIONABLY WISE 4HAT COM MITTEE WAS ONLY A SMALL GROUP WORKING WITHOUT STEADY REFERENCE TO ALL THE OTHER VOICES THAT HAD CONTRIBUTED BITS AND PIECES OF THE LANGUAGE )T COULD NOT ENTIRELY RECALL THE REASONS FOR SOME OF THE PHRASINGS WE CONSIDERED CHANGING MUCH LESS UNPACK ALL THE THINKING AND DISCUSSION THAT HAD GONE INTO THEM 7HILE WE HAD KEPT ARCHIVAL MATERIALS NO RECORD COULD PRESUME TO SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE COLLECTIVE 4HAT COMMITTEE DECIDED THAT ITS PROPER ROLE THEN WAS TO BRING OUT THE MESSAGE OF THE DOCUMENT WITH GREATER CLARITY NOT TO RETHINK IT WHOLESALE &OR THAT REASON THE FINISHED VERSION IS ESSENTIALLY AN EDITED AND RHETORICALLY REFINED VERSION OF THE BRIEF DRAFT THAT CAME OUT OF THE ONE DAY WORKSHOPA DRAFT THAT HAS NEVER TRULY BEEN REVISED THOROUGHLY IN A REFLECTIVE WAY .O ONE ALONG THE WAY
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EVEN EXPERIMENTED WITH A MORE DETAILED SPECIFIC AND THUS NECESSARILY MORE COMPLEX DOCUMENT 7HETHER THIS FACT INDICATES A PRUDENT RESTRAINT OR SIMPLY CONVENIENCE AND POSSIBLY EXHAUSTION REMAINS AN OPEN QUES TION *65*3<:065
7HEN THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS ADOPTED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THE /UTCOMES #OLLECTIVE BECAME AS THE TERM hADOPTIONv METAPHORICALLY SUGGESTS ITS BIRTH PARENT 4HE STATEMENT WILL ALWAYS CARRY OUR GENETIC MATERIAL BUT ITS LIFE WILL BE SHAPEDALREADY HAS BEEN SHAPEDMOSTLY BY ITS NEW SOCIAL POSITION 4HIS CHAPTER OFFERS SOME HEREDITARY INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL IN A HEALTH CRISIS BUT PERHAPS IT IS MOSTLY AN ACT OF LETTING GO WITH A SMALL PLEA TO BE REMEMBERED
: ;( 5 + ( 9 + : 6 < ; * 6 4 , : ( 5 + ( 3 3 ; / (; 1 ( A A 2H[OSLLU)SHRL@HUJL`
"EFORE WE TALK ABOUT STANDARDS OUTCOMES AND ALL THAT JAZZ WE BEST TALK ABOUT OBJECTIVES THE FOREBEARS OF STANDARDS AND OUTCOMES )N THE S ) TAUGHT EIGHTH GRADE IN 7ASHINGTON #OUNTY -ARYLAND )N ADDITION TO TEACHING OF COURSE WE WERE EXPECTED TO PERFORM OTHER TASKSEVERYTHING FROM PLAYING BASKETBALL IN THE FACULTY SHOOT OUT TO IDENTIFYING OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS FOR LEARNING .OW THIS LAST TASK MIGHT NOT BE AS EASY AS YOU THINK IT IS &OR INSTANCE SHOULD ALL THIRTEEN YEAR OLDS KNOW HOW TO USE THE SEMICOLON 3HOULD THEY USE IT ONLY TO SEPARATE INDE PENDENT CLAUSES OR TO SEPARATE ITEMS IN A LONG LIST ESPECIALLY ONE MARKED BY OTHER INTERNAL PUNCTUATION 3UPPOSE YOU DECIDE TO TEST THIS OBJECTIVE BY CREATING A BASIC TEST OF SEMICOLON USAGE %XACTLY WHAT WILL THE TEST LOOK LIKE 7ILL STUDENTS BE ASKED TO IDENTIFY ERRORS IN SEMICOLON USE /R WILL THEY BE ASKED TO IDENTIFY CORRECT INSTANCES OF SEMICOLON USE (OW WILL YOU SCORE THESE ITEMS 7ILL THEY ALL BE AT THE SAME LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY !ND ON A TEST OF TEN ITEMS HOW MANY ITEMS DO STUDENTS NEED TO COMPLETE CORRECTLY IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT SAY THAT THEY COULD USE THEM CORRECTLY 7HAT THEM /H YES SEMICOLONS 'IVEN A TEST OF TEN ITEMS ASKING STUDENTS TO USE THE SEMICOLON CORRECTLY TO SIGNAL THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN INDEPENDENT CLAUSES THEY WILL GET PER CENT OF THE ITEMS CORRECT &ORTUNATELYOR NOT NO ONE ASKED US TO DETERMINE IF STUDENTS WERE USING THE SEMICOLON IN THEIR WRITING AT ALL ,30!#% &AST FORWARD TWO DECADES AND THE PARADIGM SHIFTS FROM OBJECTIVES TO STANDARDS /F COURSE INTEREST IN STANDARDS ISNT LIMITED TO EDUCATION !T A CERTAIN LEVEL WE ALL WANT STANDARDS AND WE ALL RELY ON THOSE STANDARDS BEING MET 7E WANT THE PHYSICIANS CARING FOR OUR LOVED ONES TO BE BOARD CERTIFIED AND WE WANT THAT CERTIFICATION MAINTAINED !ND MOST OF US WANT TEACHERS WHO LIKEWISE MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS THOUGH WE MIGHT DISAGREE ON WHAT THOSE STANDARDS SHOULD BE AND HOW THEY MIGHT BEST BE IMPLE
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MENTED )N GENERAL WE THINK STANDARDS ARE A GOOD THING BECAUSE THROUGH THEM WE HAVE SOME ASSURANCE THAT PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE hTRUSTWOR THYv THEY HAVE MET SOME MINIMAL LEVEL OF SAFETY OR QUALITY 3TANDARDS IN EDUCATION ARE MEANT TO FUNCTION SIMILARLY IN THIS CASE TO ASSURE THAT STUDENTS MEET CERTAIN LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT 2ECENTLY EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO SCHOOL REFORM ESPECIALLY IN THE +n CONTEXT !S 2ICHARD -URNANE AN ADVOCATE OF REFORM BASED STANDARDS EXPLAINS THE RECENT DRIVE FOR STANDARDS INCLUDES A QUEST FOR QUALITY IN STUDENT PERFORMANCE !T THE SAME TIME HOWEVER THE EMPHASIS ON STANDARDS IN THE CONTEXT OF SCHOOL REFORM IS EQUALLY INFORMED BY A DESIRE TO LEVEL THE EDUCATIONAL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL STUDENTS !CCORDING TO -URNANE STANDARDS THAT ARE REQUIRED UNIFORMLYOF ALL CHILDREN IN ALL SCHOOLSCAN LEAD TO EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES 3O WHILE -URNANE CONCEDES THAT THE STANDARDS BASED REFORM IS IMPERFECT HE ARGUES THAT THE PRESSURE THEY BRING AND THEIR CONNECTION TO REFORM EXERT AN EQUALIZING EFFECT -URNANE -URNANE UNDERSTANDS THAT EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ARE A VEHICLE NOT THE GOAL #ONSEQUENTLY HE SUGGESTS TWO CHECKS LOW INCOME AND MINOR ITY CHILDREN MUST BE ASSURED HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND COMMITTED AND SUCCESSFUL EDUCATORS SHOULD NOT BE HAMSTRUNG BY THE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS ASSOCIATED WITH STANDARDS (E ALSO ARGUES THAT TESTING FORMATS ARE OFTEN TOO NARROW TO PERMIT ACCESS TO CHILDRENS CRITICAL THINKING ABILITIES AND HE BELIEVES THAT TOO MUCH TIME IS SPENT ON TEST TAKING SKILLS -URNANE 3TILL -URNANE BELIEVES THAT STANDARDS WORK TOWARD EQUAL ACCESS TO QUALITY EDUCATION !N APPETITE FOR STANDARDS IS LIKEWISE TAKING HOLD IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION 2ONALD (ENRY PROVOST AT 'EORGIA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY MAKES AN ARGUMENT FOR STANDARDS THAT PARALLELS -URNANES AND IN SOME WAYS GOES BEYOND IT !T 'EORGIA 3TATE STANDARDS ARE BEING USED TO GENERATE TWO INITIATIVES BOTH CONNECTED TO CREATING A MORE COHERENT CURRICULUM h4HE FIRST AIMS TO ESTABLISH STANDARDS FOR EXIT AND TRANSFER AND THE SECOND ESTABLISHES DISCIPLINARY STANDARDS WITHIN UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS &OR BOTH PROJECTS THE GOAL IS TO FOSTER AN INTEGRATED CURRICULUM HELPING STUDENTS TO MAKE MORE COHERENT COURSE SELECTIONS AND TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTAND ING NOT ONLY OF THE WAYS THAT THOSE COURSES INTERSECT BUT ALSO OF THE MATE RIAL IN THE COURSESv (ENRY "UT CURRICULUM ISNT THE WHOLE STORY AT 'EORGIA 3TATE 3TANDARDS THERE ALSO SIGNAL A BASIC SHIFTFROM A CREDIT BASED METHOD OF ACCOUNTING FOR COMPETENCE OR PROFICIENCY TO A MASTERY BASED SYSTEM !S (ENRY EXPLAINS
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4O SET STANDARDS IS TO DEMAND A CERTAIN LEVEL OF MASTERY RATHER THAN ASKING STUDENTS MERELY TO COMPLETE A SET OF CREDIT REQUIREMENTS )N ORDER TO BE EFFEC TIVE THOSE STANDARDS SHOULD BE HIGH ACHIEVABLE AND CREDITABLE TO ALL PARTIES INCLUDING STUDENTS FACULTY THE LAY PUBLIC AND POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS %QUALLY IMPORTANT WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING ACADEMIC STANDARDS WILL MAKE OUR EDUCATIONAL GOALS A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD AND DEBATE BRING ING TRANSPARENCY TO THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM PRE SCHOOL THROUGH BACCALAUREATE 0 (ENRY
)N THESE TERMS STANDARDS ACT AS A CHECK ON THE STUDENTS AS WELL AS ON COURSES 4HE COURSES THEMSELVES IN OTHER WORDS ARE INSUFFICIENT PROOF SOMETHING MORE IS REQUIRED !S IMPORTANT STANDARDS THEMSELVES PROVIDE A KIND OF LANGUAGE THAT MAKES SENSE OF SCHOOLING FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH COLLEGE GRADUATION 7HAT MANYPARENTS TEACHERS EVEN STUDENTSFEAR IS THAT STANDARDS AND STANDARDIZED TEXTS WILL LEAD TO A STANDARDIZED CURRICULUMWHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE 5NITED +INGDOM 4HERE THE CURRICULUM IS IMPLEMENTED IN A HIGHLY HIERARCHICAL CENTRALIZED WAY ! CENTRAL TEAM TRAINS ,OCAL %DUCATION !UTHORITY ,%! TRAINERS WHO THEN TRAIN hLITERACY COORDINATORSv FROM EACH SCHOOL WHO IN TURN TRAIN COLLEAGUES ON PROFES SIONAL DAYS AND IN hTWILIGHTv SESSIONSv ,OFTY !LTHOUGH THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN OPERATING FOR ONLY ABOUT THREE YEARS ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT TEACHERS THERE DO SEE A hGAINv IN THE CURRICULUM IN TERMS OF hCOVERAGE BALANCE AND RIGORv !T THE SAME TIME THEY SEE THOSE GAINS OFFSET BY SERIOUS LOSSES hFEWER CURRICULAR INNOVATIONSv AND hLESS IMAGINA TIVE TEACHINGv 4HAT THE TEACHING WOULD BE LESS DIVERGENT IS NOT SURPRISING GIVEN THE WAY THAT CURRICULUM IS DELIVEREDAND THEN TESTED !DVOCATES OF STANDARDS THEN SEE THEM AS HELPFUL FOR MANY PURPOSES COMMUNICATION HIGH ACHIEVEMENT EQUALITY AND REFORM 7HICH IS NOT TO SAY THAT EVERYONE LIKES STANDARDS OF COURSE AND A BRIEF EXAMINATION OF STANDARDS AND THEIR EFFECTS IN 4EXAS HELPS EXPLAIN WHY 3OME TIME AGO 4EXAS IMPLEMENTED A SYSTEM OF STANDARDSOR LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENTFOR + STUDENTS 3TUDENTS DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY CAN MEET THE STANDARDS BY PERFORMING WELL ON A STANDARDIZED TEST )N OTHER WORDS THE MEASURE OF QUALITY FOR THE STANDARDS IS ACHIEVEMENT ON A SET OF STANDARDIZED TESTS 7HEN PEOPLE REFER TO STANDARDS IN 4EXAS THEN THEY CAN MEAN THE LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT STIPULATED BY THE STATE THE TESTS THEMSELVES OR BOTH ! FOURTH MEANING IS ONLY IMPLIED BUT ALL TOO COMMON "ECAUSE 4EXAS HAS ARTICULATED WHATS EXPECTED AND BECAUSE
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IT REQUIRES STUDENTS TO MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS THERE IS AN ACCOMPANYING ASSUMPTION THAT 4EXAS STANDARDS ARE HIGH THAT 4EXAS SCHOOLS ARE GOOD AND THAT 4EXAS STUDENTS ARE LEARNING WELL IF THEY SCORE WELL ON THE TESTS )N OTHER WORDS THE STANDARDS THEMSELVES ARE TRANSLATED TO MEAN EXCELLENCE !S IT TURNS OUT BOTH FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF OPPONENTS OF STANDARDS AND FROM RESEARCHERS AT THE 2AND #ORPORATION +LEIN ET AL STAN DARDS DONT PROMISE EXCELLENCE AND MEETING THEM DOESNT ASSURE IT EITHER AND THIS CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT STANDARDS MEAN IS PROBLEM TWO #RITICS OF STANDARDS HAVE SUGGESTED THAT 4EXAS STUDENTS HAVE PERFORMED SO WELL ON THE TESTS BECAUSE THE BENCHMARKS ARE SO LOW )F THIS IS AN ACCURATE DESCRIPTION THEN THE STANDARDS ARENT PRODUCING THE DESIRED EFFECT WHICH IS A RISE IN ACHIEVEMENT !ND EVEN IF THESE CRITICS ARE WRONG THE 2AND #ORPORATION RESEARCHERS WHO REVIEWED THE TEST RESULTS SAY THAT WHATEVER THE STUDENTS PERFORMANCE ON THE TESTS THEY CANT DO WHAT THE TESTS ARE SUPPOSED TO MEASURE THAT IS THINK CRITICALLY AND IMAGINATIVELY )N OTHER WORDS THE EFFECTS OF THE STANDARDS IN 4EXAS ACCORDING TO THIS RESEARCH REPORT IS TO PRODUCE STUDENTS WHO CAN TAKE TESTS BUT DO LITTLE ELSE 4HE MOTIVATION FOR STANDARDS AS WE HAVE SEEN CAN BE ADMIRABLE IN KEEPING WITH THE BEST INTENTIONS OF A DEMOCRACY !T THE SAME TIME HOW EVER WHAT THE WORD STANDARDS CAN MEAN VARIES WIDELY THEY CAN BE IMPLE MENTED VERY DIFFERENTLY ONE PLACE TO THE NEXT AND THEY CAN YIELD EFFECTS CONTRARY TO THEIR INTENT ,30!#% /UTCOMES PROVIDES ANOTHER WAY OF TALKING ABOUT AND UNDERSTANDING CURRIC ULAR WORK 2ATHER THAN FOCUSING ON THE SPECIFICS OF A SEMICOLON OR ON THE LEVEL AT WHICH STUDENTS SHOULD PERFORM OUTCOMES FOCUS ON WHAT WE MIGHT CALL THE WHAT OF EDUCATION 4HROUGH THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT STUDENTS TO KNOW TO UNDERSTAND AND TO DO AT THE CONCLUSION OF A COURSE A PROGRAM A MAJOR WE BEGIN TO ARTICULATE OUR EXPECTATIONS OR OUTCOMES ! SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUTCOMES AND OBJECTIVES IS THAT OBJECTIVES TEND TO BE VERY SPECIFIC STATEMENTS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND THE STANDARDS FOR ACHIEVEMENT FOR EACH OBJECTIVETHE CORRECTION OF SEMICOLONS AT PERCENT FOR INSTANCEARE LIKEWISE STIPULATED 7HILE OUTCOMES ARTICULATE THE CURRICULUM THEY DO NOT SPECIFY HOW WELL STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW OR UNDERSTAND OR DO WHAT THE CURRICULUM INTENDS )N OTHER WORDS BECAUSE OUTCOMES ARE NOT BENCHMARKED AGAINST LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS OR INSTITUTIONS CAN HAVE THE SAME CURRICULAR OUTCOMES BUT HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHEN AND HOW WELL THEY WANT STUDENTS TO PERFORM ! SECOND SIGNIFICANT FACTOR IS THAT OUTCOMES TEND TO ACT AS CURRICULAR
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FRAMEWORKS THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT MEANS THAT AN INSTITUTION COULD HAVE MORE THAN ONE FRAMEWORK OPERATING SIMULTANEOUSLY &OR EXAMPLE AS IN THE CASE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SEVERAL COMPOSITION PROGRAMS HAVE THEIR LOCAL OUTCOMES PLOTTED AGAINST THESE NATIONAL OUTCOMES -ORE GENERALLY THEN WE MIGHT SAY THAT OUTCOMES PROVIDE A KIND OF CUR RICULAR STABILITY WITHOUT BEING VERY INVASIVEWHICH IN PART EXPLAINS THEIR APPEAL !NOTHER IMPORTANT FEATURE OF OUTCOMES IS THAT THEY TEND TO BE USED AS MUCH OR EVEN MORE FOR PROGRAM ASSESSMENT THAN FOR INDIVIDUAL ASSESS MENT )N OTHER WORDS TESTS CONNECTED TO OBJECTIVES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TARGETED TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT AND WHILE RESULTS OF STANDARDIZED TESTS ARE SOMETIMES AGGREGATED SO THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT A GENERAL KIND OF PER FORMANCESAY THAT OF A SCHOOL OR EVEN A STATETHAT AGGREGATION IS BASED ON A SUMMING OF THE TESTS RESULTS FROM EVERY STUDENT 0ROGRAM ASSESSMENT OPER ATES QUITE DIFFERENTLY PRECISELY BECAUSE IT SEEKS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COURSE THE PROGRAM THE DISTRICT OR THE INSTITUTION !CCORDINGLY IT TENDS TO LOOK AT BOTH PRODUCT AND PROCESS IT PREFERS REAL PROBLEMS AND RHETORICAL SITUATIONS TO ITEMS WITH PREDIGESTED ANSWERS AND IT CAN MAKE OBSERVATIONS BY EXAMINING THE WORK OF A SELECTED SAMPLE OF STUDENTS 4O ILLUSTRATE THEN PROGRAM ASSESSMENT DOESNT ASK HOW MUCH A SPECIFIC STU DENT HAS LEARNED BUT HOW MUCH LEARNING IS TAKING PLACE AMONG ALL THE STUDENTS WHY THAT LEARNING IS TAKING PLACE AND HOW WE CAN HELP MORE AND BETTER LEARNING TAKE PLACE )N OTHER WORDS OUTCOMES BASED PROGRAM ASSESSMENT TENDS TO ADDRESS BOTH TEACHING AND LEARNING AND IS VESTED IN HELPING BOTH AS OUTCOMES ORIENTED QUESTIONS LIKE THESE SUGGEST s 7HAT KNOWLEDGE UNDERSTANDING AND SKILLS DO STUDENTS ACQUIRE AS A FUNC TION OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM s !T THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PROGRAM WHAT DO STUDENTS KNOW 7HAT CAN THEY DO s (OW DOES THIS COMPARE WITH THE KINDS OF THINKING KNOWING AND DOING WE SAW IN THE BEGINNING OF THEIR STUDENT CAREERS s 7HAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO STUDENTS DEVELOPMENT 7HAT HAS HINDERED IT s (OW CAN YOU TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED IN THIS PROCESS AND ENHANCE YOUR PROGRAM
)N ADDITION TO THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH OUTCOMES WHATS ALSO INTERESTING ABOUT THEM IS THE FREEDOM THEY ALLOW FOR CURRICULAR SPE CIFICSFOR DIFFERENT TEACHING STYLES DIVERSE PEDAGOGIES MULTIPLE KINDS OF ASSIGNMENTS DIRECT AND INDIRECT RESPONSE STRATEGIES AND SO ON 7HATS
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IMPORTANT FROM AN OUTCOMES PERSPECTIVE IS THE STUDENTS FINAL PERFOR MANCE AND THERE IS AN IMPLICIT RECOGNITION WITHIN OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT THAT THERE ARE MANY LEGITIMATE WAYS TO GET TO 2OME 3UCH AN APPROACH THE MIRROR IMAGE OF THE 5+ STANDARDSPERMITS MAXIMUM AND APPROPRI ATE FREEDOMFOR BOTH STUDENTS AND FACULTY ,30!#% )T MAY APPEAR THAT )VE MUDDIED THE WATERS SOME ON THE ONE HAND )M TALKING ABOUT OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT AND ON THE OTHER )M TALKING ABOUT OUTCOMES AS CURRICULUM !S IN MANY THINGS HOWEVER ITS NOT REALLY EITHEROR ,ET ME EXPLAIN 4HE ORIGINAL IMPULSE FOR OUTCOMES CAME FROM A NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND ENHANCE PROGRAMS IT WAS AN ASSESSMENT IMPULSE TRUE ENOUGH !ND ACCREDITING AGENCIES INTERESTED AS THEY ARE IN MOTIVATING ENHANCEMENT ENCOURAGED OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT .OW WHATS GERMANE HERE IS THE BAL ANCE BETWEEN THE LOCAL AND THE GLOBAL THAT WE SEE IN THE ACTIONS OF ACCRED ITING AGENCIES )N ONE SENSE THEY ACT AS AN AGENT FOR THE GLOBAL SINCE THEY ENSURE THAT INSTITUTIONS IN FACT ENACT THEIR OWN MISSIONS THATS THE GLOBAL MANDATE THAT THEY ENFORCE /N THE OTHER HAND THE INSTITUTIONS MISSIONS ARE UNIQUE ONE TO THE NEXT EACH IS THE EMBODIMENT OF LOCAL 3O THERE IS A BALANCE IN THIS ASSESSMENT THAT INCLUDES BOTH LOCAL AND GLOBAL !T THE SAME TIME AS )VE WORKED MORE WITH OUTCOMES GENERALLY WITH THIS STATEMENT PARTICULARLY AND WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT GROUPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IT SEEMS INCREASINGLY CLEAR TO ME THAT OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT IS IRONICALLY AN EXERCISE IN CURRICULUM MUCH MORE THAN IN ASSESSMENT )T IS THROUGH ARTICULATING OUR EXPECTATIONS THAT WE CREATE OUTCOMES THAT WE THEN HAVE THESE TO SHARE WITH STUDENTS THAT WE BEGIN TO THINK NOT OF WHATS BARELY DOABLE BUT OF WHATS VISIONARY FOR OUR STUDENTSAND FOR OURSELVES ,30!#% )N CALLING OURSELVES AND OUR STUDENTS TO WHATS VISIONARY WE CREATE VERY NEW AND DIFFERENT OUTCOMES INDEED
6 < ; * 6 4 , : ( 9 , 5 6 ; 4 ( 5 + (; , : - 6 9 : ;( 5 + ( 9 + 0 A (; 0 6 5 4HYR>PSL`
!LTHOUGH OFFICIAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT CAN PROVIDE NEEDED COHERENCE STABILITY AND POLITICAL POWER FOR WRITING PROGRAMS AND COMPOSITION COURSES THESE OUTCOMES CAN ALSO BE MISINTERPRETED AND CONSEQUENTLY PUT TO USES DETRIMENTAL TO THE SPIRIT WITHIN WHICH THEY WERE DELIBERATED DRAFTED AND PUBLICLY ADVOCATED %XAMINING CRITICISMS OF RECENT STANDARDS BASED REFORM EFFORTS CAN BE INSTRUCTIVE IN TERMS OF POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES THAT THOSE OF US WHO WORKED ON THIS /UTCOMES PROJECT HOPE TO AVOID 5 , , + - 6 9 : ;( 5 +( 9 + : 0 5 ; / , * 6 5 ; , ? ; 6 - + 0 : * 0 7 3 0 5 ( 9 @ 9 , - 6 9 4
4HE PUSH FOR NATIONAL STANDARDS IN SUBJECT MATTER DISCIPLINES BEGAN IN EARNEST IN THE EARLY S ON THE HEELS OF 'OALS LEGISLATION #ERTAINLY SUCH REFORM EFFORTS ARE NOT NEW AND DEMONSTRATE HOW THE DISCIPLINE OF %NGLISH HAS RESPONDED TO LARGER POLITICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC CHANGES 4HE CURRENT STANDARDS MOVEMENT PARTICULARLY IN THE LANGUAGE ARTS IS THE CULMINATION OF SEVERAL REFORM EFFORTS OVER THE LAST ONE HUNDRED YEARS -ILES -YERS IDENTIFIES FIVE KEY AREAS WHERE SHIFTS HAVE OCCURRED AS THE RESULT OF SUCH NATIONALLY ORGANIZED DISCIPLINARY PROJECTS AS THE .%!S #OMMITTEE OF 4EN 0ROJECT %NGLISH THE $ARTMOUTH #ONFERENCE AND MOST RECENTLY THE %NGLISH #OALITION #ONFERENCE %NGLISH IS NO LONGER A COURSE FOR THE FEW BUT FOR THE MANY 4HE DEFINITION OF THE LEARNER HAS SHIFTED FROM PASSIVE RECEIVER TO ACTIVE CONSTRUCTOR OF MEANING 4HE ROLE OF LITERARY STUDIES IS NO LONGER TO DELIVER READINGS OF MORAL TOUCH STONES BUT TO CONSTRUCT READINGS WITHIN DIVERSE CULTURAL SETTINGS %DUCATION HAS MOVED FROM STRICTLY LOCAL AGENCIES TO AN INTERACTION OF SCHOOL SITES WITH FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES 4HE PUBLIC POLICY ROLE OF NATIONAL SUBJECT MATTER ORGANIZATIONS HAS SHIFTED FROM A MINIMAL TO A MAJOR ROLE
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!S -YERS INDICATES EDUCATION IS NO LONGER SOLELY UNDER LOCAL CONTROL AND NATIONAL SUBJECT MATTER ORGANIZATIONS PLAY A MUCH LARGER POLITICAL ROLE IN TERMS OF PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES 0LAYING A LARGER ROLE IN PUBLIC POLICY IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE DISCIPLINE OF LANGUAGE ARTS ALONG WITH HISTORY IS A KEY AREA IN PUBLIC EDUCATION WHERE CULTURAL CONFLICTS ARE MOST CLEARLY VISIBLE 7HAT GETS TAUGHT IN h%NGLISHv CLASS AS WELL AS WHAT STANDARDS OF LANGUAGE USAGE ARE IDENTIFIED AND ENFORCED WILL ALWAYS BE ISSUES DEBATED NOT ONLY WITHIN THE DISCIPLINE BUT IN THE WIDER PUBLIC REALM AS WELL 4HE READING WARS AND DEBATES OVER WHOLE LANGUAGE HAVE MADE HEADLINES THROUGHOUT THE S WHILE RECENT EXAMPLES MORE GERMANE TO COMPO SITION STUDIES ARE THE WELL PUBLICIZED BATTLE OVER COURSE CONTENT AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF 4EXASn!USTIN AS WELL AS CURRENT BATTLES IN SEVERAL STATES OVER THE PLACE OF REMEDIAL EDUCATION ON UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES * 9 0 ; 0 * 0 : 4 : 6 - : ;( 5 +( 9 + :
4HE SETTING OF DISCIPLINARY STANDARDS IS BOTH A PRAGMATIC AND POLITICAL RESPONSE TO WHAT THE MEDIA SOMETIMES IMPLIES IS A GROWING INCOHERENCE IN AND IRRELEVANCE OF THE FIELD OF %NGLISH STUDIES .ONETHELESS STANDARDS BASED REFORM THOUGH GAINING MOMENTUM IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY HAS ALSO GENERATED ITS SHARE OF CRITICISM /NE OF THE PREVALENT CHARGES IS THAT SETTING STANDARDS MEANS STANDARDIZATIONTHAT IS STANDARD IZING THE CURRICULUM IN A GIVEN SUBJECT MATTER AREA SO THAT TEACHERS HAVE NO CHOICE IN WHAT THEY TEACH 3EVERE CONSTRAINTS ON WHAT IS TAUGHT CAN ALSO OFTEN LIMIT HOW ONE TEACHES !DDING SUBSTANCE TO THIS CHARGE OF STANDARDIZATION IS THE FACT THAT STATE AND NATIONAL ASSESSMENTS ARE AT THE TOP OF THE AGENDAS OF MANY POLITICIANS 3TANDARDIZATION THEREFORE MEANS TEACHER COMPLIANCE WITH COMPLIANCE MANAGED AND ENFORCED THROUGH STANDARDIZED TESTING #RITICS CONTEND THAT SETTING STANDARDS AND ENFORCING THEM THROUGH TEST ING ENCROACHES ON TEACHERS FREEDOM AND UNDERMINES CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO JUDGE WHAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR STUDENTS -OREOVER 3USAN /HANIAN A STRIDENT CRITIC OF STANDARDS ARGUES THAT THOSE WHO SET THEM OVERLOOK VARIABILITY IN STUDENT ABILITY AND INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT 3HE FEARS THAT STANDARDS WILL FORCE STUDENTS TO MARCH LOCKSTEP THROUGH A GIVEN CURRICULUM WITH EACH STUDENT EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE AT THE SAME LEVEL AT THE SAME TIME 4HE DIFFERENCES IN THE WAYS STUDENTS LEARN AND DEVELOP WOULD BECOME A LIABILITY AND INSTEAD OF THE PROMISE OFFERED BY PROPO NENTS OF STANDARDS BASED REFORM THAT ALL STUDENTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO DEM ONSTRATE PROFICIENCY ONLY THOSE WHO CAN BE MOLDED INTO THE NEW ONE SIZE
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FITS ALL CURRICULUM WILL BE SUCCESSFUL /HANIAN LABELS THOSE PUTTING FORTH STANDARDS hSTANDARDISTOSv WHO SHE CLAIMS IGNORE THE NEEDS OF REAL STUDENTS h) KNOW THAT BEING A TEACHER MEANS HONORING AND NURTURING ODDBALL KIDS KIDS WHO DONT MEET THE NEIGHBORHOODS STANDARDS "EING A TEACHER MEANS GIVING KIDS TIME AND SPACE TO WORK OUT SOME KINKS )N THE NAME OF @PRE PARING THE WORKFORCE OF THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY 3TANDARDISTOS INSIST ON A UNIFORMITARIAN CURRICULUM DELIVERED ON SCHEDULE TAKING A NINETEENTH CENTURY INSTRUMENTALIST POSITION THEY TREAT EDUCATION AS A COMMODITY TO BE REGULATED BUT NOT PAID FOR BY THE GOVERNMENT 4HEY SEE EDUCATION AS SOMETHING EXTERNAL TO THE CHILD AS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SHRINK WRAPPED AND DELIVERED LIKE MEALS TO A JUMBO JETv 4HE IDIOSYNCRASIES OF LEARNING AND THE UNIQUE PROFILES OF INDIVIDUAL LEARNERS AS DRAMATIZED IN SUCH RECENT WORKS AS -EL ,EVINES ! -IND AT A 4IME LEND INDIRECT SUPPORT FOR /HANIANS CRITICISMS THAT STANDARDS IN PRACTICE DO NOT ENABLE SO MUCH AS CONFINE EACH CHILD IN AN EDUCATIONAL STRAIGHTJACKET 4OM &OX CRITICIZES THE STANDARDS MOVEMENT AS A VEILED ATTEMPT TO LIMIT ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRADITION ALLY EXCLUDED GROUPS (ISTORICALLY &OX ARGUES THE USE OF STANDARDS DOES NOT LEVEL THE EDUCATIONAL PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL BUT INSTEAD CREATES ADDI TIONAL INSTITUTIONAL BARRIERS FOR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND STUDENTS OF COLOR &OX IS NOT ARGUING AGAINST STANDARDS IN PRINCIPLE BUT AGAINST THE SEEMING INEVITABLE HARMFUL SOCIAL AND POLITICAL USES TO WHICH THEY ARE PUT )N HIS EVEN HANDED CRITIQUE OF STANDARDS %LLIOT %ISNER NOTES THAT CURRENT REFORM EFFORTS ECHO LONG FAMILIAR GOALS IN EDUCATION TO BE PRECISE ABOUT WHAT WE TEACH AND TO DELIVER INSTRUCTION AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE %ISNER RECOGNIZES THE VALUE OF CLEAR STANDARDS IN SETTING HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND INFUSING RIGOR SUBSTANCE DIRECTION AND COHERENCE INTO THE CURRICULUM (OWEVER HE ALSO REMINDS US THAT THE QUEST FOR CERTAINTY IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE WAS THE HALLMARK OF THE h@EFFICIENCY MOVEMENT IN EDUCATION v A REFORM EFFORT POPULAR IN THE EARLY PART OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY AND BASED ON &REDERICK 4AYLORS GOAL TO MAKE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY LESS WASTEFUL AND MORE EFFICIENT 4HE QUEST FOR CERTAINTY AND EFFICIENCY ALSO CHARACTERIZED ATTEMPTS IN THE S TO ESTABLISH BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES FOR STUDENT LEARNING %ISNER OBSERVES THAT BOTH OF THESE MOVEMENTS FAILED 7ITH BEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES IT SOON BECAME APPARENT THAT HUNDREDS OF THEM NEEDED TO BE SPECIFIED AND THE RESULT WAS THAT TEACHERS WERE OVERWHELMED 4OO MUCH SPECIFICITY PROVED TO BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE A FEW OBJECTIVES WERE MUCH BETTER THAN THE MINUTIAE CONTAINED IN THE HUNDREDS )N ATTEMPTS TO hTAYLORIZEv EDUCATION
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ADMINISTRATORS SOON DISCOVERED THAT EVEN IF ONE COULD PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH SCRIPTS OF WHAT TO DO HOUR TO HOUR IN THE CLASSROOM STUDENTS WOULD NOT FOLLOW THEM n 2EPEATING A THEME IN /HANIANS CRITICISM OF STANDARDS %ISNER GOES ON TO CLAIM THAT SETTING STANDARDS IS FUTILE AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE IF SUCH EFFORTS FAIL TO RECOGNIZE THE VARIABILITY IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT h)F YOU EXAMINE THE PATTERNS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT FOR CHILDREN FROM AGE FIVE TO EIGHTEEN YOU WILL FIND THAT AS CHILDREN GROW OLDER THEIR RATE OF DEVELOPMENT IS INCREASINGLY VARIABLE 4HUS THE RANGE OF VARIATION AMONG CHILDREN OF THE SAME AGE INCREASES WITH TIMEv !S AN EXAMPLE OF THIS VARIABILITY %ISNER CITES THE AVERAGE RANGE OF READ ING ACHIEVEMENT AS APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS (E CLAIMS THAT IN SECOND GRADE SOME STUDENTS READ AT THE FIRST GRADE LEVEL SOME AT THE SECOND AND SOME AT THE THIRD "UT AT THE FOURTH GRADE LEVEL THE RANGE IN READING ACHIEVEMENT IS ABOUT FOUR YEARS WHILE IN THE SEVENTH GRADE SOME STUDENTS READ AT THE FOURTH GRADE LEVEL AND OTHERS AT THE TENTH GRADE WITH EVERY ONE ELSE FALLING SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN n h6ARIABILITY NOT UNIFOR MITY IS THE HALLMARK OF THE HUMAN CONDITION v %ISNER ARGUES SO STUDENTS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO MEET GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS WITH ANY CONSISTENCY ) SHARE %ISNERS /HANIANS AND OTHER CRITICS CONCERNS OVER STANDARDS AS AN ATTEMPT TO SEVERELY LIMIT AND MICROMANAGE EDUCATION WHILE IGNOR ING THE FACTS OF VARIABILITY IN HOW AND WHEN HUMAN BEINGS LEARN "UT THESE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES NEED NOT BE THE INEVITABLE RESULTS OF SETTING STANDARDS WHEN STANDARDS ARE USED TO PROVIDE DIRECTION AND GOALS FOR TEACHING 4HE /UTCOMES PROJECT WAS NOT INTENDED TO hSTANDARDIZEv POST SECONDARY COMPOSITION CURRICULA BUT TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR COURSE AND PROGRAM DESIGN AND TO INFORM THE CURRICULAR AND PEDAGOGIC DECISIONS OF INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS ) RECOGNIZE THOUGH THAT JUST AS STANDARDS CAN BE MISUSED SO CAN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT <505;,5+,+,--,*;:
)T IS POSSIBLE THAT AT SOME INSTITUTIONS THESE OUTCOMES WILL BE MISINTER PRETED PRECISELY IN ORDER TO IMPOSE A UNIFORM CURRICULUM UPON THE COM POSITION PROGRAM )NDIVIDUAL TEACHERS MIGHT BE FORCED TO USE A COMMON SYLLABUS TEXT AND A REDUCTIVE FORM OF ASSESSMENT TO EVALUATE STUDENT WRITING AT THE END OF THE TERM ) DONT BELIEVE THOUGH THAT KNOWLEDGE ABLE WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS WILL SO NARROWLY INTERPRET AND APPLY THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 2ATHER MISINTERPRETATION IS MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN SITUATIONS WHERE WRITING PROGRAMS ARE BEING PRESSURED TO SHOW
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MEASURABLE RESULTS OF THEIR EFFORTS 0RESSURE FROM UPPER LEVEL ADMINISTRA TORS ON THE COMPOSITION PROGRAM TO DEMONSTRATE ITS VALUE THROUGH MEA SURABLE RESULTS MIGHT FORCE SOME 70!S TO SELECT AND TRANSLATE ASPECTS OF THE DOCUMENT THAT CAN BE RELIABLY QUANTIFIED THROUGH END OF TERM EXAMS 3INCE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DOES NOT SPECIFY HOW EACH OF ITS ELEMENTS IS TO BE WEIGHTED SOME LOCAL PROGRAM DIRECTORS COULD ISOLATE AND PRIVI LEGE A FEW OF THE INDIVIDUAL OUTCOMES WHILE IGNORING THE REMAINDER 4HEY COULD FOR INSTANCE DECIDE TO FORCE ALL STUDENTS TO MEET THE CONVENTIONS OF 3TANDARD %DITED %NGLISH SINCE THIS IS ONE OUTCOME MOST SUITABLE TO ASSESSMENT BY NARROWLY CONCEIVED EMPIRICAL MEASURES AND ONE THE PUBLIC TYPICALLY IDENTIFIES WITH WHAT TEACHING h%NGLISHv IS ALL ABOUT #URRENT PRES SURE FELT BY COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES NATIONWIDE TO ASSESS STUDENT LEARNING CAN UNFORTUNATELY FEED INTO THIS IMPULSE TO REDUCE WRITING TO ITS LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR IE hBASIC SKILLSv OF GRAMMAR USAGE SPELLING AND PUNCTUATION AND FORMAL ELEMENTS OF ESSAYS ASSOCIATED WITH FORMULAIC WRIT ING SEE 7ILEY A 4HE PRESSURE TO STANDARDIZE WRITING CURRICULA BASED ON THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MAY BE WORSE AT INSTITUTIONS WHERE PROGRAM DIRECTORS AND FACULTY ARE UNAWARE OF RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP IN COMPOSITION STUDIES AND WHO SEE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET ALL FACULTY TO FOLLOW THE SAME SYLLABUS IN ORDER TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY FROM SECTION TO SECTION IN THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSE 3INCE WRITING PROGRAM DIRECTORS OFTEN DO NOT HAVE AS MUCH POWER AS OTHER ADMINISTRATORS AND SINCE THE WRITING FACULTY ARE TYPICALLY EITHER GRADUATE STUDENTS OR PART TIM ERS THIS PRESSURE TO STANDARDIZE EASILY WINS OUT !DDING TO THIS PRESSURE TO CONFORM THE JOB PERFORMANCES OF WRITING FACULTY COULD BE BASED ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ON END OF SEMESTER EXAMS THAT MEASURE HOW MANY OUTCOMES WERE REACHED !S A RESULT UNINTENDED hOUTCOMESv OF THE DOCUMENT COULD BE THAT NOTHING CHANGES IN ONE SCENARIO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS INTERPRETED AS A MANDATE TO PRESCRIBE A WRITING CURRICULUM NO DIFFERENT FROM THE PRE VIOUS ONE EXCEPT THAT NOW THIS hNEWv CURRICULUM ACQUIRES STATUS BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN ADVOCATED BY RECOGNIZED NATIONAL AUTHORITIES )N THE SECOND SCENARIO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BECOMES A RATIONALE FOR RETURNING TO A LOCALLY INTERPRETED VERSION OF A REDUCTIVE BASIC SKILLS CURRICULUM ( / ( 7 7 0 , 9 , 5 + 0 5 . > / 0 * / 0 : 9 , ( 3 3@ ( ) , . 0 5 5 0 5 .
,ET ME EMPHASIZE THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS NOT MEANT TO DICTATE COURSE CONTENT NOR TO SPECIFY PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 4HE TERM OUTCOME
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IS DEFINED AS THE KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND UNDERSTANDING STUDENTS HAVE ACTUALLY ACHIEVED AS THE RESULT OF THEIR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES )N THIS SENSE THESE OUTCOMES FOR COMPOSITION ARE SIMILAR TO THE NATIONAL CONTENT STANDARDS IN THE LANGUAGE ARTS DEVELOPED JOINTLY BY THE .#4% AND )2! WHICH ARE INTENDED TO GUIDE NOT TO DICTATE LOCAL CURRICULAR DECISIONS SEE THE .ATIONAL #OUNCIL OF 4EACHERS OF %NGLISH)NTERNATIONAL 2EADING !SSOCIATIONS 3TANDARDS FOR THE %NGLISH ,ANGUAGE !RTS 3INCE THE TERM STANDARD IS USED IN SEVERAL QUITE DIFFERENT CONTEXTS IT CAN BE CONFUSING #ONTENT STANDARDS ARE NOT hPERFORMANCE STANDARDSv AND NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH OTHER STANDARDS FOR ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS OR TEACHERS OR WITH STANDARDS SPECIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN SEE #ROSS ,OVELESS !TKIN #ONTENT AND PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THOUGH ARE CLOSELY LINKED THE FORMER IS MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL WHEN LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE ARE GAUGED )N OTHER WORDS DETERMINING WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO IS INSTANTIATED IN PERFORMANCE STANDARDS THAT DESCRIBE LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT AND ARTICULATE VARIOUS WAYS STUDENTS CAN DEMONSTRATE PROFICIENCY 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DOES NOT ARTICULATE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 2ATHER THESE OUTCOMES OFFER GENERAL GOALS FOR WRITING PROGRAMS THAT CAN SERVE AS A HEURISTIC FOR DESIGNING VARIOUS CURRICULA AND PEDAGOGIES WHOSE ENDS ARE SIMILAR BUT AT THE SAME TIME VARY IN FORM AND CONTENT EMPHASIS AND SEQUENCE 4HESE OUTCOMES CAN INFORM THE DESIGN OF A SINGLE COMPO SITION COURSE OR A SEQUENCE OF TWO OR MORE COURSES 4HERE IS NO UNDERLY ING ASSUMPTION THAT ALL STUDENTS WILL ACHIEVE THESE OUTCOMES TO THE SAME DEGREE OF PROFICIENCY WITHIN THE SAME TIME FRAME )N FACT WE WOULD EXPECT VARIATION DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF PROGRAM THE INSTITUTION AND THE STUDENTS INVOLVED 3INCE STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE THEIR DEVELOPING COMPETENCIES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS PERFORMANCE LEVELS SHOULD BE DESCRIBED LOCALLY BY FACULTY PARTICIPATING IN THE WRITING PROGRAM WHO KNOW THEIR STUDENTS WELL AND WHO UNDERSTAND THE LEVEL OF WRITING ABILITY NECESSARY FOR SUCCESS WITHIN A GIVEN COURSE IN A PARTICULAR SEQUENCE ,OCAL POLICY SHOULD ALSO DICTATE WHAT CONSEQUENCES FOLLOW FOR STUDENTS WHO COMPLETE THE REQUIRED SEQUENCE OF COURSES BUT WHO ARE STILL NOT ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE COMPETENCY )T MAY WELL TURN OUT THAT ONE OR MORE OF THESE OUTCOMES IS NOT REALISTICALLY ATTAINABLE BY ALL STUDENTS TAKING WRITING COURSES AT A GIVEN INSTITUTION 3OME OUTCOMES MAY NEED TO BE MORE FINELY ARTICULATED AND PERHAPS EVEN REPLACED 3INCE THE POINT OF THESE OUTCOMES LIKE THE .#4%)2! STANDARDS IS TO PROVIDE DIRECTION AND COHERENCE THEY SHOULD FUNCTION MORE AS FOCI
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TO BEGIN LOCAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT AND ABOUT WRITING DEVELOPMENT AND THE INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES AFFECTING THAT DEVEL OPMENT !GAIN LIKE THE TERM hSTANDARD v OUTCOMES POSSESSES A DUAL MEAN ING )N THE SENSE THAT THESE OUTCOMES ESTABLISH A BASIS FOR EQUITY THEY ARE A MEASURE OF WHAT COMPOSITION TEACHERS SHARE IN COMMON A STANDARD MEASURE OF WHAT ALL STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO AFTER GOING THROUGH THE COMPOSITION PROGRAM 4HESE ARE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES TO WHICH EACH STUDENT HAS ACCESS "UT THE OTHER MEANING OF hSTANDARD v AND ONE THESE OUTCOMES ALSO EMBODY IS THAT OF AN EMBLEM OF QUALITY AN EMBLEM HERALDING HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS SEE 7OLF !S AN EMBLEM THESE OUTCOMES REPRESENT WHAT THE PROFESSION OF COMPOSITION VALUES IN TERMS OF CLASSROOM PRACTICE )N THIS WAY THESE OUTCOMES BECOME OBJECTS OF CONTINUED INQUIRY FOR PRACTITIONERS AND FOR 70!S 4HEY ALLOW US TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE DO IN THE CLASSROOM AND TO CONSIDER THE VALUE OF OUR ACTIVITIES "ECAUSE THESE OUTCOMES ARE NOT SET IN STONE WE MUST CONTINUALLY ASK !RE THESE EMBLEMS OF OUR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE WHAT WE TRULY VALUE )N THE SPIRIT OF INQUIRY THEN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MUST BE SUB JECTED TO CONTINUAL SCRUTINY TO DEBATE TO CRITICISM AND TO REVISION 7E KNOW AS WRITING TEACHERS THAT THE CRITERIA WE BRING TO BEAR ON JUDGING A PIECE OF STUDENT WRITING CAN BE QUITE SUBJECTIVE /FTEN WE ARE NOT EVEN AWARE OF SOME OF THESE CRITERIA UNTIL SOMETHING A STUDENT WRITES GRABS US UNEXPECTEDLY SURPRISES US IN SUCH A SATISFYING WAY THAT OUR REACTION CAUSES US TO REFLECT ON THE QUALITIES WE FIND IN THE WRITING THAT HAVE PLEASED US )N TRYING TO ARTICULATE THESE QUALITIES WE ACHIEVE SOME MEASURE OF GROWTH IN OUR OWN KNOWLEDGE OF HOW WE READ AND WHAT WE VALUE 3UCH REFLECTION CAN THEN ENRICH OUR PRACTICE AS WE TRY TO TRANSLATE INTO OUR TEACHING WHAT WE HAVE COME TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT WE VALUE 4HESE OUTCOMES CAN THUS CREATE A PRODUCTIVE TENSION BETWEEN OUR INTERPRETATIONS OF THEM AND OUR STUDENTS PERFORMANCES "Y ENGAGING IN THIS DYNAMIC REFLECTIVE PROCESS BOTH STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHERS CONTINUE TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER 2ATHER THAN THIS /UTCOMES DOCUMENT LEADING TO STANDARDIZATION TO A ONE SIZE FITS ALL CURRICULUM THE HOPED FOR RESULT IS FOR 70!S AND COMPOSI TION TEACHERS TO PURSUE A STRATEGY THE OPPOSITE OF STANDARDIZATION )NSTEAD OF TRYING TO BE THE SAME WE ACTIVELY ENCOURAGE AND MODEL DIVERSITY WE SHOW HOW DIVERSITY OF CONTENT AND APPROACH ACROSS SECTIONS AND COURSES IN WRITING PROGRAMS REFLECT THE SPIRIT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 7E USE THESE OUTCOMES TO ENCOURAGE WHAT %ISNER CALLS hPRODUCTIVE IDIOSYN CRASYv THAT IS AS WE INVITE STUDENTS TO EXERCISE THEIR JUDGMENT AS THEY MAKE RHETORICAL AND LINGUISTIC CHOICES THEIR WRITTEN PRODUCTS
6\[JVTLZHYLUV[4HUKH[LZMVY:[HUKHYKPaH[PVU
WILL PARTICULARIZE THESE GENERAL OUTCOMES AT A CONCRETE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL 0ERHAPS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT LONG TERM BENEFIT THAT FOLLOWS ADOPTION OF AND ACTING AND REFLECTING ON THESE OUTCOMES WILL BE THAT THE POLITICAL POWER OF 70!S WITHIN OUR RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONS CAN BE STRENGTHENED AS WE BECOME MORE SKILLED IN DEVISING ASSESSMENT MEASURES THAT CONCRETELY REPRESENT THE PROTEAN WAYS THESE OUTCOMES MIGHT BE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH THE VARIETY OF ARTIFACTS OUR STUDENTS PRODUCE
, ? 7 ( 5 + 0 5 . 6 < 9 < 5 + , 9 : ;( 5 + 0 5 . 6-*6476:05.6<;*64,: *`U[OPH3:LSMLHUK7H[YPJPH3,YPJZZVU
)N A RECENT CONVERSATION AMONG COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE CONCERNS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF 70!S IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT OUR PROFESSIONAL EFFORTS MIGHT BE BETTER SPENT IF WE FOCUSED ON MORE TRADITIONAL OUTCOMES OF WRITING INSTRUCTIONIF WE AVOIDED DILUTING OUR EFFORTS BY PAYING ATTENTION TO THE TEXTS GENERATED WITHIN COMPUTER BASED COMPOSING ENVIRONMENTS AND THE NEWLY EMERGING FORMS OF ELECTRONIC COMPOSITION THAT STUDENTS AND OTHERS ARE DEVELOPING IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS 4HIS ARGUMENT SEEMS TO UNDERLIE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A WHOLE WHICH FOCUSES LARGELY ON TRADITIONAL WRITING OUTCOMES WITH ONLY THE BRIEFEST NOD TO EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON LITERACIES 7E FIND THE LOGIC OF THIS ARGUMENT DIFFICULT TO ACCEPTAND INDEED DANGEROUS 4O OUR WAY OF THINKING 70!S OR MORE ACCURATELY AS WE ARGUE BELOW #0!S ESPECIALLY DURING A TIME OF RAPID AND DRAMATIC SOCIAL AND CUL TURAL TRANSFORMATION SUCH AS THAT CHARACTERIZING THE RISE OF THE INFOR MATION AGENEED TO BE MORE OPEN IN OUR INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE OUTCOMES OF COMPOSING AND COMPOSITION INSTRUCTION NOT MORE CONSTRAINED 7E NEED TO RECOGNIZE STUDY AND ADDRESS NOT SIMPLY A LIM ITED SET OF SUCH OUTCOMES BUT RATHER A FULL RANGE OF THEMNOT SIMPLY THOSE GENERATED WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF CURRENTLY ACCEPTED LITERACIES BUT ALSO THOSE GENERATED WITHIN THE CONTEXTS OF NEWLY EMERGING LITERACIES AND FADING LITERACIES !ND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT HOW THE STANDARDS OF SUCH LITERACIES OPERATE TO SHAPE TEXTS AND THE OUTCOMES OF COMPOSING WITHIN SPECIFIC HISTORICAL PERIODS AND CULTURAL ECOLOGIES 7E NEED TO DO THIS WORK SO THAT WE CAN HELP STUDENTS NEGOTIATE AND RECONCILE THE CONTESTED VALUES AND PRACTICES OF COMPOSING THAT THEY WILL ENCOUNTER AND PRODUCE DURING THEIR LIFETIMES !ND WE NEED TO DO THIS WORK IN ORDER TO NEGOTIATE THESE RADICAL CHANGES OF COMPOSING PRACTICES AND VALUES FOR OURSELVES )N OUR VIEW THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BARELY BEGINS TO ADDRESS THESE COMPLICATED ISSUES
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/UR DIFFICULTY IN ACCEPTING GOES FURTHER 7E WOULD ARGUE THAT SOME OF OUR PRINT BASED EXPECTATIONS FOR WRITING INSTRUCTION AND OUR REVERED CURRICULAR PRACTICES WILL HOLD A DECLINING RELEVANCE FOR MANY STUDENTS AS WELL AS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC 7E FIND EVIDENCE OF THIS FACT IN THE CHANG ING STANDARDS ENGENDERED BY E MAIL AND ONLINE EXCHANGES THAT RESIST TRADITIONAL SPELLING AND GRAMMATICAL STANDARDS IN THE 7EB BASED TEXTS THAT RESIST CONVENTIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL AND AUTHORIAL STANDARDS AND IN THE MULTIMEDIA COMPOSITIONS THAT RESIST AN ALPHABETIC DEPENDENCE ALTO GETHER )F WE DONT EXPAND OUR TRADITIONAL NOTIONS OF COMPOSING OUTCOMES BEYOND THOSE OF PRINT BASED TEXTS TO INCLUDE VISUALLY BASED TEXTS MULTI MEDIA AND MULTIMODAL COMPOSITIONS TEXTS COMPOSED NOT ONLY OF PRINTED WORDS BUT ALSO OF ANIMATIONS AND IMAGES AND SOUND WE RUN THE RISK OF MISSING OUT ON ARTICULATING NEW WAYS OF MAKING SENSE OF A CHANGING WORLD WE ENCOURAGE COLLEAGUES TO READ "ILL #OPE AND -ARY +ALANTZISS OUTSTANDING EDITED COLLECTION WHICH GROWS OUT OF THE WORK OF THE .EW ,ONDON 'ROUP -ULTILITERACIES ,ITERACY ,EARNING AND THE $ESIGN OF 3OCIAL &UTURES )F WE DONT THINK ABOUT EXPANDING OUR WRITING PROGRAMS INTO COM POSITION PROGRAMSWE MIGHT WELL SEE THESE PROGRAMS EXPERIENCE A RAPID DECLINE OF RELEVANCE TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO THE LARGER PUBLIC (OW DO WE BEGIN SUCH A TASK 7E CAN EXPAND OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF COMPOSING OUTCOMES BY OBSERVING STUDENTS ONLINE LITERACY PRACTICES AS CLOSELY AS WE DO THEIR MORE TRADITIONAL WRITING PRACTICES AND BY LISTEN ING CLOSELY AND WITH OPEN MINDS TO WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT THE ROLE OF NEW MEDIA COMPOSITIONS IN THE WORLD THEY INHABIT !LTHOUGH NOTHING IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WOULD PREVENT SUCH OBSERVATION LITTLE IN IT ENCOURAGES IT EITHER 7E NEED TO LOOK THROUGH AND BEYOND THE /3 IN ORDER TO CULTIVATE SUCH A VISION 7E CAN ALSO EXPAND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF COMPOSING OUTCOMES BY STUDYING THE PRACTICES VALUES AND APPROACHES OF OTHER COMPOSITION SPECIALISTS MULTIMEDIA DESIGNERS AND ARTISTS DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS POETS WHO WORK IN MULTIPLE MEDIA AND INTERACTIVE FICTION AUTHORS AMONG MANY OTHERS 7E MUST EXTEND OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF hCOMPOSINGv PRACTICES TO INCLUDE A RANGE OF OTHER BEHAVIORS READING AND COMPOSING IMAGES AND ANIMATIONS CREATING MULTIMEDIA ASSEMBLAGES COMBINING VISUAL ELEMENTS SOUNDS AND LANGUAGE SYMBOLS INTO ALTERNATIVELY ORGANIZED AND PRESENTED FORMS OF COMMUNICATION ON THE 7EB IN CHAT ROOMS OVER NETWORKS 4O 70!S WHO WORK IN INSTITUTIONS THAT LACK MATERIAL AND ELECTRONIC RESOURCESOFTEN BUT NOT ALWAYS THE SAME INSTITUTIONS THAT SERVE LARGE
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POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS OF COLOR OR POOR STUDENTSIT MAY SEEM ALMOST FRIVOLOUS TO FOCUS THE KINDS OF NEW MEDIA TEXTS WE HAVE MENTIONED )N FACT THESE ARE THE VERY BESTAND MOST IMPORTANTSITES FOR AN EXPANDED UNDERSTANDING OF COMPOSING OUTCOMES AND 70!S IN SUCH LOCATIONS SHOULD CONTINUE TO FIGHT VIGOROUSLY FOR STUDENTS ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC COMPOSING ENVIRONMENTS AND FOR THEIR OWN ACCESS TO THESE ENVIRONMENTS 5NLESS WE CAN HELP STUDENTS OF COLOR AND POOR STUDENTS COMPOSE RHETORI CALLY EFFECTIVE TEXTS IN THESE ENVIRONMENTSAND BE CRITICALLY AWARE OF THEIR OWN AND OTHERS RHETORICAL SUCCESS IN DOING SOTHEY RUN THE RISK OF BEING hHAVE NOTSv IN A CULTURE THAT INCREASINGLY ASSOCIATES POWER WITH TECHNO LOGICAL REACH OF BEING PASSIVE CONSUMERS OF ELECTRONIC TEXTS BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO PRODUCE THESE TEXTS %LECTRONIC COMPOSING ENVIRONMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR SUCH STUDENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE SITES OF POLITICAL ACTIVISM AND POWER !S -ANUEL #ASTELLS EXPLAINS IN 4HE 0OWER OF )DENTITY SUCH ENVIRONMENTS ARE PLACES WITHIN WHICH INDIVIDUALS CAN CONNECT WITH OTH ERS WHO SHARE THEIR INTERESTS VALUES POLITICAL COMMITMENTS AND EXPERI ENCES )T IS THROUGH THESE ELECTRONIC CONNECTIONS #ASTELLS CONTINUES THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN PARTICIPATE IN FORGING THE NEW SET OF hCODESv UNDER WHICH SOCIETIES WILL BE hRE THOUGHT AND RE ESTABLISHEDv DURING THE REST OF THIS CENTURY (ENCE OUR FAILURE TO ADDRESS TECHNOLOGY MAY HAVE SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE FUTURE OF WRITING PROGRAMS BUT IT MAY HAVE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONSAND DANGEROUS ONESFOR STUDENTS !ND HERE IS ONE LAST ARGUMENT )N ,ESTER &AIGLEY WROTE ABOUT HIS CONCERNS WHEN HE OBSERVED THE FRAGMENTATION ALIENATION CONTRADIC TION DISAFFECTION LOSS OF AUTHORITY AND REJECTION OF RESPONSIBILITY THAT CHARACTERIZED STUDENTS ONLINE CONVERSATIONS IN ONE OF HIS CLASSES 3EVEN YEARS LATER IN -ARILYN #OOPER TRIED TO PROVIDE SOME COMFORT TO THOSE OF US WHO SHARED &AIGLEYS CONCERN BY FOCUSING ON THE NATURE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN A POSTMODERN WORLD 3HE SUGGESTED THAT THESE STUDENTS EXCHANGESTHE OUTCOME OF THEIR COLLECTIVE COMPOSING EFFORTSMIGHT BE INTERPRETED TO ILLUSTRATE NOT THE REJECTION OF RESPONSIBLE COMMUNICATION BUT RATHER THE PRACTICE OF A NEW KIND OF RESPONSIBLE COMPOSITION SHAPED BY THE CONDITIONS OF POSTMODERNITY 2ESPONSIBILITY WITHIN POSTMODERN CONTEXTS #OOPER POINTED OUTBUILDING ON THE WORK OF &OUCAULT AND "AUMAN RESTS NOT ON AN ALLEGIANCE TO TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES LIKE TEACHERS AND CONVENTIONAL TEXTS NOT ON MODERNIST AUTHORITY FIGURES OR VALUE SYSTEMS ROOTED IN THE %NLIGHTENMENT BUT RATHER ON A PERSONAL hWILLINGNESSv TO RELATE TO OTHER HUMANS ON A PERSONAL hIMPULSE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO AND RESPONSIBLE FORv OTHERS ON A hWILLINGNESSv TO APPROACH
,_WHUKPUN6\Y
AUTHENTIC PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE POSTMODERN CONDITION #OOPER AND TO LEARN ABOUT THEIR COMPLEXITY WITH THE HELP OF CON CERNED TEACHERS )T IS THIS WILLINGNESS TO RESPOND TO OTHERS #OOPER ARGUES THAT STUDENTS SEEM TO HAVE IN ABUNDANCE ALTHOUGHWE WOULD ADDWE DO NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS FACT OR DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH IT AS A PRIME EXIGENCE FOR COMPOSING 3OMETIMES IT SEEMS AS IF WE WILLFULLY IGNORE THE NEWER FORMS OF RELATING TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO THE WORLD THAT STUDENTS HAVE IDENTIFIED AS THE MOST VALUABLE OUTCOMES OF COMPOSING -AYBE WE CAN START LEARNING ABOUT THESE NEW COMPOSITIONS THESE NEW OUTCOMES BY OPENING OUR MINDS AS WIDELY AS WE ASK STUDENTS TO OPEN THEIRS
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; / , > 7 ( 6 < ; * 6 4 , : : ;(; , 4 , 5 ; . 6 , : ;6 / 0 . / : * / 6 6 3 :[LWOLU>PSOVP[
$URING THE n ACADEMIC YEAR THE %NGLISH TEACHERS AT /AKWOOD (IGH 3CHOOL IN /AKWOOD /HIO BEGAN A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE SCHOOLS WRIT ING CURRICULUM 4HE TEACHERS WERE PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN DETERMINING WHETHER THE WRITING PROGRAM OFFERED STUDENTS THE READING WRITING AND THINKING SKILLS THEY WOULD NEED IN COLLEGE !S PART OF THAT REVIEW ) WAS ASKED TO OFFER INTERESTED TEACHERS A WORKSHOP ON hCOLLEGE WRITING EXPECTA TIONSv 4HAT WORKSHOP LED TO A MUCH LARGER PROJECTWORKING WITH A SMALL GROUP OF TEACHERS TO DEVELOP A WRITING IN THE DISCIPLINES 7)$ PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES n 4HIS PROGRAM IS A YEAR OLD NOW AND ONE RESULT HAS BEEN THE CREATION OF A NEW WRITING CENTER STAFFED BY PEER TUTORS 4HE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN ALL THREE PROJ ECTS HELPING US CLARIFY COLLEGE WRITING EXPECTATIONS DEVELOP A HIGH SCHOOL 7)$ PROGRAM AND TRAIN TUTORS FOR THE SCHOOLS WRITING CENTER 7 9 6 1 , * ; ! ( > 6 9 2 : / 6 7 6 5 * 6 3 3 , . , > 9 0 ; 0 5 . , ? 7 , * ;(; 0 6 5 :
)N -ARCH THE DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT FOR THE /AKWOOD SCHOOL SYSTEM ASKED ME TO DEVELOP A WORKSHOP THAT WOULD HELP HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS BETTER UNDERSTAND COLLEGE WRITING EXPEC TATIONS ) POINTED OUT THAT WRITING REQUIREMENTS VARY WIDELY AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BUT AGREED TO OFFER WHAT HELP ) COULD 4HIRTY FIVE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS FROM ACROSS THE CURRICULUM ATTENDED THE WORKSHOP ALONG WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND SEVERAL SCHOOL SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS INCLUDING THE SUPERINTENDENT ) BEGAN BY ASKING THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS TO MAKE A LIST OF THE WRIT ING ASSIGNMENTS AND PROJECTS THEY MOST OFTEN EMPLOY IN CLASS !FTER THEY SHARED THEIR LISTS WITH EACH OTHER WE COMPILED A COMPREHENSIVE MASTER LIST ON AN OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCY 4HE LIST WAS DOMINATED BY NARRATIVE DESCRIPTIVE AND CREATIVE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS PLUS ESSAY TESTS /THER TEACH ERS MENTIONED LITERARY ANALYSIS ESSAYS SUMMARIES REPORTS AND RESEARCH PAPERS
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3ETTING THIS LIST ASIDE FOR THE MOMENT ) THEN ASKED EVERYONE TO REFLECT FOR A FEW MOMENTS ON TWO QUESTIONS s 7HAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF hCOLLEGE WRITINGv s /N WHAT IS THAT DEFINITION BASED
!FTER A FEW MINUTES ) ASKED THE TEACHERS TO SHARE THEIR ANSWERS WITH THE GROUP AND COMPOSED ANOTHER MASTER LIST ON AN OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCY !S MIGHT BE EXPECTED RESPONSES TO THE FIRST QUESTION VARIED WIDELY 3OME DEFINED COLLEGE WRITING EXPECTATIONS IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC ASSIGN MENTS SUCH AS RESEARCH PAPERS OR ESSAY TESTS 3OME FOCUSED ON CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS SUCH AS THE ABILITY TO ANALYZE AND SYNTHESIZE TEXTS /THERS FOCUSED ON CERTAIN ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS SUCH AS CORRECT DOCUMENTA TION OR ON CERTAIN RHETORICAL ASPECTS OF WRITING SUCH AS THE SELECTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF EVIDENCE OR THE ABILITY TO WRITE FOR AN ACADEMIC AUDI ENCE )N RESPONDING TO THE SECOND QUESTION MOST OF THE TEACHERS SAID THEY BASED THEIR CONCEPTIONS OF COLLEGE WRITING EXPECTATIONS ON THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE AS COLLEGE STUDENTS OR ON WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD FROM FORMER STUDENTS WHO WENT ON TO COLLEGE .EXT ) SHARED THE RESULTS OF ELEVEN SURVEYS OF COLLEGE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS PUBLISHED OVER THE PAST THREE DECADES SEE APPENDIX TO THIS CHAPTER P 4OGETHER WE ENGAGED IN A META ANALYSIS OF THESE SURVEY RESULTS TO DETER MINE WHAT THEY COULD TELL US ABOUT THE TYPES OF ASSIGNMENTS STUDENTS ARE TYPICALLY ASKED TO WRITE IN COLLEGE AND THE SKILLS STUDENTS NEED TO COMPLETE THESE TASKS SUCCESSFULLY !S WE MOVED THROUGH THESE STUDY RESULTS ONE TREND EMERGEDTHE UBIQUITOUS NATURE OF SOURCE BASED WRITING ASSIGNMENTS !CCORDING TO THESE STUDIES STUDENTS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM WERE MOST FRE QUENTLY BEING ASKED TO SUMMARIZE ANALYZE CRITIQUE AND SYNTHESIZE SOURCE TEXTS OF SOME KINDTEXTBOOK CHAPTERS COURSE READINGS RESEARCH RESULTS 7E THEN BRIEFLY DISCUSSED THE LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDIES WE JUST REVIEWED -OST WERE DATED AND MANY WERE BASED ON THE STUDY OF JUST ONE INSTITUTION 3OME OF THE FINDINGS WERE BASED ON FACULTY SURVEYS AND OTHERS ON STUDENT SURVEYS ! FEW EXAMINED THE ASSIGNMENTS FACULTY ACTUALLY DISTRIBUTED IN CLASS BUT MOST DID NOT RELYING INSTEAD OF SELF REPORTED DATA ) NEXT GAVE THE PARTICIPANTS A COPY OF THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BRIEFLY EXPLAINING ITS GENESIS AND PURPOSE ) SUGGESTED THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT COULD OFFER US A MORE RECENT VIEW OF HOW ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSION VIEW COLLEGE WRITING EXPECTATIONS 7E THEN DISCUSSED THE STATEMENT SECTION BY SECTION WITH TWO GOALS TO BE SURE WE UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE DOCUMENT WAS SAYING ABOUT COLLEGE WRITING EXPECTATIONS AND TO
;OL>7(6\[JVTLZ:[H[LTLU[.VLZ[V/PNO:JOVVS
DETERMINE HOW WELL /AKWOODS WRITING PROGRAM WAS PREPARING STUDENTS TO MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS 4HE TEACHERS WERE MOST FAMILIAR WITH THE OUTCOMES RELATED TO WRITING PROCESSES 4HE %NGLISH DEPARTMENT AT /AKWOOD (IGH 3CHOOL LONG AGO MOVED TO A PROCESS ORIENTED PEDAGOGY THAT HAD SPREAD TO TEACHERS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM /UR DISCUSSION OF THIS OUTCOME FOCUSED INSTEAD ON THE NOTION OF HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP hFLEXIBLEv COMPOSING STRATEGIES FOR CLASSES ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES AND THE ROLE TECHNOLOGY CAN PLAY IN THE COM POSING PROCESS &OR EXAMPLE THE TEACHERS CONCLUDED THAT THEY SHOULD TRY TO IDENTIFY WHICH COMPOSING STRATEGIES TRANSFERRED MOST EFFECTIVELY ACROSS DISCIPLINES 3INCE NO GENRE BASED CURRICULUM COULD PREPARE STUDENTS TO COMPOSE THE WIDE RANGE OF WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THEY WOULD LIKELY ENCOUNTER IN COLLEGE THE TEACHERS DECIDED THAT A PROCESS BASED CURRICULUM THAT EMPHASIZED TRANSFERABLE READING AND WRITING SKILLS MIGHT BEST HELP STUDENTS ACHIEVE THE OUTCOMES OUTLINED IN THE STATEMENT 4HE STATEMENT ALSO SPARKED SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT TECHNOLOGY WRIT ING AND WRITING INSTRUCTION 7HILE NO DECISIONS CONCERNING TECHNOLOGY EMERGED FROM THIS PARTICULAR WORKSHOP THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT RAISED AWARENESS OF THE ISSUE GENERATED IDEAS THAT LATER INFORMED THE DESIGN OF /AKWOODS 7)$ PROGRAM AND LED TO A BRAINSTORMING SESSION ON WAYS INSTRUCTORS COULD MAKE BETTER USE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS EXISTING COMPUTER LAB WHEN TEACHING WRITING AND RESEARCH SKILLS 4HE DISCUSSION THEN TURNED TO QUESTIONS CONCERNING ANOTHER OUTCOME THE STUDENTS ABILITY TO EMPLOY hAPPROPRIATE VOICE TONE AND LEVEL OF FOR MALITYv IN COLLEGE WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM 4HE TEACHERS WONDERED WHETHER IT WAS POSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY STANDARDS OF VOICE TONE AND REGISTER APPLICABLE TO COLLEGE WRITING ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES OR WHETHER THESE STANDARDS WERE ENTIRELY DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC 1UESTIONS ABOUT GENRE ALSO EMERGED $O HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND COLLEGE FACULTY SHARE COMMON DEFINITIONS OF ACADEMIC DISCOURSE $O HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND COLLEGE FACULTY CONCEPTUALIZE hRESEARCH PAPERS v hRESPONSE ESSAYS v hLITERARY ANALY SIS ESSAYS v OR hSUMMARIESv IN SIMILAR WAYS $O THEY SHARE SIMILAR STANDARDS WHEN EVALUATING THESE TYPES OF ESSAYS 4HEY WONDERED HOW HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS CAN COME TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE GENRES ARE DEFINED IN COLLEGE COURSES AND MODIFY THEIR CURRICULUM TO BETTER PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE DEMANDS OF COLLEGE WRITING 3IMILAR ISSUES WERE RAISED IN OUR DISCUSSION OF THE OUTCOMES RELATED TO WRITING CONVENTIONS 4HE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS POSED QUESTIONS FAMILIAR
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TO ANYONE INVOLVED IN A 7)$ PROGRAM 7HAT ROLE SHOULD COMPOSITION CLASSES PLAY IN HELPING STUDENTS LEARN DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC CONVENTIONS OF WRITING 7HAT ROLE SHOULD TEACHERS IN THOSE DISCIPLINES PLAY (OW CAN INSTRUCTORS BEST TEACH THOSE CONVENTIONS 7HICH CONVENTIONS IF ANY HOLD FOR WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM 0ERHAPS MOST HELPFUL THOUGH WAS OUR DISCUSSION OF THE OUTCOMES RELATED TO CRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING 7E BEGAN BY DRAWING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE ASSIGNMENT SURVEYS WE REVIEWED EARLIER AND THE STATEMENTS OUTCOMES CONCERNING WRITING INQUIRY LEARNING THINKING AND COMMUNICATING "OTH THE SURVEYS AND DOCUMENT EMPHASIZED THE IMPOR TANCE OF hFINDING EVALUATING ANALYZING AND SYNTHESIZING APPROPRIATE PRI MARY AND SECONDARY SOURCESv IN COLLEGE WRITING 4HE TEACHERS AGREED THAT THIS WAS A PARTICULAR STRENGTH OF /AKWOODS WRITING PROGRAM BUT ONE THEY COULD ALSO WORK TO IMPROVE ! FEW PARTICIPANTS ALSO QUESTIONED WHETHER THEIR CURRENT CURRICULUM WITH ITS HEAVY EMPHASIS ON NARRATIVE AND DESCRIP TIVE WRITING COULD ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THIS OUTCOME AND SUGGESTED THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL FIND WAYS OF ASSIGNING MORE SOURCE BASED WRITING PROJECTS 4O CLOSE THE WORKSHOP ) AGAIN PLACED ON THE OVERHEAD PROJECTOR THE LIST OF WRITING TASKS THE TEACHERS CURRENTLY ASKED THEIR COLLEGE BOUND STU DENTS TO COMPLETE 'IVEN ALL THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING ) ASKED THEM HOW WOULD THEY ASSESS THE ADEQUACY OF THEIR WRITING CURRICULUM ) DID NOT HAVE TO OFFER ANY ASSESSMENT MYSELF 4HE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRA TORS QUICKLY IDENTIFIED WAYS THEIR CURRICULUM MIGHT HELP STUDENTS ACHIEVE THE OUTCOMES INCLUDED IN THE STATEMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGED WHERE THEIR INSTRUCTION COULD BE IMPROVED 7E HAD LITTLE TIME LEFT IN THE SESSION TO DISCUSS WAYS TO IMPROVE THE CUR RICULUM )NSTEAD THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ANNOUNCED THAT THE TEACHERS WOULD TAKE UP THAT QUESTION AT THE NEXT FACULTY MEETING ! FEW WEEKS LATER THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION AND ASSESSMENT SENT ME AN E MAIL 7HAT INTRIGUED MANY OF THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS SHE WROTE WAS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTS SUGGESTION THAT FACULTY ACROSS THE CURRICULUM COULD PLAY A KEY ROLE IN HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP THEIR READING WRITING AND THINKING SKILLS -ANY OF THE TEACHERS WERE INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING A 7)$ PROGRAM AT /AKWOOD (IGH 3CHOOL THAT COULD EVEN TUALLY BE EXTENDED INTO THE JUNIOR HIGH 4HE DIRECTOR ASKED ME IF ) COULD DEVELOP A SERIES OF 7)$ WORKSHOPS FOR INTERESTED FACULTY AND ADMINISTRA TORS TO ATTEND DURING THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF THE SPRING TERM FOR A FULLER NARRATIVE OF THE PROGRAMS BEGINNINGS SEE 3CALZO +OENIG AND 7ILHOIT
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7 9 6 1 , * ; ! 6( 2 >6 6 + > 9 0 ; 0 5 . ;6 3 , ( 9 5
!FTER OUR DISCUSSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT /AKWOODS TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS BECAME ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING A 7)$ PROGRAM THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO EMPLOY WRITING TO LEARN ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM AND MASTER DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC RESEARCH SKILLS AND WRITING CONVENTIONS 4HIS INITIATIVE CALLED /AKWOOD 7RITING TO ,EARN /7, INITIALLY INVOLVED FIFTEEN HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS FROM ACROSS THE CURRICULUM THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND SEVERAL SCHOOL SYSTEM ADMINISTRATORS 4O GET /7, STARTED ) DESIGNED FOUR WORKSHOPS SUMMARIZED BELOW >VYRZOVW>YP[PUN[V3LHYU!/PZ[VY`HUK;OLVY`
!T THIS FIRST WORKSHOP WE DISCUSSED THE HISTORY AND THEORY OF WRITING TO LEARN PROGRAMS 4HE GOAL OF THE WORKSHOP WAS TO HELP THE PARTICIPANTS FORM A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WRITING CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE LEARNING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM IDENTIFY KEY ELEMENTS OF MOST WRITING TO LEARN PROGRAMS DEVELOP A COMMON VOCABULARY FOR DISCUSSING WRITING AND LEARNING AND DEVELOP A SET OF QUESTIONS THAT WOULD GUIDE OUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WRITING AND LEARNING ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES >VYRZOVW>YP[PUN[V3LHYU!*YP[PX\LVM*\YYLU[7YHJ[PJLZ
4HE FOLLOWING WEEK WE DISCUSSED A VARIETY OF WRITING TO LEARN TECH NIQUES COMMONLY EMPLOYED IN CLASSES ACROSS THE CURRICULUM 4HE GOAL OF THIS WORKSHOP WAS TO HELP THE PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFY A WIDE RANGE OF WRITING ACTIVITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS THAT PROMOTE LEARNING UNDERSTAND HOW BOTH FORMAL AND INFORMAL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS CAN PROMOTE LEARNING AND DEVELOP A SET OF CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING WRITING TO LEARN ACTIVITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS TO DETERMINE WHICH WOULD BE MOST APPLICABLE TO /AKWOODS NEW PROGRAM AND CURRICULUM >VYRZOVW>YP[PUN[V3LHYU!(WWSPJH[PVUZMVY6HR^VVKZ*\YYPJ\S\T
(ERE WE DISCUSSED SPECIFIC WRITING TO LEARN ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVI TIES THE PARTICIPANTS CURRENTLY EMPLOYED IN THEIR CLASSES OR WOULD LIKE TO EMPLOY IN FUTURE CLASSES !LL OF THE PARTICIPANTS BROUGHT FOR GROUP CRITIQUE COPIES OF ASSIGNMENTS OR PROJECTS THEY BELIEVED PROMOTE STUDENT LEARNING 4HE GOAL OF THE SESSION WAS TO HELP THE TEACHERS FORM A CLEARER UNDER STANDING OF WHICH WRITING TO LEARN ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES THEIR COL LEAGUES ARE CURRENTLY USING IN CLASS CONSIDER HOW SUCH ASSIGNMENTS MIGHT
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BE IMPROVED AND IDENTIFY WRITING TO LEARN ACTIVITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS THEY COULD JOINTLY DEVELOP WITHIN AND ACROSS DISCIPLINES >VYRZOVW>YP[PUN[V3LHYU!>OLYL+V>L.V-YVT/LYL&
4HIS FOURTH WORKSHOP INVOLVED A BRAINSTORMING SESSION ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD 4HE GOAL OF THE SESSION WAS TO HELP THE PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP A PLAN FOR ENGAGING MORE FACULTY IN /7, FORM A STRATEGY FOR ASSESSING AND DOCUMENTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE WRITING TO LEARN ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES THEY EMPLOY DECIDE ON TOPICS FOR FUTURE WORKSHOPS AND IDENTIFY STEPS FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS COULD TAKE TO SUPPORT WRITING TO LEARN INITIATIVES AND MAKE /7, A SUCCESS 3O MANY GOOD IDEAS CAME OUT OF THIS LAST WORKSHOP WE DECIDED TO MEET ONE MORE TIME TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC STEPS TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS COULD TAKE DURING THE n ACADEMIC YEAR TO ESTABLISH /7, AND BUILD ON THE MOMENTUM WE HAD GENERATED 7E AGREED TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS s %STABLISH A MANAGEMENT TEAM OF HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS TO OVERSEE THE PROGRAM s $EVELOP AN /7, 7EB SITE ON THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS SERVER s $EVELOP AND DISTRIBUTE AN ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER TO ALL FACULTY ADVERTISING /7, RELATED ACTIVITIES AND INITIATIVES s $ETERMINE AN AGENDA FOR A FALL /7, WORKSHOP s $EVELOP AN /7, RELATED TEACHER RESOURCE CENTER IN THE HIGH SCHOOL s "EGIN A hBEST PRACTICESv COLLECTION OF WRITING TO LEARN ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES CURRENTLY BEING EMPLOYED BY /AKWOOD TEACHERS AND PLACE IT IN THE TEACHER RESOURCE CENTER s 4ARGET ONE PROGRAM OR DEPARTMENT IN THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR WRITING TO LEARN WORKSHOPS THE FOLLOWING ACADEMIC YEAR s 0REPARE PRESENTATIONS ON THE PROGRAM FOR FALL CONFERENCES OR IN SERVICE WORKSHOPS s #OLLABORATIVELY PRODUCE REPORTS ON THE PROJECT FOR PUBLICATION s %STABLISH A WRITING CENTER IN THE HIGH SCHOOL TO SUPPORT STUDENT WRITING s $ECIDE HOW WE WOULD ASSESS THE PROGRAM
4HE /7, LEADERSHIP TEAM MET MANY OF THESE GOALS DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF THE PROGRAM 4HEY CONDUCTED FOLLOW UP WORKSHOPS COLLECTED MATERIAL FOR THE 4EACHER 2ESOURCE #ENTER ASSEMBLED A BEST PRACTICES COL LECTION ESTABLISHED A NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED WORK DESCRIBING THE PROGRAM AND ESTABLISHED A WRITING CENTER IN THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PLANNING THESE WORKSHOPS AND MAKING /7, A SUCCESS &IRST /AKWOODS 7)$ PROGRAM
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GREW NATURALLY FROM THE TEACHERS DESIRE TO PREPARE THEIR STUDENTS FOR THE DEMANDS OF COLLEGE WRITING 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HELPED THEM CLARIFY THOSE DEMANDS BECAUSE IT SUCCINCTLY SUMMARIZES THE hCOMMON KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ATTITUDES SOUGHT BY FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS IN !MERICAN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONv 4HE WORKSHOPS WERE DESIGNED TO HELP THE TEACHERS BETTER UNDERSTAND OUTCOMES DEFINE THEM IN TERMS APPLICABLE TO THEIR STUDENTS CURRICULUM AND SCHOOL REFLECT ON THE EFFEC TIVENESS OF THE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS AND ACTIVITIES THEY ALREADY EMPLOY TO PROMOTE LEARNING AND ENVISION HOW A CROSS DISCIPLINARY MULTIYEAR HIGH SCHOOL WRITING PROGRAM MIGHT HELP STUDENTS BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE AND CONFIDENT COLLEGE WRITERS 3ECOND THE TEACHERS BELIEVED THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT COULD HELP CONVINCE THEIR COLLEAGUES THAT /7, IS A VIABLE IMPORTANT INITIATIVE 3INCE SO MANY OF THE DOCUMENTS OUTCOMES EMPHASIZE THE EPISTEMIC ASPECTS OF WRITING TEACHERS ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES MAY COME TO BELIEVE THAT USING WRITING TO PROMOTE INQUIRY LEARNING AND THINKING IS NOT JUST ANOTHER PASSING EDUCATIONAL FAD 4HE STATEMENT FURTHER MAKES CLEAR THAT LEADING EXPERTS IN COMPOSITION STUDIES VIEW WRITING TO LEARN AS A FUNDAMENTAL OUTCOME OF COLLEGE COMPOSITION PROGRAMS 4HE STATEMENT ALSO REINFORCES THE MESSAGE THAT STUDENT LITERACY IS NOT THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF A SINGLE DEPARTMENT OR PROGRAM THAT EVERY TEACHER HAS AN OBLIGATION TO HELP STUDENTS BECOME CRITICAL READERS WRITERS AND THINKERS 4HE TEACHERS BELIEVED THEIR COLLEAGUES WOULD WELCOME THE DOCUMENTS SPECIFIC RECOM MENDATIONS CONCERNING WAYS TEACHERS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM CAN HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP THESE SKILLS 4HIRD THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATIVE VIEW OF WRITING INSTRUCTION PROMULGATED BY THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HELPED US DESIGN MANY ELE MENTS OF THE PROGRAMS SUPPORT SERVICES ! CENTRAL QUESTION THE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS PARTICIPATING IN THE WORKSHOPS FACED WAS THIS )F /7, HOPES TO ACHIEVE THE OUTCOMES OUTLINED IN THE STATEMENT AND ENCOURAGE TEACHERS FROM ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES TO PROMOTE LEARNING AND THINKING THROUGH WRITING WHAT SUPPORT SERVICES WILL THE SCHOOL SYSTEM NEED TO PRO VIDE 4HIS DISCUSSION QUICKLY DIVIDED INTO TWO TRACKS SUPPORT SERVICES FOR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR STUDENTS 4HOSE INTERESTED IN FACULTY SUPPORT BELIEVED THEIR COLLEAGUES WOULD NEED LITTLE HELP ADDRESSING OUTCOMES RELATED TO THE CONVENTIONS OF WRIT ING (OWEVER THOSE RELATED TO RHETORICAL KNOWLEDGE COULD PROVE MORE DIF FICULT FOR FACULTY TO TEACH &OR MANY INSTRUCTORS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM THE SKILLS INCLUDED IN THIS SECTION OF THE STATEMENT HAVE BECOME ROUTINE FOR
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EXAMPLE RESPONDING TO THE NEEDS OF AN AUDIENCE USING A STRUCTURE AND CONVENTIONS APPROPRIATE TO THE RHETORICAL SITUATION ADOPTING AN APPRO PRIATE VOICE !S EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS OF STUDY THEY EMPLOY THESE SKILLS UNCONSCIOUSLY THEMSELVES WHEN THEY WRITE 3UCH TACIT KNOWLEDGE IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO ARTICULATE AND TEACH 4HE /7, LEADERSHIP TEAM DECIDED THAT COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY WAS THE BEST WAY TO HELP THEIR COLLEAGUES DEVELOP PEDAGOGIES THAT ADDRESS RHETORICAL KNOWLEDGE 4HEY ENVISIONED INSTRUC TORS WORKING TOGETHER IN SMALL CROSS DISCIPLINARY GROUPS TO DEVELOP WAYS TO IDENTIFY AND TEACH DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC CRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING SKILLS HELP STUDENTS USE WRITING AS A MODE OF LEARNING AND HELP BOTH TEACHERS AND STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND POWER IN THE ACADEMY &INALLY THE TEACHERS DECIDED THAT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS INSTRUCTORS COULD BENEFIT FROM WORKSHOPS THAT FOCUSED ON MULTIPLE DRAFT WRITING PEER REVIEW AND TECHNOLOGY 4EACHERS INTERESTED IN STUDENT SUPPORT RECOGNIZED THAT WHEN /7, BECOMES FULLY ESTABLISHED IN THE HIGH SCHOOL THEY CAN EXPECT /AKWOODS STUDENTS TO BE WRITING MORE OFTEN IN MANY OF THEIR CLASSES 2EVIEWING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR SOME GUIDANCE ON DEVELOPING SUPPORT SERVICES THEY CONCLUDED THAT ESTABLISHING A WRITING CENTER IN THE HIGH SCHOOL MIGHT BE THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE STUDENTS RECEIVE NEEDED ASSISTANCE 0EER TUTORS THEY DECIDED COULD BE ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE IN HELPING STUDENTS MASTER SEVERAL OUTCOMES RELATED TO RHETORICAL KNOWLEDGE WRITING PROCESSES AND WRITING TO LEARN $URING THE SUMMER AND FALL OF /AKWOOD TEACHERS FINALIZED PLANS FOR A WRITING CENTER IN THE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY 4HEY WORKED SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATORS TO OBTAIN PRIVATE FUNDING TO EQUIP THE CENTER WITH NEW COMPUTERS PRINTERS FURNITURE AND SOFTWARE 7HEN THE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT ASKED ME TO HELP TRAIN THE PEER TUTORS ) AGAIN TURNED TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR HELP 7 9 6 1 , * ; ! ; 9 ( 0 5 0 5 . > 9 0 ; 0 5 . * , 5 ; , 9 ; < ;6 9 :
4UCKED AWAY IN A BACK CORNER OF /AKWOOD (IGH 3CHOOLS LIBRARY THE WRITING CENTER BEGAN OPERATIONS TOWARD THE END OF THE n ACADEMIC YEAR WITH FACULTY TUTORS "EGINNING WITH THE n ACADEMIC YEAR IT WAS STAFFED BY JUNIORS AND SENIORS ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOLS (ONORS OR !DVANCED 0LACEMENT %NGLISH CLASSES WHO VOLUNTEERED FOR THE POSITION !S ) DESIGNED A THREE HOUR TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR THE FIRST GROUP OF PEER TUTORS DURING THE SUMMER OF ) AGAIN TURNED TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR HELP ) BEGAN THE WORKSHOP BY EXPLAINING WHAT TUTORING
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INVOLVES HOW TUTORS TEND TO DO THEIR WORK HOW TUTORING SESSIONS ARE TYPICALLY RUN AND HOW TUTORS SHOULD WORK IN CONCERT WITH CLASSROOM TEACHERS ) THEN DISTRIBUTED SEVERAL SAMPLE PAPERS ) HAD COMPOSED FOR THE WORKSHOP AND ASKED THE STUDENTS TO TAKE TURNS ROLE PLAYING A SCENARIO IN WHICH ONE OF THEM WAS THE AUTHOR OF THE PAPER AND THE OTHER A TUTOR 4HE STUDENT PLAYING THE ROLE OF THE TUTOR HAD TO ANSWER THE WRITERS QUES TIONS AND OFFER ADVICE ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE ESSAY !FTER EACH SESSION WE DISCUSSED THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE INTERACTION 4HEN THE STUDENTS SWITCHED ROLES AND WORKED ON ANOTHER ESSAY FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER ROUND OF DISCUSSION !FTER A BREAK ) TURNED TO AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRITING PROCESS AND THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT &IRST ) OFFERED THE STUDENTS A MODEL OF THE WRIT ING PROCESS SUMMARIZING THE ACTIVITIES WRITERS TYPICALLY COMPLETE DURING THE PRE WRITING DRAFTING REVISING AND PROOFREADING STAGES OF THE PROCESS .EXT ) TURNED THE STUDENTS ATTENTION TO AN OVERHEAD TRANSPARENCY LIST ING THE STATEMENTS SEVEN PROCESS OUTCOMES AND LED A DISCUSSION OF THEIR IMPLICATION FOR WRITING CENTER TUTORS 7YVJLZZ6\[JVTL
"E AWARE THAT IT USUALLY TAKES MULTIPLE DRAFTS TO CREATE AND COMPLETE A SUCCESSFUL TEXT 4UTORS ) POINTED OUT NEED TO REINFORCE THE NOTION THAT GOOD WRITING IS USUALLY THE RESULT OF COMPOSING MULTIPLE DRAFTS ) WARNED THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS NOT TO SUCCUMB TO THE COMMON DESIRE STUDENTS HAVE FOR TUTORS TO hREWRITEv OR hFIXv THEIR PAPERS )NSTEAD GOOD TUTORS GUIDE STUDENT REVISIONS HELPING WRITERS UNDERSTAND VARIOUS WAYS THEY CAN IMPROVE THE NEXT DRAFT OF THEIR WORK 7YVJLZZ6\[JVTL
$EVELOP FLEXIBLE STRATEGIES FOR GENERATING REVISING EDITING AND PROOF READING ) REMINDED THE TUTORS THAT THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED AS WRITERS IN PART BECAUSE THEY ALREADY POSSESS FLEXIBLE STRATEGIES FOR GENERATING REVISING EDITING AND PROOFREADING TEXTS -ANY OF THE STUDENTS COMING TO THE WRITING CENTER FOR HELP WILL NOT HAVE DEVELOPED THESE SKILLS 7E DISCUSSED HOW TUTORS OFTEN SERVE AS WRITING hCOACHESv WHO CAN SHARE ALTERNATIVE COMPOSING AND REVISING STRATEGIES WITH THEIR PEERS OR HELP THEIR PEERS ADAPT THE SKILLS THEY ALREADY POSSESS TO COMPLETE NEW OR DIFFICULT WRITING TASKS
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5NDERSTAND WRITING AS AN OPEN PROCESS THAT PERMITS WRITERS TO USE LATER INVENTION AND RETHINKING TO REVISE THEIR WORK 7E DISCUSSED HOW TUTORS CAN HELP THEIR PEERS ENGAGE IN REFLECTIVE REVISIONS OF THEIR WORK 4UTORS CAN OFFER HONEST RESPONSE TO STUDENTS WORK AND ASK QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED IN THE NEXT DRAFT OF THE ESSAY 4HEY CAN HELP STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO EVALUATE THEIR OWN PAPERS AND DEVELOP A PLAN FOR IMPROVING THE CONTENT OF FUTURE DRAFTS )N SHORT TUTORS ARE IN AN EXCELLENT POSITION TO HELP THEIR PEERS UNDERSTAND THE VITAL ROLE REVISION PLAYS IN THE WRITING PROCESS 7YVJLZZ6\[JVTL
5NDERSTAND THE COLLABORATIVE AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF WRITING PROCESSES 4HIS OUTCOME GETS TO THE HEART OF THE TUTORING PROCESS 7RITING CENTER TUTORS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE COLLABORATIVE SOCIAL NATURE OF WRITING AND THEIR ROLE IN THE COMPOSING PROCESS 4HEY WILL WORK WITH THE STUDENT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS SOLVE PROBLEMS AND MAKE PLANS AVOIDING THE TEMP TATION TO APPROPRIATE THE CLIENTS TEXT 4UTORS CAN ALSO HELP THEIR PEERS UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THEY WRITE ACADEMIC PAPERS THEY ARE ENTERING AN ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT THE TOPIC AND NEED TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISCUSSION THEMSELVES 7YVJLZZ6\[JVTL
,EARN TO CRITIQUE THEIR OWN AND OTHERS WORK 4UTORS CRITIQUE THE WORK OF OTHER WRITERS EVERYDAY 4HEY MODEL CRITICAL READING AND REVISING SKILLS THEIR CLIENTS NEED TO MASTER (OWEVER MOST TUTORS AGREE THAT WORKING IN A WRITING CENTER ALSO CHANGES THE WAY THEY LOOK AT THEIR OWN WRITING 4UTORS OFTEN LEARN AS MUCH OR EVEN MORE THAN THEY TEACH 7YVJLZZ6\[JVTL
,EARN TO BALANCE THE ADVANTAGES OF RELYING ON OTHERS WITH THE RESPON SIBILITY OF DOING THEIR PART ! PRIMARY GOAL OF TUTORING IS TO HELP STUDENTS BECOME MORE SELF SUF FICIENT WRITERS 4UTORS CAN WORK WITH STUDENTS TO IDENTIFY THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF PARTICULAR PAPERS AND OFFER STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING THE WORK BUT THEY ALSO NEED TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSI BILITY OF COMPOSING AND REVISING THEMSELVES 7ORKING WITH A TUTOR SHOULD HELP STUDENTS LEARN HOW TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR OWN WORK
;OL>7(6\[JVTLZ:[H[LTLU[.VLZ[V/PNO:JOVVS
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5SE A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES TO ADDRESS A RANGE OF AUDIENCES ) NOTED THAT AS WRITING CENTER TUTORS THEY MAY NEED TO OFFER ADVICE ON HOW TO USE A RANGE OF TECHNOLOGIES TO LOCATE AUDIENCE APPROPRIATE SOURC ES OF INFORMATION OBTAIN MODEL TEXTS CONSULT REFERENCE WORKS DOWNLOAD GRAPHICS OR FORMAT AND PUBLISH TEXTS 4UTORS HAVE TO BE COMFORTABLE WORKING WITH TECHNOLOGY AND UNDERSTAND THE WAY TECHNOLOGY IMPACTS WRITTEN COMMUNICATION !FTER COMPLETING THIS WORKSHOP ) TALKED WITH SEVERAL SCHOOL ADMINIS TRATORS ABOUT OFFERING FUTURE TUTORS A SEMESTER LONG CREDIT BEARING COURSE ON RHETORIC TUTORING AND COLLABORATIVE WRITING USING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A CURRICULUM GUIDE 4HEY ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSED THE IDEA AND WE ARE CURRENTLY DRAWING UP PLANS FOR THE COURSE *65*3<:065
4HE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS PROVEN TO BE A HIGHLY FLEXIBLE DOCU MENT SERVING AS A GUIDE OR SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR SEVERAL 7)$ RELATED PROGRAMS AT /AKWOOD (IGH 3CHOOL !S WE COLLABORATED ON THESE PROJECTS THE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AND ) HAVE REPEATEDLY TURNED TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF COLLEGE WRITING EXPECTATIONS GUIDE FACULTY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AND DEVELOP STUDENT SUPPORT SERVIC ES 4HE STATEMENT HAS HELPED US BRIDGE THE GAP THAT OFTEN EXISTS BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE WRITING TEACHERS PROVIDING US WITH A COMMON SET OF PEDAGOGICAL AND CURRICULAR GOALS AND A SHARED SET OF TERMS FOR DISCUSS ING WHAT MATTERS MOST TO USIMPROVING OUR STUDENTS READING WRITING AND THINKING SKILLS
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"EHRENS ,AURENCE 7RITING 2EADING AND THE 2EST OF THE &ACULTY ! 3URVEY %NGLISH *OURNAL n "ERNHARDT 3TEPHEN ! 7RITING ACROSS THE #URRICULUM AT /NE 5NIVERSITY ! 3URVEY OF &ACULTY -EMBERS AND 3TUDENTS !$% "ULLETIN n "RIDGEMAN "RENT AND 3YBIL " #ARLSON 3URVEY OF !CADEMIC 7RITING 4ASKS 7RITTEN #OMMUNICATION n %BLEN #HARLENE 7RITING ACROSS THE #URRICULUM ! 3URVEY OF A 5NIVERSITY &ACULTYS 6IEWS AND #LASSROOM 0RACTICES 2ESEARCH IN THE 4EACHING OF %NGLISH n (ALE 'ORDON ET AL ! 3TUDY OF 7RITING 4ASKS !SSIGNED IN !CADEMIC $EGREE 0ROGRAMSv 4/%&, 2ESEARCH 2EPORT NO 0RINCETON %DUCATIONAL 4ESTING 3ERVICE (OROWITZ $ANIEL - 7HAT 0ROFESSORS !CTUALLY 2EQUIRE !CADEMIC 4ASKS FOR THE %3, #LASSROOM 4%3/, 1UARTERLY n +ROLL "ARBARA ! 3URVEY OF THE 7RITING .EEDS OF &OREIGN AND !MERICAN #OLLEGE &RESHMEN %NGLISH ,ANGUAGE 4EACHING *OURNAL n /STLER 3HIRLEY ! 3URVEY OF !CADEMIC .EEDS FOR !DVANCED %3, 4%3/, 1UARTERLY n 2OSE -IKE 2EMEDIAL 7RITING #OURSES ! #RITIQUE AND A 0ROPOSAL #OLLEGE %NGLISH n 3CHARTON -AURICE #OMPOSITION AT )LLINOIS 3TATE 5NIVERSITY ! 0RELIMINARY !SSESSMENT )LLINOIS %NGLISH "ULLETIN n :ELMAN 3TEVEN ! (OW #OLLEGE 4EACHERS %NCOURAGE 3TUDENTS 7RITING 2ESEARCH IN THE 4EACHING OF %NGLISH n
; / , 6 < ; * 6 4 , : : ;(; , 4 , 5 ; (; ( *644<50;@*633,., =LYPMPJH[PVU(JJYLKP[H[PVUHUK(Y[PJ\SH[PVU 134J*S\YL
4HE FIRST FULL DRAFT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WHICH CAME OUT OF THE $EFINING /UTCOMES FROM #OLLEGE 7RITING WORKSHOP AT THE #ONFERENCE ON #OLLEGE #OMPOSITION AND #OMMUNICATION #### IN #HICAGO WAS TIMELY FOR THE %NGLISH DEPARTMENT AT +IRKWOOD #OMMUNITY #OLLEGE +IRKWOOD LOCATED IN #EDAR 2APIDS )OWA WITH SITES IN SIX SUR ROUNDING COUNTIES IS A RELATIVELY LARGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE WITH AN ANNUAL ENROLLMENT OF ABOUT THIRTEEN THOUSAND STUDENTS %ACH YEAR ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND STUDENTS ENROLL IN OUR THREE COURSE COMPOSITION SEQUENCE%LEMENTS OF 7RITING OUR BASIC WRITING COURSE WHICH ABOUT ONE THIRD OF OUR STUDENTS TAKE #OMPOSITION ) AND #OMPOSITION )) )N THE SPRING OF +IRKWOOD WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF PREPARING FOR OUR TEN YEAR ACCREDITATION REVIEW BY .ORTH #ENTRAL !SSOCIATION .#! ! MAJOR FOCUS OF THE .#! ACCREDITATION REVIEW IS THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARN ING AT THE INSTITUTION INCLUDING GENERAL EDUCATION WHICH INCLUDES OUR COMPOSITION COURSES 4HE FIRST MEETING OF THE #OMPOSITION !SSESSMENT #OMMITTEE WHICH HAD BEEN CHARGED WITH DESIGNING AND IMPLEMENTING AN ASSESSMENT PLAN FOR OUR COMPOSITION COURSES WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE 4HURSDAY FOLLOWING THE #### AND THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BECAME A CENTRAL RESOURCE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF OUR ASSESSMENT PROCESS /VER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS SERVED TO GUIDE THE COMMITTEE IN THREE AREAS VERIFICATION ACCREDITATION AND ARTICULA TION = , 9 0 - 0 * (; 0 6 5
!T THAT INITIAL MEETING THE #OMPOSITION !SSESSMENT #OMMITTEE AGREED THAT THE FIRST STEP IN ASSESSING OUR COMPOSITION COURSES WAS TO IDENTIFY WHAT IT WAS THAT WE DID IN THOSE COURSES $URING THE n ACADEMIC YEAR THE %NGLISH DEPARTMENT HAD DEVISED GENERAL OBJECTIVES FOR ITS COM POSITION COURSES
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#RITICAL 2EADING 7E INTEND THAT STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP THE FOLLOWING ABILITIES s 4O UNDERSTAND THE WRITERS PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE s 4O ANALYZE THE WRITERS REASONING AND SUPPORT s 4O BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH THE WRITERS CONTEXTS s 4O INTEGRATE NEW MATERIAL WITH PRIOR KNOWLEDGE s 4O RELATE INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE TO A BROADER WORLD #RITICAL 7RITING 7E INTEND THAT STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP THE FOLLOWING ABILITIES s 4O EMPLOY A RECURSIVE WRITING PROCESS s 4O ADAPT WRITING TO PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE s 4O WRITE WITH REASONING AND NECESSARY SUPPORT s 4O INTEGRATE NEW MATERIAL WITH PRIOR KNOWLEDGE s 4O RELATE INDIVIDUAL VALUES AND EXPERIENCE TO A BROADER WORLD s 4O USE h3TANDARD %NGLISHv
/F COURSE THERE ARE VARYING DEGREES OF EMPHASIS OF THESE GENERAL OBJECTIVES IN EACH OF THE COURSES IN OUR SEQUENCE &OR EACH OF THE COURSES THE DEPARTMENT DEVELOPED MORE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES THAT REPRESENTED THE EMPHASES FOR THE PARTICULAR COURSE &OR EXAMPLE THE OBJECTIVES FOR #OMPOSITION )) THE FINAL COURSE IN THE SEQUENCE FOCUS MORE ON ARGU MENT AND RESEARCH THAN EITHER %LEMENTS OF 7RITING OR #OMPOSITION ) )NSTRUCTORS ;OF #OMPOSITION ))= INTEND THAT STUDENTS WILL DO THE FOLLOWING s #OMPREHEND AND ANALYZE THE ARGUMENTS OF OTHERS s 7RITE LOGICAL ARGUMENTS THAT STATE CLAIMS CLEARLY AND PROVIDE APPROPRIATE AND SUFFICIENT REASONS AND EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THOSE CLAIMS s ,OCATE SELECT AND EVALUATE APPROPRIATE SOURCES AND INTEGRATE INFORMATION FROM SOURCES IN PAPERS s #ITE AND DOCUMENT SOURCES USING THE -,! OR OTHER PARENTHETICAL DOCUMENTA TION FORMAT s #ONTINUE TO IMPROVE CRITICAL READING WRITING AND THINKING SKILLS s #ONTINUE TO GAIN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS OF WRITING INCLUDING INVEN TION THESIS ROUGH DRAFTS FINAL DRAFTS GLOBAL REVISION EDITING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WRITING COMMUNITY AT VARIOUS STAGES DURING THE EVOLU TION OF A COMPOSITION s #ONTINUE TO HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE THROUGH VARIOUS TYPES OF WRITING ASSIGNMENTS WHICH MAY INCLUDE SUMMARIES OR ANALYSES OF READINGS RESEARCH PAPERS LITERARY ANALYSES BUSINESS LETTERS ETC s #ONTINUE TO IMPROVE COMMAND OF 3TANDARD %NGLISH INCLUDING PUNCTUATION AND GRAMMAR s 4HROUGH THESE EXPERIENCES CONTINUE TO BUILD CONFIDENCE IN WRITING ABILITY
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-OST OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE WAS TO REVIEW THESE GENERAL AND MORE SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES AGAINST THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DRAFT THAT HAD COME OUT OF THE ####S WORKSHOP 4HE CON SENSUS OF THE COMMITTEE WAS THAT WHILE THE PHRASING WAS NOT ALWAYS THE SAME AND THE EMPHASIS WAS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT FOR EXAMPLE BECAUSE OF THE ABILITIES OF OUR STUDENTS WE TEND TO EMPHASIZE READING SKILLS MORE IN OUR SEQUENCE THAN OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES MIGHT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT VERIFIED THE OBJECTIVES DEFINED BY OUR DEPARTMENT AS COMPA RABLE TO THE NATIONAL SET OF OUTCOMES DEFINED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY COMPOSITION PROGRAMS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY 4HIS WAS AN IMPORTANT FIRST STEP IN OUR PROCESS OF PROGRAM ASSESSMENT AND REVIEW ( * * 9 , + 0 ;(; 0 6 5
!S PART OF THE .#! ACCREDITATION REVIEW AN INSTITUTION IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF THE ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING IN ALL OF ITS PRO GRAMS AND COURSES !FTER USING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO VERIFY OUR DEPARTMENTS OBJECTIVES AS BEING APPROPRIATE THE ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE PROCEEDED TO DEVELOP TWO MEASURES OF STUDENT LEARNING IN OUR COMPOSI TION COURSES 4HE FIRST ASSESSMENT METHOD IS AN INDIRECT MEASURE A SURVEY THAT IS GIVEN TO STUDENTS IN ALL COMPOSITION COURSES SOMETIME DURING THE LAST TWO WEEKS OF THE SEMESTER 4HE COMMITTEE DETERMINED THAT SOME OUT COMES OF COMPOSITION COURSESFOR EXAMPLE ATTITUDES TOWARD WRITING OR BEHAVIORS INVOLVING THE PROCESS OF WRITINGWERE BEST ASSESSED BY ASKING STUDENTS WHAT THEY THOUGHT THEIR ABILITIES WERE AND HOW THEIR EXPERIENCES IN COMPOSITION AFFECTED THOSE ABILITIES 4HE COMMITTEE COMPILED THE ITEMS FOR THE INITIAL SURVEY BY WORKING SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND THE DEPARTMENTS OBJECTIVES 4HE SURVEY WENT THROUGH TWO PILOT ADMINISTRATIONS AND REVISIONS BEFORE THE FINAL VERSION WAS APPROVED SEE APPENDIX ! P 7HILE THE SPECIFIC PHRASING OF THE SURVEY ITEMS AND THE EMPHASIS ON STUDENTS ABILITIES MAY APPEAR TO HAVE LITTLE DIRECT CORRESPONDENCE TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IT CERTAINLY WAS AN INFLUENCE IN THE CONTENT OF THE ITEMS #LEARLY WE NEEDED TO PHRASE THE ITEMS IN TERMS THAT ARE USED BY INSTRUCTORS IN OUR PROGRAM AND THAT STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND 7E ALSO WANTED TO BALANCE THE EMPHASIS ON THE PARTICULAR ABILITIES REPRESENTED IN THE SURVEY WITH THOSE OF THE CURRICULUM IN OUR OVERALL SEQUENCE 4HROUGH THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT AND SUBSEQUENT REVISIONS OF THE SURVEY THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS REGULARLY REFERRED TO AS A RESOURCE TO ASSURE
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COVERAGE OF WHAT WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE DONE AND HAVE LEARNED IN OUR COMPOSITION SEQUENCE 4HE SECOND ASSESSMENT METHOD IS A DIRECT MEASURE AN EVALUATION OF STUDENT WRITING s !RGUMENTATIVE RESEARCH PAPERS THE CULMINATION OF THE COMPOSITION SEQUENCE ARE COLLECTED FROM A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF SECTIONS OF #OMPOSITION )) FROM ALL COUNTY SITES AND ALL METHODS OF DELIVERY s !LL FULL TIME FACULTY AND SEVERAL ADJUNCT FACULTY MEET TO READ AND EVALUATE THE SET OF PAPERS n IN GROUPS OF FOUR OR FIVE n PAPERS PER GROUP s 4HE ASSUMPTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE READING IS THAT ALL PAPERS ARE hv PAPERS ON A SCALE OF TO BEING hSUPERIOR v BEING hAVERAGE v BEING hINFERIORv 4HE GROUPS READ THEIR SET OF PAPERS FIRST EACH MEMBER INDIVID UALLY EVALUATING EACH PAPER NOTING PARTICULARLY PAPERS THAT VERGE INTO THE OR CATEGORIES 4HEN EACH GROUP DISCUSSES ITS SET OF PAPERS NEGOTIATING WHICH PAPERS FALL INTO THE OR CATEGORIES 4HE GOAL IS TO DETERMINE WHAT PAPERS ARE AND WHAT PAPERS ARE SCORES EACH GROUP MUST COME TO A CON SENSUS ON THESE PAPERS 4HE PAPERS ARE ASSUMED TO BE THE MAJORITY s /NCE THE GROUPS HAVE AGREED WHICH PAPERS ARE PAPERS AND WHICH ARE PAPERS THEY THEN USE THE h!RGUMENT 2ESEARCH 0APER !TTRIBUTE #HECK 3HEETv APPENDIX " TO FIRST FILL IN THE NUMBER OF PAPERS THAT FALL INTO EACH OF THE CATEGORIES 4HEN MOST IMPORTANT THE GROUP AGREES TO CHECK FOUR OR FIVE OF THE h!TTRIBUTES OF 3UPERIOR 0APERSv THAT DESCRIBE THE QUALITIES OF THE PAPERS THEYVE CULLED OUT AS PAPERS AND FOUR OR FIVE OF THE h!TTRIBUTES OF )NFERIOR 0APERSv THAT DESCRIBE THE QUALITIES OF THE PAPERS THEYVE CULLED OUT AS PAPERS s 7HEN ALL OF THE GROUPS HAVE COMPLETED THE ABOVE PROCESS THE GROUPS GET TOGETHER TO COMPARE NOTES AND DISCUSS THE PAPERS READ AND THE ASSESSMENT OF THE PAPERS "Y THE END OF THE WHOLE GROUP DISCUSSION THERE SHOULD BE SOME AGREEMENT ABOUT ATTRIBUTES THAT SHOWED UP ON THE SUPERIOR PAPERS AMONG ALL THE GROUPS AND ABOUT SOME OF THE ATTRIBUTES THAT SHOWED UP ON THE INFERIORPAPERS s (AVING AGREED ON ONE OR SEVERAL AREAS OF DEFICIENCIES IN THE INFERIOR PAPERS AMONG ALL OF THE GROUPS AS A DEPARTMENT WE SOLICIT ASSIGNMENTS AND STRATEGIES FROM ALL FACULTY FOR TEACHING THOSE ATTRIBUTES THAT TEND TO APPEAR ACROSS SEVERAL GROUPS ANALYSES AND WHEN APPROPRIATE HOLD WORK SHOPS TO HELP FACULTY FOCUS ON TEACHING AND ASSESSING THOSE ATTRIBUTES
"ECAUSE THIS ASSESSMENT FOCUSES ON A PARTICULAR RHETORICAL MODE THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED IN THE h!RGUMENT 2ESEARCH 0APER !TTRIBUTE #HECK
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3HEETv APPENDIX " P WERE NOT DIRECTLY DERIVED FROM THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HOWEVER BY THE TIME OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS ASSESSMENT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAD BECOME INHERENT WITHIN THE WHOLE PROCESS OF THE ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE ( 9 ; 0 * < 3 (; 0 6 5
!S A COMMUNITY COLLEGE +IRKWOOD IS CONCERNED WITH ARTICULATION IN TWO DIRECTIONS AS A FEEDER INSTITUTION FOR STATE FOUR YEAR COLLEGES AND UNI VERSITIES AND AS AN OPEN ENROLLMENT COLLEGE ACCEPTING STUDENTS FROM AREA HIGH SCHOOLS WITHOUT ANY REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCEPTANCE +IRKWOOD HAS LONG STANDING ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS WITH ALL OF THE THREE STATE UNIVERSITIES 5NIVERSITY OF )OWA )OWA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY AND THE 5NIVERSITY OF .ORTHERN )OWA AS WELL AS SIMILAR AGREEMENTS WITH AREA PRI VATE COLLEGES #OE #OLLEGE -T -ERCY #OLLEGE 'RINNELL #OLLEGE ,UTHER #OLLEGE 4HERE IS NO INDICATION THAT ANY OF THESE ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS ARE IN JEOPARDY HOWEVER IF THE ARTICULATION QUESTION SHOULD ARISE IN THE FUTURE THE DEMONSTRATED COMPARABILITY BETWEEN +IRKWOODS OBJECTIVES AND THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SEE h6ERIFICATIONv ABOVE SHOULD HELP TO MAKE THE ARGUMENT FOR MAINTAINING ARTICULATION OF OUR COMPOSITION SEQUENCE -ORE IMPORTANT CURRENTLY ARE QUESTIONS OF ARTICULATION BETWEEN AREA HIGH SCHOOLS AND +IRKWOOD )N THE n ACADEMIC YEAR +IRKWOOD BEGAN AN INITIATIVE TO WORK WITH AREA HIGH SCHOOLS TO BETTER ALIGN THE CURRICULUM OF HIGH SCHOOL COMPOSITION PROGRAMS WITH THE COMPOSITION CURRICULUM AT +IRKWOOD /F CONCERN ARE ISSUES OF STUDENTS WHO TAKE FOUR YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL COMPOSITION AND STILL ARE PLACED IN +IRKWOODS BASIC WRITING COURSE ON THE BASIS OF THEIR TEST SCORES AND THE CURRICU LUM OF DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES OFFERED BY SOME AREA HIGH SCHOOLS WHERE STUDENTS RECEIVE BOTH HIGH SCHOOL AND +IRKWOOD CREDIT FOR COMPOSITION COURSES TAUGHT AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS 4HE DEAN OF %NGLISH THE COORDINATOR OF %NGLISH ASSESSMENT ME AND TWO FACULTY MEMBERS MET WITH %NGLISH FACULTY AND COUNSELORS FROM THREE AREA HIGH SCHOOLS TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES OF CURRICULUM AND ARTICULATION )N FOUR MEETINGS OVER THE YEAR WE HAD PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSIONS OF WHAT STU DENTS ARE TAUGHT AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND FIRST YEAR COL LEGE COMPOSITION WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM DURING THAT PROGRESSION AND HOW WE ASSESS THEIR PROGRESS )N THE VERY FIRST MEETING ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOL %NGLISH FACULTY SOMEWHAT FRUSTRATED SIMPLY SAID THAT HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HIS STUDENTS WOULD BE DOING AND EXPECTED TO DO WHEN THEY
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GOT TO COLLEGE COMPOSITION ) IMMEDIATELY RAN OFF TO MY OFFICE GRABBED A COPY OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MADE PHOTOCOPIES AND RAN BACK TO DISTRIBUTE THE STATEMENT !S THE HIGH SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES LOOKED OVER THE DOCUMENT ONE TEACHER OF BOTH !0 %NGLISH AND A DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSE STATED h4HIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO KNOWv 3HE COULD SEE IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WHAT HADNT BEEN AS CLEAR IN THE VARIOUS SAMPLE COURSE SYLLABI WE HAD DISTRIBUTED PRIOR TO THE MEETING 3HE COULD SEE AND UNDERSTAND IN AN ABSTRACTED WAY WHAT THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE AND EXPECTA TIONS ARE IN OUR COLLEGE COMPOSITION SEQUENCE ) HESITATE TO REFER TO IT AS hFIRST YEAR COMPOSITIONv IN THE CONTEXT OF PEOPLE WHO TEACH COMPOSITION TO STUDENTS FOR UP TO FOUR YEARS BEFORE THE STUDENTS GET TO US )N ALL THREE AREASVERIFICATION ACCREDITATION AND ARTICULATIONTHE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BECOME A KIND OF TOUCHSTONE FOR A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES WERE INVOLVED IN AT +IRKWOOD !S WE CONTINUE OUR ASSESSMENT PROCESS AS WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW OUR PROGRAM AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AREA HIGH SCHOOLS REGARDING ARTICULATION THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WILL REMAIN A DOCUMENT AT THE CORE OF OUR EFFORTS
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4O THE LEFT OF EACH STATEMENT BELOW RATE YOUR OWN COMPETENCE IN EACH OF THE SKILLS 4O THE RIGHT ESTIMATE HOW MUCH INFLUENCE YOUR COMPOSITION COURSE HAS HAD ON IMPROVING EACH OF THESE SKILLS #IRCLE THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER FOR BOTH COMPETENCE AND INFLUENCE ACCORDING TO THE CODES $=LY`JVTWL[LU[ $:VTL^OH[JVTWL[LU[ $5V[]LY`JVTWL[LU[ $5V[H[HSSJVTWL[LU[
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(WWLUKP_) ( 9 . < 4 , 5 ; 9 , : , ( 9 * / 7( 7 , 9 (; ; 9 0 ) < ; , * / , * 2 : / , , ;
)N THE TABLE BELOW INDICATE THE NUMBER OF PAPERS ON WHICH THE GROUP CAME TO CONSENSUS FOR EACH OF THE THREE SCORING POINTS SUPERIOR AVERAGE INFERIOR
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)N THE TABLE BELOW CHECK IN THE LEFT COLUMN THOSE FOUR TO FIVE NOT MORE THAN FIVE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES THAT BEST DESCRIBE THE PAPERS SCORED BY THE GROUP AS SUPERIOR PAPERS !ND CHECK IN THE RIGHT COLUMN THOSE FOUR TO FIVE NOT MORE THAN FIVE NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES THAT BEST DESCRIBE THE PAPERS SCORED BY THE GROUP AS INFERIOR PAPERS ([[YPI\[LZVMZ\WLYPVYWHWLYZ ;VWPJPZMVJ\ZLKHUKLUNHNPUN 7\YWVZLPZJSLHY (KHW[LKLMMLJ[P]LS`[VH\KPLUJL ;OLZPZPZJSLHYS`Z[H[LKVYPTWSPLK (YN\TLU[PZJYLKPISLJVU]PUJPUN 0KLHZHYLVYPNPUHSZVWOPZ[PJH[LK 0KLHZHYLM\SS`KL]LSVWLK :\WWVY[PZYLSL]HU[HUKZ\IZ[HU[PHS :\MMPJPLU[YLSL]HU[L]PKLUJLPZWYV]PKLK 9LZLHYJOPZZ\MMPJPLU[YLSL]HU[ 6]LYHSSVYNHUPaH[PVUPZW\YWVZLM\S 0U[YVK\J[PVUPKLU[PMPLZ[VWPJHUKLUNHNLZ 7HYHNYHWOZHYL\UPMPLKHUKJVOLYLU[ ;YHUZP[PVUZHYLWYV]PKLK^OLYLHWWYVWYPH[L *VUJS\ZPVUWYV]PKLZLMMLJ[P]LJSVZ\YL ;VULPZHWWYVWYPH[L[V[VWPJW\YWVZL :LU[LUJLZHYLJVTWSL[LJSLHY]HYPLK >VYKJOVPJLPZHWWYVWYPH[LHJJ\YH[L .YHTTHYW\UJ[\H[PVUZWLSSPUNHYLHJJ\ YH[L +VJ\TLU[H[PVUMVYTH[PZHJJ\YH[L 6[OLY!
([[YPI\[LZVMPUMLYPVYWHWLYZ ;VWPJPZ\UJSLHYVY[YP[L 7\YWVZLPZ]HN\L 5VHWWHYLU[H^HYLULZZVMH\KPLUJL ;OLZPZPZ\UJSLHY (YN\TLU[PZ^LHR 0KLHZHYLWSH[P[\KLZ[YP[L 0KLHZHYL\UKL]LSVWLK :\WWVY[PZUV[YLSL]HU[VYPZTLHNLY 3HJRVMYLSL]HU[L]PKLUJL 9LZLHYJOPZTPUPTHSVYPUHWWYVWYPH[L 6]LYHSSVYNHUPaH[PVUPZ\UJSLHY 0U[YVK\J[PVUPZ]HN\LVYTPZSLHKPUN 7HYHNYHWOZHYLUV[\UPMPLKVYJVOLYLU[ 3HJRVMULJLZZHY`[YHUZP[PVUZ >LHRVYUVJSVZ\YL ;VULPZPUHWWYVWYPH[LVYPUJVUZPZ[LU[ 7YVISLTZL]PKLU[PUZLU[LUJLZ[Y\J[\YL]HYPL[` 7YVISLTZL]PKLU[PU^VYKJOVPJL 7YVISLTZL]PKLU[^P[ONYHTTHYW\UJ[\H[PVU ZWLSSPUN 7YVISLTZL]PKLU[^P[OKVJ\TLU[H[PVUMVYTH[ 6[OLY!
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! 'OOGLE SEARCH USING THE TERMS hCRITICAL THINKING READING WRITING COL LEGE COMPOSITIONv CAME UP WITH HITS 7HILE FINDINGS BASED ON SEARCH RESULTS MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY CONCLUSIVE WE FEEL SAFE IN ASSERTING THAT THESE NUMBERS SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE UBIQUITY OF THIS PHRASE IN RELA TION TO FIRST YEAR WRITING #HANCES ARE THAT WHEN ANY OF US DISCUSS WHAT WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO TAKE FROM OUR COURSES hCRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITINGv ARE AMONG THE FIRST WE MENTION 4HE QUESTION THOUGH IS WHAT WE MEAN BY hCRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITINGv WHEN WE WORK TO IMPLEMENT THESE OUTCOMES !S $ONALD 7OLFF POINTS OUT IN CHAPTER h+NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS AND THE ,OGIC OF %RROR v UNLESS THE 70! OUTCOMES ARE PROBLEMATIZED THEIR COMPLEXITY IS ELIDED !DDITIONALLY THE POWER OF THE TERMS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTTHE BROAD CATEGORIES 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE #RITICAL 4HINKING 2EADING AND 7RITING AND SO ON AS WELL AS THE POINTS DELINEATED WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIESLIES IN THE COMMONALITIES THAT EXIST AMONG THE SPECIFIC WAYS THAT THESE CATEGORIES ARE ENACTED IN DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS AND CONTEXTS 7E WERE MINDFUL OF THE NEED TO STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN BROAD GOALS AND OUR SPECIFIC CONTEXT WHEN WE REVISED THE WRITING OUTCOMES AT %ASTERN -ICHIGAN 5NIVERSITY WHERE WE TEACH 0ARTICULARLY WE WERE AND ARE LEERY ABOUT USING THE ADJECTIVE hCRITICALv WITH hWRITING v hREADING v AND ESPECIALLY hTHINKINGv PRECISELY BECAUSE IT IS SO WIDELY USED BUT SOMETIMES NOT SPECIFICALLY DEFINED 4HUS WORKING FROM THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A TEMPLATE WE THOUGHT CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED STUDENTS TO DO TO KNOW AT THE END OF THEIR COMPOSITION EXPERIENCE HOW OUR OUTCOMES WOULD REFLECT THAT AND WHAT PEDAGOGI CAL IMPLICATIONS THOSE OUTCOMES WOULD HAVE 7E SOUGHT TO IDENTIFY AND MAKE EXPLICIT KEY PRACTICES SURROUNDING READING AND WRITING THAT WOULD ENGAGE STUDENTS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES THAT WOULD STRETCH THEIR LITERACIES h#RITICAL v THEN FOR US ENCOMPASSED MANY NUANCES INCLUDING
*YP[PJHS;OPURPUN9LHKPUNHUK>YP[PUN
REFLECTION NEGOTIATION CONNECTION AND ANALYSIS FOR STARTERS AS WELL EXPLAIN BELOW >90;05.·(5+9,(+05.
,IKE MOST COMPOSITION TEACHERS AND 70!S WHEN WE STARTED THINKING ABOUT HOW TO ADAPT THE /3 FOR OUR OWN PROGRAM OUR FIRST THOUGHTS WERE NATURALLY ABOUT WRITING 4HE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED WHEN WE CONSIDERED WHAT WE MEANT BY hGOOD WRITING v HOWEVER LED US TO REALIZE THAT ATTENDING TO READING WOULD BE JUST AS IMPORTANT 7HERE AND HOW WAS CRITICAL READING POSITIONED IN THE WRITING AND WRITING PROCESS THAT WE IMAGINED 4HE WORD THAT HAS BECOME EMBLEMATIC OF THESE CONVERSATIONS IS hGRAPPLINGv 7E WANTED STUDENTS WRITING TO REFLECT THEIR OWN EVOLVING THINKING ABOUT THE SUBJECTS OF THEIR WRITING 7E WANTED THEIR WRITTEN PROJECTS TO ENGAGE THEM IN HELPING THEIR READERS UNDERSTAND HOW THEY WORKED TO ACHIEVE THE KIND OF hCRITICAL READINGv THAT THEY DO AS ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN CULTURES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM AND THE UNIVERSITY 7HAT OUTCOMES FOR CRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING THEN WOULD ENABLE THIS WORK 4HE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SAYS THAT STUDENTS SHOULD s 5SE WRITING AND READING FOR INQUIRY LEARNING THINKING AND COMMUNICAT ING s 5NDERSTAND A WRITING ASSIGNMENT AS A SERIES OF TASKS INCLUDING FINDING EVALUATING ANALYZING AND SYNTHESIZING APPROPRIATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES s )NTEGRATE IDEAS WITH THOSE OF OTHERS s 5NDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND POWER
4HESE GAVE US A STARTING POINT BUT THIS LANGUAGE DIDNT FOCUS SPE CIFICALLY ENOUGH ON THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF TEXTS OR READING THAT STUDENTS WOULD NEED TO ENGAGE IN THE KIND OF WRITING THAT WE HOPED FOR -ISSING WAS LANGUAGE ABOUT THE COMPLEX INTERACTIONS BETWEEN READING AND WRIT ING THAT WOULD PRIVILEGE THE KIND OF GRAPPLING WITH IDEAS IN WRITTEN AND OTHER KINDS OF TEXTS THAT WE HOPED TO SEE IN WRITING IN OUR PROGRAM 4HUS %-5S CRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING OUTCOMES FOR OUR TWO COURSE SEQUENCE READ AS FOLLOWS )N %.', STUDENTS WILL PRACTICE WITH THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES "Y THE END OF %.', STUDENTS WILL FLUENTLY s 5SE WRITING AND DISCUSSION TO WORK THROUGH AND INTERPRET COMPLEX IDEAS FROM READINGS AND OTHER TEXTS EG VISUAL MUSICAL VERBAL
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s #RITICALLY ANALYZE THEIR OWN AND OTHERS CHOICES REGARDING LANGUAGE AND FORM EG IN STUDENT TEXTS OR FORMALLY PUBLISHED TEXTS s %NGAGE IN MULTIPLE MODES OF INQUIRY USING TEXT EG FIELD RESEARCH LIBRARY BASED INQUIRY 7EB SEARCHING s )NCORPORATE SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH AS ABOVE INTO WRITING THAT ENGAGES A QUESTION ANDOR TOPIC AND USES IT AS A CENTRAL THEME FOR A SUBSTANTIVE RESEARCH BASED ESSAY s 5SE WRITING TO SUPPORT INTERPRETATIONS OF TEXT AND UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE INTERPRETATIONS OF TEXT s #ONSIDER AND EXPRESS THE RELATIONSHIP OF THEIR OWN IDEAS TO THE IDEAS OF OTHERS
)NCLUDED IN THESE GOALS WE THINK IS EXPLICIT ATTENTION TO READING PRAC TICES 4HE FIRST AND SECOND BULLETED POINTS WHICH REQUIRE STUDENTS TO WORK THROUGH AND INTERPRET IDEAS AND ANALYZE CHOICES FOCUS ON READING PRO CESSES 4HUS WHEN WE TEACH OUR FIRST YEAR COURSES WE KNOW THAT WE MUST INCORPORATE ACTIVITIES THAT REFER TO PROCESSES 4HE FIRST SECOND AND THIRD CALL ATTENTION TO VARIETIES OF TEXTS VISUAL MUSICAL AND VERBAL TEXTS STUDENT TEXTS AND FORMALLY PUBLISHED TEXTS AND FIELD RESEARCH LIBRARY TEXTS AND 7EB SOURCES WE KNOW THEN THAT THESE COURSES MUST INCORPORATE AND DRAW EXPLICIT ATTENTION TO THE FEATURES AND CONVENTIONS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF READINGS AND TEXTS )N THEIR ATTENTION TO ENGAGING IN MULTIPLE MODES OF INQUIRY INCORPORATING SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH INTERPRETING TEXT AND CONSID ERING AND EXPRESSING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THEIR IDEAS AND OTHERS THE FINAL THREE POINTS FOCUS ON USES OF READING 4HUS WE ALSO KNOW WE MUST CONSIDER AND GIVE STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PERFORM AND REFLECT ON DIF FERENT KINDS OF READING IN OUR COURSES 9 , ( + 0 5 . 7 , +( . 6 . 0 , : 0 5 > 9 0 ; 0 5 . * 3 ( : : 9 6 6 4 :
"EFORE EXPLAINING FURTHER THE WAYS IN WHICH CRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING ARE ENACTED IN OUR PROGRAM WE WANT TO REFLECT ON SOME OF THE READING WE WERE DOING CONCURRENTLY WITH USING THESE KINDS OF READ ING STRATEGIES IN OUR CLASSROOMS 4HREE BOOKS INTENDED FOR STUDENTS USE IN THE COLLEGE CLASSROOM HELPED US TO CONSIDER READING PRACTICES AND PROCESSES 7ENDY "ISHOPS 4HE 3UBJECT )S 2EADING "RUCE "ALLENGER AND -ICHELLE 0AYNES 4HE #URIOUS 2EADER AND ESPECIALLY 2OB 0OPES 4EXTUAL )NTERVENTIONS 0OPES BOOK WHILE NOT EXPRESSLY ABOUT READING PEDAGOGY ENGAGES STUDENTS IN WRITING AND CLOSELY READING A VARIETY OF GENRES FOR A VARIETY OF PURPOSES "ALLENGER AND 0AYNES WORK
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COMPLEMENTS 0OPES APPROACH BY ASKING STUDENTS TO READ SELF CONSCIOUSLY AND REFLECTIVELY WITH A VARIETY OF TEXTS /THER SCHOLARLY WORK HELPED US TO CONSIDER THE WAYS IN WHICH WE FRAMED THE APPROACH TO READING IN THESE OUTCOMES AND IN CLASSROOM PRACTICE -ARIOLINA 3ALVATORIS WORK FOR EXAMPLE HELPED US TO THINK ABOUT THE THEORIES UNDERSCORING DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO READING AS WE DESCRIBE ABOVE 4HE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR $ONNA 1UALLEYS h5SING 2EADING IN THE 7RITING #LASSROOMv 3IMILARLY THE RECENT )NTERTEXTS 2EADING 0EDAGOGY IN THE #OMPOSITION #LASSROOM FEATURES CHAPTERS BY 3ALVATORI AND OTHERS WHO HAVE DEVOTED CAREFUL ATTENTION TO READING THEORY AND PRACTICE IN THE COLLEGE CLASSROOM +ATHLEEN -C#ORMICKS 4HE #ULTURE OF 2EADING AND THE 4EACHING OF %NGLISH A BROAD STUDY OF READ ING PRACTICES IN COMPOSITION%NGLISH CLASSES THAT ALSO FOCUSES ON READING PEDAGOGIES HELPED US THINK ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STUDENTS CULTURES AND READING #ERTAINLY THIS HANDFUL OF RESOURCES IS VALUABLEYET COMPARED WITH THE VOLUMES OF LITERATURE ON WRITING PEDAGOGIES IT IS BUT A GRAIN OF SAND IN A VAST DESERT )NSTEAD WITHIN COLLEGE COMPOSITION THE SCHOLARSHIP ON READING FOCUSES MORE ON INSTRUCTOR READING OF STUDENT ESSAYS EG 3TRAUB 3TRAUB AND ,UNSFORD (ASWELL AND (ASWELL OR STUDENTS READING OF INSTRUCTORS COMMENTS ,UNSFORD AND #ONNORS 3OMMERS 7HILE THESE ARTICLES ARE USEFUL FOR INSTRUCTORS TO CONSIDER THEIR OWN READING PRACTICES THEY ARE NOT AS IMMEDIATELY APPLICABLE TO THE CHALLENGE OF DEVELOPING A READING PEDAGOGY )NSTEAD MOST OF THE RESEARCH ON READING IS ROOTED IN AND FOCUSES ON THE READING PRACTICES OF + STUDENTS PARTICULARLY MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS -UCH OF THIS WORK SEEKS TO EXTEND THE EARLIER THEORIES OF SCHOLARS LIKE &RANK 3MITH +EN AND 9ETTA 'OODMAN 9ETTA 'OODMAN ET AL 9ETTA 'OODMAN AND 3ANDRA 7ILDE !LAN 0URVES ET AL AND ,OUISE 2OSENBLATT THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGEMENT WITH A WHOLE TEXT IN PURPOSEFUL WAYS RATHER THAN WITH ISOLATED FEATURES OF TEXT WHETHER PHONETICAL OR LITERARY &OR INSTANCE *EFFREY 7ILHELM AND -ICHAEL 3MITH HAVE WORKED WITH THE READ ING PRACTICES OF ADOLESCENTS THROUGH CLOSE STUDY OF AND WITH THESE STU DENTS THEY HAVE EXTENSIVELY DISCUSSED READING PEDAGOGIES SEE 7ILHELMS 9OU 'OTTA "E THE "OOK ;= AND 3MITH AND 7ILHELMS 2EADING $ONT &IX .O #HEVYS ;= 3IMILARLY +YLENE "EERSS 7HEN +IDS #ANT 2EAD FOCUSES ON HELPING TEACHERS IDENTIFY WHAT WE AND STUDENTS MEAN WHEN WE SAY THEY hCANT READv FROM hDECODING SINGLE SYLLABLE WORDSv TO hREADS
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ALL TYPES OF TEXT THE SAME WAYv AND THEN ADDRESSING THOSE AREAS WITH STU DENTS IN MEANINGFUL CONTEXTUALIZED WAYS 4HE WORK CITED ABOVE REFLECTS AN EMPHASIS IN THIS RESEARCH ON ACTUAL STUDENT PRACTICES THE OBSERVATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL SUGGESTIONS BASED ON THEM CAN BE INVALUABLE FOR COLLEGE TEACHERS WHO WANT TO FOCUS MORE EXPLICIT ATTENTION ON READING PRACTICES 4HIS BODY OF WORK ALSO LED US TO CONSIDER ISSUES OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT AND HELPING STUDENTS BECOME LIFELONG LEARNERS IN ADDITION TO THE EMPHASIS ON STRATEGIES FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS REFLECTED IN A PREPONDERANCE OF THE WORK IN COMPOSITION 7HEN WE THOUGHT ABOUT DEVELOPING EXPLICIT READING STRATEGIES TO ENACT OUR OUTCOMES THEN WE STARTED WITH THE LITERATURE ON COMPOSITION BUT ALSO WITH THAT FROM %NGLISH EDUCATION THIS LED US TO ALSO ARTICULATE AFFEC TIVE DIMENSIONS THAT WE HOPED WOULD RESULT FROM STUDENTS WORK IN OUR COURSE ,IKE "EERS WE BELIEVE THAT hSIMPLY IMPROVING THE COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF READING COMPREHENSION VOCABULARY DECODING AND WORD RECOGNITION DOES NOT ENSURE THAT THE AFFECTIVE ASPECTS OF READING MOTI VATION ENJOYMENT ENGAGEMENT WILL AUTOMATICALLY IMPROVEv 4HUS THE AFFECTIVE DIMENSIONS OF READINGWRITING INSTRUCTION THAT WE SEE EMERGING ARE s (ELPING STUDENTS FIND MEANING PERSONAL INTELLECTUAL OTHERWISE IN THEIR RESEARCH s &ACILITATING STUDENTS ABILITIES TO PIQUE THEIR OWN CURIOSITY AND AT LEAST WON DER ABOUT IF NOT BECOME IN INVESTED IN A QUESTION THAT COULD BE PURSUED AT LEAST PARTLY THROUGH hACADEMICv RESEARCH s "UILDING THE CONFIDENCE NECESSARY FOR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN RESEARCH WRITING AS A PUBLIC ACT AND ENGAGE IN RESEARCH WRITING AS A CONVERSA TION WITH OTHERS INTERESTED IN THE SAME OR RELATED TOPICS s (ELPING STUDENTS FIND VALUE IN REFLECTION ON WRITING AND RESEARCH PROCESSES
!S THESE AFFECTIVE DIMENSIONS SUGGEST WE THINK THAT IF STUDENTS ENJOY THEIR ENCOUNTERS WITH READING THEY WILL BECOME ENGAGED IN IT AND THEIR WRITING AND THIS WILL ULTIMATELY FACILITATE THEIR INVESTMENT IN AND ACUMEN WITH STRATEGIES THAT WILL BENEFIT THEIR ACADEMIC WORK * 9 0 ; 0 *( 3 ; / 0 5 2 0 5 . ( 5 + 7 < 9 7 6 : , : - 6 9 9 , ( + 0 5 .
2EFLECTING ON AND WORKING WITH THESE OUTCOMES IN OUR CURRICULUM HAS HELPED US TO ARTICULATE MORE CLEARLY WHAT WE MEAN BY THEM AND HOW THEY SHAPE THE WORK WE DO WITH STUDENTS 4HIS WORK ALSO HAS HELPED US TO DEVELOP TEACHING STRATEGIES TO GIVE STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE
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WHAT WE SAY THEY WILL ACHIEVE BY THE END OF OUR SECOND SEMESTER COURSE 7E CAN SAY NOW FOR EXAMPLE THAT WE WANT STUDENTS TO ENGAGE GENERALLY IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF READING FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES IN THESE COURSES AND TO MEET THE UNDERLYING PEDAGOGICAL IMPERATIVES OUTLINED ABOVE 4O ACHIEVE THESE READINGS STUDENTS MUST SIMULTANEOUSLY ENACT THE FOUR ROLES OF READ ERS OUTLINED BY 0ETER &REEBODY CODE BREAKERS OR DECODERS OF TEXT TEXT PARTICIPANTS OR hINFERRER;S= OF CONNECTIONv BETWEEN TEXTS AND CONTEXTS THAT SHAPE THE TEXTS TEXT USERS OR USERS WHO CAN EMPLOY THE TEXTS IN SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES AND TEXT ANALYSTS OR READ ERS WITH hCONSCIOUS AWARENESS OF THE LANGUAGE AND IDEA SYSTEMS THAT ARE BROUGHT INTO PLAY WHEN A TEXT IS CONSTRUCTED AND THAT MAKE THE TEXT OPERATE AND THUS THAT MAKE THE READER INTO ITS OPERATORv &REEBODY n 7E ASK STUDENTS ACTING WITHIN THESE FOUR ROLES TO PERFORM READING WITHIN THREE BROAD CATEGORIES CONTENT BASED READING BASED IN WHAT THE READING SAYS PROCESS BASED READING BASED IN HOW THE READING CAME INTO BEING AND GENRE BASED READING BASED IN HOW THE READING SAYS WHAT IT SAYS )N EACH THEY MUST BE DECODERS AND TEXT USERS AS THEIR DECODING IS ALWAYS FRAMED BY SPECIFICS CLASS ASSIGNMENT THE STUDENTWRITERS PURPOSE FOR USING THE TEXT 3TRATEGIES WITHIN THE BROAD CATEGORY OF CONTENT BASED READING MOST FRE QUENTLY ASK STUDENTS TO CONSIDER THEIR INTERPRETATION OF A READING AND CONSIDER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THAT INTERPRETATION AND A hDOMINANTv INTERPRETATION 4HE FIRST TWO STRATEGIES WITHIN THIS CATEGORY PARTICULARLY CALL ON STUDENTS TO ENACT THEIR ROLES AS TEXT ANALYSTS IDENTIFYING THE TEXTS PREFERRED READING AND CONSIDERING WHY AND HOW THAT READING IS PRE FERRED 4HESE INCLUDE s 2EADING TO CONNECTREFUTE 4HIS KIND OF READING PRACTICE IS OFTEN WHAT STU DENTS EXPECT TO EMPLOY IN SCHOOL )T TYPICALLY HAPPENS AFTER THE WRITER HAS EXPLORED A SUBJECT FOR SOME TIME HAS COME TO AN ANALYSIS AND RECOGNIZES THAT A SOURCE CAN PROVIDE EVIDENCE FOR THAT ANALYSIS 4HE WRITERS IDEAS MIGHT CONCUR OR DIGRESS FROM THE IDEAS IN THE READING s 2EADING TO SUMMARIZEPARAPHRASE (ERE WRITERS READ TO CAPTURE THE DOMI NANT INTERPRETATION OF A READING AND REPEAT THAT INTERPRETATION IN THEIR OWN WRITING
4HE SECOND TWO STRATEGIES IN THIS CATEGORY LEAVE MORE ROOM FOR STU DENTS TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN INTERPRETATIONS OF THE READING AND ENACT WITH THE READING AS WHAT &REEBODY AND ,UKE HAVE CALLED TEXT PARTICI PANTS 4HEY ARE
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s 2EADING TO EXPLORE 7RITERS EXPLORE IDEAS EXPERIENCES OR QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE DEVELOPED 4HE PURPOSE OF THIS KIND OF READING IS TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THOSE ORIGINAL IDEAS QUESTIONS OR PURPOSES SO THAT WRITERS CAN READ TO EXTEND AS DESCRIBED BELOW s 2EADING TO EXTEND 4HIS KIND OF READING MIGHT BEGIN WITH EXPANDED IDEAS AS ABOVE (ERE THE WRITER READS TO REFLECT ON AND EXTEND IDEAS ANDOR FRAME OF REFERENCE &OR EXAMPLE WRITERS MIGHT DISCOVER THAT ELEMENTS OF EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAD CONSIDERED RELEVANT ONLY TO THEMSELVES EXTEND TO OTHERS AS WELL
5SING READING TO EXPLORE ANDOR EXTEND IS AN OPEN ENDED TASK BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY DIRECTIONS A WRITER CAN TAKE THEIR READING /VER TIME WEVE ARTICULATED VARIOUS WAYS STUDENTS MIGHT USE TEXT IN THEIR WRIT ING HOWEVER TO USE THESE STRATEGIES STUDENTS MUST FIRST ARTICULATE FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THEIR READERS HOW THEY ARE USING READING 3TUDENTS CAN USE READING s 4O SUPPORT THEIR IDEAS &INDING SOMETHING THAT RESONATES WITH EXPERIENCE SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO ADD DEPTH OR PERSPECTIVE TO WHAT THEY ARE WRITING ABOUT s 4O OPPOSE THEIR IDEAS &INDING SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT RESONATE WITH EXPERIENCE SOMETHING THAT HELPS THEM TO CLARIFY WHAT THEY DO MEAN OR WANT TO SAY BECAUSE IT IS NOT WHAT THEY MEAN OR WANT TO SAY s 4O FRAME THEIR IDEAS &INDING A WAY OF LOOKING AT OR THINKING ABOUT AN ISSUE OR QUESTION THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT STUDENTS ARE WRITING ABOUT BUT WHICH CAN BE APPLIED TO THEIR ISSUE
&OR READERS FAMILIAR WITH %LLIN +EENE AND 3USAN :IMMERMANS -OSAIC OF 4HOUGHT A POPULAR TEXT AMONG SECONDARY TEACHERS THESE CON NECTIONS WILL SOUND FAMILIAR+EENE AND :IMMERMAN ASK STUDENTS TO MAKE AND IDENTIFY hTEXT TO SELF CONNECTIONS TEXT TO TEXT CONNECTIONS AND TEXT TO WORLD CONNECTIONSv IN THEIR READING )NSTRUCTORS IN OUR FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSES MIGHT BRING A HANDOUT THAT INCLUDES THESE hWAYS OF READINGv AS WELL AS OTHERS TO CLASS THEY MIGHT USE THIS IN CONJUNC TION WITH AN ACTIVITY WHERE THEY ASK STUDENTS TO LOOK CLOSELY AT A PIECE OF READING AND IDENTIFY WHERE THE WRITER HAS USED READING IN THESE ANDOR OTHER WAYS IN THAT PIECE 4HEY THEN MIGHT MOVE INTO LOOKING AT HOW THE WRITER HAS DONE THIS LEADING TO GENRE AWARENESS ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED IN GENRE BASED READING BELOW 4HE SECOND BROAD CATEGORY IS PROCESS BASED READING (ERE THE EMPHASIS IS ON EXTRAPOLATING FROM READING TO IDENTIFY PROCESSES USED BY AUTHORS SO
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THAT WRITERS CAN DECIDE IF ANDOR HOW THEY WANT TO DRAW ON THOSE PRO CESSES FOR THEIR OWN WORK 4O ENACT THIS KIND OF READING STUDENTS MUST OCCUPY ROLES AS TEXT PARTICIPANTS RECOGNIZING THE PROCESSES BY WHICH THE TEXT IS CONSTRUCTED AND TEXT ANALYSTS ANALYZING THE IDEOLOGICAL POSITIONS ENACTED THROUGH THAT CONSTRUCTION )N THIS CATEGORY THE STRATEGIES ENCOM PASS TWO MAIN AREAS s 2EADING TO INFER WRITERLY BEHAVIORS 4HIS KIND OF SPECULATIVE READING ASKS STUDENTS TO WORK FROM THE FINISHED PRODUCT THEY SEE AND ARTICULATE WHAT hMIGHT HAVE BEENvTHAT IS WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THIS WRITERS PROCESS OF WORKING FROM RESEARCH TO WRITING TO PUBLICATION 4HE PURPOSE OF THIS KIND OF READING IS TO HELP STUDENTS SEE THE ENERGY LURKING BEHIND THE TEXTTHE ENERGY THAT COMPELLED THE WRITER TO RESPOND TO THE WORLD IN SOME WAY WITH HIS OR HER TEXT s 2EADING TO INFER RESEARCH STRATEGIES 3IMILAR TO THE ABOVE STRATEGY THIS ONE HELPS STUDENTS FOCUS ON HOW MUCH RESEARCH A WRITER MIGHT HAVE DONE WHAT HER OR HIS MOTIVATIONS MIGHT HAVE BEEN HOW THE PARTICULAR SOURCES USED MIGHT HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AND WHY THE WRITER MIGHT HAVE BEEN INTER ESTED IN THE RESEARCH IN THE FIRST PLACE 2EADING THIS WAY CAN HELP BRING hRESEARCHv CLOSER TO STUDENTS ITS PURPOSE IS TO HELP THEM SEE THE REAL WAYS IN WHICH WRITERS USE RESEARCH IN THEIR WORK
)N CLASS WRITERS MIGHT BE ASKED TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT EVIDENCE COMPILED FROM RESEARCH OBSERVATIONS INTERVIEWS LIBRARY WORK ARTIFACT ANALYSIS AND SO ON AND EXTRAPOLATE WHAT THE AUTHOR DID LOOKED FOR ASKED HAD AS RESEARCH QUESTIONS DID IN THE ANALYSIS TO DEVELOP THE EVIDENCE IN THE READING 4HE THIRD BROAD CATEGORY IN WHICH WE ASK STUDENTS TO READ FINALLY IS GENRE BASED READING &OR THIS KIND OF READING AS FOR PROCESS BASED READING READERS MUST ACT AS TEXT PARTICIPANTS AND TEXT ANALYSTS (ERE THE EMPHASIS IS ON READING TO DEVELOP GENRE AWARENESS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE CONSCIOUS DECISIONS ABOUT HOW WHEN OR WHETHER TO USE THOSE CONVENTIONS IN THEIR OWN WRITING 7RITERS MIGHT LOOK CAREFULLY AT THE TEXTUAL MOVES MADE IN A PIECE OF WRITING 4HEY MIGHT LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE STYLE OR FORM THEY MIGHT LOOK AT SPECIFIC CONVENTIONAL ELEMENTS SUCH AS HOW AND WHERE THE READING EMPLOYS EVIDENCE FROM READING 4HESE STRATEGIES INCLUDE s 2EADING TO ANALYZE FORM (ERE WRITERS READ IN UTILITARIAN WAYS ASKING THEM SELVES h7HAT MAKES A ????? A ????? v 7HAT MAKES A POEM A POEM ! NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL A NEWSPAPER EDITORIAL 4HEY MAY ESSENTIALLY IGNORE CONTENT MOMENTARILY FOCUSING ONLY ON WHAT THE PARTICULAR FEATURES ARE OF
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THE GENRE THEYRE READING AND WHY THOSE FEATURES MAKE IT RECOGNIZABLE AS SUCH s 2EADING TO UNDERSTAND THE RHETORICAL SITUATION 7ITH THIS WAY OF READING WRIT ERS FOCUS ON DEDUCING AS MUCH AS THEY CAN ABOUT THE RHETORICAL SCENE 1UESTIONS OFTEN CONSIDERED INCLUDE THOSE THAT FOCUS ON PURPOSE AUDI ENCE GENRE CONTEXT AND HOW ALL OF THESE FEATURES MIGHT BE OPERATING WITHIN A PARTICULAR TEXT
)MPLICIT IN GENRE BASED READING IS ALSO A MOVE THAT READERS ARE ASKED TO MAKE AS WRITERS AS STUDENTS CONSIDER WHEN OR WHETHER TO EMPLOY THESE CONVENTIONS THEY ALSO MUST CONSCIOUSLY REFLECT ON WHAT IDEA SYSTEMS THEY ARE BRINGING INTO PLAY HOW THESE IDEA SYSTEMS SHAPE THEIR WRITING WHAT ROLES THEY ARE ASKING READERS OF THEIR TEXTS TO PERFORM AND WHY THEY ARE ASKING THEM TO PERFORM THOSE ROLES 4O PRACTICE WITH THIS KIND OF READING INSTRUCTORS MIGHT ASK STUDENTS TO FOCUS THEIR ENERGIES ON A CLOSE ANALYSIS OF WHAT COMPRISES A READING OR A PHOTOGRAPH 2EADING THE FIRST PAGE OF A READING TOGETHER THEY WILL ASK ABOUT EVERYTHING h7HATS THIS FIRST PARAGRAPH DOING v h7HY IS THERE A PAGE NUMBER THERE v 3UCH AN ACTIVITY ACCOMPLISHES SEVERAL GOALS SIMULTANEOUSLY &IRST IT DEMYSTIFIES THE READING BECAUSE IT HELPS STUDENTS IDENTIFY TEXTUAL CONVENTIONS THAT MIGHT BE UNFAMILIAR FOR EXAMPLE WHEN AUTHORS OF ACADEMIC PIECES REFER TO WORK THAT HAS INFORMED THEIR OWN OR REVIEW RELEVANT LITERATURE )T ALSO CAN HELP STUDENTS MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT TO ATTEND TO OR NOT IN A READING 4HIS IN TURN CAN LEAD STUDENTS TO DEVELOP ANDOR ARTICULATE STRATEGIES FOR THEIR OWN READING PROCESSES THAT AGAIN CAN LEAD TO MORE CONSCIOUS DECISIONS ABOUT READING /THER ACTIVITIES LINKED WITH INCREASING GENRE AWARENESS CAN HELP STU DENTS MAKE CONSCIOUS DECISIONS ABOUT HOW WHEN AND WHERE TO INCOR PORATE THOSE CONVENTIONS IN THEIR OWN WRITING &OR INSTANCE IN ANOTHER ACTIVITY WE WILL DISTRIBUTE A PAGE OR SO FROM AN ACADEMIC ARTICLE TO STUDENTS AND ASK THEM TO WORK TOGETHER IN GROUPS TO LOCATE PARTICULAR ELEMENTS OF THE ARTICLE s s s s s s s
7HERE THE AUTHOR USES SOURCES (OW DO YOU KNOW 7HY THE AUTHOR USES THE SOURCES HE OR SHE DOES (OW DO YOU KNOW (OW THE AUTHOR LEADS INTO THE SOURCES (OW DO YOU KNOW 4HE FOCI OF THE STUDIES CITED BY THE AUTHOR (OW DO YOU KNOW 7HERE THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES THE FOCI OF THOSE STUDIES (OW DO YOU KNOW 7HERE THE AUTHOR USES DIRECT QUOTES FROM THE STUDIES 7HY THE AUTHOR USES DIRECT QUOTES (OW DO THEY HELP THE ARTICLE
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!FTER THIS ANALYSIS WE WILL ASK STUDENTS TO RETURN TO THEIR OWN DRAFTS AND APPLY THESE QUESTIONS TO THEIR PAPERS < : , : 6 - 9 , ( + 0 5 . ! : ; < + , 5 ; : » 7( : ; ( 5 + 7 9 , : , 5 ; , ? 7 , 9 0 , 5 * , : > 0 ; / ; , ? ;
!S WE HAVE USED AND ADAPTED THE STRATEGIES WE DELINEATED ABOVE AS CON TENT BASED PROCESS BASED AND GENRE BASED READING STRATEGIES WE RECOG NIZE THAT NEITHER THE CATEGORIES NOR THE SPECIFIC POINTS UNDERNEATH THEM ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVEIT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE AND OFTEN ADVISABLE TO MIX THEM (OWEVER IT IS USEFUL TO US BOTH AS TEACHERS WORKING WITH NEW TEACH ERS OF WRITING AND AS TEACHERS OF FIRST YEAR WRITING OURSELVES TO SEPARATE THEM AT LEAST INITIALLY 4HIS IS BECAUSE IN OUR EXPERIENCE STUDENTS BOTH GRADUATE STUDENT INSTRUCTORS AND FIRST YEAR STUDENTS HAVE RELATIVELY LITTLE EXPERIENCE READING REFLEXIVELY AND THUS HAVE NOT DEVOTED MUCH THOUGHT TO HOW OR WHY THEY ARE READING )NSTEAD WE HAVE FOUND THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE PRIMARILY hREAD TO CONNECTREFUTEv OR hREAD TO SUMMARIZE v READING EXPERIENCES THAT REFLECT TWO DOMINANT THEORIES OF READING THAT 3ALVATORI HAS IDENTIFIED AS UBIQUITOUS IN EDUCATION )N THE FIRST AUTHORS OF TEXTS NOT STUDENTS ARE hVISIONARY SHAPERS OF MEANING v THEIR TEXTS hVEN ERABLE REPOSITORIES OF THOSE MEANINGSv )N THE SECOND TEXTS ARE hVARIOUS THESIS STATEMENTSCULTURAL POLITICAL RELIGIOUS AND SO ONv n )N BOTH CASES READERS ROLES ARE TO hEXTRACTv MEANING FROM THE TEXTLITER ALLY TO PULL OUT WHAT THE WRITER INTENDED ANDOR WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR THE READERS WORK AND MOVE ON FROM THERE !S WRITERS USING SOURCES STUDENTS SEE THEIR ROLE AS THAT OF A UTILITARIAN TREASURE HUNTER WHO MUST FIND hSOURCESv THAT hBACKv HIS OR HER IDEAS UP !T THE SAME TIME AS THEY SEE THEIR OWN WRITING AS A FLIMSY CONSTRUCTION IN DESPERATE NEED OF SUPPORT FROM THE hREAL EXPERTS v THEY SIMULTANEOUSLY PLUMB READINGS FOR THE LINE THAT ECHOES THEIR OWN IDEAS RATHER THAN IMAGINING HOW IDEAS MIGHT WORK IN CONCERT OR IN CONVERSATION WITH EACH OTHER )N NEITHER CASE 3ALVATORI POINTS OUT ARE READERS EXPECTED TO ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE WITH THE TEXT INSTEAD THEY REFLECT THE PERSPECTIVE ADVANCED BY AN ADOLESCENT READER INTERVIEWED BY *EFFREY 7ILHELM WHO TOLD HIM h@9OURE NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN HOW ) READ NO TEACHER WOULD EVER BE INTERESTED IN THAT 7HAT TEACHERS ARE INTERESTED IN SHE TOLD ;7ILHELM= WAS @MY GETTING IT RIGHTOR WHAT YOU ALL THINK IS RIGHTv 4HE CHALLENGE FOR CRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING OUTCOMES AND STRATEGIES THAT REFLECT THEM THEN IS TO ENSURE THAT THEY MAKE ROOM FOR STRATEGIES THAT REFLECT ALTERNATIVE THEORETICAL PARADIGMS ONES
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THAT SHIFT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN READER AND TEXT !SKING STUDENTS TO READ REFLECTIVELY AND REFLEXIVELY(OW ARE YOU READING 7HY ARE YOU READING THAT WAY (OW ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT USING READING IN YOUR WRITING IS ANOTHER CLASSROOM STRATEGY THAT CAN HELP TO AFFECT THIS SHIFT 3HERIDAN "LAU REFERS TO THIS KIND OF READING AS hMETACOGNITIVE PROCESSINGTHINKING ABOUT AND REPORTING ON THEIR OWN THINKING IN THEIR ENCOUNTER WITH A PROBLEM;WHICH= POSITIONS STUDENTS AND TEACHER IN A PEDAGOGICAL RELATIONSHIP THAT ENTAILS A SHARED OR DISTRIBUTED EXPERTISEv 3UCH READING CAN HELP STUDENTS CONSCIOUSLY ARTICULATE THEIR MOVEMENTS THROUGH AUDIENCE EXPECTATIONS CONTEXTS WHERE THOSE ARE FORMED AND GENRE CONVENTIONS ULTIMATELY THIS ALSO WILL CONTRIBUTE TO CONSCIOUS CHOIC ES ABOUT INTERACTING OR NOT WITH TEXT RATHER THAN READING AS AN ACTIVITY PERFORMED ON AUTOPILOT : < : ;( 0 5 0 5 . 9 , ( + 0 5 . 7 9 ( * ; 0 * , : 0 5 - 0 9 : ; @ , ( 9 > 9 0 ; 0 5 .
4O SUSTAIN WHAT WE ARE HERE REFERRING TO AS CRITICAL READING WE HAD TO DEVELOP MODELS FOR WRITING THAT WOULD SUPPORT THIS ACTIVITY 4O THIS END WE HAVE DESIGNED A BROAD FRAMEWORK FOR OUR TWO FIRST YEAR COURSES THAT GROUNDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF LITERACY STRATEGIES IN SPECIFIC CONTEXTS ACA DEMIC AND OTHERWISE AND ASKS STUDENTS TO CONSCIOUSLY AND CONSISTENTLY ANALYZE THEIR OWN PURPOSES FOR WRITING AND BALANCE THESE WITH THEIR AUDIENCES EXPECTATIONS FOR WRITING !S THEY DO SO STUDENTS WORK ON DEVELOPING WRITING STRATEGIES TO MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS BUT ALWAYS CON SCIOUSLY REFLECT ON WHEN WHETHER ANDOR HOW TO EMPLOY THOSE STRATEGIES WITHIN A PIECE OF WRITING !T EVERY STAGE OF THIS RECURSIVE CYCLE OF ANALYSIS DEVELOPMENT AND DECISION MAKING STUDENTS EMPLOY CRITICAL READING STRATEGIESREADING TEXTS READING PEOPLE READING SITUATIONS 5LTIMATELY STUDENTS REPRESENT THEIR WORK FOR THE #ELEBRATION OF 3TUDENT 7RITING A SEMESTERS END FAIR IN WHICH STUDENTS EXHIBIT THEIR RESEARCH WORK FOR THE LARGER CAMPUS COMMUNITY &OR IT STUDENTS CREATE PROJECTS BASED ON THEIR RESEARCH DISCUSSING THIS WORK WITH THE TO PARTICIPANTS AND VISITORS WHO ATTEND THE EVENT THE NUMBER FLUCTUATES DEPENDING ON THE SEMESTER 4HE #ELEBRATION AS ITS NOW CALLED HAS BECOME A PIVOTAL POINT OF REFLECTION FOR US PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO CRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING "ASED ON OUR WORK WITH STUDENTS TO PREPARE FOR THIS EVENT AND OUR OBSERVATION OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN IT WE HAVE FORMULATED NEW QUES TIONS THAT LEAD US TO CONTINUALLY RETHINK HOW TO MAKE THESE OUTCOMES AS TANGIBLE AS POSSIBLE &OR EXAMPLE ONE OF THE POINTS UNDER THE OUTCOMES
*YP[PJHS;OPURPUN9LHKPUNHUK>YP[PUN
IS TO hCONSIDER AND EXPRESS THE RELATIONSHIP OF THEIR OWN IDEAS TO THE IDEAS OF OTHERSv !T THE #ELEBRATION THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE VER BALLY AND IN WRITING WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF OTHERS ,AST YEAR WE NOTICED THAT WHILE STUDENTS PROJECTS SHOWED THAT THEY HAD LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HOW TO DISPLAY THEIR WORK FOR A LARGER AUDIENCE WE HADNT DONE AS GOOD A JOB HELPING THEM DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER VER BALLY ABOUT THAT WORK 4HIS HAS LED US TO QUESTIONS HOW CAN WE HELP STU DENTS TO ARTICULATE IN WRITING AND SPEAKING ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT CONTENT h7HATS YOUR PROJECT ABOUT v GENRE h(OW DID YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE THIS GENRE v AND PROCESS h7HY DID YOU MAKE THE GENRE CHOICES YOU DID (OW DID YOU DO THE WORK THAT GOT YOU TO THIS PROJECT v (OW CAN WE HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO ENGAGE IN THE KIND OF DISCUSSION THAT WE OUTLINE ABOUT THEIR PROJECTSAND ABOUT WORK IN THE ACADEMY MORE GENERALLY )N CONTINUING DISCUSSIONS OF READING WITH STUDENTS INTO THIS UNCONVENTIONAL CREATIVE SHOWCASE OF STUDENT WRITTEN WORK THAT IS THE #ELEBRATION AND ABOUT OUR ENTIRE FIRST YEAR CURRICULUM WE HOPE TO BLUR THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN COURSEWORK AND PERSONAL INTEREST BETWEEN FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSES AND WRITING ACROSS CAMPUS #ONCURRENTLY CONTINUING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH READING PUSHES US TO EXAMINE HOW WE ENCOUNTER AND NEGOTIATE WITH A VARIETY OF TEXTSINCLUDING THE RICH CHANGING TEXT THAT IS THE PEDAGOGY OF TEACHING CRITICAL READING AND WRITING
4 6 9 , ; / ( 5 ; / , 3 (; , : ; 7 * )69+-6946+,: >OH[.LUYL;OLVY`4LHUZ[V*VTWVZP[PVU )HYIHYH3P[[SL3P\
)N HER #OLLEGE %NGLISH INTRODUCTION TO THE h70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR &IRST 9EAR #OMPOSITION v +ATHLEEN "LAKE 9ANCEY NOTES WHAT hSUCH A DOCU MENT ALLOWS US TO ARGUE FORTHE ROLE OF GENRE IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION FOR INSTANCEv /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 3TEERING #OMMITTEE 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ITSELF STATES THAT WITH REGARD TO hRHETORICAL KNOWL EDGE v STUDENTS COMPLETING A FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSE OR SEQUENCE SHOULD BE ABLE AMONG OTHER GOALS TO h5NDERSTAND HOW GENRES SHAPE READING AND WRITINGv AND h7RITE IN SEVERAL GENRESv 7ITH REGARD TO hKNOWLEDGE OF CONVENTIONS v ONE OF THE STATED GOALS IS THAT STUDENTS SHOULD h$EVELOP KNOWLEDGE OF GENRE CONVENTIONS RANGING FROM STRUCTURE AND PARAGRAPH ING TO TONE AND MECHANICSv )N A DOCUMENT THEN THAT TAKES UP BASICALLY TWO PAGES IN #OLLEGE %NGLISH THE TERM GENRE IS USED THREE TIMES TWICE IN THE FIRST AND ) WOULD SAY FOUNDATIONAL SECTION 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE AND ONCE IN THE SECTION ON +NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS 4HUS GENRE IS NOT A TOKEN OR LIMITED CONCEPT HERE 4HE CONCEPT OF GENRE IS ENSHRINED IN A hCURRICULAR DOCUMENT THAT SPEAKS TO THE COMMON EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITIONS PROGRAMS IN THE 5NITED 3TATES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE ST CENTURYv /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 3TEERING #OMMITTEE "UT WHAT IS THE UNDERSTANDING OF GENRE RELATED IN THIS DOCUMENT !ND IS IT THE SAME UNDERSTANDING HAD BY THE 70!S TENURE TRACK AND ADJUNCT FACULTY AND GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS WHETHER TRAINED IN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION OR IN LITERATURE CREATIVE WRITING OR LINGUISTICS WHO ARE DOING THE ACTUAL WORK OF WRITING INSTRUCTION IN THE VARIOUS COMPOSITION PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY ! -AY DISCUSSION ON THE 70! , LISTSERV BETWEEN )RVIN 0ECKHAM AND 4RISH 2OBERTS -ILLER SUGGESTS THAT NOT EVERYONE WHO MIGHT CHOOSE OR BE CALLED UPON TO INTERPRET AND IMPLEMENT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WILL NECESSARILY READ THE TERM GENRE IN A WAY THAT IS INFORMED BY RECENT GENRE THEORY 4HE DISCUSSION OF GENRE
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CAME UP IN 4RISH 2OBERTS -ILLERS ARGUMENT THAT OUTCOMES SHOULD BE DETERMINED LOCALLY RATHER THAN BY ANY NATIONAL CONSORTIUM )N SUPPORTING THIS POSITION SHE NOTES THAT GENRE ISNT A TERM WITH MUCH CURRENCY FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE IN %NGLISH STUDIES 2OBERTS -ILLER USES THE ABSENCE OF SERI OUS CONSIDERATIONS OF GENRE IN LITERARY CRITICISM AS INDICATION THAT IT HASNT BEEN RECENTLY OR ADEQUATELY THEORIZED IN A WAY THAT WOULD MAKE A TERM LIKE GENRE CENTRAL TO A NATIONALLY DEVISED SET OF CURRICULAR OUTCOMES QTD IN 0ECKHAM %LSEWHERE IN THIS THREAD 0ECKHAM NAMES KEY WORKS IN GENRE THEORY INCLUDING SOME RECENTLY PUBLISHED PIECES AND THE FOUNDA TIONAL WORK OF "AKHTIN )N REFERENCE TO "AKHTIN 2OBERTS -ILLER RESPONDS h) HONESTLY DONT REMEMBER "AKHTIN SAYING A WORD ABOUT GENRESv &OR MANY OF US FAMILIAR WITH GENRE THEORY IT HARDLY SEEMS AS IF "AKHTIN SAID A WORD ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE (IS WORK ESPECIALLY h4HE 0ROBLEM OF 3PEECH 'ENRESv AND THAT OF #AROLYN -ILLER ESPECIALLY HER ESSAY h'ENRE AS 3OCIAL !CTIONv ARE FOUNDATIONAL IN CONTEMPORARY CONCEP TIONS OF GENRES AS MUCH MORE THAN JUST FORMS #LEARLY 2OBERTS -ILLERS BACKGROUND HER READING OF "AKHTIN AND PROBABLE LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH #AROLYN -ILLERS ARTICLE OR OTHER IMPORTANT EXPLICATIONS OF GENRE THEORY HAVE PROVIDED HER WITH A POINT OF VIEW VERY DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF 0ECKHAM AND THOSE HE WORKED WITH IN DRAFTING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT !ND BY SAYING THIS ) DO NOT MEAN TO DISMISS HER OR INSULT HER PREPARATION OR EDUCATION AS A COMPOSITION INSTRUCTOR INDEED ) DOUBT THAT SHE IS IN THE MINORITY !S 0ECKHAM IS FINALLY FORCED TO ADMIT hONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH GENRES IS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVENT READ VERY MUCH ABOUT THEM THINK THEY REFER TO THE MODESv /NE OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THEN IS THE FACT THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS READ VERY MUCH ABOUT GENRE !T LEAST NOT EVERYONE HAS READ THE KIND OF GENRE THEORY 0ECKHAM REFERENCES AND THAT SEEMS TO BE INTENDED BY THE USE OF GENRE AS A KEY TERM IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT .OTE HOW THE STATEMENT USES THE WORD GENRE h7RITE IN SEVERAL GENRESv h$EVELOP KNOWLEDGE OF GENRE CONVENTIONS RANGING FROM STRUCTURE AND PARAGRAPHING TO TONE AND MECHANICSv AND FINALLY WHAT IS PERHAPS THE MOST COMPLEX USE OF THE TERM h5NDERSTAND HOW GENRES SHAPE READING AND WRITINGv )N EACH OF THESE CASES THE WORD hMODESv OR THE PHRASE hDIFFERENT TYPES OF ACADEMIC ESSAYSv COULD BE SUB STITUTED AND MAKE JUST AS MUCH SENSE 4HEREFORE IT SEEMS THAT THE ACONTEXTUAL UNDERTHEORIZED WAY IN WHICH THE TERM APPEARS IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MAY UNINTENTIONALLY REIN FORCE SOME UNFORTUNATE MISCONCEPTIONS AND RELEGATE AN INTEREST IN GENRE
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TO A PURELY FORMULAIC CONCERN 4HE MORE COMPLEX AND THEORETICALLY INFORMED VIEW OF GENRE THAT WAS AT THE CORE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT COMMITTEES INTENTIONS IS ONE IN WHICH GENRE IS NOT MERELY A FINITE PROD UCT THAT WRITERS PRODUCE BUT AN ONGOING PROCESS IN WHICH WRITERS TAKE PART 4HIS IS A KEY DISTINCTION BECAUSE IF GENRE IS NOT FULLY CONCEPTUALIZED AS A COMPLEX PROCESS A GENRE BASED APPROACH REVERTS TO A PRODUCT CEN TERED APPROACH AND THE WRITING PROCESS BECOMES A SERIES OF INCREASINGLY ACCURATE ATTEMPTS TO REPLICATE AN IDEAL TEXT RATHER THAN AN ENGAGED UNDER STANDING OF HOW WRITING AND WRITERS WORK WITHIN A COMPLEX WORLD 4O MORE FULLY ARTICULATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF GENRE IT IS PROBABLY WISE TO BEGIN AS 0ECKHAM NOTED WITH -IKHAIL "AKHTIN AS "AKHTIN WAS PERHAPS THE FIRST THEORIST TO SEE GENRE AS A DYNAMIC SOCIAL ENTITY )N h4HE 0ROBLEM OF 3PEECH 'ENRES v HE WRITES h7E SPEAK ONLY IN DEFINITE SPEECH GENRES THAT IS ALL OUR UTTERANCES HAVE DEFINITE AND RELATIVELY STABLE TYPICAL FORMS OF CONSTRUCTION OF THE WHOLE %VEN IN THE MOST FREE THE MOST UNCON STRAINED CONVERSATION WE CAST OUR SPEECH IN DEFINITE GENERIC FORMS SOME TIMES RIGID AND TRITE ONES SOMETIMES MORE FLEXIBLE PLASTIC AND CREATIVE ONES 7E ARE GIVEN THESE SPEECH GENRES IN ALMOST THE SAME WAY THAT WE ARE GIVEN OUR NATIVE LANGUAGE NOT FROM DICTIONARIES AND GRAMMARS BUT FROM CONCRETE UTTERANCES THAT WE HEAR AND THAT WE OURSELVES REPRODUCE IN LIVE SPEECH COMMUNICATION WITH PEOPLE AROUND USv &OR "AKHTIN OUR ACQUISITION OF GENERIC FORMS SUCH AS COMMON GREET INGS PLEAS ARGUMENTS ETC IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR ACQUISITION OF LAN GUAGE /UR SPEECH AND LANGUAGE ARE ORDERED BY THESE RECURRING FORMS SO THAT WHAT WE SAY CAN BE INTERPRETED BY OTHERS h)F SPEECH GENRES DID NOT EXIST v "AKHTIN ARGUES hSPEECH COMMUNICATION WOULD BE ALMOST IMPOS SIBLEv "AKHTIN 4HE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR WRITTEN COMMUNICA TION 4HE RECURRENCE OF CERTAIN FORMS OF WRITTEN DISCOURSE BRINGS ORDER TO WRITTEN COMMUNICATION )T LETS A WRITER KNOW WHAT TO SAY IN A PARTICULAR SITUATION AND CONSEQUENTLY MAKES CLEAR TO AN AUDIENCE THE AUTHORS POSI TION AND STAND ACCORDING TO THE GENRE CHOSEN (OWEVER AS "AKHTIN NOTES MANY GENRES ARE hSUBJECT TO FREE CREATIVE REFORMULATION v ALLOWING SPEAKERS OR WRITERS TO hREVEAL OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL ITYv AND hMORE FLEXIBLY AND PRECISELY REFLECT THE UNREPEATABLE SITUATION OF COMMUNICATIONv "AKHTIN )T IS THIS INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE FAMILIAR AND THE NOVEL THE STATIC AND THE DYNAMIC THAT IS KEY TO VARIOUS OTHER REFORMULATIONS OF THE TERM GENRE AND THE GENRE THEORY THAT RESULTS 4HERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OTHER ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE AND SOCIALLY SITUATED DEFINITION OF GENRE SOME BEFORE "AKHTINS WORK WAS
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WIDELY AVAILABLE IN TRANSLATION OUTSIDE OF 2USSIA 4HE IMPETUS FOR MUCH OF THE THEORETICAL WORK IN THE 5NITED 3TATES AND #ANADA WAS #AROLYN -ILLERS IMPORTANT ESSAY h'ENRE AS 3OCIAL !CTIONv ,IKE "AKHTIN -ILLER SOUGHT TO EXPAND THE DEFINITION OF GENRE FROM ITS TRADITIONAL EMPHASIS ON SPECIFIC REOCCURRING FORMAL TRAITS TO THE RECURRING YET CHANGING SOCIAL SITUATIONS THAT ENGENDER THEM -ILLER POSITED h'ENRE REFERS TO A CONVENTIONAL CAT EGORY OF DISCOURSE BASED IN LARGE SCALE TYPIFICATION OF RHETORICAL ACTION AS ACTION IT ACQUIRES MEANING FROM SITUATION AND FROM THE SOCIAL CONTEXT IN WHICH THAT SITUATION AROSE ! GENRE IS A RHETORICAL MEANS FOR MEDIAT ING PRIVATE INTENTIONS AND SOCIAL EXIGENCE IT MOTIVATES BY CONNECTING THE PRIVATE WITH THE PUBLIC THE SINGULAR WITH THE RECURRENTv !S OTHERS HAVE WORKED TO APPLY "AKHTINS ANDOR -ILLERS CONCEPTION OF GENRE TO RHETORICAL CRITICISM ANDOR COMPOSITION THEORY THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO EXPLICATE THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT CONSTITUTE A GENRE *OHN 3WALES AND !NN *OHNS ATTEMPT TO LIST WHAT IT IS THAT IS SHARED BY MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY WHO RECOGNIZE A PARTICULAR GENRE OR GENRES "OTH 3WALES AND *OHNS SPEND A GREAT AMOUNT OF TIME EXPLICATING THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF GENRE NAMED IN THEIR DEFINITIONS ATTESTING TO THE COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL CONTEXT WHICH IS A GOAL OF MANY GENRE THEORISTS )N 'ENRE +NOWLEDGE IN $ISCIPLINARY #OMMUNICATION "ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKIN DEFINE GENRE BY LAYING OUT FIVE PRINCIPLES OR A hFRAMEWORKv FOR GENRE THEORY s $YNAMISM 'ENRES ARE DYNAMIC RHETORICAL FORMS THAT ARE DEVELOPED FROM ACTORS RESPONSES TO RECURRENT SITUATIONS AND THAT SERVE TO STABILIZE IN RESPONSE TO THEIR USERS SOCIOCOGNITIVE NEEDS s 3ITUATEDNESS /UR KNOWLEDGE OF GENRES IS DERIVED FROM AND EMBEDDED IN OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITIES OF DAILY AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE !S SUCH GENRE KNOWLEDGE IS A FORM OF hSITUATED COGNITIONv THAT CON TINUES TO DEVELOP AS WE PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THE AMBIENT CULTURE s &ORM AND #ONTENT 'ENRE KNOWLEDGE EMBRACES BOTH FORM AND CONTENT INCLUDING A SENSE OF WHAT CONTENT IS APPROPRIATE TO A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IN A PARTICULAR SITUATION AT A PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME s $UALITY OF 3TRUCTURE !S WE DRAW ON GENRE RULES TO ENGAGE IN PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES WE CONSTITUTE SOCIAL STRUCTURES IN PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXTS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY REPRODUCE THESE STRUCTURES s #OMMUNITY /WNERSHIP 'ENRE CONVENTIONS SIGNAL A DISCOURSE COMMUNITYS NORMS EPISTEMOLOGY IDEOLOGY AND SOCIAL ONTOLOGY "ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKIN
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"ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKINS DEFINITIONFRAMEWORK SEEMS COMPREHEN SIVE AND RELEVANT TO ME IN THAT IT INCLUDES MANY OF THE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF BOTH 3WALESS AND *OHNSS DEFINITIONS AWARENESS OF SHARED PURPOSES FORMS CONTEXTS CULTURAL VALUES AND INTERTEXTUALITY FOR EXAMPLE ,IKE *OHNS "ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKIN CALL ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT A GENRE MAY BOTH DISSEMINATE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE IDEOLOGY EPISTEMOL OGY AND CULTURE OF A COMMUNITY 4HEY POINT OUT FOR EXAMPLE THE WAYS IN WHICH THE WRITING OF GRADUATE STUDENTS BEGINS TO TAKE ON THE FORMAL CHARACTERISTICS COMMON TO WORK IN THEIR DISCIPLINES AS THEY BECOME MORE FAMILIAR AND COMFORTABLE WITH THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES OF THAT DISCI PLINE /NE MIGHT SAY AS WELL THAT AN AUTHORS WISH TO PUBLISH HIS OR HER WORK IS ALSO AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GREATER DISCI PLINARY COMMUNITY TO THE VALIDATION OF THAT WORK "ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKINS DEFINITION OF GENRE THEREFORE CONTAINS A KEY ELEMENT FOUND IN *OHNSS DEFINITIONRECOGNITION OF THE WAYS IN WHICH GENRES INSTANTIATE AND REINFORCE THE CULTURE AND VALUES OF THE COM MUNITIES THAT USE THEM "ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKIN ALSO RESTATE A KEY ELE MENT OF 3WALESS DEFINITION WHEN THEY ARGUE THAT hGENERICNESS IS NOT AN ALL OR NOTHING PROPOSITION )F TEXTS ARISE OUT OF DISCURSIVE DIFFERENCES AS "AKHTIN +RESS AND MANY OTHERS ARGUED SUCH TEXTS CAN BE EXPECTED TO EMBODY DIFFERENT KINDS OF RECURRING RHETORICAL RESPONSES IN DIFFERENT WAYS 4HUS RATHER THAN TAKING A HOLISTIC NORMATIVE APPROACH TO GENRE AS IS DONE IN TRADITIONAL STUDIES WE FEEL IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO TAKE A MORE ARTICULATED APPROACH IN WHICH INDIVIDUAL TEXTS ARE SEEN TO CONTAIN HET EROGENEOUS MIXTURES OF ELEMENTS SOME OF WHICH ARE RECOGNIZABLY MORE GENERIC THAN OTHERSv 7HEN "ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKIN SAY THAT hGENERICNESS IS NOT AN ALL OR NOTHING PROPOSITION v THEY ECHO 3WALESS ASSERTION h%XEMPLARS OR INSTANC ES OF GENRES VARY IN THEIR PROTOTYPICALITYv )N OTHER WORDS ONE INSTANCE OF A GENRE MAY CONTAIN A GREAT MANY OF THE ELEMENTS USUALLY ASSO CIATED WITH THAT GENRE WHILE ANOTHER MAY CONTAIN FAR FEWERITS AUTHOR EMPLOYING MORE CREATIVITY AND INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE IN ITS USE HOWEVER BOTH WOULD BE READILY RECOGNIZED AS MEMBERS OF THE GENRE "Y NAMING DYNAMISM AS A KEY TERM IN THEIR THEORY "ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKIN SUGGEST THAT GENRES CHANGE AND EVOLVE OVER TIME AS THE SITUATIONS THEY ADDRESS CHANGE AND AS VARIOUS MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY BRING THEIR OWN PRACTICES AND PRIORITIES TO THEIR ENACTMENT OF GENRES "ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKINS DYNAMISM HEARKENS BACK TO A "AKHTINIAN TERM DIALOGISM $IALOGISM SUPPOSES THAT UTTERANCES ARE ALWAYS SHAPED IN RESPONSE TO
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PREVIOUS UTTERANCES AND THAT THEY IN TURN PROMPT FUTURE UTTERANCES 4HUS UTTERANCES WHETHER TURNS IN A CONVERSATION OR ARTICLES IN ACADEMIC JOURNALS ARE FORMED AS PART OF AN ONGOING DIALOGUE BETWEEN VARIOUS CON VERSANTS IN A SOCIAL SPHERE )NDIVIDUALS MAY BE ABLE TO USE GENERIC UTTER ANCES hFREELY AND CREATIVELYv HOWEVER THIS hIS NOT THE SAME AS TO CREATE A GENRE FROM THE BEGINNING GENRES MUST BE FULLY MASTERED IN ORDER TO BE MANIPULATED FREELYv "AKHTIN )N WORKING WITH A GENRE AUTHORS ARE CONSTRAINED BY THE GENERIC EXPECTATIONS THEY INHERIT BUT THEY ARE ALSO FREE TO A DEGREE TO CONTRIBUTE PRACTICES OF THEIR OWN THAT MAY THEN BECOME PART OF THE FUTURE CONSTRAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT GENRE 4O SUM UP THIS DYNAMIC APPROACH TO GENRE THAT "ERKENKOTTER AND (UCKIN PROPOSE EMPHASIZES BOTH CONSTRAINTS AND CHOICES TO A DEGREE THAT IS NOT CONSISTENTLY DONE IN OTHER EXPLICATIONS OF GENRE !N AWARENESS OF BOTH THE CONSTRAINTS THAT GENRES IMPOSE ON WRITERS AND THE CHOICES WRITERS CAN MAKE AS THEY MANIPULATE GENRES HAS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE APPLICA TION OF GENRE THEORY TO THE TEACHING OF WRITING $ISCUSSION OF CONSTRAINTS ALONE MAY CAUSE WRITING INSTRUCTION TO REVERT TO THE TEACHING OF STANDARD FORMS ALONE WHEN A MORE CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL PROCESSES IS NEEDED )F GENRE THEORY HAS HAD OR WILL HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IN COM POSITION THEORY IT WILL LIE IN THE RECOGNITION THAT GENERIC FORMS ARE NOT STATICTHAT THEY ARE CONSTANTLY BEING SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED AND RECON STRUCTED -ILLER HAS ARGUED THAT hTHE FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND GENRE AS SOCIAL ACTION AFFLICTS THE TYPICAL FIRST YEAR COLLEGE WRITING PROGRAM IN THE 5NITED 3TATES IT TURNS WHAT SHOULD BE A PRACTICAL ART OF ACHIEVING SOCIAL ENDS INTO A PRODUCTIVE ART OF MAKING TEXTS THAT FIT CERTAIN FORMAL REQUIREMENTSv !S -ILLERS STATEMENT SUGGESTS THE TENDENCY IN MANY WRITING PROGRAMS HAS BEEN TO FOCUS ON PARTICULAR MODES OR FORMS FOR ACADEMIC PROSE 7HILE INSTRUCTORS HAVE BEEN AT THE SAME TIME CONCERNED WITH THE PROCESSES THAT HELP STUDENTS WRITE CLEARLY IN THESE MODES THESE PRO CESSES ARE TAUGHT AND EMPLOYED SO THAT STUDENTS WILL PRODUCE GENERICALLY DEFINED PRODUCTS SUCH AS THE hRESEARCH PAPER v THE hPERSUASIVE ESSAY v THE hPROBLEMSOLUTION ESSAY v AND SO ON 7HILE SUCH GENRES MAY HELP STU DENTS GAIN CERTAIN SKILLS OF PRODUCTION THEY ARE PRIMARILY WHAT &REEDMAN AND -EDWAY WOULD TERM hCLASSROOM GENRES v IN THAT THEY DO NOT BRING STUDENTS INTO ANY DISCOURSE COMMUNITY BEYOND THE PARTICULAR CLASSROOM &REEDMAN AND -EDWAY NOTE THAT CLASSROOM WRITING hCAN EFFECTIVELY AT LEAST TO A CERTAIN LEVEL SUPPORT STUDENTS PERSONAL SENSE MAKING IN THE FACE OF ;COMPLEX TOPICS IN GEOGRAPHY SUCH AS= @SHIFTING CULTIVATION
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)T WILL NOT HOWEVER MAKE THEM GEOGRAPHERS (ENCE THE STRENGTH OF THE ARGUMENT FOR GETTING STUDENTS INTO THE STANDARD DISCOURSESv &REEDMAN AND -EDWAY USE THE JOURNAL ASSIGNMENTS DEVELOPED BY "RUFFEE AS AN EXAMPLE OF INVENTED CLASSROOM GENRES 3UCH JOURNAL ASSIGN MENTS IN WHICH STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO WRITE FREELY ABOUT THEIR RESPONSES TO READINGS CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES AND VARIOUS OTHER PROMPTS ARE COMMONPLACE TO MANY FIRST YEAR WRITING CLASSES 7RITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM PROGRAMS HAVE ENCOURAGED THE USE OF JOURNALS IN MANY OTHER CLASSES AS WELL TOUTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF WRITING AS A TOOL FOR BETTER AND MORE COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF DIFFICULT CONCEPTS WITHIN VARIOUS DISCI PLINES &REEDMAN AND -EDWAY NOTE THAT WHILE OSTENSIBLY THESE JOURNALS WERE MEANT TO FREE STUDENTS FROM ATTENTION TO CONVENTION ALLOWING THEM TO INTERACT WITH THE CONTENT OF THE CLASSES IN A REFLECTIVE AND INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING WAY hTHE RHETORICAL DEMANDS HAD NOT DISAPPEAREDv 3UCCESSFUL STUDENTS hLEARNED TO MANIPULATE TEXTUAL FEATURES TO CREATE AN IMPRESSION OF ARTLESS EXPRESSIVITYv CHARACTERIZED BY hA CERTAIN LENGTH EXPRESSIVITY UNCONVENTIONALITY AND SPARKINESSv THEY LEARNED TO hMIX OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE MATERIAL WITH AN INDICATION OF PERSONAL ENJOY MENT FRUSTRATION OR AMUSEMENTv IF THEY WERE TO PLEASE THEIR READER THE TEACHER AND ACHIEVE THEIR PURPOSE A GOOD GRADE n 4HUS CLASS ROOM GENRES EVEN WHEN THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE UNGRADED OPPORTUNITIES FOR FREE EXPRESSION REQUIRE STUDENTS TO DISCOVER AND FOLLOW CERTAIN FORMAL REQUIREMENTS .OT ALL CLASSROOM GENRES ARE COMPLETELY DISTINCT FROM MORE AUTHENTIC GENRES HOWEVER THE PERSUASIVE ESSAY CONTAINS MANY FEATURES COMMON TO SUCH VARIED PROJECTS AS GRANT PROPOSALS EDITORIALS AND POLICY STATEMENTS .ONETHELESS IN THE FACE OF A SOCIALLY COMPLEX UNIVERSE OF DISCOURSE COM MUNITIES WITH EQUALLY COMPLEX SOCIALLY DEVELOPED GENRES IT DOES LITTLE GOOD TO TEACH STUDENTS STANDARD WRITTEN FORMS WITHOUT GIVING THEM THE CAPABILITY TO INTERPRET AND APPLY THOSE FORMS IN SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE AND NOVEL WAYS 4HUS #HARLES "AZERMAN ARGUES THAT THE hLARGEST LESSONv OF HIS RESEARCH INTO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH GENRES hIS NOT THAT THERE ARE SIMPLE GENRES THAT MUST BE SLAVISHLY FOLLOWED THAT WE MUST GIVE STUDENTS AN APPROPRIATE SET OF COOKIE CUTTERS FOR THEIR ANTICIPATED CAREERS BUT RATHER THAT THE STUDENT MUST UNDERSTAND AND RETHINK THE RHETORICAL CHOICES EMBEDDED IN EACH GENERIC HABIT TO MASTER THE GENREv "AZERMAN IS SUGGESTING HERE THAT THE TEACHING OF WRITING SHOULD PRO VIDE STUDENTS NOT ONLY WITH THE ABILITY TO PRODUCE CERTAIN FORMS ON COM MAND BUT ALSO WITH THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE WHEN AND HOW THEY WILL ADAPT
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THESE FORMS WHEN THEY ARE WRITING INDEPENDENTLY FOR A VARIETY OF SITUA TIONS )F AS MANY SOCIAL VIEWS OF RHETORIC ARGUE hALL LEARNING IS NECESSARILY SITUATED WITHIN COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE IN WHICH LEARNERS ARE ENABLED TO PERFORM BY AN INTRICATELY ORCHESTRATED PROCESS OF COPARTICIPATION WITH OLD TIME MEMBERS v THEN hEXPLICATION IS NOT PART OF THE LEARNING PRO CESSv &REEDMAN 7HILE &REEDMAN DOES CONCEDE THAT EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION PAIRED WITH IMMEDIATE PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY MAY BENEFIT STUDENT WRITERS ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN ACTUAL COMMUNITIES IS A CRUCIAL REQUIREMENT $RAWING ON +RASHENS SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISI TION THEORY SHE WARNS US THAT hTHE RESTRICTIONS ARE SEVERE PROXIMITY IN TIME TO EXPOSURE TO AUTHENTIC MODELS IS CRUCIAL 4EACHING BUSINESS WRITING TO HIGH SCHOOL OR EVEN COLLEGE STUDENTS YEARS BEFORE THEIR LIKELY EXPOSURE TO THE RELATIVE CONTEXTS CONSTITUTES FAR TOO LONG A GAP )N ADDI TION THE INSTRUCTOR MUST BE SURE THAT HER OR HIS DESCRIPTIONS OF THE GENRE ARE ACCURATE &INALLY FOR SOME STUDENTS AT LEAST THERE ARE DANGERS IN EXPLICIT TEACHING THEY MAY OVERGENERALIZE THE RULES AND DISTORT THEIR COMPOSING PROCESSESv 4HE WORK OF DESIGNING A WRITING CURRICULUM THAT INCORPORATES A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF GENRE BECOMES EVEN MORE DIFFICULT GIVEN THE FACT THAT MOST 53 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES REQUIRE ONLY ONE THREE CREDIT COURSE IN WRITING 0ERHAPS THE GREATEST FIRST STEP THAT WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRA TORS CAN TAKE IN AN ENLIGHTENED REVISION OF THEIR CURRICULA IS TO REVISE THEIR EXPECTATIONS 4HE MAJOR MYTHS THAT INFORM MANY CURRENT FIRST YEAR WRITING PROGRAMSTHAT AN INTRODUCTORY WRITING COURSE OR TWO CAN hCUREv STU DENTS OF ALL THEIR WRITING hILLSv OR CAN GIVE STUDENTS A SPECIFIC SET OF WRITING TOOLS THAT WILL SERVE THEM WITH EQUAL EASE IN ALL THEIR FUTURE WRITINGMUST BE DISCARDED )N PLACE OF THESE MYTHS MUST COME A NEW UNDERSTANDING THAT AS !NN *OHNS PUTS IT hSTUDENTS CAN BEGIN BUT NOT COMPLETE THEIR DEVELOPMENT OF ACADEMIC LITERACIES IN ;FIRST YEAR WRITING= CLASSROOMSv (ENCE A WRITING PROGRAM SHOULD SEEK TO PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE LIFELONG WORK OF LEARNING TO WRITE BY EXPOSING THEM TO A NUMBER OF GENRES DEVELOPING THEIR ABILITY TO LOOK CRITICALLY AT COMMUNITIES AND GENRES HELPING THEM TO SEE BOTH THE CONSTRAINTS AND THE CHOICES WITHIN PARTICULAR WRITING SITUATIONS AND PREPARING THEM FOR BOTH THE REWARDS AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF ACCULTURATION INTO NEW WRITING COMMUNITIES )T IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN A STUDENT BECOMES A MEMBER OF AN ACADEMIC DISCOURSE COMMUNITY HE OR SHE INDEED BECOMES ANOTHER KIND OF PERSON "ECOMING A PART OF A COMMUNITY MEANS A CHANGE IN THE WAY A PERSON THINKS )T MEANS THINKING LESS LIKE A MEMBER OF THE HOME
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COMMUNITY FROM WHICH ONE CAME AND MORE LIKE A MEMBER OF THE COM MUNITY OF WHICH ONE IS BECOMING A PART 4HE ADAPTATION SEEMS AT FIRST AN OBVIOUS ADVANTAGETHE KIND OF UPWARD MOBILITY THAT IS A PRIMARY GOAL OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION IN THE FIRST PLACEWITH WRITING AS THE TOOL TO ATTAIN IT "UT FOR MANY PRIMARILY THOSE WHOSE HOME COMMUNITIES ARE CULTUR ALLY FURTHEST FROM THE !NGLO DOMINATED ACADEMY THIS CHANGE OF BEING IS SOMEWHAT THREATENING AND CANNOT BE ENTERED INTO LIGHTLY -ANY THEORISTS WORRY LIKE 3HARON #ROWLEY h4O THE EXTENT THAT ;STUDENTS= ADOPT THE LANGUAGE OF THE ACADEMY THEIR ENTITLEMENT TO THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGES AND CULTURES IS COMPROMISED OR DIMINISHEDv (OWEVER LINGUIST *AMES 0AUL 'EE SUGGESTS THAT hTHERE HAPPENS TO BE AN ADVANTAGE TO FAILING TO MASTER FULLY MAINSTREAM $ISCOURSES WE BECOME CONSCIOUSLY AWARE OF WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO OR ARE BEING CALLED UPON TO DO AND OFTEN GAIN DEEP INSIGHT INTO THE MATTERv 4HUS WHEN A PERSON CANNOT NATURALLY ACQUIRE hFULL FLUENCYv IN A DISCOURSE HE OR SHE CAN STILL DEVELOP A USEFUL AND EMPOWERING COMBINATION OF hPARTIAL ACQUISITION COUPLED WITH META KNOWLEDGE AND STRATEGIES TO @MAKE DOv THAT 'EE CALLS hMUSHFAKEv -USHFAKE 'EE EXPLAINS hIS A TERM FROM PRISON CULTURE MEANING TO MAKE DO WITH SOMETHING LESS WHEN THE REAL THING IS NOT AVAILABLE 3O WHEN PRISON INMATES MAKE HATS FROM UNDERWEAR TO PRO TECT THEIR HAIR FROM LICE THE HATS ARE MUSHFAKEv &OR 'EE THE IMPORTANT SKILL IS METALINGUISTIC THE ABILITY TO THINK ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT LANGUAGE IN WAYS THAT WILL ENABLE A SELF CONSCIOUS APPROACH TO LEARNING NEW DISCOURSES 'EE DOES NOT USE THE TERM GENRE BREAKING THEM DOWN INTO ANALYTIC BITS TO TALK ABOUT DESCRIBE AND EXPLAIN THEM TO SEE hHOW THE $ISCOURSES YOU HAVE ALREADY GOT RELATE TO THOSE YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO ACQUIRE AND HOW THE ONES YOU ARE TRYING TO ACQUIRE RELATE TO SELF AND SOCIETYv 4HAT METALINGUISTIC SKILL THEN ALLOWS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MUSHFAKE THE DISCOURSE OF APPROXIMATION THAT ALLOWS THE INDIVIDUAL TO MAKE DO 'EES METALINGUISTIC SKILL IS SIMILAR TO WHAT *OHN 3WALES CALLS hRHETORICAL CONSCIOUSNESSv 3WALES SUGGESTS THAT PEDAGOGY INFORMED BY GENRE THEORY SHOULD INVOLVE TWO PRACTICES FIRST HELPING STUDENTS DEVELOP RHETORICAL CONSCIOUSNESS BY WORKING WITH THEM TO EXAMINE PARTICULAR TEXTS AND EXPLICATE THE WAYS IN WHICH THOSE TEXTS MAKE USE OF OR BREAK FROM ACCEPTED PRACTICES AND SECOND HELPING STUDENTS BECOME ETHNOGRA PHERS OF DISCOURSE COMMUNITIES BY GETTING THEM TO LOOK CRITICALLY AT THE CLASSROOM COMMUNITIES AND GENRES THAT THEY ENCOUNTER IN COLLEGE 4HESE CRITICAL CAPABILITIES WILL SERVE STUDENTS AS THEY CONTINUE TO ENCOUNTER NEW AND DIFFERENT DISCOURSE COMMUNITIES AND GENRES
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2ECENTLY -ARY *O 2EIFF TOOK 3WALESS CLAIM ONE STEP FURTHER BY CLAIM ING THAT WHEN INSTRUCTORS LEAD STUDENTS IN CONDUCTING ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH AND WRITING GENRE ANALYSES THEY ACCOMPLISH THE CRITERIA SET BY !VIVA &REEDMAN FOR AUTHENTIC INSTRUCTION IN GENRES 2EFERENCING -ARILYN #HAPMAN 2EIFF NOTES THAT ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH AND GENRE ANALYSIS INVOLVE STUDENTS IN THREE IMPORTANT PROCESSES LEARNING A GENRE LEARNING ABOUT GENRES AND LEARNING THROUGH GENRES hSTUDENTS LEARN ONE RESEARCH GENRE ETHNOGRAPHY WHILE THEY SIMULTANEOUSLY USE ETH NOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES TO LEARN ABOUT AND THROUGH OTHER GENRESv ! SYNTHESIS OF 'EE 3WALES AND 2EIFF AND #HAPMAN VIA 2EIFF REVEALS THAT A FIRST YEAR WRITING CURRICULUM STEEPED IN GENRE THEORY WOULD PREPARE STUDENTS FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD NOT BY CLAIMING TO TEACH A SET OF SO CALLED UNI VERSAL WRITING SKILLS BUT BY MAKING THEM AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THERE ARE VERY FEW UNIVERSALS 3UCH A COURSE SHOULD PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE SOCIAL PROCESSES THAT SHAPE THE GENRES OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES BY s %XPOSING THEM TO AS MANY KINDS OF DISCOURSE AND AS MANY WRITING COMMU NITIES OR SITUATIONS AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THEY WILL BETTER APPRECIATE THE VARIETY OF WRITING THAT THEY MIGHT LATER ENCOUNTER s (ELPING THEM TO DEVELOP THE MINDSET OF ETHNOGRAPHY AND INQUIRY THAT WILL ASSIST THEM IN UNDERSTANDING AND ACCULTURATING TO THE WRITING COMMU NITIES THAT BECOME IMPORTANT TO THEM s )NVESTIGATING THE POLITICAL AND IDEOLOGICAL AGENDAS OF WRITING COMMUNITIES AND THE WAYS IN WHICH THOSE AGENDAS ARE ENFORCED AND ENACTED IN WRITING SO THAT STUDENTS CAN MAKE MORE INFORMED CHOICES ABOUT WHICH COMMUNI TIES THEY WILL JOIN AND IN WHAT ROLE s (ELPING THEM TO FORESEE THE PERSONAL CONSEQUENCES BOTH OF WHOLLY ACCUL TURATING INTO A NEW COMMUNITY AND OF RESISTING THE VALUES OF THAT COMMU NITY THROUGH WRITING IN WAYS IT MAY NOT ACCEPT
4HIS IS A GENRE PROCESS APPROACH .AMING THIS APPROACH GENRE PROCESS CALLS ATTENTION TO A NUMBER OF WRITING PROCESSES THE CONTINUAL LIFELONG PROCESSES OF WRITING ACQUISITION THE PROCESSES OF ENTERING AND UNDER STANDING A NEW WRITING COMMUNITY AND THE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN PRO DUCING A PARTICULAR PIECE OF WRITING 4HE FINAL OF THESE THREE IS THE MOST RELATED TO COMPOSITIONISTS USE OF THE TERM (OWEVER THE WRITING PROCESS NEEDS TO BE REENVISIONED SO THAT STUDENT WRITERS CAN IMAGINE A VARIETY OF POSSIBLE WRITING PROCESSESAS TIED TO SPECIFIC WRITING COMMUNITIES AND GENRES AS ALL OTHER WRITING PRACTICES ARE
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4HIS MEANS A FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSE WHETHER LINKED TO ANOTHER COURSE THROUGH A 7!# OR 7)$ PROGRAM OR HOUSED EXCLUSIVELY WITHIN THE %NGLISH DEPARTMENT SHOULD GIVE STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE AND PRACTICE GENRES VALUED IN DIVERSE CONTEXTS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE COMPARISONS BETWEEN DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES AND COMMUNITIES WAYS OF WRITING AND ENACT DIVERSE PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES TO ACCOMPLISH SUCCESSFUL WRITING IN A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS )DEALLY A WRITING COURSE SHOULD NOT SETTLE DOWN WITHIN ANY ONE DISCIPLINE OR GENRE EXPLICATING ITS REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS BUT RATHER IT SHOULD ENGAGE STUDENTS IN A SERIES OF PROBLEM SOLVING SITUATIONS ASKING THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT A PARTICULAR SITUATION REQUIRES WHAT TEXTS AND EXPERTS THEY CAN CALL ON FOR MODELING AND EXPERIENCE WHICH OF THE WRITING PRACTICES ALREADY IN THEIR REPERTOIRE MIGHT SUIT THIS CONTEXT AND WHAT KINDS OF PRACTICES THEY NEED TO ACQUIRE 7HILE EACH PROBLEM SOLVING SITUATION IN THIS SERIES SHOULD BE UNIQUE INSTRUCTION SHOULD BRING COHESION TO THE COURSE BY REQUIRING REFLECTION AND META AWARENESS ON THE PART OF STUDENTS 3TUDENTS SHOULD FOR EXAMPLE COMPARE SITUATIONS AND DISCUSS DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARI TIES THEY SHOULD KEEP A LIST OF PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES AND NOTE WHEN CERTAIN STRATEGIES WORKED AND WHEN THEY DID NOT 3TUDENTS SHOULD NOTE WHICH SITUATIONS WERE MOST OR LEAST COMFORTABLE FOR THEM AND SPECULATE ABOUT WHY )NSTRUCTORS SHOULD ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE AMPLE GUIDANCE AND INDI VIDUAL FEEDBACK THAT IS GIVEN TO STUDENTS IN WRITING CLASSESTHROUGH THOROUGHLY ARTICULATED ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING CRITERIA THROUGH COPIOUS WRITTEN COMMENTS ON MULTIPLE DRAFTS AND THROUGH IN CLASS AND INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTSIS NOT OFTEN REPLICATED IN THE OTHER CONTEXTS FOR WHICH THEY WILL WRITE 0ERHAPS THEN THE WRITING INSTRUCTORS TENDENCY TO INITIATE AND DOMINATE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT STUDENT WRITING IS SOMEWHAT MISGUIDED )T MIGHT BE MORE USEFUL TO HELP STUDENTS PRACTICE INITIATING SUCH CONVERSATIONS THEMSELVES DISCUSSING IN THE PROCESS WHAT KINDS OF QUESTIONS MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE TO ASK AND OF WHOM AND THUS EXPANDING STUDENT WRITERS VOCABULARY FOR SUCH INQUIRY BEYOND THE UBIQUITOUS BUT VAGUE h7HAT DO YOU WANT v 7RITING INSTRUCTORS COULD FACILITATE SUCH PRACTICE BY WORKING WITH FAC ULTY IN OTHER DISCIPLINES TO DESIGN ASSIGNMENTS THAT IN BOTH WHAT THEY ASK AND HOW THEY ASK IT SIMULATE THE KINDS OF WRITING STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO DO IN DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC CLASSES 4HE COOPERATING FACULTY MEMBER MIGHT THEN BE INVITED TO CLASS AS A VISITING EXPERT FIELDING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GENRE AND HIS OR HER EXPECTATIONS AS A READER 4HE CLASS AND INSTRUCTOR
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COULD WORK TOGETHER TO BRAINSTORM APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS AS THEY EXAMINE MODELS IN THE DAYS BEFORE THE EXPERTS VISIT 3TUDENTS COULD ALSO BE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK OUT OTHER EXPERT WRITERS OUT SIDE THE CONTEXT OF A SPECIFIC WRITING ASSIGNMENT 4HEY COULD BE ENCOUR AGED TO INTERVIEW PUBLISHED WRITERS AND EXPERTS WITHIN THEIR CURRENT OR ANTICIPATED MAJOR FIELD 4HESE INTERVIEWS COULD FOCUS ON THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WORK ON WRITERS GENERIC EXPECTATIONS REFEREEING OF MAJOR JOURNALS STYLE SHEETS TABOO ISSUES THE WRITERS STRATEGIES FOR ASSESSING COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS WHO THEY ASK TO READ DRAFTS THE QUESTIONS THEY ASK OF THESE READERS WHAT THEY DO WITH THE RESPONSES AND SUGGESTIONS OF EDITORS AND THE CHOICES WRITERS MAKE WHAT MOTIVATES THEM TO WRITE WHERE AND HOW THEY WRITE IN WHAT WAYS DO THEY BREAK OR BEND THE RULES )DEALLY PRACTICE IN INTERVIEWING AND QUESTIONING INSTRUCTORS AND OTHER EXPERT WRITERS WOULD SERVE TWO PURPOSES &IRST IT WOULD GIVE STUDENTS GREATER INSIGHT INTO THE EXPECTATIONS OF VARIOUS DISCIPLINES AND COMMU NITIES OUTSIDE THE %NGLISH CLASSROOM THROUGH INTERACTION WITH WORKING WRITING MEMBERS OF SUCH COMMUNITIES 3ECOND IT WOULD HELP STUDENTS DEVELOP A MINDSET OF ETHNOGRAPHYAN ATTITUDE THAT ALLOWS AND ENCOUR AGES CURIOSITY AND INQUIRYMAKING THEM LESS RELUCTANT TO SEEK OUT ADVICE AND ASK QUESTIONS IN THEIR FUTURE FORAYS INTO NEW WRITING COMMUNITIES 4HEY WILL COME TO REALIZE THAT LEARNING TO WRITE IS AN ONGOING PROCESS JUST AS WRITING A PARTICULAR TEXT IS A PROCESS 4HERE IS A PROCESS OR PRO CESSES INVOLVED IN LEARNING ABOUT HOW A PARTICULAR GENRE FUNCTIONS AND IN THEN APPLYING WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED TO WRITING HERE AND NOWGENRE PROCESS 4HESE ARE ONLY SOME OF THE WAYS A GENRE PROCESS APPROACH WOULD MANI FEST ITSELF IN THE CLASSROOM AND WITHIN A WRITING PROGRAM BUT THEY SHOULD BEGIN TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE APPLICATION OF GENRE THEORY TO WRITING CUR RICULA IS MUCH MORE COMPLEX AND DEMANDING THAN MIGHT BE IMAGINED BY MANY READERS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT )F THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE /UTCOMES #OLLECTIVE AND THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS AS A WHOLE EMBRACE THIS TASK THEY NEED TO DO MORE TO HELP ASSURE THAT THEIR STATEMENT IS READ AND APPLIED AS THEY WOULD WANT IT TO BE 0ERHAPS THEY COULD TAKE AS THEIR MODEL h.#4%S 3TATEMENT ON 3TUDENTS 2IGHT TO 4HEIR /WN ,ANGUAGE v WHICH INCLUDES NOT JUST A LISTING OF PRINCIPLES BUT AN EXPLANATION OF THE RESEARCH AND THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS THAT GROUND THEM 4HAT DOCUMENT ALSO INCLUDES A BIBLIOGRAPHY THAT WOULD ALLOW THOSE WHO WANTED TO ACT ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS HELD WITHIN THE STATEMENT TO INFORM THEMSELVES AND ENLIGHTEN THEIR CONSTITUENTS MORE FULLY ABOUT
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THE NATURE OF LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES 4HE #OUNCIL COULD ALSO PUBLISH COL LECTIONS OF KEY ARTICLES OR A READABLE AND COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO GENRE THEORY FOR THE UNINITIATED 4HIS KIND OF WORK MIGHT ALSO NEED TO BE DONE FOR OTHER ASSUMPTIONS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THAT MAY NOT BE UNIVER SALLY UNDERSTOOD IN THE MANNER THE COMMITTEE MEANT THEM )N THE END A DOCUMENT SO BRIEF CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO STAND ON ITS OWN EVEN IF WRITTEN BY PEOPLE FROM MULTIPLE KINDS OF CAMPUSES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY 4HEIR CHOICE TO BECOME INVOLVED IN SUCH A PROJECT AND THEIR PRESENCE AT THE CONVERSATIONS WHETHER ACTUAL OR VIRTUAL THAT LED TO THE FINAL DOCUMENT PLACE THEM IN A MUCH SMALLER MORE COHERENT COMMUNITY OF DISCOURSE AND WORK THAN THE ONE TO WHICH THEY ARE WRIT ING ) BELIEVE WORKING NOW IN A DEPARTMENT WHERE THERE IS NO STANDARD SYLLABUS WHERE FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSES ARE TAUGHT BY A MIX OF TENURED LITERATURE LINGUISTICS AND RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION FACULTY ALONG WITH A SIMILAR MIX OF ADJUNCTS THAT HOW THEORY GETS PUT INTO PRACTICE IS IN MOST OF THE COUNTRY A HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED MATTER 7HILE MY COLLEAGUES AND ) FOR EXAMPLE MIGHTAND TO SOME DEGREE HAVETRIED TO ADOPT THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR OUR WRITING PROGRAM HOW THAT GETS READ AND PUT INTO PRACTICE IN THE CLASSROOM OF INDIVIDUAL INSTRUCTORS IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMEWHAT UP FOR GRABS 4HE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS IS TO BE COMMENDED FOR TRYING TO ARTICULATE A COMPREHENSIVE SET OF GOALS THAT MIGHT ALLOW DIVERSE WRITING PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO DEVELOP UP TO DATE AND THEORETICALLY CREDIBLE CURRICULA THAT TOGETHER COMPRISE A COHERENT APPLI CATION OF THE BEST THOUGHT AND PRACTICES IN THE FIELD OF RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION (OWEVER PROVIDING VENUES FOR MORE THOROUGH EXPLICATION AND SUPPORT OF THESE GOALS WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD MAKING THE COUNCILS VISION A REALITY
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)N THE FALL OF *OHN 2AMAGE THEN ACTING DIRECTOR OF %NGLISH COMPO SITION AT !RIZONA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY SUBMITTED TO THE DEAN OF THE #OLLEGE OF ,IBERAL !RTS AND 3CIENCES A DOCUMENT TITLED h0ROPOSAL TO )MPROVE 7RITING )NSTRUCTION AT !35v !MONG OTHER THINGS THE PLAN SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED BY THE PROVOST SUGGESTED CHANGES TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION IN THE %NGLISH COMPOSITION PROGRAM BY ESTABLISHING A SET OF GOALS s &IRST IT CALLED FOR THE HIRING OF FACULTY WITH FORMAL TRAINING IN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION 4O DATE WE HAVE HIRED TWELVE LECTURERS FACULTY WITH THREE YEAR INFINITELY RENEWABLE CONTRACTS ALL WITH 0H$ DEGREES AND SPECIAL IZATIONS IN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION 7E HAVE ALSO HIRED MORE THAN TWENTY INSTRUCTORS FACULTY WHO REAPPLY EACH YEAR s 3ECOND THE PLAN RECOMMENDED THAT 4!S TEACHING LOADS BE REDUCED FROM FOUR TO THREE SECTIONS PER YEAR !LTHOUGH WEVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN ACHIEVING THIS GOAL WE HAVE MANAGED TO LOWER ENROLLMENT CAPS IN SECTIONS TAUGHT BY FIRST YEAR 4!S s 4HIRD THE PLAN RECOMMENDED SALARY RAISES FOR FACULTY ASSOCIATES FACULTY WHO REAPPLY EACH SEMESTER 4O DATE WEVE RAISED THOSE SALARIES MODESTLY s &OURTH THE PLAN CALLED FOR A 3TRETCH COURSEA COURSE FOR BASIC WRIT ERS THAT hSTRETCHESv THE FIRST SEMESTER COURSE OUT TO TWO SEMESTERS AND SIX CREDIT HOURS 4HAT PROGRAM IS THRIVING s &IFTH THE PLAN CALLED FOR THE HIRING OF ADDITIONAL TENURED AND TENURE TRACK FACULTY 7EVE BEEN ABLE TO HIRE 0ATRICIA 7EBB AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR SPECIALIZING IN COMPUTERS AND COMPOSITION AND 3HARON #ROWLEY FILLING A POSITION FORMERLY OCCUPIED BY &RANK $!NGELO s 3IXTH THE PLAN CALLED FOR A MINOR IN COMPOSITION 7E DO NOT HAVE A MINOR BUT !35S FACULTY SENATE DID APPROVE OUR PROPOSAL FOR A WRITING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM IN THE FALL OF
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3INCE WE HAVE FREQUENTLY CITED THE 2AMAGE PLAN AS A VERY NECESSARY COMMITMENT TO QUALITY INSTRUCTION IN UNDERGRADUATE COMPOSITION COURSES )N THE SPIRIT OF IMPROVEMENT OF UNDERGRADUATE INSTRUCTION WE HAVE ALSO SOUGHT AND RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM THE #OLLEGE OF ,IBERAL !RTS AND 3CIENCES AS WELL AS THE 'RADUATE #OLLEGE TO ENHANCE THE TRAINING OF FIRST YEAR 4!S !LTHOUGH WE THINK THAT WE HAVE SERVED STUDENTS WELL BY IMPLEMENT ING SOME OF THE MEASURES DESCRIBED ABOVE WE REALIZE THAT THE !RIZONA LEGISLATURE THE !RIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WANT SOME DEMONSTRATION THAT WE ARE ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF ACTUALLY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSES 4HEY WANT TO SEE WHAT STUDENTS HAVE DONE IN OUR COURSES 3INCE WE HAVE ASKED STUDENTS TO CONSTRUCT PORTFOLIOS IN OUR FIRST YEAR COURSES SO THAT THEY CAN BEGIN TO SEE THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF THEIR LEARNING IN THE COURSES -ORE RECENTLY WITH THE CONNECTION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO OUR STUDENTS PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENTS WE HOPE OUR COMPOSITION PROGRAM WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL AS %D 7HITE PUTS IT OUR OWN DESTINY h"Y CALLING FOR PORTFO LIO ASSESSMENT TEACHERS HAVE HOPED TO GAIN POWER OVER ASSESSMENT AND HENCE OVER THE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS TO BE VALUED IN EDUCATION THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO IMPOSE THE EDUCATIONAL VISION IN WHICH ASSESSMENT IS A VITAL SUPPORT FOR THE LEARNER ONTO THE INSTITUTIONAL VISION IN WHICH ASSESSMENT IS A SORTING AND CERTIFYING DEVICEv $URING THE n ACADEMIC YEAR $UANE PARTICIPATED IN ONLINE DISCUSSIONS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT )N THE SPRING OF THAT YEAR AT THE ANNUAL #### MEETING IN #HICAGO HE PARTICIPATED IN THE DAY LONG WORK SHOP IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS REVISED A DRAFT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT !S HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND THE PORTFOLIOS THAT STU DENTS CONSTRUCT IN OUR COURSES HE REALIZED THAT COMBINING THE TWO WOULD ALLOW THE COMPOSITION PROGRAM TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE ACCOMPLISHING MUCH IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION )N THE SUMMER OF THE TWO OF US COLLABORATED WITH SEVERAL OTHER COLLEAGUES $EIRDRE -AHONEY *ACKIE 7HEELER AND "ONNIE +YBURZ TO LINK THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND STUDENTS PORTFOLIO WORK 4HAT IS WE CONSTRUCTED A PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT THAT ASKED STUDENTS TO USE THE ITEMS IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO REFLECT ON THEIR WORK IN THE FIRST YEAR COURSES 3INCE THEN WE HAVE REVISED THE ASSIGNMENT EACH SEMESTER AND THERE ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT VERSIONS FOR EACH OF THE FIRST YEAR COURSES &OR OUR PURPOSES HERE THE VERSION THAT 'REG HAS REVISED FOR STUDENTS IN THE 3TRETCH 0ROGRAM WILL ILLUSTRATE THE FUNCTIONS AND DETAILS OF THE ASSIGNMENT
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7HEN WE FIRST PRESENT AND DISCUSS THIS ASSIGNMENT IN OUR CLASSROOMS WE ARE VERY AWARE THAT IT ASKS STUDENTS TO DO A LOT AND OFTEN THEY FEEL OVERWHELMED BY ALL OF ITS COMPONENTS 4HEREFORE WE LET OUR STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEYRE NOT EXPECTED TO ANSWER ALL OF THE ASSIGNMENTS QUESTIONS ALTHOUGH WE ALSO TELL THEM THAT THE MORE DETAIL THEY HAVE THE MORE EFFEC TIVE THEIR FINAL PORTFOLIO WILL BE !LSO RATHER THAN SIMPLY HANDING IT OUT hAS YOUR END OF SEMESTER ASSIGNMENT v WE WORK TO INTEGRATE THE VARIOUS PIECES INTO WHAT WE ASK STUDENTS TO DO AT VARIOUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER SO IN ESSENCE THEYRE WORKING ON THE PORTFOLIO FOR FIFTEEN WEEKS &OR EXAMPLE WE ASK OUR STUDENTS TO CONSTRUCT A NUMBER OF WHAT WE CALL LEARNING LOGS OTHERS MIGHT CALL THEM JOURNAL ENTRIES OR RESPONSES OR REFLECTIONS (ERES AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF OUR LEARNING LOG ASSIGNMENTS THAT GETS STUDENTS STARTED AT ANSWERING SOME OF WHAT THE /3 STATEMENT REFERS TO 4ELL ME HOW YOU ARE FEELING ABOUT WRITING THIS WRITING PROJECT 7HAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR WRITING PROJECT 7HAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEND MORE TIME ON )F YOU HAD TO SELECT THE BEST IDEA IN THE WRITING PROJECT WHAT WOULD IT BE 4HE PURPOSE OF THIS LEARNING LOG IS TO ASK YOU TO STEP BACK A LITTLE FROM YOUR WRITING AND STUDY IT AND THINK ABOUT IT
(ERES ANOTHER EXAMPLE WE ASK OUR STUDENTS TO CONSTRUCT A MIDTERM REFLECTIVE LETTER NOT ONLY TO GIVE THEM EXPERIENCE AT DOING SUCH WORK WHICH WELL ASK FOR IN MUCH MORE DETAIL AT THE END OF THE TERM BUT ALSO TO GIVE THEM A STARTING POINT SOMETHING THEY CAN BUILD ON FOR THAT END OF SEMESTER ASSIGNMENT !S THEY THEN WORK WITH THAT FIRST ATTEMPT WITH THEIR PEER REVIEWERS AND THE LIST OF PROMPTS IN THE ASSIGNMENT AND THE SUGGESTED PEER REVIEWER PROMPTS ITS RELATIVELY EASY FOR STUDENTS TO SEE WHAT THEYVE TOUCHED ON AND WHAT THEYVE MISSED WHAT THEY HAVE SOME EXAMPLES FOR AND WHAT THEY DO NOT EXEMPLIFY AND SO ON 7E ALSO INCORPORATE MUCH OF THE /3 INTO WHAT WE ASK OUR STUDENTS TO DO FOR EACH WRITING PROJECT &OR INSTANCE WE ASK STUDENTS TO TURN IN ALL NOTES INVENTION WORK DRAFTS ETC WHEN THEY TURN IN THEIR FINAL VERSIONS OF EACH WRITING PROJECTIN LINE WITH THIS PROMPT FROM THE PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT 7HAT MATERIALS DO ) NEED TO INCLUDE AND DISCUSS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT ) CAN USE MULTIPLE DRAFTS TO IMPROVE MY TEXT STRATEGIES LIKE BRAINSTORMING OUTLINING AND FOCUSED FREEWRITING DURING ALL STAGES OF THE WRITING PROCESS
-ANY OF OUR STUDENTS ATTACH COPIES OFTEN HIGHLIGHTED OF THEIR WORK TO SHOW HOW THEYVE USED SAY BRAINSTORMING IDEAS OR TO SHOW HOW THEIR
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DRAFTS HAVE CHANGED #ONSIDER HOW STUDENT .IKKI 3OPER DESCRIBES WHAT SHES INCLUDING IN HER PORTFOLIO ;4HE= PIECES THAT ) FEEL ) DID WELL ON OR THAT WERE BETTER ONCE THEY WERE WORKSHOPPED ) HAVE ATTACHED TO THIS LETTER ) HAVE INCLUDED PIECES FROM ,, ,, ,, )! ;INVENTION ACTIVITY= 70 L 6ERSION AND THE FINAL VERSION OF 70 L 4HE 70 L 6ERSION WAS MY FIRST DRAFT THAT WAS WORKSHOPPED BY MY PEERS ) FEEL IN WRITING THAT ANOTHERS VIEW IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR SUCCESS 4HEREFORE WHEN ) HAD AN EXTREMELY LONG INTRODUCTION MY REVIEWERS POINTED THIS OUT AND THIS ALLOWED ME TO CHANGE MY INTRODUCTION )T ALSO HELPED ME TO REARRANGE MY PARAGRAPHS INTO ONE AND PLACE IDEAS FROM ONE PARAGRAPH TO ANOTHER ) REALLY FEEL THAT THE REVIEWERS HELP THE WRITER SEE THINGS THE WRITER HIMSELF MAY OVERLOOK
!LSO NOTE HOW 3OPER IN EXPANDING HOW SHE DESCRIBES WHAT WRITING SHES INCLUDED IN HER PORTFOLIO ALSO EXPLAINS SPECIFICALLY HOW SHE WENT ABOUT CHANGING HER INTRODUCTION :64,,?(473,:-964:;<+,5;»:9,-3,*;0=,3,;;,9:
0ERHAPS THE BEST WAY TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT SOME OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE DONE WITH THE PORTFOLIO PROJECTS BOTH AT MIDTERM AND END OF THE SEMESTER IS TO EXAMINE SOME OF THEIR WORK IN LIGHT OF THE /3 AND HOW WEVE ADAPTED THAT STATEMENT TO CONSTRUCT SPECIFIC WRITING PROMPTS THAT WE ASK STUDENTS TO ADDRESS (ERE NOTICE HOW FRESHMAN *AMI #OUGHLIN USES MANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES FROM HER OWN TEXTS TO ILLUSTRATE THE POINTS SHES WORKING TO MAKE 4O SHOW HOW ) HAVE GROWN AS A WRITER IN THIS PORTFOLIO ) HAVE INCLUDED COP IES OF MY LEARNING LOGS INVENTION ACTIVITIES PEER RESPONSES TO VERSION OF WRITING PROJECT PEER RESPONSES TO VERSION OF WRITING PROJECT THE FINAL VERSION OF WRITING PROJECT AND THE FINAL VERSION OF WRITING PROJECT 4HE GOALS OF THE LEARNING LOGS ARE TO GET OUR MINDS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR A SPECIFIC WRITING PROJECT 7ITH THAT SAID LEARNING LOG DID JUST THAT )N LEARNING LOG ) HAD TO MAKE A LIST OF AT LEAST TWELVE POSSIBLE QUESTIONS THAT ) DIDNT KNOW THE ANSWER TO 4HAT LIST OF QUESTIONS WAS HELPFUL WHEN TRYING TO PICK OUT A PROBLEM FOR WRITING PROJECT )N FACT FROM THAT LIST ) WAS INTERESTED IN THE QUESTION h7HY ISNT !RIZONA 3TATE A NON SMOKING CAMPUS v
4HIS STUDENT CLEARLY IS WORKING HARD TO EXPLAIN WHY HER PORTFOLIO INCLUDES WHAT IT DOES AND TO PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES TO SHOW WHAT SHE
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MEANS *AMI IS EVEN MORE EXPLICIT LATER IN HER REFLECTIVE LETTER AS SHE WORKS TO ANSWER THESE TWO ASSIGNMENT PROMPTS s (OW HAVE YOU USED OR NOT USED PREVIOUS PEER RESPONSES IN THIS REVISION 7HY s )F YOU DID TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PEER RESPONSE YOU RECEIVED IN WHAT WAYS DOES THAT ADVICE SHOW UP IN YOUR OWN COMPOSITION (OW COULD PEER ADVICE BE MORE HELPFUL IN YOUR NEXT WRITING PROJECT
*AMI RESPONDS TO THESE PROMPTS WITH REFLECTIVE COMMENTS ABOUT PEER REVIEWING AND ALSO WITH SPECIFIC EXAMPLES FROM HER TEXT IN EFFECT hCITINGv HERSELF !FTER WRITING VERSION WE WORKSHOPPED OUR PAPERS THROUGH PEER RESPONSES 0EER RESPONSES HAVE HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY WITH IMPROVING MY WORK 3OMETIMES THE THINGS THAT ) THINK ARE WELL WRITTEN MAY CONFUSE THE READER 4HEREFORE ) CAN FIX THESE PORTIONS OF MY PAPERS SO MY FINAL COPY IS ALMOST FLAWLESS &OR INSTANCE ONE OF MY PEERS SUGGESTED TO ME IN VERSION OF WRITING PROJECT THAT ) SHOULD GIVE MORE EXAMPLES OF h7HY COLLEGE STUDENTS BEGIN SMOKINGv &ROM THAT SUGGESTION ) CREATED A PARAGRAPH IN MY FINAL VERSION GIVING MY OPINIONS AND OTHER QUESTIONS OF WHY COLLEGE STUDENTS BEGAN SMOKING 3OME OF THESE INCLUDE h7AS IT BECAUSE OF PEER PRESSURE -AYBE THEIR ROLE MODELS MOTHERS FATHERS OLDER SIBLINGS MOVIE STARS AS A CHILD SMOKED AND THEY WANTED TO BE JUST LIKE THEM (OW DID THESE STUDENTS AS CHILDREN HAVE CIGARETTES IN THEIR POSSESSION WHEN THEY WERENT OF AGE v
*AMI GOES ON TO REFLECT ON AND EVEN TO CRITICIZE THE PEER REVIEWING WED DONE IN OUR CLASSROOM ) THINK PEER REVIEW IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DONE IN MORE CLASSES 4HIS SEMESTER IS THE FIRST TIME ) HAVE EVER USED PEER REVIEW AND IT HAS MADE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE OUTCOME OF MY PAPERS ) TRY TO TAKE OUR PEER REVIEW SESSIONS VERY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THE MORE INFORMATION AND HELP ) CAN GET THE BETTER (OWEVER SOMETIMES MY PEERS ARE TOO NICE AND DONT CRITICIZE MY PAPERS ENOUGH ) THINK BEING MORE CRITICAL IS SOMETHING OUR CLASS NEEDS TO WORK ON BECAUSE YOU CAN NEVER GET TOO MANY SUGGESTIONS
/THER STUDENTS RESPONDED IN MUCH THE SAME WAYWITH GOOD EXAMPLES AND DETAILS THAT EFFECTIVELY DEMONSTRATED WHAT POINTS THEY WERE MAKING "ECKY -AGOS FOR INSTANCE CITES BOTH THE COMMENTS SHE RECEIVED AND HER RESPONSES TO HER CLASSMATES SUGGESTIONS WHEN SHE NOTES
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!N EXAMPLE OF DESCRIPTION IN PROJECT TWO WOULD BE WHEN ) WAS NEGATIVELY DESCRIBING THE RED COUCHES IN THE LIBRARY ) DESCRIBED THEM AS h4HE DIRTY STAINED RED COUCHES ARE SO DISGUSTINGv ) READ ALL THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN TO ME IN THE CONFERENCE )N WRITING PROJECT TWO ) RECEIVED A SUGGESTION SAYING THAT ) SHOULD EXPLAIN WHAT PEOPLE WERE DOING IN THE LIBRARY ) INCORPO RATED THIS IDEA BY DESCRIBING WHAT THE PEOPLE WERE DOING IN THE COUCH AREA OF THE LIBRARY h3OME LAZY STUDENTS FALL ASLEEP ON THE COUCHES AND BEGIN TO SNOREv ) ALSO ADDED MARKS AND SUGGESTIONS OF MY OWN IN THE MARGINS WHERE ) FELT ) NEEDED TO WORK ON ) TRIED TO USE MOST OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN TO ME BY MY PEER REVIEWERS
)TS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE STUDENTS ARE RESPONDING TO ASSIGNMENT PROMPTS BASED ON /3 GOALS THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO s 5NDERSTAND THE COLLABORATIVE AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF WRITING PROCESSES s ,EARN TO CRITIQUE THEIR OWN AND OTHERS WRITING s 2EVIEW WORK IN PROGRESS IN COLLABORATIVE PEER GROUPS FOR PURPOSES OTHER THAN EDITING
"Y CONNECTING THE WRITING WE ASK OUR STUDENTS TO COMPOSE FOR THEIR PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENTS TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WE MOVE TOWARD WHAT 3ANDRA -URPHY AND "ARBARA 'RANT DESCRIBE AS A hCONSTRUCTIVIST PERSPECTIVEv ON LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT FOR SUCH A VIEW hIS CONTEXTUALIZED REFLECTING AND SUPPORTING WHAT STUDENTS AND TEACH ERS ARE ACTUALLY DOING IN CLASSROOMSv !S -URPHY AND 'RANT NOTE WITH SUCH ASSIGNMENTS h7RITING IS CONCEPTUALIZED AS A PROCESS NOT A PROD UCT SO THAT ASSESSMENT BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ;TEACHERS= TO LEARN WHAT STUDENTS KNOW AND ARE ABLE TO DO &OR STUDENTS ASSESSMENT BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE AUTHORSHIP THAT IS TO ASSUME OWN ERSHIP OF AND AUTHORITY OVER THEIR WORK RATHER THAN FULFILL THE EXPECTA TION OF OTHERSv #ONSIDER HOW STUDENT WRITER -ICHAEL (ENDERSON ASSUMES SUCH OWNER SHIP OF HIS TEXTS AS HE RESPONDS TO THE ASSIGNMENT PROMPTS ASKING HOW THE WRITER REACTED TO AND USED PEER COMMENTS -ICHAEL WRITES 7HEN ) FIRST STARTED THIS SEMESTER ) BELIEVED THAT MY WRITING SKILLS WERE UP TO PAR AND THAT THIS CLASS WAS A WASTE OF MY TIME "UT EVER SINCE THAT DAY ) HAVE BEEN PROVEN WRONG OVER AND OVER AGAIN ) STARTED TO REALIZE THIS RIGHT AFTER THE FIRST PEER REVIEW ON WRITING PROJECT NUMBER ONE )N THIS PAPER ) WROTE ABOUT HOW COLLEGE COULD BE MORE ENJOYABLE 7HEN ) GOT MY PAPER BACK FROM THE OTHER STUDENTS THERE WERE NUMEROUS REMARKS ABOUT HOW ) DID NOT USE ANY
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EXAMPLES OF HOW COLLEGE COULD BE FUN OR JUST THE OPPOSITE ) JUST HAD MANY REASONS OF WHY COLLEGE IS MISERABLE hCOLLEGE IS SO DIFFERENT FROM HIGH SCHOOL ! DISRESPECTFUL PERSON THINKS IT IS FUNNY TO PICK ON YOU 4HEY ARE NOT ATTENDING COLLEGE ON THEIR OWN FREE WILLv "UT ) DID NOT GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW THESE THINGS RUIN COLLEGE !LSO THEY POINTED OUT HOW ) ONLY SAW MY TOPIC FROM THIS POINT OF VIEW AND COULD HAVE BROUGHT UP MANY MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE PAPER ,IKE ) LATER INSERTED INTO MY PAPER h3OME STUDENTS DO ENJOY COLLEGE 0ICK MAJORS WITH EASIER CLASSES /R MAYBE THEY MAKE IT MISERABLE FOR THEMSELVESv
)TS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT *AMI "ECKY AND -ICHAEL ALL WERE ADDRESSING SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FROM THE ASSIGNMENT PROMPT THAT LED THEM NOT ONLY TO REFLECT ON BUT ALSO TO PROVIDE EXAMPLES FROM THEIR OWN WRITING !NOTHER /3 GOAL FOCUSES ON THE USE AND VALUE OF MULTIPLE DRAFTS 3TUDENT ,ISA "ROOKE +ONSTANZER ADDRESSES AND REFLECTS ON SUCH CON CERNS WHEN SHE NOTES -ULTIPLE DRAFTS HAVE DONE WONDERS FOR MY PAPERS 7HEN ) REWRITE THESE POINTS HAVE BEEN IMPROVED BECAUSE ) FEEL LIKE THE MORE TIMES ) REVISE THE MORE MY PAPER IMPROVES -Y PROBLEMATIC PAPER IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS ) HAD TWO ROUGH DRAFTS FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT AND ) HAVE LEARNED THE MORE ROUGH DRAFTS THAT ) HAVE THE BETTER MY PAPER IS -Y PROOF IS FROM MY PEERS -Y PEERS WERE IMPRESSED BY THE IMPROVEMENT THAT ) HAD MADE -ULTIPLE DRAFTS ARE NOT ONLY BENEFICIAL FOR GATHERING MORE COMPLETE THOUGHTS BUT THEY ALSO HELP TO RECOGNIZE IMPROVEMENT FOR CONVENTIONS SUCH AS SPELLING GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION "ECAUSE ) HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MULTIPLE DRAFTS ) HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL MY GRAMMAR MISTAKES THAT ) WOULD NORMALLY OVERLOOK IF ) HAD NOT GONE THOUGH NUMEROUS DRAFTS -Y SPELL ING IS NATURALLY DISGUSTING !ND BECAUSE IT IS SO AWFUL ) HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO THE DICTIONARY MANY TIMES FOR ALL THREE OF MY PAPERS 4HIS IS NOTHING NEW TO ME BUT ) AM MORE OPEN MINDED ABOUT IT NOW BECAUSE THIS CLASS HAS MOTIVATED ME TO BE A BETTER WRITER IN AND OUT OF CLASS
/UR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTING PORTFOLIOS SINCE AND THEY HAVE CONSTRUCTED /UTCOMES BASED PORTFOLIOS SINCE THE FALL OF 7E THINK THAT OUR PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENTS HAVE ENCOURAGED STUDENTS TO DO WHAT 0URVES 1UATTRINI AND 3ULLIVAN SEE AS THE MAJOR PURPOSE OF CONSTRUCTING PORTFOLIOS hA DELIBERATE EFFORT TO PRESENT ONESELF TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD AS A WRITER OR A STUDENT OF WRITINGv VI 7E PREFER TO REPLACE hORv WITH hANDv IN THIS SENTENCE THOUGH BECAUSE WE HOPE THAT OUR STUDENTS SEE THEMSELVES IN BOTH OF THESE COMPLEMENTARY ROLES
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)TS BEEN INTERESTING TO READ TEACHERS INDIVIDUAL VARIATIONS IN PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENTS 7HILE TEACHERS IN OUR LARGE PROGRAM APPROXIMATELY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS EACH YEAR PRESENT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO STUDENTS IN LANGUAGE THAT REFLECTS THEIR INDIVIDUAL TEACHING PERSONAE PEDAGOGICAL STRENGTHS AND WRITING PRACTICES THE GENERAL SPIRIT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SEEMS TO BRING A REAL FOCUS TO TEACHERS EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS PORTFOLIOS "ECAUSE TEACHERS ADAPT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO THEIR OWN SPECIFIC PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENTS WE DONT ENCOUNTER THE PROB LEMS SUCH AS RECYCLING THE SAME PAPER THROUGH SEVERAL CLASSES SOME ASSOCIATE WITH PORTFOLIOS 3CHUSTER n SEE ALSO ,ARSON !T THE SAME TIME STUDENTS ALSO BRING THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL PERSPECTIVES TO THE ACTIVITY OF PORTFOLIO CONSTRUCTION 7HEN THESE DIFFERING PERSPEC TIVES TRANSACT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THEY SEEM TO INTERACT AS "AKHTINIAN hCENTRIPETALv AND hCENTRIFUGALv FORCES 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOCUSES THE DISCOURSE WITH ITS CENTRIPETAL OR UNIFYING INFLUENCE BUT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO USE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO GUIDE PORTFOLIO CONSTRUCTION REPRESENT STRONG CENTRIFUGAL INFLUENCES )N THESE TRANSACTIONS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DOES NOT REMAIN A STABLE DOCUMENT RATHER IT TAKES ON A NEW LIFE EACH TIME A STUDENT OR GROUP OF STUDENTS ENGAGE WITH IT INTERACTING WITH STUDENT PORTFOLIOS TO ENABLE hSTU DENT LEARNING THAT IS ACTIVE ENGAGED AND DYNAMICv 7HITE %VEN THOUGH STUDENTS HAVE USED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR A YEAR TO GUIDE THEIR PORTFOLIO CONSTRUCTION WE HAVE NOT YET BEGUN USING PORTFO LIOS FOR LARGE SCALE PROGRAM ASSESSMENT 7E REALIZE THAT WE SOON NEED TO BEGIN SUCH ASSESSMENT THOUGH SO THAT WE RATHER THAN EXTERNAL AGENCIES DETERMINE THE NATURE OF THE ASSESSMENT 7E HOPE TO BEGIN PLANNING FOR THIS KIND OF PROGRAMNOT TEACHERASSESSMENT SOON BECAUSE WE THINK THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTPORTFOLIO CONNECTION WILL BECOME AN EFFEC TIVE COMPONENT IN A USEFUL ASSESSMENT APPROACH 7E FULLY EXPECT THAT THE EFFORT WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT STUDENTS ARE ACCOMPLISHING MUCH IN OUR COURSES )N ADDITION TO ASSESSING WHAT IS ACCOMPLISHED IN OUR COURSES WE HOPE THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTPORTFOLIO CONNECTION ENCOURAGES ONGOING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT WERE DOING IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION 4EACHERS IN OUR PROGRAM ALREADY PARTICIPATE IN FORMAL AND INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT CONSTITUTES EFFECTIVE CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY 0UTTING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ON THE TABLE THOUGH HAS HELPED US TO FOCUS SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND IT HAS HELPED REFINE SOME OF THE CURRICULAR GOALS
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THAT WE HAVE CONSTRUCTED &URTHER AS 0AT "ELANOFF AND 0ETER %LBOW NOTE h7E THINK THE PORTFOLIO HELPS US DEAL WITH AN ESSENTIAL CONFLICT IN PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION )S IT OUR PROGRAM OR THE TEACHERS 4HE PORTFOLIO PER MITS GENUINE COLLABORATION BETWEEN US AND OUR TEACHERSv n
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4HE +NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS OUTCOME SOUNDS LIKE hGRAMMAR FIRSTv ALL OVER AGAIN 7HILE SOME WILL EMBRACE GOING BACK TO THE BASICS OTH ERS WILL ARGUE THAT EMPHASIZING CONVENTIONS MARGINALIZES NONSTANDARD DIALECTS AND SEEKS TO SUPPLANT THE VOICE AND HENCE THE SOCIAL IDENTITY OF THOSE ALREADY LINGUISTICALLY EDUCATIONALLY AND CULTURALLY ON THE PERIPHERY 3MITHERMAN 4HIS OUTCOME HIDES SO MUCH OF THE REAL COMPLEX ITY OF CONVENTIONS ESPECIALLY THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO DIALECTS AND SOCIOECO NOMIC BACKGROUND THAT IT IS NEARLY BOUND TO BE MISREAD AND VERY LIKELY MISAPPLIED 3UCH OBJECTIONS DEMONSTRATE THAT AN IMPORTANT PART OF UNDERSTANDING ALL THE OUTCOMES IS THE ACT OF ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR HISTORY WITHIN THE DIS CIPLINE OF PROBLEMATIZING THEM AS &REIRE WOULD SAY )N THE CASE OF THE +NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS OUTCOME THIS MEANS UNDERSTANDING ERROR ANALYSIS AND THE LOGIC OF ERROR AS THEY RELATE TO THE NATURE AND FUNCTION OF !MERICAN DIALECTS AND %NGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE )LL NEVER FORGET ONE STUDENT 3HE WAS IN THE SPECIAL SECTION ) TAUGHT FOR ;%DITED !MERICAN= %NGLISH AS A 3ECOND $IALECT DESIGNED FOR THE WEAK EST DIALECT WRITERSMOSTLY !FRICAN !MERICAN AND #HICANOADMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY )T WAS MY JOB TO HOLD THEM TO UNIVERSITY STANDARDS WHILE ADDRESSING THE PARTICULAR WRITING AND READING NEEDS GENERATED BY THEIR INEXPERIENCE WITH THE h,ANGUAGE OF 7IDER #OMMUNICATION v AS 7EAVER CALLS IT 7EAVER 4HIS PARTICULAR STUDENT WHO WENT ON FOR AN -"! DID VERY WELL EVENTUALLY PRODUCING ! LEVEL WORKCLEAR COGENT WELL DEVELOPED BUT STILL CONCISE AND CORRECT ) CONGRATULATED HER AND ASKED HER HOW SHE LIKED BEING AN ! WRITER 3HE SAID SHE LIKED THE GRADE JUST FINE BUT HOPED TO AVOID WRITING IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE IT WAS TOO MUCH WORK /N THE ONE HAND ) FELT THAT ) HAD SUCCEEDED BECAUSE SHE NOT ONLY PRO DUCED GOOD WORK BUT HAD A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT SHE HAD TO DO TO PRODUCE IT /N THE OTHER HAND ) FELT THAT ) HAD FAILED FOR MY EMPHASIS ON ACADEMIC PROSE HAD KILLED WHATEVER JOY SHE MIGHT HAVE HAD IN WRITING
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BY MAKING IT GRUNT WORK ) TAKE THIS AS AN EMBLEM FOR A VERY REAL DANGER IN STRESSING ACADEMIC WRITING AND ITS CONCOMITANT CORRECTNESS !NOTHER !FRICAN !MERICAN STUDENT OF MINE ASKED ME ONE DAY IF ) THOUGHT WHITES WERE SMARTER THAN BLACKS (E HAD JUST READ SOME OF THE EARLY ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE BELL CURVE CLAIMING THAT STATISTICALLY BLACKS MUST BE INTELLECTUALLY INFERIOR TO WHITES ) TOLD HIM ) DIDNT CARE WHAT THE STATIS TICS SAID) HAD TO TEACH EVERYONE AS IF HE OR SHE COULD LEARN TO WRITE SUC CESSFUL ACADEMIC PROSE AND ) HAD HAD ENOUGH SUCCESS TO KNOW THAT EVERY ONE COULD IF THEY WERE WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME AND EFFORT 4HE STUDENT JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHERE HE STOOD AND WHY HE HAD TO STRUGGLE SO MUCH (E WAS READY AND WILLING TO BELIEVE HE WAS NOT INTELLIGENT ENOUGH )T CONTINUES TO SURPRISE MANY BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ACADEMY THAT GRAMMAR INCLUDING THE STUDY OF CONVENTIONS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT ASPECT OF WRITING FOR STUDENTS TO MASTER 'RAMMAR DIFFICULTY IS SURPRISING BECAUSE THOSE IN CHARGE AND ELITE STUDENTS FIND THE hHANDBOOKv APPROACH EASY EFFECTIVE EFFICIENT LOGICAL MECHANICAL ! FEW DIRECTIVES TO AVOID COMMON ERRORS LIKE FRAGMENTS COMMA SPLICES AND PRONOUN DISAGREEMENT AND SUCH STUDENTS ARE READY TO MOVE ON (OWEVER MOST !MERICAN STUDENTS DO NOT ATTEND FLAGSHIP UNIVERSITIES AND EVEN AT SUCH SCHOOLS THERE IS A SIG NIFICANT NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHOSE FIRST LANGUAGE IS NOT %NGLISH OR WHOSE DIALECTS DIFFER IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS FROM THE STANDARD EMPLOYED IN MOST ACA DEMIC DISCOURSE &OR THESE STUDENTS MASTERING THE CONVENTIONS PRESENTS REPEATED DIFFICULTIES ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE LITTLE EXPERIENCE WITH READING AND WRITING NOT TO MENTION SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE -ATSUDA 4EACHING GRAMMAR IS STEADY WORK FOR MOST TEACHERS AND THE hHANDBOOKv APPROACH DOESNT WORK FOR MOST STUDENTS 7HY NOT )T TURNS OUT WE DONT TEACH GRAMMAR RULES AT ALL IN THE LINGUISTIC SENSE #HILDREN HAVE THEIR GRAMMAR DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN THEIR SUBCONSCIOUS BY THE TIME THEY ENTER SCHOOL A VIEW OF GRAMMAR SO COUNTERINTUITIVE THAT MOST PEOPLE REJECT IT OUT OF HAND WHILE MANY IN COMPOSITION EMBRACE IT ALL TOO READILY IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE EMPHASIS ON GRAMMAR THAT HAS BEEN TOO LONG IDENTIFIED AS THE ESSENCE OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION &9# "UT WE DONT REALLY TEACH GRAMMAR ANYWAY 4HE GRAMMAR THAT ENABLES US TO PRODUCE NOVEL SENTENCES ORALLY AND COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY DAY TO DAY IS LEARNED DEEPLY AND WELL THROUGH EVERYDAY LISTENING BEFORE WE CAN TALK AND THROUGH CONVERSATION AFTERWARD 7HAT WE USUALLY TEACH IN &9# IS A LIMITED SET OF CONVENTIONS GOVERNING ACADEMIC PROSE BY MEANS OF THE ERROR HUNT HOPING AGAINST ALL EVIDENCE 7EAVER n THAT THIS APPROACH WILL TRANSFER TO THE STUDENTS ACTUAL WRITING
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&OR MOST STUDENTS THE HANDBOOK APPROACH CREATES A TRANSFERENCE GAP 4HE LESSONS EASILY APPLIED BY THE TOP STUDENTS HIDE THE REAL COMPLEXITY OF THE TASK %DITING IS A hSKILLv ONLY FOR THOSE WITH ENOUGH LITERACY SO THAT EDITING CAN BE SEPARATED FROM ATTAINING A NEW MORE ABSTRACT LEVEL OF DIS COURSE %VEN SUCCESSFUL DRILLS WHERE STUDENTS SEEM TO MASTER A CONVENTION ENOUGH TO PASS A QUIZ MANY TIMES WILL NOT RESULT IN A TRANSFERENCE OF THE hSKILLv TO THE STUDENTS OWN WRITING 4HATS BECAUSE ITS NOT A SKILL THERES NOTHING BASIC ABOUT IT AS WE KNOW FROM WORKING WITH OUR WEAKEST WRITERS 4HERE IS A TRANSFERENCE GAP BECAUSE THE EXERCISES ARE NOT GROUNDED IN THE STUDENTS OWN WRITING GRAMMAR IS NOT TAUGHT IN CONTEXT EVEN IF THE EXERCISES REPLICATE THE KINDS OF ERRORS STUDENTS MAKE IN THEIR OWN COMPO SITIONS )F THEYRE NOT CONNECTED MORE CLOSELY TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS OWN WRITING THEN MAKING THE TRANSFER REQUIRES A GREATER LEVEL OF ABSTRAC TION INCREASED COGNITIVE LOAD AND WERE BACK WHERE WE STARTEDMANY STUDENTS LOSE EITHER FLUENCY OR CORRECTNESS 4EACHING CONVENTIONS IS SELDOM AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS WE LIKE TO BELIEVE 'RAMMATICAL CONCEPTS EVEN hSIMPLEv ONES LIKE RECOGNIZING A SUBJECT VERB OR A COMPLETE SENTENCE ARE VERY DIFFICULT FOR NATIVE SPEAK ERS BECAUSE BY THE TIME A CHILD IS SIX OR SEVEN THOSE CONCEPTS ARE ALWAYS ALREADY EMPLOYED EFFECTIVELY IN SPEECH 4HE LINGUISTIC MIND IS VERY EFFI CIENT AND DOES NOT NEED TO IDENTIFY SUBJECTS AND VERBS FOR EXAMPLE IN ORDER TO PRODUCE EFFECTIVE SENTENCES ORALLY )T IS CONSEQUENTLY DIFFICULT IN MOVING FROM ORAL TO WRITTEN PROFICIENCY TO GET THE MIND TO RETAIN WHAT FOR IT IS NEEDLESS INFORMATION FAR REMOVED FROM WHATS REQUIRED TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY DAY TO DAY )N ADDITION SPEECH PATTERNS MAY NOT MATCH UP WELL WITH THE CONVENTIONS OF COLLEGE LEVEL PROSE !S A RESULT FOR INEXPERIENCED READERS AND WRITERS A KEY COMPONENT OF MASTERING CONVENTIONS IS RECOGNIZING THEIR OWN ERROR PATTERNS AND SEEING THE LOGIC BEHIND THEIR ERRONEOUS CHOICES 3HAUGHNESSY n 4HE COMMA IS A GOOD CASE IN POINT ) HAVE FOUND THE BEST WAY TO TEACH COMMA USE IS THROUGH PRACTICE IN SENTENCE STRUCTURE WHERE COMMAS ARE LINKED TO THE HIGHER FREQUENCY OF COMPLEX STRUCTURES IN ACADEMIC DISCOURSE STRUCTURES LIKE SUBORDINATE AND RELATIVE CLAUSES 4HIS LEADS TO A CONVERSATION ABOUT BOUND AND FREE RESTRICTIVE AND NONRESTRICTIVE MODIFIERS A CONCEPT THAT OFTEN GOVERNS WHETHER OR NOT A COMMA SHOULD BE USED ,INKING SENTENCE STRUCTURE TO ARTICULATION OF PRECISE RELATIONS BETWEEN ELEMENTS IN A SENTENCE TO MEANING AND TO PUNCTUATION HELPS WRITERS UNDERSTAND HOW READERS PROCESS INFORMATION AT THE SENTENCE LEVEL 3UCH A LESSON AND PERSPECTIVE
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ARE MORE LIKELY TO STICK THAN A REVIEW OF CONVENTIONS OR AVOIDING THE ISSUE ALTOGETHER AS SOME TEACHERS ARE INCLINED TO DO THINKING THE CONVENTIONS ARE UNIMPORTANT OR THAT THEY WILL BE PICKED UP IN THE hNATURALv COURSE OF COLLEGE LEVEL READING AND WRITING 3TUDENTS CANT SEE WHERE COMMAS GO AND DONT GO BECAUSE THEY CANT SEE STRUCTURE (OWEVER THEY CAN HEAR STRUCTURE BOTH PHRASES AND CLAUSES AND SO THATS A GOOD PLACE TO BEGIN "UT OFTEN STUDENTS MARK SYNTACTIC UNITS CLAUSES AND PHRASES WITH COMMAS WHEN SOMETHING ELSE IS REQUIRED LIKE A PERIOD OR SEMICOLON IN THE CASE OF A COMMA SPLICE /R THEY MARK A SYNTACTIC UNIT NOT USUALLY MARKED AS IN THE CASE OF PUTTING A COMMA AFTER THE SUBJECT AND VERB OF A CLAUSE EMBEDDED IN SOME LARGER STRUCTURE OR AFTER A NOUN SUBSTITUTE A PHRASE ACTING AS THE SENTENCE SUBJECT SO THE COMMA INTRUDES BETWEEN THE SUBJECT AND VERB !NALYZING THESE PATTERNS MEANS RECOGNIZING THEIR hLOGICv 4HE EXAMPLES THAT FOLLOW ARE ILLUSTRATIVE BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT A RANGE OF PROBLEMS AT ONCE IDIOSYNCRATIC AND FAMILIAR )N THIS CASE THE COMMA ERRORS STEM FROM THE WRITERS OWN PERFECTLY CONSISTENT AND EVEN ACCURATE LINGUISTIC INTUITION IN EACH CASE A WRITER WOULD BE MARKING OFF A SYNTACTIC UNIT WITH A COMMA EVEN THOUGH THESE PARTICULAR PHRASES ARE NOT USUALLY MARKED WITH COMMAS BECAUSE THEY ARE BOUND 4HE STUDENTS SPENT THE FIRST PERIOD READING h4HE 3TORY OF AN (OURv
4HE FINAL SIX WORDS ARE A VERB PHRASE ACTING AS AN hINDIRECTv OBJECT 4HAT IS THEY FUNCTION POWERFULLY WITHIN THE SENTENCE AS A SINGLE SYNTACTIC UNIT ADDED TO WHAT SEEMS LIKE A COMPLETE CLAUSE !T LEAST THE PART OF THE SENTENCE BEFORE THE COMMA HAS A SUBJECT VERB AND DIRECT OBJECT OR A NOUN PHRASE hTHE STUDENTSv AND A VERB PHRASE hSPENT THE FIRST PERIODv 3O THE FINAL PHRASE hFEELSv ADDED ON EVEN THOUGH ITS NECESSARY FOR THE hCOMPLETENESSv OF THE SENTENCE 4HE POINT IS THE COMMA IS NOT ARBITRARY BUT MARKS A PHRASAL UNIT !CTUALLY THE SENTENCE IS A FAIRLY COMPLEX CON STRUCTION DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE IN APPEARANCE (ERES ANOTHER EXAMPLE (E NOW ASKED MORE QUESTIONS THAN IN THE h&RANCIS -ACOMBERv DISCUSSION
(ERE THE COMMA MARKS THE BASE CLAUSE OFF FROM THE FINAL MODIFYING PHRASE !GAIN THE FINAL PHRASE CLEARLY ACTS AS A SINGLE UNIT AND hFEELSv TACKED ON TO THE BASE CLAUSE WHICH IN FACT IT IS LINGUISTICALLY SPEAKING (ERES ANOTHER 3HE WILL READ MORE CAREFULLY WITH THIS IN MIND
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.OW THE WRITER SETS OFF THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE AGAIN HEARING THE END OF THE BASE CLAUSE AND MARKING IT !S STUDENTS EXPAND THEIR SENTENCES THEY OFTEN MARK THE END OF THE BASE CLAUSE BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TAUGHT TO MARK THE END OF A SENTENCE WHICH IS WHAT A BASE CLAUSE IS !ND THEY CANT USE A PERIOD HERE SO THE DEFAULT MARK IS A COMMA 3INCE NO ONE HAS TAUGHT THEM ABOUT BASE CLAUSES MODIFYING PHRASES AND BOUND AND FREE MODIFIERS A KNOWLEDGE OFTEN GAINED THROUGH SENTENCE COMBIN ING THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO IGNORE THE CLEAR MESSAGE SENT FROM THEIR SUBCONSCIOUS THAT A BASE CLAUSE LIKE h) WILL READ MORE CAREFULLYv IS A COM PLETE SENTENCE 7ELL IT IS A COMPLETE SENTENCE ALL RIGHT BUT THAT DOESNT MEAN ONE MUST MARK THE END OF IT !ND ) THINK ONE COULD EVEN MAKE AN ARGUMENT FOR KEEPING THIS PARTICULAR COMMA IF THE FINAL PHRASE IS REFER RING TO A BIG IDEA DELINEATED IN THE PREVIOUS SENTENCES )TS A REAL OPTION HERE FOR EMPHASISSORT OF LIKE h)LL BE SURE TO KEEP THAT IN MINDv "UT IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT THE PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE MIGHT INTRODUCE THE NEXT SENTENCE IN WHICH CASE THE WRITER MAY BE AVOIDING STARTING A SENTENCE WITH A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE WHICH LEADS TO SO MUCH TROUBLE FOR SO MANY )NTRODUCTORY PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES OFTEN TRY TO ACT LIKE NOUN SUBSTITUTES AND PERFORM AS SENTENCE SUBJECTS 5NFORTUNATELY PREPOSITIONAL PHRASES CAN NEVER BE SENTENCE SUBJECTS AND OFTEN OBSCURE THE REAL SUBJECT OF THE SENTENCE IN ADDITION TO CREATING A MIXED CONSTRUCTION (ERES ANOTHER COMMON MISUSE OF THE COMMA INITIALLY PERPLEXING !LTHOUGH THE STUDENTS HAVENT DONE A LOT OF READING THIS TERM THE TEACHER FEELS
) SEE THIS A LOT !ND IT LOOKS LIKE THE EXCEPTION TO MY ARGUMENT SINCE hALTHOUGHv ISNT A PHRASE (OWEVER IT IS A SUBORDINATOR AND THEREFORE NOT ONLY CREATES A DEPENDENT CLAUSE BUT IT ALSO PRECEDES A BASE CLAUSEWHAT FOLLOWS IMMEDIATELY IS BY ITSELF AN INDEPENDENT CLAUSE 3O AGAIN THE WRITER HAS MARKED OFF A COMPLETE SYNTACTIC UNIT 4HE WRITER PRODUCING SUCH SEN TENCES IS REMARKABLY CONSISTENT 'RAMMAR OF COURSE IS ALSO RELATED TO DISCOURSE NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF WHAT COUNTS AS CORRECT USAGE BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THE WRITERS SENSE OF AGENCY WHICH BRINGS US BACK AGAIN TO QUESTIONS OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND CULTURAL IDENTITY -OST STUDENTS DONT SEE HOW TO ENGAGE THEMSELVES IN WRITING ACADEMICALLY ABOUT ISSUES THAT DONT DIRECTLY AFFECT THEM AT LEAST IN THEIR FIRST YEAR SOME OF THEM NEVER DISCOVER HOW TO OPERATE IN THE SPECIALIZED WORLD OF ACADEMIC DISCOURSE !S A RESULT THEY TRY TO EFFECT
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AN hOBJECTIVEv STANCE WHICH UNDERMINES THEIR SUCCESS 4HE DISTANCE BETWEEN WHAT THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO WRITE AND WHERE THEIR INTERESTS REALLY LIE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACADEMIC WRITING AND A PROSE THAT REPRESENTS THEIR PERSONAL INTERESTS WHICH OFTEN COMES IN hNONSTANDARDv LANGUAGE OR AT LEAST NONACADEMIC PROSE !S INEXPERIENCED WRITERS WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH THESE CONFLICTS THEY WILL PRODUCE PROSE MARKED BY ERRORS CREATED BY MOVING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE TWO hVOICES v THE PERSONAL AND THE ACADEMIC 4HE PROBLEM THEN IS FIGURING OUT A WAY TO KEEP BOTH IN BAL ANCE UNTIL THE WRITERS CAN MOVE BETWEEN THEM MORE OR LESS EFFORTLESSLY 4HUS ERRORS IN CONVENTIONS CAN BE INTIMATELY LINKED TO THE CONSIDERABLE RHETORICAL DEMANDS OF ADVANCED ACADEMIC LITERACY AS WE KNOW FROM LOOK ING AT EARLY DRAFTS OF OUR OWN WORK WHERE ERRORS OFTEN ABOUND AS WE SORT OUT THE MULTIPLE DEMANDS OF OUR SUBJECTS AND AUDIENCES .EEDLESS TO SAY THESE ARE THE KINDS OF SOCIOLINGUISTIC ISSUES SELDOM CON SIDERED IN TEACHING CONVENTIONS 4HE HANDBOOK APPROACH IS STILL OPERA TIVE TODAY BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES THE hBASICSv SO MANY PEOPLE THINK THEY EMBRACE WHEN THEY ADVOCATE A hBACK TO BASICSv AGENDA 4HE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT GRAMMAR SCHOLARS ADVOCATE AND WHAT MOST PEOPLE MEAN BY TEACHING GRAMMAR CREATES A hHOT SPOT v A POLITICALLY SENSITIVE ISSUE WHERE HEATED ARGUMENTS OCCUR IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN PLAYED OUT IN NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS AND ON THE FLOOR OF LEGISLATIVE HOUSES AS WELL AS IN OUR OWN PRO FESSIONAL JOURNALS AND LISTSERVS 4HE TEACHING OF GRAMMAR LIKE TEACHING MANY SUBJECTS IS POLITICALLY CHARGED IDEOLOGICALLY CONTENTIOUS 0EOPLE TEND TO HAVE VERY STRONG OPINIONS ABOUT THE SUBJECT (OWEVER THOSE WHO CALL FOR MORE GRAMMAR INSTRUCTION USUALLY ARE UNAWARE OF THE TRANSFER ENCE GAP AND HAVENT THOUGHT ABOUT THE LOGIC OF ERROR 4HEY HAVENT THOUGHT ENOUGH ABOUT GRAMMAR PEDAGOGY AND THE SOCIOLINGUISTIC ISSUES BEHIND THE +NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS OUTCOME ,30!#% 7E NEED TO UNDERSTAND ERROR ANALYSIS AS SOCIOLINGUISTIC PRACTICE 4HE DIMENSIONS OF THE PROBLEM WERE RECENTLY HIGHLIGHTED BY THE /AKLAND 3CHOOL "OARD h%BONICSv CONTROVERSY 4HE BOARD SOUGHT TO DECLARE "LACK %NGLISH VERNACULARAN !FRICAN !MERICAN DIALECTA SEPARATE LANGUAGE BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS WERE NOT ABLE TO OBTAIN ENOUGH FUNDS IN ANY OTHER WAY TO TRAIN TEACHERS TO APPRECIATE THE STUDENTS OWN DIALECTS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY MOVING THEM TOWARD %DITED !MERICAN %NGLISH 4HE ISSUE IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO BE THE SUBJECT OF THE LEAD ARTICLE IN ###S FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE 3MITHERMAN &URTHERMORE THE SAME VOLUME CLOSES WITH $EBRA (AWHEES h#OMPOSITION (ISTORY AND THE (ARBRACE #OLLEGE
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(ANDBOOKv SO THAT THE SPECIAL ISSUE IS FRAMED BY CONSIDERATIONS OF DIALECT AND HANDBOOKS 7HEN YOU THINK ABOUT GRAMMAR YOURE ALWAYS CURRENT ALWAYS ALREADY EMBEDDED IN THE POLITICS OF GRAMMAR
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3INCE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN ADAPTED AND ADOPTED AT MYRIAD INSTITUTIONS IT IS TEMPTING TO SIMPLY NOD AND CELEBRATE IT AS A SUCCESS FUL DOCUMENT 4HE MANY AND DIVERSE USES OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SEEM TO MAKE AN UNCOMPLICATED ARGUMENT FOR ITS SUCCESS AND WE CAN BE TEMPTED TO SAY h)SNT THAT GREATv AND SMILE "UT CONSIDERATIONS OF WHAT HAS MADE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROJECT SO SUCCESSFUL NEED TO GO BEYOND PATS ON THE BACK ! SERIOUS SCHOLARLY LOOK AT THE STATEMENT IS VITAL TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW PROJECTS LIKE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WORK HOW SUCCESS IS ATTAINED AND HOW WE MIGHT REPLICATE SUCH SUCCESSES 4HIS CHAPTER DRAWS ON TECHNOLOGY THEORY RHETORICAL THEORY AND PUBLIC POLICY THEORY TO PROVIDE US WITH A MUCH CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF WHY THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN SO WIDELY ADAPTED AND ADOPTED 4HIS CLOSE EXAMINATION OF THE WAY THE /UTCOMES PROJECT WAS CONDUCTED AND HOW THE DOCUMENT HAS BEEN USED PROVIDE US WITH VITAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT THE DOCUMENT AND ITS VARIOUS IMPLEMENTATIONS ; / , 6 < ; * 6 4 , : : ;(; , 4 , 5 ; ( : ( ; , * / 5 6 3 6 . @ ( 5 + : , * 6 5 +( 9 @ 0 5 : ; 9 < 4 , 5 ;( 3 0 A (; 0 6 5
3INCE THE FIRST PART OF THIS CHAPTER RELIES PARTLY ON AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A TECHNOLOGY CLARIFYING THAT UNDERSTAND ING IS IMPORTANT BEFORE MOVING TO CONSIDERING IMPLEMENTATIONS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT )T IS EASY ENOUGH TO CLAIM THAT GOOSE QUILLS PENCILS FOUNTAIN PENS AND COMPUTERS ARE TECHNOLOGIES BECAUSE THEY ARE TOOLS 4HEY ARE AS $ENNIS "ARON DEFINES TECHNOLOGIES MADE OF MATERIALS THAT ARE ENGINEERED hTO ACCOMPLISH AN ENDv ! TECHNOLOGY EMBOD IED AS A TOOL IS THE MOST COMMON WAY OF THINKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY "UT WHEN AN OBJECT IS MADE OF DISCIPLINARY KNOWLEDGE AND ITS PHYSICAL EMBODIMENT IS A COLLECTION OF WORDS ON PAPER OR SCREEN THE UNDERSTAND
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ING OF THAT THING AS A TECHNOLOGY IS MORE DIFFICULT (OWEVER A DOCUMENT LIKE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS A TECHNOLOGY )T IS A PRODUCT MADE FROM THE MATERIALS OF KNOWLEDGE AND WORDS ENGINEERED BY HIGHLY SKILLED SCHOL ARS AND PRACTITIONERS AND USED TO ACCOMPLISH AN END !S A TECHNOLOGY THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS MORE COMPLICATED THAN THE DOCUMENT ITSELF !NDREW &EENBERG CALLS A TECHNOLOGY hAN ELABORATE COM PLEX OF RELATED ACTIVITIES THAT CRYSTALIZES AROUND TOOL MAKING AND nUSING IN EVERY SOCIETYv * -ACGREGOR 7ISE CLAIMS THAT A TECHNOLOGY IS AN hAGGREGATE OF TOOLS AND THEIR MANIPULATIONSv /PERATING WITH THIS EXPANDED CONCEPTION OF A TECHNOLOGY &EENBERGS TWO PART THEORY OF TECHNOLOGY CAN BE UTILIZED )N THIS THEORY A TECHNOLOGY THAT EXISTS BUT HAS NOT BEEN INTEGRATED INTO ITS SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT IS AT THE FUNCTIONAL POINT OR PRIMARY INSTRUMENTALIZATION 4HE SECONDARY INSTRUMENTALIZATION OCCURS WHEN THE TECHNOLOGY IS hINTEGRATED WITH THE NATURAL TECHNICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT SUPPORT ITS FUNCTIONINGv $URING THE SECONDARY INSTRUMENTALIZATION THE POSSIBILITIES FOR AGENCY OPEN TO GROUPS OTHER THAN THOSE WHO CREATED THE TECHNOLOGY 4HESE GROUPS INFLUENCE WHETHER A TECHNOLOGY IS ACTUALLY USED AND HOW IT IS USED !S A PUBLISHED DOCUMENT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS AT A PRIMARY OR FUNCTIONAL POINT )T EXISTS AS A TECHNICAL OBJECT BUT HAS NOT YET BECOME A PART OF ANY SPECIFIC SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN WHICH IT WILL ULTIMATELY FUNCTION )N THIS STATE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS UNDERDETERMINED 7HAT IT WILL BECOME AS IT IS EMBEDDED IN A SPECIFIC COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY SYSTEM IS UNCERTAIN AND WILL BE INFLUENCED GREATLY BY THE SYSTEM IN WHICH IT BECOMES A PART !S THE TABLE AND ANECDOTES IN THIS CHAPTER AND THIS BOOK DEMONSTRATE THE UNDERDETERMINED FLEXIBLE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN BROADLY ADAPTED AND SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED IN A WIDE VARIETY OF VENUES 3INCE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BEGAN IN THE 70! , LISTSERV ) BEGAN MY STUDY OF THE SECONDARY INSTRUMENTALIZATION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BY MINING THE LIST ARCHIVES 3EARCHING THOSE ARCHIVES PROVIDED EVIDENCE OF SEVERAL INSTITUTIONS ADOPTING AND ADAPTING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR USE IN THEIR PROGRAMS ) ALSO SENT A QUERY TO THE LIST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT IMPLEMENTING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 4HE ARCHIVES AND INQUIRY RESPONSES PROVIDED A LIST OF FIFTY NINE INSTITU TIONS THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT .OT SURPRISINGLY THE MOST COMMON USE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN TO DEFINE THE FIRST YEAR COURSE PERCENT OF THE FIFTY NINE SCHOOLS HAVE USED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THIS WAY 4HE SECOND MOST COMMON USE OF THE
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/UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN IN ASSESSMENT !LTHOUGH THEIR ASSESS MENT PRACTICES VARY SEVENTEEN OF THE SCHOOLS PERCENT HAVE USED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO HELP WITH ASSESSMENT 4RAINING 4!S AND ADJUNCTS IS THE THIRD MOST COMMON WAY THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN USED WITH FIFTEEN OUT OF FIFTY NINE PERCENT USING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR THIS PURPOSE &INALLY TEN OF THE SCHOOLS PERCENT HAVE USED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN THE FIRST YEAR COURSE ITSELF )N EACH CASE THE INSTITUTIONS HAVE ADAPTED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO THEIR OWN PUR POSES 3OME RESPONDENTS CALLED THEIR ADAPTATIONS hCLOSE v WHILE OTHERS COMMENTED THAT THEIR ADAPTATIONS WHILE LARGELY BASED ON THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WERE CONSIDERABLY CUSTOMIZED TO FIT LOCAL NEEDS 4HE TABLE BELOW h5SES OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT v IS A COMPILATION OF THE RESEARCH ON /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT USE CONDUCTED IN THE 70! , ARCHIVES AND THROUGH QUERIES TO THE LIST )F THE RESPONDENT INCLUDED A 7EB SITE FOR HIS OR HER INSTITUTIONS ADAPTATION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THAT 52, IS INCLUDED 5SES OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 0UZ[P[\[PVU +LMPULJV\YZL (S]LYUV*VSSLNL _ (YPaVUH:[H[L 7(YL]KVJ *VSSLNLVM[OL _ 4HPUSHUK *VTT\UP[` *VSSLNLVM+LU]LY ,HZ[LYU4PJOPNHU
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PZJVUZPU¶,H\ *SHPYL PZJVUZPU¶.YLLU )H` `VTPUN <[HO=HSSL`:[H[L HZOPUN[VU:[H[L LZ[*OLZ[LY LZ[=PYNPUPH PUVUH:[H[L
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4O FACILITATE FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE SECONDARY INSTRUMENTALIZA TIONS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MORE DETAILS WERE REQUESTED FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO THE LIST INQUIRY 4HE EXTENSIVE E MAIL RESPONSES FROM THESE PEOPLE ILLUSTRATE THE WIDE VARIETY OF USES TO WHICH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN PUT AND THE DIVERSE INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE CHOSEN TO ADAPT IT !T -OUNT 5NION #OLLEGE A SMALL LIBERAL ARTS INSTITUTION IN /HIO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS USED AS A FOUNDATION FOR THE h'OALS 3TATEMENT FOR #OLLEGE 7RITERS v WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN $IRECTOR OF WRITING PRO GRAMS +ELLY ,OWE SELECTED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A STARTING POINT FOR COLLEGEWIDE WRITING GOALS BECAUSE hTHE DEPARTMENT WANTED SOME KIND OF @NATIONAL ENDORSEMENT AND HAVING THE 70! BEHIND THE GOALS MADE THEM EASIER TO @SELLv ,OWE (E EXPLAINED THAT INSTEAD OF OUTCOMES FOR A PARTICULAR COURSE THIS 'OALS 3TATEMENT IS A DECLARATION OF WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM -OUNT 5NION )N REVIEW ING THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING THESE GOALS ,OWE RECALLED THE POLITICS THAT WERE INVOLVED AND SAID THAT PERSUADING THE %NGLISH DEPARTMENT TO ADOPT THEM WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT 4HE SMALL TRADITIONAL -OUNT 5NION %NGLISH
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DEPARTMENT SEVEN LITERATURE FACULTY AND ONE COMPOSITION FACULTY RESISTED BECAUSE OF THREE FACTORS hA LONG INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF 4OTAL #LASSROOM !UTONOMYv hA FEAR THAT OUR ONE SEMESTER COMP SEQUENCE @COULDNT DO ALL OF THE THINGS IN THE OUTCOMES STATEMENTv AND hA STATED FEAR THAT THE @COMP GUY WAS TRYING TO MOVE THE DEPARTMENT AWAY FROM LIBERAL ARTSv ,OWE ,OWE REPORTED THAT GETTING THE NEXT CONSTITUENCY THE COLLEGE FACULTY TO AGREE WAS EASIER (E ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE FACT THAT hTHEY DIDNT REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY WERE VOTING ONv 2ECENTLY HOWEVER HE HAS EXPERIENCED RESISTANCE TO THE ADOPTED GOALS AS HE HAS ASKED FACULTY IN THE 7!# PROGRAM TO CONSIDER THEM 4HE THIRD CONSTITU ENCY THAT ,OWE WORKED WITH WAS THE DEAN WHO ASKED ,OWE TO hSIMPLIFY THE STATEMENTv SO THAT hSOMEONE WITH A DEGREE OTHER THAN 2HETORIC #OMPOSITION COULD UNDERSTAND ITv 4HE DEAN WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THE GOALS hEARLY ON v ,OWE REPORTED WHICH MADE GETTING IT ADOPTED EASIER 7ILL (OCHMAN OF 3OUTHERN #ONNECTICUT 3TATE 5NIVERSITY 3#35 A STATE SUPPORTED INSTITUTION WITH ABOUT SIX THOUSAND UNDERGRADUATES RECALLED THAT WORK TO ADAPT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR THE LOCAL COM POSITION PROGRAM WAS SPURRED BY THE .ATIONAL #OUNCIL FOR !CCREDITATION OF 4EACHER %DUCATIONS .#!4% DEMAND THAT THEY UPDATE AN hANCIENT STATEMENT ABOUT TEACHING COMPv (OCHMAN (OCHMAN HAD PREVI OUSLY BELIEVED THAT THE 3#35 FACULTY WHICH INCLUDES THIRTY FIVE FULL TIME TENURE TRACK AND THIRTY FIVE PART TIME FACULTY WOULD hNEVER COME TOGETHER AND AGREE ON A UNIFIED AND STRONGLY PROGRAMATIC SET OF GOALSv (OWEVER THE .#!4% DEMAND COUPLED WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DOCUMENT PROVIDED THE CONTEXT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE GOALS 4HE PREFACE TO THE h3TATEMENT OF ,EARNING 'OALS FOR &IRST 9EAR #OMPOSITION AT 3#35v NOTES THAT THE STATEMENT IS BASED ON THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND RECOUNTS THE SERIES OF #OMPOSITION 3UBCOMMITTEE DISCUSSIONS AND OPEN WORKSHOPS AT WHICH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WERE ADAPTED FOR 3#35 !NOTHER INSTANCE OF ADAPTING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO LOCAL USE WAS RECOUNTED BY A WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR WHO HAS CHOSEN TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS BECAUSE OF COMMENTS INCLUDED ABOUT HOW THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS RECEIVED BY THE LITERATURE FACULTY IN HIS DEPART MENT 5NDERSTANDABLY HE DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE COMPOSITION AND LITERATURE FACULTY FURTHER ERODED BY PUBLIC COMMENT 4O MAKE WRITING AND READING ABOUT THIS INSTITUTION EASIER THE ADMINISTRATOR IS CALLED h$OEv AND THE SCHOOL h5NIVERSITY OF 8v OR h58v )N THE BEGIN NING $OE COMMENTED hHAVING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HELPED US TELL OURSELVES THAT WE WERE NOT OFF BASE IN WHAT WE WERE DOINGv $OE )N
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ADDITION TO USING THE ORIGINAL /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 58 BORROWED FROM CUSTOMIZED STATEMENTS THAT WERE DEVELOPED USING THE ORIGINAL /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A BASE AT SEVERAL OTHER UNIVERSITIES 4HE 58 OUTCOMES COULD BE CONSIDERED A THIRD LEVEL INSTRUMENTALIZATION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT "Y USING THE ORIGINAL /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS WELL AS THE SECONDARY INSTRUMENTALIZATIONS FROM OTHER UNIVERSITIES 58S OUTCOMES ARE A COMPLEX HYBRID INSTRUMENTALIZATION OF THE ORIGINAL TECHNOLOGY )N ADDITION TO USING OTHER VERSIONS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 58 SOUGHT TO MAKE ITS OUTCOMES EVEN MORE UNDERSTANDABLE TO DIFFERENT AUDIENCES &ACULTY CREATED STUDENT PAGES THAT INTERPRET THEIR OUTCOMES IN A MORE hSTUDENT FRIENDLYv WAY 58S OUTCOMES HAVE PLAYED WELL WITH ADMINISTRATORS 4HE HIGHER UPS AT THIS UNIVERSITY HAVE BEEN CONTINUALLY IMPRESSED THAT $OE AND HIS COL LEAGUES hKNEW WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUTv CONCERNING OUTCOMES AND THAT $OE COULD GET HIS hFACULTY COMMITTEE TO WORK UP STATEMENTS BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING DEPARTMENTS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OUTCOMES STATEMENTS WEREv $OE 4HE SET OF STATEMENTS THAT $OES COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER WERE USED BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO SHOW OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON CAMPUS HOW SETTING UP OUTCOMES COULD BE ACCOM PLISHED $OE CONCLUDED THAT THIS PROCESS MADE $OE AND THE COMMITTEE AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATION LOOK VERY GOOD AND h4HEY LOVE ITv $OE COM MENTED FURTHER THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WORK DONE ON HIS CAMPUS HAS HAD A WIDER EFFECT AS HE ACCOMPANIED AN ASSOCIATE PROVOST TO A LARGER MEETING OF PEOPLE WORKING ON OUTCOMES STATEMENTS AT A LARGER CAMPUS 4HAT GROUP TOO WAS IMPRESSED WITH WHAT 58 HAD ACCOMPLISHED WHICH MADE BOTH $OE AND THE ADMINISTRATOR LOOK GOOD /THER INSTITUTIONS HAVE USED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION CLASSES THEMSELVES BY ADAPTING IT TO INFORM WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM PROGRAMS TO SET GOALS FOR DEVELOPMENTAL CLASSES AND AS THE NEXT EXAMPLE ILLUSTRATES TO ADVERTISE THE COMPOSITION PROGRAM TO OTHER CONSTITUENCIES $AVID 3TACEY AT (UMBOLDT 3TATE 5NIVERSITY DESCRIBED USING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO hADVERTISEv THAT THERE IS A NATIONAL PROFESSION AL CONSENSUS ABOUT COMPOSITION AND TO ILLUSTRATE WHAT HIS SCHOOL IS AND IS NOT DOING COMPARED TO THAT NATIONAL VIEW 3TACEY 4O INTRODUCE A NEW PRESIDENT TO THIS DISCIPLINARY KNOWLEDGE 3TACEY PRESENTED A COLOR CODED VERSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT COMPARING THE NATIONAL STATE MENT TO WHAT (UMBOLDT 3TATE DOES IN ITS ONE SEMESTER FIRST YEAR COURSE hBLACK FOR WHAT WE DO BLUE HIGHLIGHTING FOR WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO BUT REALLY ONLY TOUCH UPON ORANGE FOR WHAT WED LIKE TO DO BUT DONT REALLY
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GET ANYWHERE NEAR DOINGv 3TACEY USED THE SAME COLOR CODED INFORMATION AT A COLLEGEWIDE GENERAL EDUCATION OUTCOMES MEETING TO hACQUAINT COL LEAGUES WITH WHAT WE DOAND DO NOT DOv !T THE 5NIVERSITY OF #OLORADO AT "OULDER 5#n" THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS USED TO REBUILD A WRITING PROGRAM THAT 2OLF .ORGAARD REPORTED WAS hHIGHLY BALKANIZED THE FIRST YEAR COURSE WAS WOEFULLY NEGLECTED AND POLITICAL CONTENTIOUSNESS ABOUNDEDv .ORGAARD )N WHEN THE CAMPUS DECIDED TO REINVENT THE WRITING PROGRAM A NEW PROGRAM FOR WRITING AND RHETORIC WAS CONCEIVED WITH A hNEWLY CONCEIVED FIRST YEAR COURSE AT ITS COREv .ORGAARDS DESCRIPTIONS OF WHAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MEANT TO 5#n"S EFFORTS ARE REMARKABLY POSITIVE (E CALLED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT A hWELCOME SITE FOR CONSENSUS BUILDING v NOTING THAT IT PROVIDED A hNEUTRAL AND FLEXIBLE SPACE FOR GENUINE DIALOGv !CCORDING TO .ORGAARD THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROVIDED A hCOMMON SPACEv AND A hSHARED CONTEXTv FOR DISCUSSIONS AS WELL AS A FLEXIBILITY THAT ALLOWED FOR hAN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TWEAK THE DOCUMENT IN WAYS THAT ADDRESS OUR MORE SPECIFIC CAMPUS CONCERNS AND EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WRITINGv #ONCLUDING THESE AFFIRMATIVE REMARKS ABOUT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT .ORGAARD SAYS h&OR US THE OUTCOMES DOCUMENT WAS TRULY KAIROTICv 4HE 5NIVERSITY OF 4ENNESSEE AT #HATTANOOGA 54# IS ONE OF THE INSTITUTIONS THAT HAS USED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN ALL OF THE WAYS LISTED IN THE TABLE AND IS NOW USING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BEYOND ITS INSTITUTIONAL BOUNDARIES )N ADDITION TO USING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO DEFINE THE FIRST YEAR COURSE TO GUIDE ASSESSMENT TO TRAIN TEACHERS AND TO LET STUDENTS KNOW ABOUT THE GOALS OF THE COURSE AND THEIR PERFORMANCE IN IT 54# HAS BEGUN USING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO SET UP AN hEXPEC TATIONSv PROGRAM BASED ON THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 2EPRESENTATIVES OF 54# #HATTANOOGA 3TATE 4ECHNICAL #OMMUNITY #OLLEGE (AMILTON #OUNTY $EPARTMENT OF %DUCATION AND THE 0UBLIC %DUCATION &OUNDATION OF (AMILTON #OUNTY COLLABORATED TO COMPOSE h%XPECTATIONS FOR %NTERING #OLLEGE 7RITERS v WHICH IS BASED ON THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 4HIS DOCU MENT WHICH THEY REFER TO AS THE h%XPECTATIONS $OCUMENT v IS BEING USED TO CONDUCT WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE (AMILTON #OUNTY SYSTEM TO HELP MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS UNDERSTAND WHAT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSI TIES EXPECT FOR ENTERING COLLEGE WRITERS 4HE %XPECTATIONS $OCUMENTS FIVE CATEGORIES ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT RHETORICAL KNOWLEDGE EXPECTATIONS CRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING EXPEC TATIONS WRITING PROCESS EXPECTATIONS RESEARCHED WRITING EXPECTA TIONS AND FINAL DRAFT CONCERNS
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!CCORDING TO ,AUREN #OULTER THE DIRECTOR OF COMPOSITION AT 54# AND LEADER OF THE FIRST WORKSHOP ON THE %XPECTATIONS $OCUMENT THERE WERE SOME OBJECTIONS TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BECAUSE IT DID NOT INCLUDE THINGS LIKE hSPECIFIC MODES OF WRITING v BUT SHE INDICATED THAT THESE OBJEC TIONS CAME LARGELY FROM PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE hOUT OF THE LOOP WHEN IT COMES TO CURRENT THEORYRESEARCHPRACTICE OF TEACHING WRITINGv #OULTER 4HESE OBJECTIONS WERE MET BY INCLUDING SOME LANGUAGE IN THE DOC UMENT THAT REFERS TO hVARIOUS ORGANIZING STRATEGIESv AND THEN SUGGESTING SOME METHODS OF ORGANIZATION 4HE %XPECTATIONS $OCUMENT SECTION ON RESEARCHED WRITING IS NOT IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BUT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS DRAFTING THE DOCUMENT KNEW THAT THEY WOULD GET hLOTS OF SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE IN THAT AREAv SO THEY ADDED IT !S A HELP TO TEACHERS THEY ALSO ADDED ONE ANNOTATED STUDENT PAPER AND WILL ADD MORE SO THAT TEACHERS WOULD HAVE hPAPERS THAT POINT BACK TO SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS AS A WAY TO OPERATIONALIZE WHAT SOME COMMITTEE MEMBERS THOUGHT WERE FAIRLY ABSTRACT EXPECTATIONSv !T A SPRING WORKSHOP WITH MASTER TEACHERS FROM ALL SUBJECT AREAS #OULTER REPORTED THAT THE hGROUP EMBRACED THE DOCUMENT WHOLEHEART EDLYv #OULTER WAS EXPECTING SOME RESISTANCE SINCE TEACHERS MIGHT HAVE SEEN THE %XPECTATIONS $OCUMENT AS hYET ANOTHER TOP DOWN MANDATE ABOUT THEIR TEACHINGv AND WAS PREPARED TO MEET THE RESISTANCE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE THAT WROTE THE DOCUMENT IT INCLUDED HIGH SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES 4HE GROUPS SURPRIS ING EMBRACE WAS BASED ACCORDING TO #OULTER ON THREE MAIN STRENGTHS OF THE %XPECTATIONS $OCUMENT IT DEFINES WRITING BROADLY hAS MORE THAN WORK DONE IN %NGLISH,ANGUAGE !RTS CLASSES v AND AS MORE THAN WRITING ABOUT LITERARY WORKS IT IS A DOCUMENT THAT CAN hFORCE THEIR ADMINISTRA TORS TO ACCEPT MORE THEORETICALLY INFORMED METHODS FOR TEACHING WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUMv AND IT hIS A TICKET TO DO SOME OF WHAT THEY HAVE WANTED TO DO WITH WRITING FOR A LONG TIME AND HAVENT BEEN ABLE TO DOv BECAUSE OF ADMINISTRATORS CLINGING TO OUTDATED NOTIONS OF WHAT COLLEGES WANT !LTHOUGH THE WORKSHOPS WERE NOT USING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ITSELF THEY DID USE A DOCUMENT THAT IS BASED ON IT #OULTER DESCRIBES THE PROCESS OF ARRIVING AT THAT DOCUMENT hWE STARTED WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND @BACKED IT UP A YEAR TO ARRIVE AT EXPECTATIONS FOR ENTERING COLLEGE WRITERSv 5SING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT #OULTER COMMENTED MADE THE hPROCESS OF CREATING THE %XPECTATIONS DOCUMENT IMMENSELY EASIER MORE EFFICIENT v AND SHE RECALLS THAT WHEN SHE WAS CHARGED WITH
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CREATING THE %XPECTATIONS $OCUMENT SHE hIMMEDIATELY THOUGHT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT v REALIZING THAT IN IT SHE HAD hA POSITION STATEMENT WRITTEN BY THE BEST MINDS IN THE FIELD IT HAD BEEN DELIBERATED OVER DIS CUSSED SCRAPPED AND STARTED OVER AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ULTIMATELY RATI FIED BY THE 70!v 4HE WIDESPREAD USE AND BROAD ADAPTATIONS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN THIS CHAPTER ILLUSTRATE THE VARIETY OF SECONDARY INSTRUMENTALIZATIONS THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TECHNOLOGY HAS UNDERGONE )N THESE INSTRUMEN TALIZATIONS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN OPENED TO INPUT FROM NEW PLAYERSOTHER TEACHERS OTHER DISCIPLINES ADMINISTRATORS AND PLAYERS AT DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL LEVELS 4HE SOCIAL INTERESTS AND ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES OF THE PARTICULAR INSTITUTIONS HAVE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN HOW THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS ADAPTED AND USEDHOW BORROWING FROM "RUNO ,ATOUR THE TECHNOLOGY IS hENROLLEDv IN THE INSTITUTIONAL NETWORKS IN WHICH IT WILL FUNCTION 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS PROVEN TO BE HIGHLY ADAPT ABLEAND ULTIMATELY AN EXCEPTIONALLY USEFUL TECHNOLOGY 4HE QUESTION THAT GROWS OUT OF THIS CLAIM OF SUCCESS IS h7HY v 7HY IS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT A PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL DOCUMENT 4HAT IS THE QUESTION THAT THE SECOND PART OF THIS CHAPTER ATTEMPTS TO ANSWER ; / , 6 9 , ; 0 * ( 3 ( 5 ( 3@ : 0 : 6 - ; / , 6 < ; * 6 4 , : : ;(; , 4 , 5 ; ( : : < * * , : : - < 3 ; , * / 5 6 3 6 . @
3IMPLY CLAIMING THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY AT THE RIGHT TIME AND ATTRIBUTING IT ALL TO SERENDIPITY IS TEMPTING BUT THAT SIMPLISTIC APPROACH TEACHES VERY LITTLE ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLE MENTATION OF A GOOD TECHNOLOGY )N ORDER TO GET BEYOND SERENDIPITY SOME THEORETICAL TOOLS ARE NECESSARY &OR THIS ANALYSIS ) ENLIST THE RHETORICAL CONCEPT OF KAIROS AS WELL AS IDEAS FROM !DVOCACY #OALITION &RAMEWORK A PUBLIC POLICY THEORY ! REVITALIZED DEFINITION OF KAIROS THAT GOES BEYOND THE IDEA OF TIMING HELPS IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SUCCESS )F KAIROS IS DEFINED AS AN ANALYTICAL AND GENERATIVE CONCEPT USED FOR BOTH ASSESSING THE OPPORTUNE TIME FOR A POLITICAL MOVE AND GUIDING THE FORCE OF THAT MOVE IT CAN BE PARTICULARLY HELPFUL IN ANALYZING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 4HIS RICHLY DEFINED KAIROS TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION CURRENT POLITICAL ISSUES THE KINDS OF POLICIES THAT ARE POPULAR AND THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE RECEIV ING ATTENTION !WARENESS OF THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE WAS EVIDENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROJECT $ISCUSSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BEGAN THE SAME MONTH -ARCH THAT THE
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.#4%)2! 3TANDARDS FOR THE %NGLISH ,ANGUAGE !RTS .ATIONAL #OUNCIL WERE PUBLISHED !LTHOUGH THE .#4%)2! STANDARDS AND THE OUT COMES WERE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED IN THE ONLINE DISCUSSIONS THAT SPAWNED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PARTICIPANTS IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DIS CUSSION WERE KEENLY AWARE OF THE STANDARDS MOVEMENT AND THE TROUBLED .#4%)2! PROJECT )N AN UNPUBLISHED COMMENT ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT +ATHLEEN "LAKE 9ANCEY CHARACTERIZED THE MOOD OF hTHE LARGER CULTUREv AT THE TIME THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WORK BEGAN AS hVERY STANDARDS RICHv 9ANCEY B 4HOSE WORKING ON THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WERE ALSO AWARE OF THE STANDARDS CREEP THAT WAS TAK ING PLACE 4HE NATIONWIDE MOVE TOWARD STANDARDS BASED EDUCATION THAT BEGAN IN THE EARLY S WITH THE .ATION AT 2ISK REPORT HAD MOVED STEADILY UP THROUGH THE EDUCATIONAL ECHELONS AND WAS MAKING ITS WAY INTO HIGHER EDUCATION 4HOSE INVOLVED IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MOVEMENT REAL IZED THAT IN SHORT ORDER FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION WOULD BE A TARGET OF THE STANDARDS MOVEMENT 0REVENTING THE FIRST YEAR COURSE FROM BEING DEFINED BY THOSE OUTSIDE THE DISCIPLINE WAS ONE OF THE PRIME MOTIVATORS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT $EVELOPING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS AN OFFEN SIVE PROACTIVE MOVE BASED ON A WELL DEVELOPED SENSE OF KAIROS $EVELOPMENT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ALSO TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT KIND OF A DOCUMENT WOULD BE NEEDED TO ALLOW DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS TO EFFECTIVELY USE IT 3OME OF THE DOCUMENTS KAIROTIC hFORCEv WAS ACCOM PLISHED THROUGH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTS EXTENSIVE VETTING IN PROFES SIONAL VENUES ITS USE OF PROFESSIONAL LANGUAGE AND ITS IMPRIMATUR BY A NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL GROUP 4HOSE WORKING TO DEFINE THE FIRST YEAR COURSE IN DIFFERING INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY VOICED A NEED FOR A DOCU MENT THAT HAD A PROFESSIONAL PROMINENCE AND APPROVAL 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS GAVE THE DOCUMENT JUST THATIT CARRIED THE WEIGHT OF A THOROUGH VETTING PROCESS AND A hSEAL OF APPROVALv FROM THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS !S THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN ADOPTED THOSE PROMOTING IT HAVE NOTED THAT THE DOCUMENT AND THEIR AWARENESS OF IT BECAUSE OF EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN ONLINE VENUES AND AT MULTIPLE CONFERENCES WERE ALSO KAIROTIC )T IS A TECHNOLOGY READY FOR USE WHENEVER IT IS NEEDED AND FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO BE ADAPTED TO ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND NEEDS #ONSIDERATION OF !DVOCACY #OALITION &RAMEWORK A PUBLIC POLICY THEORY DEVELOPED BY 0AUL 3ABATIER AND (ANK *ENKINS 3MITH CAN SHED MORE LIGHT ON THE SUCCESS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT !CCORDING TO THESE
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SCHOLARS EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY COALITIONS MUST HAVE hTECHNICAL RESOURCESv SO THAT THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN hPRESTIGIOUSv DELIBERATIONS THAT ARE hDOMI NATED BY PROFESSIONAL NORMSv n 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SERVES AS THE hTECHNICAL RESOURCEv FOR THOSE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE PART IN DIS CUSSIONS OF THE FIRST YEAR COURSE ON MULTIPLE LEVELSFROM DEPARTMENTAL TO UNIVERSITYWIDE TO DISCUSSIONS BEYOND THE UNIVERSITY )N HIGHER EDUCA TION DELIBERATIONS THAT ARE hDOMINATED BY PROFESSIONAL NORMSv TYPI CALLY DEMAND THAT PARTICIPANTS HAVE hPROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND TECHNICAL COMPETENCEv 3ABATIER AND *ENKINS 3MITH 4HIS DEMAND IS OFTEN PARTIALLY MET BY THE 0H$ DEGREE BUT A TECHNICAL RESOURCE LIKE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS OFTEN NEEDED TO ESTABLISH TECHNICAL COMPETENCE IN POLICY DELIBERATIONS 3UCH DELIBERATIONS DEMAND THAT THE PARTICIPANTS OR ADVOCATES HAVE A REFINED UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR OWN BELIEFS LAID OUT IN A COMPREHENSIBLE RATIONAL FORMA TECHNICAL RESOURCE 3ABATIER AND *ENKINS 3MITH n 4HE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROVIDED FOR THE CLARIFICATION OF THE hBELIEFSv AROUND WHICH THE FIRST YEAR COURSE IS BUILT AND THEN TURNED THOSE BELIEFS INTO A COMPREHEN SIBLE RESOURCE 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SERVES AS A RESOURCE FOR WHAT 3ABATIER AND *ENKINS 3MITH CALL hPOLICY ORIENTED LEARNINGv 4HEY DEFINE THIS AS LEARN ING THAT IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE DIFFUSION OF NEW BELIEFS AND ATTITUDINAL CHANGE 4HOSE SEEKING TO SPREAD NEW BELIEFS AND CHANGE ATTI TUDES ABOUT THE FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSE ARE CONDUCTING POLICY ORIENTED LEARNING WHETHER THEY ARE USING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO TRAIN NEW WRITING TEACHERS OR TO INFLUENCE UNIVERSITY LEVEL POLICY CONCERNING WRITING PROGRAMS 4HIS KIND OF LEARNING IS MOST SUCCESSFUL WHEN THOSE ATTEMPTING IT HAVE PROFESSIONALLY RECOGNIZED TECHNICAL RESOURCES AND THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROVIDES EXACTLY THAT 4HIS CHAPTER HAS CHARACTERIZED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS AN INVALU ABLE TECHNICAL RESOURCE AS VARIOUS WRITING PROGRAMS HAVE LOBBIED FOR DISCIPLINARILY INFORMED OUTCOMES FOR THE FIRST YEAR COURSE 4HE EXTENSIVE VETTING OF /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DRAFTS IN A VARIETY OF DISCIPLINARY COMMU NITIES GAVE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WIDE PUBLICITY THE STAMP OF AUTHOR ITY PROVIDED BY THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS GAVE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROFESSIONAL CREDENCE 4HE WIDESPREAD ADAPTATION AND ADOPTION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AT A VARIETY OF INSTITUTIONS AND THE RESULTING BETTERMENT OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS ARGUES POWER FULLY FOR THE EFFICACY OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A SUCCESSFUL TECHNICAL RESOURCE FOR POLICY ORIENTED LEARNING !S LONG AS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT
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CONTINUES TO REFLECT CURRENT BEST PRACTICE IN COMPOSITION THEORY AND PEDAGOGY IT WILL SERVE THOSE SHAPING FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS WELL "UT CONSIDERATIONS OF KAIROS AND !DVOCACY #OALITION &RAMEWORK TEACH US THAT DOCUMENTS LIKE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT NEED TO BE TIMELY AND POLICY ORIENTED LEARNING MUST BE AN ONGOING PROCESS 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WILL NOT REMAIN TIMELY IF IT IS ALLOWED TO PETRIFY 4HOSE INTER ESTED IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION NEED TO REGULARLY REVISIT THE DOCUMENT AND IF NECESSARY REVIVE THE PROCESS THROUGH WHICH IT WAS CONCEIVED TO UPDATE THE DOCUMENT AND REVITALIZE ITS KAIROTIC FORCE !DVOCACY #OALITION &RAMEWORKS EMPHASIS ON POLICY ORIENTED LEARNING SHOWS US THAT THOSE DIRECTING WRITING PROGRAMS MUST CONTINUE POLICY ORIENTED LEARNING SO THAT THE PROJECT BEGUN WITH THE ADAPTATION AND ADOPTION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS LASTING EFFECTS 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS NOT AT AN END POINT IT MUST CONTINUE TO BE A DYNAMIC ONGOING EFFORT THAT IS REGULARLY REVISITED AND REVITALIZED 7E CAN CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ONLY IF WE REALIZE THAT OUR BACK PATTING MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY EQUAL AMOUNTS OF LONG TERM EFFORT
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)N RETROSPECT ) SUPPOSE ) SHOULDNT BE SURPRISED BY THE DISSENTION AND CONTROVERSY GENERATED BY THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT -Y ACADEMIC TRAINING IN %NGLISH STUDIES AS WELL AS EXPERIENCE BEYOND ACADEME HAVE CERTAINLY TAUGHT ME THAT ISSUES SURROUNDING LANGUAGE ARE AMONG THE MOST HIGHLY CHARGED POLITICALLY SENSITIVE MATTERS THAT SOCIETIES ANYWHERE FACE 7ITNESS THE DEBATES OVER THE %NGLISH /NLY MOVEMENT RIOTS IN &RENCH SPEAKING 1UEBEC THE /AKLAND %BONICS DEBACLE AND ####S 3TUDENTS 2IGHT TO 4HEIR /WN ,ANGUAGE .ONETHELESS ) AM TAKEN ABACK BY THE RANGE OF ARGUMENTS RAISED AGAINST COMPOSITIONISTS CURRENT AND LONG OVERDUE ATTEMPT TO ARTICULATE FOR OURSELVES PRIMARILY WHAT OUR BREAD AND BUTTER CURRICULAR STAPLE IS INTENDED TO ACCOMPLISH ) DO BELIEVE THAT THE /3 FRAMERS ALONG WITH PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZA TIONS THAT ARE ASKED TO ENDORSE THE DOCUMENT SHOULD BE AWARE OF POS SIBLE PITFALLS !ND ) DO BELIEVE THE /3 SHOULD UNDERGO THOROUGH VETTING BY MEMBERS OF THE FIELD AS WIDELY AS CAN BE DONE ) UNDERSTAND 2ITA -ALENCZYKS CONCERN THAT IN LIGHT OF THE "OYER #OMMISSIONS REPORT WE COULD BE SUBJECT TO CRITICISM FOR HAVING PRODUCED A NON BOUNDARY CROSS ING DISCIPLINARY TREATISE CHAPTER SEVENTEEN THIS VOLUME !S A LONGTIME OPPONENT OF STANDARDIZED hTESTSv OF WRITING ) RELATE TO THE DISQUIET -ARK 7ILEY FEELS AT THE PROSPECT OF ADMINISTRATORS MISINTERPRETATION OF THE DOCUMENT LEADING TO INCREASED PRESSURE FOR QUANTIFIABLE RESULTS CHAPTER FOUR THIS VOLUME !ND AS A FORMER TEACHER OF DEVELOPMENTAL WRITERS ) AM SYMPATHETIC TO $ONALD 7OLFFS ARGUMENT THAT THE /3 OVERSIMPLIFIES INSTRUCTORS ABILITY TO TEACH AND STUDENTS ABILITY TO GRASP VARIOUS CONVEN TIONS CHAPTER ELEVEN THIS VOLUME 4HINKING FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM PROGRAM DIRECTOR HOWEVER ) DONT BELIEVE THESE CONCERNS OR THOSE RAISED IN OTHER VENUES SHOULD DETER US FROM PRODUCING A DISCIPLINE BASED STATE MENT THAT PURPORTS TO EXPLAIN WHAT HIGHER EDUCATIONS MOST FREQUENTLY
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REQUIRED COURSE ATTEMPTS TO ACCOMPLISH -AYBE ITS CLICHÏD TO CLAIM THIS BUT IF PROFESSIONALS IN THE DISCIPLINE CANT ARRIVE AT COMMON LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE &9# OUTCOMES WHO CAN ) SUSPECT THE PROBLEM RELATES TO OUR OWN UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHAT THEY SHOULD BE AS MUCH AS ANYTHING "UT IF THE FRAMERS OF THE 53 #ONSTITUTION COULD DRAFT A FOUNDING DOCUMENT FOR A WHOLE NATION SURELY WE CAN DRAFT A DEFINITIONAL ONE FOR A POPULATION OF COLLEGE NEWCOMERS ) HASTEN TO SAY THAT ) BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE TO ARRIVE AT LANGUAGE FOR THE /3 THAT ALLOWS FOR DISCRETION AND INTERPRETATION BY DIF FERENT TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS AND FOR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF STUDENTS LANGUAGE THAT AT THE SAME TIME DOES NOT RESORT TO MEANINGLESS LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR DEFINITIONS ) CANT HELP BUT WONDER WHETHER THE CENTRAL VALUES OF THE ACADEMY IN GENERAL AND OF COMPOSITION STUDIES IN PARTICULARQUESTIONING EVERY THING hINTERROGATING THE TEXT v INQUIRING CRITICALLY ACKNOWLEDGING DIF FERING VIEWS PRIVILEGING ARGUMENTHAVE GOTTEN IN THE WAY OF REACHING AGREEMENT ON THE /3 )T WOULDNT BE THE FIRST TIME THAT INTRADISCIPLINARY DISCORD GOT IN THE WAY WHEN WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING WORTHWHILE /NE EXAMPLE OF WHAT ) REFER TO TOOK PLACE IN AN ELITE SETTING IN .EW 9ORK #ITY IN !T THE INVITATION OF THE &ORD &OUNDATION SOME OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS FIGURES IN THE FIELD CONVENED TO OFFER THEIR ADVICE ON A MAJOR NEW PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVE THAT &ORD LABELED ,ITERACY AND THE ,IBERAL !RTS /CCURRING DURING A PERIOD OF NATIONWIDE GENERAL EDUCATION REFORM THE &ORD GRANTS WERE DESIGNED TO INFUSE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY INTO CURRICULAR PROJECTS THAT EMBEDDED COMPOSITION IN GENERAL EDUCA TION PROGRAMS 2ECORDS OF THE MEETING AND PARTICIPANT TESTIMONIES REVEAL THAT THE DAY LONG CONVERSATION BECAME CONTENTIOUS TEMPERS FLARED AND COLLEGIALITY COLLAPSED SEE 4OWNSEND !STONISHED BY WHAT THEY PERCEIVED AS LACK OF DISCIPLINARY AGREEMENT ON COMPOSITION THEORY AND PRACTICE &ORD &OUNDATION OFFICIALS BACKED AWAY FROM THEIR INITIAL INTENT AND REDUCED THE TOTAL GRANT PROGRAM TO JUST OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS FAR SHORT OF THEIR ORIGINAL COMMITMENT ON THE GROUNDS THAT IF PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD COULDNT AGREE THE FOUNDATION WOULD BE ILL ADVISED TO INVEST WHAT IT HAD PLANNED )N CITING THIS EXAMPLE ) DONT NECESSARILY WISH TO INDICT COMPOSITION LEADERS FOR HAVING COST DOZENS OF COLLEGES AND INSTITUTIONS THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTERNAL FUNDS TO EXPERIMENT WITH AND POSSIBLY IMPROVE THEIR WRIT ING PROGRAMS .OR AM ) SUGGESTING THAT HARD QUESTIONS BE OVERLOOKED OR DIFFICULT ISSUES BE SIDESTEPPED ) AM SUGGESTING THAT OUR INTERNALIZED
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PROPENSITY TO ARGUE ENDLESSLY OVER VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING DISTRACTS US FROM MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS AND COMES AT A VERY HIGH COST )NSOFAR AS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT RELATES TO WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICU LUM 7!# AND WRITING IN THE DISCIPLINES 7)$ PROGRAMS THOSE MATTERS ARE VERY REAL INDEED !ND THE /3 COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE (AVING WORKED IN 7!# FOR SOME THIRTEEN YEARS NOW ) AM CONTINUALLY SURPRISED BY THE MIN IMAL CONTACT THAT &9# PROGRAMS DIRECTORS AND INSTRUCTORS HAVE WITH FACULTY IN THE DISCIPLINES -OREOVER ) AM DISMAYED BY THE LACK OF TRUST EXHIBITED BY COMPOSITIONISTS TOWARD THE DISCIPLINE BASED FACULTY WHO TEACH THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE PASSED THROUGH &9# COURSES !DMITTEDLY THE LACK OF TRUST IS AT TIMES UNDERSTANDABLE !LL TOO OFTEN COMMENTS THAT FILTER THEIR WAY BACK INTO THE &9# DIRECTORS OFFICE COME FROM DISGRUNTLED TEACHERS MUMBLING LINES LIKE h$O YOU TEACH ANYTHING IN THOSE %NGLISH CLASSES 4HAT STUDENT YOU GAVE AN ! TO COULDNT WRITE HIS WAY OUT OF A PAPER BAG IN MY CLASSv 7ITH THE GROWTH OF THE 7!#7)$ MOVEMENT OVER THE PAST THIRTY YEARS THOUGH FEWER FACULTY UTTER SUCH UNINFORMED DIATRIBES 3IGNIFICANT NUM BERS OF FACULTY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN FACULTY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS LED BY KNOWLEDGEABLE COMPOSITIONISTS -ANY FACULTY HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY ENLARGED THEIR PERSPECTIVES ABOUT WHAT WRITING IS AND HOW IT WORKS ,ARGE NUMBERS OF FACULTY IN THE DISCIPLINES ARE TEACHING hWRITING INTENSIVE v hWRITING IN THE MAJOR v OR SIMILARLY WRITING ENHANCED COURSES !T INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE 7!#7)$ GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS MANY FACULTY NO LONGER COMPLY BY MERELY TACKING WRITING ARTIFICIALLY ONTO THEIR SYLLABI 3OME HOLD SURPRISINGLY ENLIGHTENED VIEWS ON DESIGNING ASSIGNMENTS THAT DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE PEDA GOGICAL GOALS OF THEIR COURSE AND ON USING RHETORICAL CONCEPTS OF PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE TO CREATE IMAGINATIVE YET RELEVANT WRITING ASSIGNMENTS THAT REINFORCE DISCIPLINARY KNOWLEDGE -ANY FACULTY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ADAPTED THEORETICALLY WELL GROUNDED IDEAS FROM SOURCES LIKE *OHN "EANS %NGAGING )DEAS 4HE 0ROFESSORS 'UIDE TO )NTEGRATING 7RITING #RITICAL 4HINKING AND !CTIVE ,EARNING IN THE #LASSROOM TO STRENGTHEN STUDENT LEARNING )N RECENT YEARS 7!#7)$ ADVOCATES HAVE DISCOVERED PRODUCTIVE INTER SECTIONS AND DEVELOPED ALLIANCES WITH PROGRAMS FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE &OR EXAMPLE FORMER 70!S ARE NOW DIRECTING ENTIRE CENTERS FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING AT )LLINOIS 3TATE 5NIVERSITY !RIZONA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY AND .OTRE $AME &OR BETTER OR WORSE STATE AND NATIONAL CONSTITUENCIES HAVE PRESSURED HIGHER EDUCATION TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO COMPOSITIONS ROLE IN UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING AS 2ITA -ALENCZYK POINTS OUT IN HER ANALYSIS OF THE "OYER #OMMISSIONS 2EINVENTING 5NDERGRADUATE %DUCATION !
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"LUEPRINT FOR !MERICAS 2ESEARCH 5NIVERSITIES SEE ALSO :EMSKY 3EYMOUR AND THE *OHNSON &OUNDATION 9ET ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF ATTENTION TO WRITING BEYOND &9# WAS THE RECENTLY DISSOLVED .ATIONAL %DUCATIONAL 'OALS 0ANEL IN 7ASHINGTON $# ITS FORMER 7EB SITE ADDRESS IS LISTED IN THE BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCESS ARCHIVED VERSIONS #REATED IN THIS BODY PUT FORWARD GOALS THAT WERE SIGNED INTO LAW IN 'OAL ON ADULT LITERACY STATES h%VERY ADULT !MERICAN WILL BE LITERATE AND WILL POSSESS THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO COMPETE IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY AND EXERCISE THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENSHIPv 5NFORTUNATELY THE LEGISLATION HAS NOT BEEN A FREQUENT TOPIC OF DISCUSSION AMONG COMPOSITIONISTS BUT THE PANELS WORK DOES HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR 7!#7)$ PROGRAMS IN PARTICULAR &OR EXAMPLE SOME SIX HUNDRED FACULTY EMPLOYERS AND POLICYMAKERS PARTICIPATED IN A STUDY COMMISSIONED TO hIDENTIFY AND REACH CONSENSUS ON THE SPECIFIC HIGHER ORDER COMMUNICATION AND THINKING SKILLS THAT COLLEGE GRADUATES SHOULD ACHIEVE TO BECOME EFFECTIVE EMPLOYEES IN THE WORKPLACE AND CITI ZENS IN SOCIETYv *ONES ET AL III 4HE FINDINGS HAVE RELEVANCE FOR THOSE OF US DESIGNING &9 AND 7!#7)$ COLLEGE COMPOSITION CURRICULA ) SEE AT LEAST THREE SITES OF IMPLICATION THAT THE /3 HAS FOR 7!#7)$ TWO OF WHICH ARGUE STRONGLY FOR THE STATEMENT AND ONE WHICH COULD CREATE PROBLEMS BUT PROBLEMS THAT NONETHELESS COULD BE WORKED AROUND &IRST THE /3 WOULD PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED ARTICULATION OF &9#S AIMS FOR FACULTY IN THE DISCIPLINES WHO TEACH 7) 7!# 7)$ OR LIKE COURSES !S 7!#7)$ HAS GROWN ITS ADVOCATES AND PRACTITIONERS HAVE COME TO KNOW THAT EVERY INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM MUST BE UNIQUE TO SURVIVE LET ALONE THRIVE 4HESE FACULTY ARE ACCUSTOMED TO WORKING WITHIN THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL INSTITUTION AL CONTEXTSMISSION STATEMENTS FISCAL RESOURCES STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS ADMINISTRATORS PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERSTANDING CAMPUS ETHOS AND RECEPTIV ITY TO NAME A FEWTO GET THEIR 7!#7)$ EFFORTS OFF THE GROUND AND TO SUSTAIN THEM !ND THEY KNOW THEY MUST EVOLVE THEIR OWN DEFINITIONS OF WHAT 7!#7)$ MEANS ON THEIR CAMPUSES AND IN THEIR CURRICULA 4HESE FACULTY ARE IN OTHER WORDS WELL VERSED IN INTERPRETING AND ADAPTING 7!# TENETS FOR THEIR OWN NEEDS )N DOING THIS WORK THEY OUGHT TO HAVE ACCESS TO A COHERENT STATEMENT OF WHAT THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTRYS &9# CUR RICULA ARE TRYING TO DO &ACULTY IN THE DISCIPLINES WILL UNDERSTAND THAT A NATIONALLY DEVELOPED DISCIPLINE BASED /3 NEEDS ELABORATION AND INTER PRETATION (AVING SOMETHING TO START WITH TO WORK FROM AND TO BASE QUESTIONS ON WILL BE A GOOD START 4HE /3 WILL PROVIDE A VOCABULARY OF WORDS AND OF
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CONCEPTS THAT ALLOWS FACULTY IN THE DISCIPLINES TO ENGAGE IN MORE MEANING FUL CONVERSATION ABOUT THEIR OWN PEDAGOGY 'IVEN THE TRENDS IN STUDENTS TRANSFERRING AMONG COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THE /3 WILL HELP TO DEMY THOLOGIZE THE CURRICULA THAT MANY STUDENTS TAKE AT DISPARATE INSTITUTIONS 6ARIOUS COMMENTATORS WHO HAVE ALREADY PUT THE /3 TO USE HAVE NOTED THAT IT DEMONSTRATES THE COMMONALITIES THAT CURRICULA HOLD ACROSS INSTI TUTIONS 4HE /3 CAN HELP FACULTY IN THE DISCIPLINES UNDERSTAND AT LEAST IN BROAD TERMS WHAT &9# DOES AND DOES NOT DO !S $ONALD 7OLFF PUT IT IN A POST TO 70! , hMOSTLY THEY ;SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS THE INTERESTED PUBLIC STUDENTS= WANT TO SEE A DOCUMENT THAT MAKES COMMON SENSE AND MOSTLY WE ;PROFESSIONALS IN COMPOSITION= WANT A DOCUMENT THAT MAKES THEORETICAL SENSE 4HEY WANT SOMETHING READABLE AND WE WANT SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT VIOLATE THE COMPLEXITY OF TEACHING INEXPERIENCED READERS AND WRITERS TO COMPOSE EFFECTIVELY AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVELv 3ECOND FOR WRITING PROGRAMS THAT OFFER 7!#7)$ COURSES WITHIN THE SAME DEPARTMENT AS &9# EG SOPHOMORE OR JUNIOR LEVEL hWRITING FOR THE HUMANITIESv AND hWRITING FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCESv COURSES ETC TAUGHT BY %NGLISH INSTRUCTORS THE /3 WILL HELP TO ESTABLISH BASELINE EXPECTA TIONS THAT COMPOSITION TEACHERS CAN RELY ON AS THEY PLAN AND TEACH THE SUBSEQUENT MATERIAL 3IMILAR BENEFIT WILL ACCRUE TO DEPARTMENTS OFFERING INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED COMPOSITION COURSES /DD AS IT SEEMS QUERIES APPEAR WITH SOME REGULARITY ON 7!# , AND 70! , ABOUT HOW INSTITUTIONS DEFINE THIS ARRAY OF COURSES )M NOT SUGGESTING THAT THE /3 WILL ONCE AND FOR ALL RESOLVE THESE DEFINITIONS )NDEED THE CONVERSATIONS WILL CONTINUE AS THEY SHOULD -INIMALLY THOUGH THE /3 SHOULD AS ABOVE PROVIDE A VOCABULARY FOR MAKING THE CONVERSATIONS MORE PRODUCTIVE THE COURSE SEQUENCES MORE DEFENSIBLE AND THE COURSE GOALS MORE DISCERNABLE FOR STUDENTS TEACHERS AND OTHERS 4HE THIRD AND POTENTIALLY MOST PROBLEMATIC SITE IN WHICH THE /3 IS LIKELY TO INTERSECT WITH 7!#7)$ IS WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND STATE LEVEL POLICYMAKERS WHO MAY LATCH ONTO THEM FOR PURPOSES OF QUANTIFYING 7!#7)$ SUCCESS FOR EITHER INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS OR WHOLE PROGRAMS .ONACADEMICS WHO WRONGLY OR NOT DEMAND MEASUREABLE hPROOFv OF WRITING INSTRUCTION MAY SEE THE /3 AS SUPPORT FOR THEIR OWN SELF INTERESTS )NTERPRETING /3 LANGUAGE THAT OTHERS SEE AS COMMON OR THEORETICALLY SEN SICAL THESE CONSTITUENCIES WILL VEX US WITH THEIR MISGUIDED INTERPRETATIONS OR EVEN WILLFUL MISUSE "UT THIS PROBLEM IS BY NO MEANS CONFINED TO THE /3 )NDEED IT ALREADY AFFECTS EVERY OTHER ASPECT OF WRITING POLICY WE HAVE AVAILABLE 4HE WILLFUL MISUSERS WILL BE WITH US NO MATTER WHAT WE DO 4HE
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MISGUIDED ONES CAN BE CORRECTED AS WE NOW DO !ND PERHAPS THEYLL BE A LITTLE LESS MISGUIDED IF WE PRODUCE A DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS OUR DESIRE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM INSTEAD OF WISHING THEYD GO AWAY /UR BEST INFORMATION INDICATES THAT APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF OF ALL 53 INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION HAVE SOME SORT OF WRITING REQUIREMENT BEYOND &9# 4HERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WILL IMPACT THIS SECTOR OF WRITING INSTRUCTION &OR 7!#7)$ AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM ) BELIEVE THE PROMISE INHERENT IN THE /3 IS HIGH AND THE POTENTIAL PAYOFF IS POSITIVE $AVID 3CHWALM HAS CAUTIONED h/UR WORLD IS BEING DEFINED FOR US BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE OTHER THAN EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES )T IS TIME FOR US TO STIR STOP BICKERING AMONG OURSELVES AND TAKE CHARGE OF THIS ACCOUNTABILITY BUSINESS 4HE /3IN ITSELF AND IN APPROPRIATE TRANSLATIONSIS A STEP IN THIS DIRECTIONv )T COULD HELP BRING &9# IN CLOSER CONTACT WITH 7!#7)$ PRACTITIONERS 0UTTING THE /3 FOR WARD MORE PUBLICLY WOULD HOPEFULLY MOVE OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY CONVER SATION FORWARD AS WELL !ND IT WOULD DEMONSTRATE OUR WILLINGNESS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE ,ETS GET ON WITH IT
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0ERHAPS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS ITS REPEATED ASSERTION THAT FIRST YEAR OUTCOMES ARE ONLY ONE STAGE IN A WRITERS DEVELOPMENT /THER COURSES OTHER EXPERIENCES WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT WRITING COMPETENCE AND IT IS IMPORTANT FOR FACULTY IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS TO CONSIDER HOW THEY CAN BUILD ON THE WORK OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION !RGUABLY NO DEPARTMENT NEEDS THIS REMINDER MORE THAN THE %NGLISH DEPARTMENT WHOSE ADVANCED WRITING COURSES HAVE TYPICALLY BEEN SIMPLY hMORE v hHARDER v OR hBETTERv FIRST YEAR COURSES SEE (ASWELL n 7HETHER THE /3 WILL SPUR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BETTER ARTICULATED RELATIONSHIPS AMONG COURSES IN %NGLISH DEPARTMENTS REMAINS TO BE SEEN )N THIS ESSAY ) EXPLORE THE WAYS THE /3 SPECIFICALLY CHALLENGES THOSE WHO TEACH ADVANCED WRITING COURSES DRAW ING ON MY OWN DEPARTMENTS EXPERIENCE WITH RECONCEIVING ITS ADVANCED WRITING COURSES )N SO DOING ) ALSO EXPLORE SOME OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN RELATION TO ADVANCED WRITING 4HE /3 OFFERS NEAT CATEGORIES AND CLEAR DIRECTIVES ABOUT HOW WORK IN OTHER PROGRAMS CAN CONTINUE TO AFFECT STUDENTS DEVELOPMENT )T DOESNT ACKNOWLEDGE THE JERKY SPIRAL OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT )T IS ADVANCED COURSES THAT MUST ADDRESS THE UNEVEN WAYS WRITING SKILLS PROGRESS AND THE /3 PROVIDES ONLY PARTIAL GUIDANCE ON THAT SCORE 3EVERAL YEARS AGO CONTEMPORANEOUS WITH THE NATIONAL WORK ON THE /3 MY COLLEAGUES AND ) CREATED AN OUTCOMES GRID FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS NONCREATIVE WRITING COURSES !S WE BEGAN THAT WORK WE DISCOVERED THAT MAPPING EXPECTED OUTCOMES IN ADVANCED COMPOSITION WAS MUCH HARDER THAN WE ANTICIPATED 7E QUICKLY LEARNED WHAT ARTICLES ABOUT ADVANCED COMPOSITION HAVE REPORTED FOR SOME TIME THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TO DIS TINGUISH OUR FIRST YEAR COURSES FROM OUR ADVANCED COURSES AND THERE WAS NO CONSENSUS ON WHAT THE TERM ADVANCED COMPOSITION ACTUALLY MEANT SEE "LOOM FOR A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE TERM AND ITS VAGARIES !S WE LOOKED AT THE RANGE OF OUR SYLLABI FROM BASIC WRITING THROUGH SENIOR
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COURSES IN EXPOSITORY BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING ALL REPEATEDLY PROMISING TO HELP WRITERS BUILD FLUENCY REFLECT ON THEIR WRITING STYLES OR MASTER ACADEMIC DISCOURSE CONVENTIONS WE REALIZED THAT WE SIMPLY WERE NOT TEACHING COURSES THAT BUILT ON EACH OTHER IN ANY MEANINGFUL WAY /UR COLLECTED SYLLABI BORE OUT A PRINCIPLE ADOPTED BY A #### WORKING GROUP ON ADVANCED COMPOSITION IN THE LATE S ADVANCED COMPOSITION hMAY BE ;SEEN= AS COVERING THE RANGE OF THE FRESHMAN COURSE BUT IN GREATER DEPTHv QTD IN (OGAN AN ASSUMPTION THAT CREATED A GREAT DEGREE OF REPETITION ACROSS COURSES /UR LOCAL CURRICULUM ALSO REFLECTED (OGANS FINDINGS SIMILAR WORK WAS ASSIGNED ACROSS THE RANGE OF COURSES WITH ESSAYS PERHAPS BUT NOT NECESSARILY LONGER OR MORE DEPENDENT ON SOURCE TEXTS OR WRITTEN WITH THE AID OF LONGER OR MORE DIFFICULT TEXTBOOKS (OGAN HAD ALSO FOUND THAT ADVANCED COMPOSITION COURSES WERE OFTEN TAUGHT WITH FRESHMAN TEXTS THAT HAD NOT BEEN OUR PRACTICE ALTHOUGH WE DID DISCOVER THE SAME READINGS USED AT DIFFERENT COURSE LEVELS 4HE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING COURSES DID INTRODUCE NEW GENRES TO STUDENTS BUT THE TITLES AND COURSE DESCRIPTIONS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR STUDENTS OR FAC ULTY TO DISTINGUISH THEM 7HAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 0ROFESSIONAL 7RITING AND "USINESS 7RITING /R BETWEEN )NTERMEDIATE AND !DVANCED %XPOSITION 7HAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LEVEL COURSE GOAL THAT STUDENTS WOULD EXPLORE THEIR OWN WRITING PROCESSES AND A LEVEL GOAL THAT STUDENTS WOULD LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS 7E DID FIND MUCH TO ADMIRE IN OUR COURSES WHICH ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL SERVED STUDENTS WELL BUT ON THE WHOLE WE WERE LED TO WONDER JUST WHAT WE WERE TEACHING WITH THE SET OF COURSES WE OFFERED (OW DID WE GET TO SUCH A STATE OF AFFAIRS !ND MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT WERE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT /UR HABIT OF SPECIALIZING IN PARTICULAR COURSES MEANT THAT EACH OF US DEVELOPED COURSES IN ISOLATION 7E HAD LITTLE CLEAR SENSE OF COURSE SEQUENCING AND OUR WRITING MAJOR HAD WITHERED IN RECENT YEARS WHICH MEANT THAT WE NO LONGER HAD A SENSE OF HOW MANY STUDENTS WERE MOVING THROUGH WHICH COURSES IN WHAT ORDER )NDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE SHARED SYLLABI OR COMPARED VERSIONS OF COURSES BUT THERE WAS NO PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF SUCH MATTERS /UR WEAKNESSES IN THIS AREA WERE NOT UNIQUE ,IKE MOST WRITING TEACHERS WE KNEW LITTLE ABOUT DEVELOP MENTAL PSYCHOLOGY A BLIND SPOT DISCUSSED BY (ASWELL IN THIS VOLUME )T HAS THUS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR US LOCALLY OR NATIONALLY TO INVESTIGATE HOW TO MEANINGFULLY SEQUENCE WRITING INSTRUCTION /UR CURRICULUM WAS ROOTED IN A CERTAIN FAUX COMMONSENSICAL NOTION THAT WE COULD SIMPLY DO hTHE BASICSv IN FIRST YEAR WRITING AND THEN GUSSY THEM UP DOWN THE LINE 4HUS AS
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2ICHARD &ULKERSON ONCE EXPLAINED A hREASONABLEv OVERSIMPLIFICA TION WOULD HELP STUDENTS FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY 0ERHAPS FRESHMAN COMPOSITION MAY REASONABLY OVERSIMPLIFY THE WORLD OF DIS COURSE IN ORDER TO ASSIST STUDENTS TO GAIN A HANDHOLD )T MAY BE REASONABLE FOR EXAMPLE TO DIRECT FRESHMEN TO WRITE EACH ESSAY WITH AN EXPLICIT THESIS )T MAY BE REASONABLE TO FORBID CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTAL STRUCTURES TO BE FOLLOWED .OT ON THE GROUNDS THAT THIS IS ALL THERE IS TO REAL WRITING BUT THAT IF STUDENTS MASTER A LIMITED NUMBER OF WORKABLE TECHNIQUES THEY WILL HAVE MADE MAJOR STRIDES TOWARD COMMUNICATING CLEARLY AND EFFICIENTLY IN THE WRITING SITUATIONS THEY ARE MOST LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER )F THAT IS A REASONABLETHOUGH SELECTIVETHEORY OF FRESHMAN COMPOSITION THEN PERHAPS IT IS EQUALLY REASONABLE TO REGARD ADVANCED COMPOSITION AS HELP ING STUDENTS ALREADY SKILLED IN SELECTED UTILITARIAN TECHNIQUES TO MASTER THE MORE VARIED AND COMPLEX POSSIBILITIES OF REAL WRITING
)TS DIFFICULT TO TELL WHETHER THIS PERSPECTIVE PENNED IN IS COM MON PRACTICE #OMING OF !GE A BOOK THAT HAS BROUGHT RENEWED ATTENTION TO ADVANCED WRITING COURSES AND PROGRAMS REGARDS hADVANCED COMPOSI TION AS BAGGAGE LEFT OVER FROM A PERIOD IN WHICH ADVANCED UNDERGRADUATE WRITING INSTRUCTION WAS EITHER VERY SPECIALIZED EG TECHNICAL WRITING AN EXTENSION OF THE LITERATURE CURRICULUM THE NONFICTION ESSAY OR AN EXTENSION OF &9# MORE OF THE SAME BUT HARDER v 3HAMOON ET AL XIV 4HE COLLECTION MAKES AN ELOQUENT ARGUMENT FOR A MORE EXPANSIVE NOT TO MENTION MORE INTERESTING VIEW OF ADVANCED WRITING A COURSE OF STUDY THAT DIRECTS STUDENTS TO THINK ABOUT WRITING AS A CAREER AN AREA OF STUDY AND AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF CIVIC LIFE THE COLLECTION INCLUDES A CONTRIBUTION BY &ULKERSON REFLECTING HIS CURRENT VIEWS ON THE SUBJECT OF ADVANCED COMPOSITION !DMINISTRATIVE DEVELOPMENTS COMPLEMENT SUCH SCHOLARLY DEVELOPMENTS THE NUMBER OF FREE STANDING WRITING PROGRAMS HAS BEEN GROWING EMPHASIZING THE WAYS IN WHICH STUDENTS CAN STUDY WRIT ING THROUGH A SEQUENCE IN A MAJOR NOT SIMPLY IN ONE OR TWO ADVANCED COURSES SEE /.EILL #ROW AND "URTON /UTSIDE OF WRITING MAJORS HOWEVER A BROAD VISION OF ADVANCED WRIT ING MAY MAKE ONLY SLOW INROADS IN TRADITIONAL %NGLISH DEPARTMENTS )T CAN BE HARD TO MOVE AWAY FROM NOTIONS OF WRITING THAT ARE ENSHRINED IN CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS AND COURSE TITLES -Y OWN DEPARTMENTS OFFERINGS REMAINED CONSIDERABLY STODGIER THAN ITS FACULTY SIMPLY BECAUSE CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS OUTSIDE OUR MAJOR DROVE ENROLLMENTS IN PARTICULAR COURSES ITS HARD TO ELIMINATE hADVANCED COMPOSITIONv FROM ONES OFFERINGS IF
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THATS THE COURSE ON THE LIST FOR EDUCATION STUDENTS FOR EXAMPLE AND ITS HARD TO COMMUNICATE TO STUDENTS OR COLLEAGUES WHAT KINDS OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS ARE REFLECTED IN THE COURSE AS TAUGHT WHEN THE COURSE TITLE AND DESCRIPTION ARE SO VAGUE !ND SO WE RETAINED FAR LONGER THAN WE SHOULD HAVE A SIMPLISTIC MODEL OF WRITING INSTRUCTION FIRST YEAR COMPOSI TION INTRODUCED A RANGE OF RHETORICAL CONCEPTS AND SUBSEQUENT COURSES REPEATED THE SAME CONCEPTS OSTENSIBLY HELPING STUDENTS TO DEVELOP MORE VARIED INSTANCES OF THOSE CONCEPTS IN PRACTICE !S ) DRAFTED THIS CHAPTER ) SURVEYED SCHOLARSHIP AND 7EB SITES TO LEARN WHAT KINDS OF COURSES OTHER %NGLISH DEPARTMENTS OFFER AS hADVANCED v AND DISCOVERED AN EMPHASIS ON STYLE OR AUDIENCE MOST ARTICLES ABOUT ADVANCED COMPOSITION REFERENCED IN %2)# IN THE PAST DECADE DEAL WITH TEACHING STYLE OR TEACHING IN COMMU NITY BASED PROGRAMS WITH SOME FORM OF SERVICE LEARNING -ANY COURSES ALSO FOCUS ON BELLE LETTRISTIC ESSAYS !NTHOLOGIES WITH TITLES LIKE 'REAT -ODERN %SSAYS ARE POPULAR TEXTS 4HIS SUGGESTS THAT THE ESSAYISTIC MODEL OF ADVANCED COMPOSITION IS ALIVE AND WELL 2OBERT 3CHWEGLER ARGUES THAT THE INDETERMINACY OF ADVANCED COMPOSITION GROWS IN PART OUT OF THE BELIEF THAT WRITING CANT BE TAUGHT (IS HISTORICAL STUDY OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT ILLUSTRATES THE WAYS REDUC TIVE NOTIONS OF WRITING AS SKILL LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISOLATED COURSES RATHER THAN hA WRITING CURRICULUM OF COURSES DESIGNED TO DEVELOP EXPER TISE AND KNOWLEDGE IMPORTANT TO WRITERSv -Y COLLEAGUES AND ) REAL IZED THAT WE HAD A SET OF COURSES NOT A CURRICULUM AND SO OUR FIRST TASK WAS TO ARTICULATE WHAT KINDS OF EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE WE WERE CULTIVAT ING IN THE COURSES WE TAUGHT 4HIS RESULTED IN THE GRID THAT APPEARS IN THE TABLE BELOW 'OALS OF THE )505)S 7RITING #OURSES .VHSZ 9OL[VYPJHS JVU[L_[
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7E IDENTIFIED EIGHT KEY TERMS RHETORICAL CONTEXT COLLABORATION WRIT ING PROCESS ARGUMENT ANALYSIS SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION RESEARCH STYLE CONVENTIONS AND LANGUAGE AWARENESS GENRE 7E CHOSE THESE TERMS BECAUSE THEY EMERGED FROM OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR COURSES AND THEY WERE THE TERMS IN USE AS WE DEBATED WHAT WE MEANT BY hFLUENCYv OR hPEER REVIEWv AT DIFFERENT LEVELS (AD THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BEEN AVAILABLE TO US AT THE TIME WE LIKELY WOULD HAVE USED MORE OF THE /3 LAN GUAGE BUT AS IT STANDS OUR TERMS MAP WELL ONTO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 7E CAN EASILY TAKE OUR GRID AND REARRANGE IT INTO GROUPINGS REFLECTIVE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE FOR OUR TERMS RHE TORICAL CONTEXT #RITICAL 4HINKING 2EADING AND 7RITING FOR OUR TERMS RESEARCH ANALYSIS SYNTHESIS AND EVALUATION 0ROCESSES FOR OUR TERMS COLLABORATION WRITING PROCESS AND +NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS FOR OUR TERMS STYLE CONVENTIONS AND LANGUAGE AWARENESS AND FUTURE WORK WITH OUR GRID WILL LIKELY MAKE SUCH A MOVE 5SING THESE CATEGORIES WE TEASED OUT SOME DIFFERENCES AMONG COURSES THAT WERE HIDDEN BY SIMILARITIES OF TERMS !ND WE STARTED DREAMING OF WAYS TO DISTINGUISH OUR COURSES SO THAT
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WE COULD CREATE DISTINCTIONS WHERE BEFORE NONE HAD EXISTED 7E REALIZED WE NEEDED TO CREATE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AT THE UPPER LEVELS FOR INSTANCE )N A SENSE THEN OUR GRID EXPANDED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT LAY ING OUT MORE PARTICULAR LISTS OF OUTCOMES OVER TIME ,IKE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IT DOESNT SPECIFY STANDARDS EACH TEACHER NEEDS TO DECIDE EXACTLY HOW A GIVEN COURSE WILL WORK WITH WHAT ARRAY OF EXPECTATIONS )TS A FLEXIBLE DOCUMENT THAT GUIDES APPLICATION !ND LIKE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT OUR GRID IS OPEN TO THE CRITIQUES (ASWELL AND %LBOW OFFER IN THIS VOLUME )T IGNORES IMPORTANT DIMENSIONS OF WRITING SUCH AS VOICE CURIOSITY ADVENTUROUSNESS RISK TAKING !ND IT RISKS REDUCING WRITING TO A SET OF OBJECTIVE SKILLS THAT HAS LITTLE OR NOTHING TO DO WITH CONTENT OR MEANING MAKING 5NDER ARGUMENT FOR INSTANCE WE IDENTIFIED THREE LEVELS OF hPRACTICEv FOR STUDENTS ALL OF WHICH INVOLVE TECHNIQUE THE USE OF EXPERIENCE OR TEXTS FOR EVIDENCE PRIMARILY )N OUR CLASS ACTIVITIES WE LINK THE USE OF EVIDENCE TO UNDERSTANDINGS OF CONTEXT AND AUDIENCE AND WE SHARE A COMMITMENT TO THE NOTION THAT A GOOD RESEARCH QUESTION BORN OF CURIOSITY IS THE FIRST STEP IN ANY EXTENDED PROJECT BUT THE GRID DOESNT CAPTURE THAT 4HE VERBS WE USE IN OUR GRID ARE SIMILARLY VEXED STUDENTS WILL hRECOGNIZEv ISSUES OF RHETORICAL CONTEXT IN THEIR FIRST YEAR hPRACTICEv ARGUMENT TECHNIQUES THROUGHOUT THEY WILL hTHEORIZEv IN THE CAPSTONE COURSE ALTHOUGH ITS NOT CLEAR JUST WHAT THAT TERM MEANS 4HESE TERMS DONT CAPTURE THE EXCITEMENT OF CREATING MEANING INTERPRETING EVIDENCE IN ORDER TO DEVELOP IDEAS AND COMMUNICATE WITH AN AUDIENCE 7E COULD RETURN TO THE GRID AND CLARIFY SEVERAL OF ITS CELLS A SMALL GROUP OF MY COL LEAGUES IS DOING JUST THAT AS THEY INVESTIGATE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG TWO NEW ADVANCED COURSES OUR INTRODUCTORY COMPOSITION SEQUENCE AND OUR CAM PUS GENERAL EDUCATION GOALS $ESPITEOR PERHAPS BECAUSE OFTHE ATTENDANT COMPLICATIONS IN ANY OUTCOMES STATEMENT OUR GRID WAS A POWERFUL MOTIVATOR 4HE PROCESS OF CONSTRUCTING IT ILLUSTRATED THAT OUR COURSE hSEQUENCEv LACKED A COHER ENT RATIONALE 4HAT LINEAR GRID DIDNT DESCRIBE A SEQUENCE OF COURSES IN A WAY THAT EXPLAINS TO STUDENTS WHY THE COURSES ARE SEQUENCED AS THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY ALL ADD UP TO 7HY BOTHER hPRACTICING ARGUMENTv FROM YEAR TO YEAR 7HAT KINDS OF SPECIALIZED PURPOSES ARE HINTED AT .O ONE WRITES TO PRACTICE WE WRITE BECAUSE WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY "UT HOW TO DESCRIBE THIS TO STUDENTS 7E REALIZED THAT WE COULD NOT COMMUNICATE THIS TO STUDENTS WITH THE COURSE OFFERINGS WE HAD ON THE BOOKS !ND THIS ILLUMINATES A POTENTIAL LIMITATION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ITSELF TO THE
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EXTENT THAT THE /3 DESCRIBES FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION IT FUNCTIONS IN THE REALM OF GENERAL EDUCATION OUTCOMES )TS TERMS ARE NECESSARILY GENERAL SO THAT THEY CAN BE CONNECTED TO A HOST OF DISCIPLINARY AND EXTRADISCI PLINARY ARENAS %VEN THOUGH THE /3 DRAWS ON THE DISCIPLINE OF RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION FOR ITS TERMINOLOGY AS WE DESCRIBE ADVANCED PROGRAMS IN WRITING WE MUST EXPAND THE LANGUAGE WE USE AND MOVE BEYOND LINEAR NOTIONS OF SEQUENCE 4O USE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A STARTING POINT FOR ADVANCED WRITING IS TO DEFINE THE SPECIFIC CONTEXTS IN WHICH RHETORI CAL OUTCOMES WILL OCCUR 4HIS MOVES US CLOSER TO DEFINING SPECIFIC REALMS OF EXPERTISE FOR OUR COURSES OF STUDY ,OOKING AT OUTCOMES IS IMPORTANT BUT CONSIDERING OUTCOMES NECESSARILY SHIFTS OUR FOCUS BACK TO OUR COURSE SEQUENCES WHERE ARE THESE OUTCOMES DEVELOPED 2ICHARD (ASWELLS MASTERFUL 'AINING 'ROUND IN #OLLEGE 7RITING ARGUES THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF WRITING ABILITIES IS COMPLEX INVOLVING FORWARD AND SEEMINGLY BACKWARD MOVEMENT INTERPRETATION GROWTH AND DISCOV ERY 4HIS HAS COMPLICATED RAMIFICATIONS FOR CURRICULUM DESIGNERS !S HE NOTES h4HE MULTIPLEX WRITING COMPETENCY OF AN UNDERGRADUATE WRITER HAS NOT PROGRESSED IN THE PAST NOR WILL IT PROGRESS IN THE FUTURE UNIFORMLY ALL OF A BLOCK IN MILITARY PARADE FORMATION FLUENCY BATTLES THOUGHT SYNTAX BATTLES FLOW VOCABULARY BATTLES FLUENCY 4O ENRICH A CONCLUSION MAY BE TO IMPOVERISH AN INTRODUCTION TO SHARPEN AN INTRODUCTION MAY BE TO DULL THE LOGICAL ORGANIZATION TO ENLIVEN THE ORGANIZATION MAY BE TO WEAKEN THE SUPPORT TO SHORE UP CONVINCING PARTICULARS MAY BE TO UNDERMINE A POINTED CONCLUSIONv ! WRITING SEQUENCE NEEDS TO MAKE ROOM FOR THIS COMPLICATED UNEVEN SOMETIMES CONTRADICTORY DEVELOPMENT (ASWELLS OWN DISCUS SION OF SEQUENCING DESCRIBED FULLY IN 'AINING 'ROUNDS CHAPTER h! #URRICULUMv CENTERS ON A TWO SEMESTER SEQUENCE ONE IN THE FIRST YEAR WHICH WOULD FOCUS ON hORGANIZING AND GENERATING COLLEGE IDEASv AND THE SECOND IN THE JUNIOR YEAR WHICH WOULD FOCUS ON hFLOW SYNTAX AND DICTION IN THAT ORDER AND IN META LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF LANGUAGE TO REALITY AND TO AUDIENCE IN THAT ORDER v !S #OMING OF !GE 3HAMOON ET AL REMINDS US THOUGH WE ARE AT A POINT IN OUR FIELDS DEVELOPMENT WHERE WE CAN LOOK BEYOND A SIMPLE TWO COURSE SEQUENCE AND BEGIN TO DESIGN WHOLE COURSES OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDY !S WE DO SO WE MUST BEAR IN MIND THAT THE MESSINESS OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SIMPLY PRECLUDES ANY SIMPLE REPRESENTATION OF A WRITING SEQUENCE )N PART THIS VERY MESSINESS REQUIRES US TO CONSIDER CALLS FOR hSTANDARDSv AND hEXCEL LENCEv IN A NEW LIGHT 'IVEN THAT ABILITIES DEVELOP IN A JERKY SPIRAL AT BEST
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WE CANNOT CONSTRUCT GRIDS THAT WILL NEATLY DESCRIBE STUDENT TEXTSAND WE CANNOT DEVELOP COURSES THAT WILL FIT TOGETHER IN LOCKSTEP 2ATHER OUR COURSES MUST ACKNOWLEDGE BOTH STUDENTS GROWTH OVER TIME AND THEIR PROGRESS REMEMBERING THAT PROGRESS IN ONE AREA MAY SEEMINGLY COME AT THE EXPENSE OF PROGRESS IN ANOTHERCOMMA SPLICES WILL PROBABLY INCREASE AS FINAL FREE MODIFICATION DOES TOO SPELLING ERRORS MAY INCREASE AS STUDENTS MOVE INTO A BROADER VOCABULARY OR SPECIFIC EXAMPLES MAY FALL AS MORE COMPLICATED IDEAS ARE NURTURED 3IMPLE GRIDS THAT LOOK FOR THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF FEATURES OPTIMISTICALLY ASSUMING FORWARD PROGRESS FROM YEAR TO YEAR MAY NOT COMMUNICATE TO STUDENTS THE DEVELOPMENTAL NATURE OF THEIR PROGRESS !ND COURSES THAT ASSUME THAT EVERYTHING LEARNED IN ONE COURSE WILL BE MANIFESTED AT THE SAME LEVEL IN A SUBSEQUENT COURSE ARE DOOMED TO FAILURE 2ATHER ADVANCED COMPOSITION PROGRAMS SHOULD OFFER STUDENTS MANY CHANCES TO LEARN IN WAYS THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT -ORE SPECIALIZED COURSES LATER IN THEIR CAREERS ARE APPROPRIATE VEHICLES FOR DEVELOPING A MUCH MORE SPECIFIC SET OF COMPETENCIES TIED TO WRITING IN PARTICULAR SITUATIONS !DVANCED WRITING COURSES THAT LOOK TOWARD WORKING WRITING SITUATIONSGROUP WRITING TASKS PROFESSIONAL WRITING TASKS WRITING TASKS GROUNDED IN A MAJOR PROGRAM WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS TO GROW INTO ASSIGNMENTS THAT ASK THEM TO REFLECT ON THE WAYS LANGUAGE SHAPES THEIR EXPERIENCES 4HIS IS THE CHALLENGE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WE MUST DEFINE THE WRITING SITUATIONS THAT WILL THEM SELVES DEFINE THE SPECIFIC OUTCOMES WE SEEK 4HOSE OUTCOMES SHOULD CON NECT BACK TO THE EXPECTATIONS FROM FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS AN INITIAL STEP IN THAT DEFINITION "UT OUR ADVANCED OUTCOMES SHOULD ENCOMPASS AND SURPASS THOSE FIRST YEAR EXPECTATIONS 3O WHAT SHOULD A WRITING CURRICULUM LOOK LIKE AFTER FIRST YEAR COMPOSI TION -Y OWN DEPARTMENTS ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IS FOUND IN THIS CHAP TERS APPENDIX #ONSIDERING OUTCOMES LED US TO REDESIGN OUR MAJOR A STEP WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE IN PART BECAUSE THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT WAS OF A MIND TO REVISE THE MAJOR AND IN PART BECAUSE )NDIANA WAS OF A MIND TO REVISE ITS REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHING CERTIFICATION 7E DIDNT LEAVE OUR GRID BEHIND BUT WE DIDNT USE IT TO MAP OUR MAJOR EITHER 2ATHER WE CONSIDERED WHAT SPECIFIC EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCES WE WANTED OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE AND THIS LED US TO EMBED THOSE GENERAL OUTCOMES IN SPECIFIC COURSES 7E DIDNT START BY LOOKING AT WHAT OUR COURSES HAD IN COMMON WE STARTED BY ASKING WHAT WE THOUGHT GRADUATES WHO SPECIALIZED IN WRITING AND LITERACY SHOULD KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO 7E DEBATED HOW IMPORTANT VARIOUS TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERIENCES ARE AND HOW IMPORTANT LITERARY STUDY IS FOR A WRITING MAJOR
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4HE REVISED MAJOR MAPS WRITING AND LITERACY AS TERRAIN TO BE STUDIED WITH THE FOLLOWING MAJOR LANDMARKS A GATEWAY COURSE ON LITERACY AND PUBLIC LIFE A COURSE ON LANGUAGE FOCUSING ON SOCIAL ELEMENTS OF LANGUAGE USE AND DEVELOPMENT A COURSE ON THE HISTORY AND THEORIES OF LANGUAGE AND FOUR COURSES ON WRITING IN DIFFERENT GENRES /NLY THE GATEWAY COURSE TO THE CONCENTRATION IS REQUIRED OF EVERY STUDENT BUT OUR REQUIREMENTS HIGHLIGHT ELEMENTS OF WRITING AND LITERACY STUDY THAT WE FEEL ARE ESSENTIAL FOR PRODUCTIVE WORKERS AND CITIZENS )T WAS NOT EASY TO AGREE THAT EVERY STU DENT SHOULD TAKE A COURSE IN HISTORY AND THEORY AND A COURSE ON LANGUAGE FOR A TIME MIRRORING THE HISTORY OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WE HAD A REQUIREMENT THAT EVERY STUDENT TAKE A COURSE ADDRESSING TECHNOLOGY AND LITERACY 7E HAD TO DETERMINE OUR COLLECTIVE PROFESSIONAL PRIORITIES AND THEN DECIDE WHAT COURSES WE COULD OFFER REGULARLY ENOUGH TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS WE ENVISIONED )T WAS LONG BUT EXCITING WORK 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT CREATED OUR FRAMEWORK IN THAT IT ENCOURAGED US TO MOVE FROM AN AREA WHERE WE HAD COMMON GOALS AND OUTCOMES OUR FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSES INTO A TERRAIN THAT HAD UNTIL THEN REMAINED UNCHARTED /UR NEW CONCENTRATION DOESNT SUGGEST A LINEAR DEVELOPMEN TAL MODEL FOR STUDENTS )TS WEAKNESS IS ARGUABLY IN ITS SEQUENCING WE STILL DONT HAVE A GOOD MECHANISM FOR ENSURING THAT STUDENTS TAKE SOME COURS ES BEFORE OTHERS GENERALLY STUDENTS TAKE THE CAPSTONE SHORTLY BEFORE GRADUATION BUT OTHER THAN THAT COURSE SEQUENCES ARE LARGELY DETERMINED BY STUDENTS WORKING SCHEDULES ON OUR COMMUTER CAMPUS 4HIS IS A DEVELOPMENTAL HURDLE WITH WHICH MANY COMMUTER CAMPUSES STRUGGLE !ND PERHAPS ON SUCH CAMPUSES THERE IS A LARGE ELEMENT OF MYTHOLOGY INVOLVED WITH COURSE SEQUENCING 7E CAN BE SURE THAT MOST STUDENTS WILL TAKE MOST OF THEIR AND LEVEL COURSES AFTER TAKING THEIR AND LEVEL COURSES BUT WE CAN ALSO BE SURE THAT SOME TRANSFER STUDENTS WILL ARRIVE NEEDING MORE EARLIER COURSES THAN LATER 7E CAN ALSO BE SURE THAT SOME STUDENTS WHO CAN ONLY TAKE COURSES AT NIGHT OR ONLY ON 4UESDAYS AND 4HURSDAYS WILL FIND THEMSELVES TAKING SOME ADVANCED COURSES SOONER THAN WE IMAGINE AND SOME LOWER LEVEL COURSES LATER 4HE MIXED NATURE OF THE STUDENT BODY ON OUR CAMPUS IS ONE OF ITS SIGNAL DELIGHTS AND THE REAL LIFE CONSTRAINTS ON STUDENTS COURSE CHOICES MEAN THAT OUR BEST SEQUENCES WILL NEVER BE FULLY REALIZED 7E ARE AWARE AS WE ROLL OUT OUR NEWLY CREATED COURSES THAT WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO AS WE COORDINATE OUR NEW OFFERINGS 9ET WE HAVE DESIGNED A CONCENTRATION THAT HIGHLIGHTS REALMS OF EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE 4O USE 3CHWEGLERS TERMS IT PROVIDES hGROUNDS FOR CURRICULAR
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PRESENCE AND SPACE v SHOWING STUDENTS HOW THEIR STUDIES CONNECT TO THEORIES OF LANGUAGE PROFESSIONAL OPTIONS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS !ND THIS STRUCTURE GIVES US ADDED CLARITY WHEN WE TURN AGAIN TO OUR OUTCOMES GRID 7E CAN LOOK AT COLLABORATION FOR EXAMPLE AS SOMETHING THAT STUDENTS SHOULD EXPERIENCE ACROSS THESE REALMS AND WE CAN NOW BEGIN THE WORK OF ASSESSING HOW WE TEACH COLLABORATIVE TECHNIQUES IN WHAT PORTIONS OF THE MAJOR 4HROUGH SUCH CONVERSATIONS WE WILL RETURN TO OUR GRID REVISING AND ADDING TO IT AS NECESSARY 7E WILL ALSO CONSIDER MAKING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUR DEPARTMENTAL GRID AND THE /3 MORE EXPLICIT IN ORDER TO SET OUR MAJOR IN THE DISCIPLINARY CONTEXT REPRESENTED BY THE /3 4OWARD THE END OF 'AINING 'ROUND (ASWELL MOVES AMONG METAPHORS PROBLEMATIZING THE MILITARY MEDICAL AND CULINARY METAPHORS HE HAD USED TO DESCRIBE WRITING INSTRUCTION IN EARLIER PORTIONS OF THE TEXT (ASWELL SETTLES IN THE END ON A DIAGNOSTIC METAPHOR THE TEACHER AS hTHE COACH THE DECORATOR THE PLUMBER THE TUNERTHOSE CRAFT WISE FIXERS WHO CAN NOT ONLY TELL YOU WHATS WRONG OR WHATS GOING TO GO WRONG BUT ALSO SUGGEST WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT )SNT THIS REALLY WHAT STUDENTS BRING THEIR WRITING TO US FOR v 2EAL DIAGNOSIS (ASWELL SUGGESTS IS FORWARD LOOK ING )T PROPOSES (ASWELL SAYS hVIA FUTURE DIRECTED THEORY OR HYPOTHESISv HONESTLY ASKING WHAT FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS COULD DO BETTER GIVEN THE NEEDS OF THE TEXT THE PERSONALITY OF THE STUDENT THE SITUATION OF THE READERTEACHER AND OTHER FACTORS 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PUSHES US TOWARD DIAGNOSIS IN THIS SENSE )T ASKS US TO CONSIDER WHAT OUR OWN CURRICU LUM CAN DO BETTER IN EACH OF ITS DOMAINS AND IT CHALLENGES US TO CONSIDER THE SPECIFIC SITUATIONS OF OUR DEPARTMENTS OUR MISSIONS OUR STUDENTS )T CHALLENGES US TO DEFINE ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH CRITICAL READING WRITING AND THINKING INTERACT AS WELL AS THOSE IN WHICH COMPLICATED PROCESSES CAN BE STAGED 3UCH CONVERSATIONS ARE AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT WE CAN HAVE WITH EACH OTHER AND THEY WILL ENABLE US TO COMMUNICATE WITH OUR STUDENTS MORE EFFECTIVELY 7HAT BETTER WAY TO SHOW STUDENTS AND COLLEAGUES WHAT WE VALUE THAN BY DETERMINING COMMON FRAMEWORKS AND OUTCOMES
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4HIS REQUIREMENT EXPLORES A RANGE OF LITERACY PRACTICES AND TEXTS INCLUD ING HOW TEXTS ARE PRODUCED USED AND INTERPRETED BY WRITERS AND READERS
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$URING THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCES WAS THE OVERWHELMING NEED TO KEEP THE DOCUMENT FLEX IBLE 4HERE WERE SEVERAL REASONS FOR THE NEED FOR FLEXIBILITY #LEARLY IF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WERE TO BE ACCEPTED AND HAVE AN IMPACT IT MUST NECESSARILY SERVE THE NEEDS OF DIVERSE PROGRAMS LOCATED IN DIVERSE INSTITU TIONS 4HE ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS THAT THESE DIVERSE PROGRAMS WOULD BE THE WIDE RANGE OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS 9ET EVEN IN ITS BEGINNING STAGES THERE WAS THE NOTION THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MIGHT ALSO SERVE BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION )NDEED THE LAST PARAGRAPH OF THE INTRODUCTION TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SPEAKS TO THIS VERY POINT 4HESE STATEMENTS DESCRIBE ONLY WHAT WE EXPECT TO FIND AT THE END OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION AT MOST SCHOOLS A REQUIRED GENERAL EDUCATION COURSE OR SEQUENCE OF COURSES !S WRITERS MOVE BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION THEIR WRITING ABILI TIES DO NOT MERELY IMPROVE 2ATHER STUDENTS ABILITIES NOT ONLY DIVERSIFY ALONG DISCIPLINARY AND PROFESSIONAL LINES BUT ALSO MOVE INTO WHOLE NEW LEVELS WHERE EXPECTED OUTCOMES EXPAND MULTIPLY AND DIVERGE &OR THIS REASON EACH STATE MENT OF OUTCOMES FOR FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION IS FOLLOWED BY SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER WORK THAT BUILDS ON THESE OUTCOMES
7E CAN SEE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR MOVE MENT BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION IN THE BULLETED LISTS THAT BEGIN h&ACULTY IN ALL PROGRAMS AND DEPARTMENTS CAN BUILD v 4HEREFORE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DIRECTLY INVITES AND ) THINK EVEN CHALLENGES FACULTY WHO TEACH COURSES OTHER THAN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION WHETHER THEY BE OTHER WRITING COURSES WRITING INTENSIVE COURSES OR COURSES WHERE WRITING IS ONLY A SMALL COMPONENT TO ENGAGE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND BY BUILDING UPON IT THROUGH APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINARY MEANS METAMORPHOSE IT INTO SOMETHING THEY CAN CALL THEIR OWN
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!S A RESULT WHEN ) WAS FACED WITH DEVELOPING A NEW PROGRAM IN MULTI MEDIA WRITING AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION FOR !RIZONA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY %AST MY SEVERAL YEARS AS A MEMBER OF THE /UTCOMES GROUP QUITE NATURALLY LED ME TO THINK ABOUT INCLUDING PROGRAMMATIC OUTCOMES THAT COULD BE USED FOR PROGRAM ASSESSMENT ,IKE SO MANY OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING IT ) WAS DRAWN TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT (OWEVER THOUGH COGNIZANT OF THE POTENTIAL SPRINGBOARD EFFECT BUILT INTO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ) WAS VERY WELL AWARE THAT IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED FOR FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAMS ) WAS CREATING AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE AND A POSTBACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE IN MULTIMEDIA WRITING AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION 7HAT SURPRISED ME SOMEONE WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE /UTCOMES PROCESS FOR SEVERAL YEARS WAS HOW LITTLE ) HAD TO TWEAK THE FIRST YEAR /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO MAKE IT APPROPRIATE FOR MY PROGRAM )N RETROSPECT THERE WERE GOOD REASONS FOR THIS 7HILE PERHAPS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EVIDENT TO ME DURING THE PROCESS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS DEVELOPED BASED ON THE PREMISE OF HOW WRITERS REALLY WORK AND WHAT WRITERS REALLY NEED TO KNOW AS OPPOSED TO SOME NARROW FOCUS OF HOW WRIT ERS ARE SUPPOSED TO WORK OR ABOUT DEVELOPING ONE AND ONLY ONE KIND OF WRITING +ATHLEEN "LAKE 9ANCEY MAKES THIS OBSERVATION IN HER h2ESPONSEv TO THE INITIAL PUBLICATION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN THE 70! *OURNAL 4HERE SHE MAKES WHAT MAY BE THE MOST INSIGHTFUL COMMENT OF ALL ABOUT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT h)T TALKS ABOUT THE MORE NON CONTROVERSIAL OF OUR PRACTICES IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION WRITING PROCESS AND RHETORICAL KNOWLEDGE FOR INSTANCE AND IT DOESNT PRESCRIBE ,ET ME BREAK THAT LINE OUT SO WE DONT MISS IT IT DOESNT PRESCRIBEv 9ANCEY 3INCE MY PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO TRAIN STUDENTS WHO WILL WRITE IN THE WORKPLACE WORKING IN FIELDS IF MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN TECHNICAL COM MUNICATION PROGRAMS IS ANY INDICATOR AS WIDE RANGING AS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO LIFE SCIENCES TO MANUFACTURING TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS WITH A WIDE SMATTERING OF NONPROFITS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES THROWN IN FOR GOOD MEASURE )N ORDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A DEFINITION OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION ) WOULD PREFER TO SEE AS hALL ENCOMPASSINGv RATHER THAN GENERIC ) FOUND THE GENERIC /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MOST APPROPRIATE TO MY PROGRAMS NEEDS !S ) MENTIONED ABOVE ) WAS ABLE TO MAKE JUST MINOR CHANGES TITLE THE DOCUMENT h#OURSE %VALUATION #RITERIA v AND THEN DIS TRIBUTE IT WITH EVERY COURSE IN OUR PROGRAM ( < 5 0 8 < , : 0 ; < (; 0 6 5
7HEN FACULTY WORK ON CURRICULAR ISSUES SUCH AS MODIFYING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR LOCAL NEEDS THE PROCESS USUALLY INVOLVES A COMMITTEE OF
APPROPRIATE PEOPLE GETTING TOGETHER AND WORKING THINGS OUT 7HEN ) CAME TO !RIZONA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY %AST TO START THE PROGRAM IN MULTIMEDIA WRITING AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION THERE WASNT REALLY A FACULTY IN PLACE TO FORM A COMMITTEE 4HERE WAS ONE OTHER FULL TIME FACULTY MEMBER IN TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION !S A RESULT THE PROCESS WE USED TO DEVELOP OUR PROGRAM MATIC VERSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS FOR ME TO SUBMIT DRAFTS TO HER FOR REVIEW 7E THEN MET AND AGREED UPON THE DOCUMENT 4HAT DOCU MENT APPENDIX ! P SERVED THE PROGRAM FROM THE TIME WE OFFERED OUR FIRST CLASSES IN SPRING TO THE START OF THE FALL SEMESTER !S OF FALL WE IMPLEMENTED A NEW VERSION APPENDIX " P 4HE INTENTION WAS ALWAYS THAT OUR /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS TO CONTINUE TO BE FLUID 7E FULLY EXPECTED THAT WE WOULD MODIFY IT WHEN MORE FULL TIME FACULTY WERE HIRED 7HAT HAS HAPPENED IS THE PRESENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE HAS PREVENTED US FROM HIRING NEEDED FULL TIME FACULTY %VEN WITHOUT NEW FACULTY BY RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM ONE OF OUR PART TIME FACULTY AND FROM SEVERAL OTHER FACULTY WHOSE STUDENTS TAKE COURSES IN OUR PROGRAM AS SERVICE COURSES WE WERE IN THE FALL SEMESTER ABLE TO MOVE INTO OUR SECOND ITERATION OF OUR /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 7HAT FOLLOWS IS HOW THE TWO VERSIONS EMERGED 7 / ( : , 6 5 , ! ; / , : 0 4 0 3 ( 9 0 ; 0 , :
) WAS ABLE TO USE THE LAST THREE CATEGORIES #RITICAL 4HINKING 2EADING AND 7RITING 0ROCESSES AND +NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS AS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BECAUSE OF SMALL DETAILS IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT &OR EXAMPLE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF CONVENTIONS SECTION THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ONLY MENTIONS hAPPROPRIATE MEANS OF DOCUMENTING THEIR WORKv )N A PROGRAM WHERE STUDENTS ARE AS LIKELY TO BE USING )%%% )NSTITUTE OF %LECTRICAL AND %LECTRONIC %NGINEERS #3% #OUNCIL OF 3CIENTIFIC %DITORS OR --3 -ICROSOFT -ANUAL OF 3TYLE RATHER THAN #-3 #HICAGO -ANUAL OF 3TYLE !0! !MERICAN 0SYCHOLOGICAL !SSOCIATION AND ESPECIALLY NOT -,! -ODERN ,ANGUAGE !SSOCIATION THE FLEXIBILITY EXPRESSED IN THE ORIGINAL /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT NOT ONLY OPENS THE DOOR TO HAVING STUDENTS USE ALTERNATIVE DOCUMENTATION STYLES BUT PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY HELPS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT AN hAPPROPRIATE DOCUMEN TATION STYLEv MEANS IN ANY PARTICULAR CONTEXTWHETHER DEFINED BY INDUS TRY ORGANIZATIONAL OR OTHER STANDARDS ,IKEWISE IN THE #RITICAL 4HINKING 2EADING AND 7RITING SECTION THE OUTCOME hUNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND POWERv SERVES VERY NICELY AS WE WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR ROLE AS WRITERS WILL BE WITHIN AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUREESPECIALLY AS THAT ROLE OFTEN CALLS
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FOR THEM TO MEDIATE IN WRITING BETWEEN SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT AND END USER #LEARLY THE IMPETUS OF THE /UTCOMES GROUP TO ENSURE FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN ORDER TO ALLOW IT TO BE APPROPRIATE TO USE IN VERY DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS ALSO INVITES IT TO BE USED BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION 7 / ( : , 6 5 , ! ; / , * / ( 5 . , :
4HE ONLY PLACE ) FELT A NEED TO MAKE CHANGES IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO MAKE IT MORE APPROPRIATE FOR MY PROGRAM WAS IN THE FIRST SECTION 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE 4HE FIRST CHANGES WERE VERY SPECIFIC AND BASED ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM 4HEY HAD TO DO WITH THE ISSUE OF GENRE )N TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF GENRE AND THE CONVENTIONS THAT GOVERN GENRES IS A CRUCIAL ISSUE )T IS PARAMOUNT TO UNDERSTAND THAT CONVENTIONS FOR A PROPOSAL FOR EXAMPLE ARE MARKEDLY DIFFERENT FROM CONVENTIONS FOR A SOFTWARE MANUAL +NOWING THIS ) MADE SLIGHT CHANGES TO TWO OF THE OUTCOMES IN THE 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE SEC TION ) CHANGED THE SIMPLE hWRITE IN SEVERAL GENRESv TO hWRITE IN MULTIPLE GENRESv 7HILE BOTH hSEVERALv AND hMULTIPLEv ARE VAGUE ADJECTIVES MY REASONING WAS THAT hMULTIPLEv IMPLIED NOT ONLY MORE THAN hSEVERALv BUT ALSO A LEVEL OF CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE PART OF WRITERS THAT WOULD ENABLE THEM TO PERHAPS CREATE THE SAME DOCUMENT IN MORE THAN ONE GENRE ) ALSO SLIGHTLY CHANGED THE OUTCOME hUNDERSTAND HOW GENRES SHAPE READING AND WRITINGv TO hUNDERSTAND HOW EACH GENRE HELPS TO SHAPE THE WRITING AND HOW READERS RESPOND TO ITv /NCE AGAIN FROM A TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE ) FELT OUR STUDENTS NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT GENRE AND ITS RHETORICAL ROLE 7HAT WE SEE HERE MAY BE ONE OF THE REAL STRENGTHS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT -INOR CHANGES A WORD HERE AND THERE CAN MAKE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT APPROPRIATE FOR COURSES AND PROGRAMS OTHER THAN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION ; / , / , ( 9 ; 6 - ; / , 4 (; ; , 9
&INALLY ) DECIDED ) NEEDED TO ADD ONE ADDITIONAL OUTCOME TO THE 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE SECTION hCHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GENRE AND AUDIENCEv !T FIRST GLANCE THIS MAY NOT SEEM TO BE A MAJOR ISSUE 5NDERSTANDING WHICH TECHNOLOGY TO USE AND AS A COROLLARY WHICH MEDIUM IS CLEARLY A RHETORICAL DECISION THAT OUR STUDENTS NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE 9ET CONSIDERING MY OWN HISTORY WITH THE /UTCOMES GROUP ADDING A NEW OUTCOME THAT SPECIFICALLY SPEAKS TO TECHNOLOGY ISSUES IS IMPORTANT ) WAS ONE OF A SMALL GROUP WHO FROM THE BEGINNING ARGUED
AGAINST INCLUDING WHAT BECAME KNOWN AS THE hTECHNOLOGY PLANKv IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 9ET HERE WHEN ) DEVELOP MY OWN VERSION FOR MY OWN PROGRAM ) NOT ONLY KEEP THE OUTCOME hUSE A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES TO ADDRESS A RANGE OF AUDIENCEv IN THE 0ROCESSES SECTION BUT CREATE A SEC OND TECHNOLOGY BASED OUTCOME .O ) HAVENT CHANGED MY MIND ) THINK WE ARE LOOKING AT TWO VERY DIFFERENT CONTEXTS THAT IN FACT HELP TO UNDERSCORE MY ORIGINAL ARGUMENT FOR NOT INCLUDING A TECHNOLOGY PLANK -Y ARGUMENT WAS SIMPLE 7RITING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FUNCTION OF TECHNOLOGY 4HE TECHNOLOGIES SIMPLY KEEP ON CHANGING 7E ARE PRESENTLY LIVING IN A TIME OF FREQUENT TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE 4O TIE ANY KIND OF OUTCOMES OR WRITING INSTRUCTION TO A PARTICULAR TECHNOLOGY IS DANGEROUS 7E MAY EVEN SEE IT AS BEING PRESCRIPTIVETHE VERY OPPOSITE OF WHAT +ATHI 9ANCEY SAYS IS AT THE HEART OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 4HE TECHNOLOGY MIGHT BECOME OUTMODED BEFORE THE OUT COME IS EVEN APPROVED OR MADE PUBLIC 3ECOND THE ORIGINAL /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS GEARED TOWARD FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION )N A WAY ) SEE EMPHA SIZING TECHNOLOGY IN A FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSE AS A BIT LIKE EMPHASIZ ING PENMANSHIP -Y VIEW OF THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSE IS ONE WHERE STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT THE INTELLECTUAL PROCESSES INVOLVED WITH WRITING NOT A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE TRAINED IN THE TECHNOLOGY OF WRITING TOOLSWHETHER THOSE TOOLS BE FOUNTAIN PENS OR WORD PROCESSORS 5LTIMATELY TEACHERS OF WRITING ESPECIALLY IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION NEED TO WORK IN AN ENVIRON MENT WHERE TECHNOLOGY IS SEAMLESS AND TRANSPARENTWHERE THE FOCUS IS ON TEACHING WRITINGNOT TEACHING TECHNOLOGY 4HIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT ) WISH TO DOWNPLAY OR DENIGRATE THE ISSUE KNOWN AS THE hDIGITAL DIVIDEv ) AM WELL AWARE THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL ISSUES THAT ARE A FUNCTION OF ACCESS OR THE LACK OF ACCESS TO SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION )N FACT #INDY 3ELFE ADDRESSES THOSE ISSUES MOST ELOQUENTLY IN 4ECHNOLOGY AND ,ITERACY IN THE 4WENTY &IRST #ENTURY 4HE )MPORTANCE OF 0AYING !TTENTION 4HOUGH ) AM VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT 3ELFE STRONGLY SUPPORTED THE TECHNOLOGY PLANK IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ) THINK HER BOOK IS A BETTER PLACE TO CONFRONT THE ISSUE THAN IN THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 4HAT BEING SAID ) ALSO THINK THAT A DEGREE PROGRAM IN TECHNICAL COM MUNICATION IS DIFFERENT FROM A FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAM &RANKLY IF ) THOUGHT STUDENTS IN MY PROGRAM COULD EXPECT TO WORK AS WRITERS WHO ONLY USED STANDARD WORD PROCESSING SOFTWARE ) WOULD HAVE HESITATED TO INCLUDE THE TECHNOLOGY OUTCOME IN MY REVISED CRITERIA (OWEVER SINCE MY STUDENTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO WORK NOT ONLY IN MULTIPLE GENRES BUT IN
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MULTIPLE MEDIA THE ISSUE OF UNDERSTANDING THE RHETORICAL CHOICE AND EFFECT OF TECHNOLOGY BECOMES CRUCIAL ) SEE A SUBSTANTIVE DIFFERENCE IN A TECHNOLOGY OUTCOME THAT IS PRESENT IN THE 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE SECTION AND ONE IN THE 0ROCESSES SECTION 7 / ( : , ; > 6 ! 0 5 - 6 9 4 (; 0 6 5 3 0 ; , 9 ( * @
,IKE MANY OTHER PROGRAMS OURS RELIES HEAVILY ON PART TIME FACULTY )N THE LATE SPRING OF ONE OF OUR PART TIME FACULTY "ARBARA $!NGELO WHO IS A FULL TIME REFERENCE LIBRARIAN AT !35 %AST AND WHO HAS DEVELOPED AND TEACHES TWO COURSES IN OUR PROGRAM )NFO'LUT AND )NFORMATION !RCHITECTURE SUGGESTED WE MAKE CHANGES IN THE PROGRAMS /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO INCLUDE CONCERNS ABOUT INFORMATION LITERACY 7E FOLLOWED A SIMILAR PROCESS TO OUR ORIGINAL OUTCOMES /NLY THIS TIME IT WAS $!NGELO WHO DID THE DRAFTING WHICH WAS THEN REVIEWED AND NEGOTIATED TO COME UP WITH OUR CURRENT /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ) THINK ANYONE LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT VIEW ING OUR FIRST SLIGHTLY MODIFIED VERSION AND NOW OUR LATEST VERSION WILL SEE A NATURAL PROGRESSION %NSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH INFORMATION AS PART OF THEIR RESEARCHWRITING PROCESS IS SOMETHING THAT WRITING TEACHERS SOMETIMES TAKE FOR GRANTED (OWEVER WORKING WITH A LIBRARIAN WE WERE ABLE TO MORE CLOSELY ARTICULATE THE SPECIFIC INFORMA TION LITERACY SKILLS WE EXPECT FROM OUR STUDENTS 7E ALSO FOUND IT TO BE RELATIVELY EASY TO INTEGRATE THESE SKILLS INTO OUR VERSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 7 / ( : , ; >6 ! ; / , : 0 . 5 0 - 0 *( 5 ; * / ( 5 . , :
/UR LATEST VERSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SHOWS SOME CHANGES TO ALL FOUR SECTIONS (OWEVER THE CHANGES TO THE 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE AND THE 0ROCESSES SECTIONS ARE MINOR 4HEY CAN BE FOUND IN THE LAST TWO OUTCOMES IN THE 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE SECTION AND THE LAST OUTCOME IN THE 0ROCESSES SECTION 7E MADE MORE SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE #RITICAL 4HINKING 2EADING AND 7RITING AND THE +NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS SEC TIONS 4HE MAJOR ADDITION TO THE +NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS SECTION IS IN THE INCLUSION IN SEVERAL OF THE OUTCOMES OF THE IDEA OF INTELLECTUAL PROP ERTY COPYRIGHT AND THE ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF FOLLOWING THE APPROPRIATE CONVENTIONS #LEARLY THIS IS HINTED AT IN THE INITIAL OUTCOME THAT SPEAKS OF PROPER DOCUMENTATION (OWEVER LOOKING AT THE OUTCOMES THROUGH AN INFORMATION LITERACY LENS WE REALIZED THIS NEEDED TO BE EXPANDED
ESPECIALLY SINCE THE ETHICAL USE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND COPYRIGHT IS ALREADY INTEGRATED INTO OUR ENTIRE CURRICULUM )N ADDITION SINCE MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WORK IN ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENTS WE ADDED A SECTION WHERE WE CAN EXPECT THEM TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE ISSUES OF ACCESSIBILITY AND THE CONVENTIONS SURROUNDING IT 7E ALSO ENGAGED IN SIGNIFICANT REVISIONS IN THE #RITICAL 4HINKING 2EADING AND 7RITING SECTION 4HE CRUX OF OUR REVISIONS LAY IN $!NGELOS OBSERVATION THAT THE WAY THE OUTCOMES WERE WRITTEN IT APPEARED AS THOUGH RESEARCH AND WRITING WERE TWO SEPARATE PARALLEL PROCESSES )NDEED ) THINK TOO OFTEN THEYRE TAUGHT IN THAT WAY 7HAT WE HAVE NOW ARE OUTCOMES THAT EMPHASIZE THAT RESEARCH AND WRITING ARE ONE INTEGRATED PROCESS *65*3<:065
)N A PREVIOUS DRAFT OF THIS CHAPTER ) WROTE THE FOLLOWING CONCLUDING PARA GRAPH 7HETHER ANYONE AGREES WITH MY VIEW OF THE PLACEMENT AND INCLUSION OR EXCLU SION OF A hTECHNOLOGY OUTCOME v FINALLY SEEMS TO ME TO BE LESS OF AN ISSUE THAN THE UNDERSTANDING THAT ) WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAM /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND WITH JUST MINOR REVISIONS TURN IT INTO A STATEMENT THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY BE USED FOR EVALUATION IN AN UNDERGRADUATE TECHNICAL COM MUNICATION PROGRAM &ROM MY PERSPECTIVE THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE POTENTIAL THE BREADTH AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT
.OW HAVING REVISED THE REVISION ) AM EVEN MORE CONVINCED OF THE DOCUMENTS STRENGTH FLEXIBILITY AND DYNAMIC NATURE
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&OCUS ON A DEFINED PURPOSE 2ESPOND TO THE NEED OF THE APPROPRIATE AUDIENCE 2ESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO DIFFERENT RHETORICAL SITUATIONS 5SE CONVENTIONS OF FORMAT AND STRUCTURE APPROPRIATE TO THE RHETORICAL SITUATION !DOPT APPROPRIATE VOICE TONE AND LEVEL OF FORMALITY 5NDERSTAND HOW EACH GENRE HELPS TO SHAPE THE WRITING AND HOW READERS RESPOND TO IT 7RITE IN MULTIPLE GENRES #HOOSE THE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE GENRE AND AUDIENCE
* 9 0 ; 0 *( 3 ; / 0 5 2 0 5 . 9 , ( + 0 5 . ( 5 + > 9 0 ; 0 5 .
3TUDENTS WILL SHOW THEY CAN s 5SE WRITING AND READING FOR INQUIRY LEARNING THINKING AND COMMUNICAT ING s 5NDERSTAND A WRITING ASSIGNMENT AS A SERIES OF TASKS INCLUDING FINDING EVALUATING ANALYZING AND SYNTHESIZING APPROPRIATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES s )NTEGRATE THEIR OWN IDEAS WITH THOSE OF OTHERS s 5NDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND POWER 796*,::,:
3TUDENTS WILL SHOW THEY CAN s "E AWARE THAT IS USUALLY TAKES MULTIPLE DRAFTS TO CREATE AND COMPLETE A SUC CESSFUL TEXT s $EVELOP FLEXIBLE STRATEGIES FOR GENERATING REVISING EDITING AND PROOFREAD ING s 5NDERSTAND WRITING AS AN OPEN PROCESS THAT PERMITS WRITERS TO USE LATER INVENTION AND RETHINKING TO REVISE THEIR WORK
s 5NDERSTAND THE COLLABORATIVE AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF WRITING PROCESSES s ,EARN TO CRITIQUE THEIR OWN AND OTHERS WORKS s ,EARN TO BALANCE THE ADVANTAGES OF RELYING ON OTHERS WITH THE RESPONSIBIL ITY OF DOING THEIR PART s 5SE A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES TO ADDRESS A RANGE OF AUDIENCES 256>3,+., 6- *65=,5;065:
3TUDENTS WILL SHOW THEY CAN s ,EARN COMMON FORMATS FOR DIFFERENT GENRES s $EVELOP KNOWLEDGE OF GENRE CONVENTIONS RANGING FROM STRUCTURE AND PARAGRAPHING TO TONE AND MECHANICS s 0RACTICE APPROPRIATE MEANS OF DOCUMENTING THEIR WORK s #ONTROL SUCH SURFACE FEATURES AS SYNTAX GRAMMAR PUNCTUATION AND SPELL ING
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)DENTIFY ARTICULATE AND FOCUS ON A DEFINED PURPOSE 2ESPOND TO THE NEED OF THE APPROPRIATE AUDIENCE 2ESPOND APPROPRIATELY TO DIFFERENT RHETORICAL SITUATIONS 5SE CONVENTIONS OF FORMAT AND STRUCTURE APPROPRIATE TO THE RHETORICAL SITUATION !DOPT APPROPRIATE VOICE TONE AND LEVEL OF FORMALITY 5NDERSTAND HOW EACH GENRE HELPS TO SHAPE THE WRITING AND HOW READERS RESPOND TO IT 7RITE IN MULTIPLE GENRES 5NDERSTAND THE ROLE OF A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES IN COMMUNICATING INFOR MATION 5SE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES TO COMMUNICATE INFORMATION TO ADDRESS A RANGE OF AUDIENCES PURPOSES AND GENRES
* 9 0 ; 0 *( 3 ; / 0 5 2 0 5 . 9 , ( + 0 5 . ( 5 + > 9 0 ; 0 5 .
3TUDENTS WILL SHOW THEY CAN s 5SE INFORMATION WRITING AND READING FOR INQUIRY LEARNING THINKING AND COMMUNICATING s 5NDERSTAND THAT RESEARCH LIKE WRITING IS A SERIES OF TASKS INCLUDING ACCESS ING RETRIEVING EVALUATING ANALYZING AND SYNTHESIZING APPROPRIATE INFOR MATION FROM SOURCES THAT VARY IN CONTENT FORMAT STRUCTURE AND SCOPE s 5NDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND POWER INCLUDING SOCIAL CULTURAL HISTORICAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES RELATED TO INFOR MATION WRITING AND TECHNOLOGY s 2ECOGNIZE UNDERSTAND AND ANALYZE THE CONTEXT WITHIN WHICH LANGUAGE INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE ARE COMMUNICATED AND PRESENTED s )NTEGRATE PREVIOUSLY HELD BELIEFS ASSUMPTIONS AND KNOWLEDGE WITH NEW INFORMATION AND THE IDEAS OF OTHERS TO COME TO A CONCLUSION MAKE A DECI SION OR DESIGN A PRODUCT
796*,::,:
3TUDENTS WILL SHOW THEY CAN s "E AWARE THAT IT USUALLY TAKES MULTIPLE DRAFTS TO CREATE AND COMPLETE A SUC CESSFUL TEXT s $EVELOP FLEXIBLE STRATEGIES FOR GENERATING REVISING EDITING AND PROOFREAD ING s 5NDERSTAND WRITING AS AN OPEN PROCESS THAT PERMITS WRITERS TO USE LATER INVENTION AND RETHINKING TO REVISE THEIR WORK s 5NDERSTAND THE COLLABORATIVE AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF WRITING PROCESSES s ,EARN TO CRITIQUE THEIR OWN AND OTHERS WORKS s ,EARN TO BALANCE THE ADVANTAGES OF RELYING ON OTHERS WITH THE RESPONSIBIL ITY OF DOING THEIR PART s 5SE APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGIES TO MANAGE INFORMATION COLLECTED OR GENER ATED FOR FUTURE USE 256>3,+., 6- *65=,5;065:
3TUDENTS WILL SHOW THEY CAN s ,EARN COMMON FORMATS FOR DIFFERENT GENRES s ,EARN AND APPLY APPROPRIATE STANDARDS LAWS POLICIES AND ACCEPTED PRAC TICES FOR THE USE OF A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES s $EVELOP KNOWLEDGE OF GENRE CONVENTIONS RANGING FROM STRUCTURE AND PARAGRAPHING TO TONE AND MECHANICS s !PPLY APPROPRIATE MEANS OF DOCUMENTING THEIR WORK s #ONTROL SUCH SURFACE FEATURES AS SYNTAX GRAMMAR PUNCTUATION AND SPELL ING s 5NDERSTAND AND APPLY LEGAL AND ETHICAL USES OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOL OGY INCLUDING COPYRIGHT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY s 5NDERSTAND AND APPLY APPROPRIATE STANDARDS FOR USE OF TECHNOLOGY INCLUDING ACCESSIBILITY
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4HE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT EXPRESSES A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO AS WRITERS WRITTEN BOTH TO MAKE EXPECTATIONS FOR FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION MORE PUBLIC AND TO FOSTER CONTINUING DISCUSSION OF WHAT THOSE EXPECTATIONS SHOULD BE AND HOW FACULTY AND PROGRAMS CAN HELP STUDENTS MEET THEM !LVERNO #OLLEGE HAS A THIRTY YEAR HISTORY OF TEACHING AND ASSESSING FOR OUTCOMES IN WRITING AND OTHER ABILITIES AND THE LESSONS WEVE LEARNED CAN INFORM BOTH THE CONTINUING CONVERSATION ABOUT OUTCOMES AND THE USE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ON OTHER CAMPUSES 2ATHER THAN DESCRIBING A DIRECT hAPPLICA TIONv OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THEN )M WRITING AS A CRITICAL FRIEND TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND THE COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING THE TEACH ING AND LEARNING OF WRITING IT REPRESENTS )T IS MY HOPE THAT THE STORY OF OUTCOMES FOR WRITING AT !LVERNO WILL LEAD TO MORE INFORMED USE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND HELP STIMULATE CAMPUS SPECIFIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EXPECTATIONS FOR WRITING !LVERNOS EXPERIENCE WITH OUTCOME BASED APPROACHES TO WRITING AND OTHER ABILITIES DEMONSTRATES THE FUNDAMENTAL WAYS IN WHICH OUTCOMES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO IMPROVED TEACHING AND LEARNING 7HEN DEVELOPED AND USED IN WAYS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL TO FACULTY AND STUDENTS OUTCOMES STATEMENTS CAN BE MUCH MORE THAN THE BUREAUCRATIC EXERCISE THEY TOO OFTEN BECOME 7ELL CRAFTED OUTCOMES LINKED TO THE CURRICULUM CONSTI TUTE A COMMON LANGUAGE THAT CLARIFIES WHAT WE MEAN BY EFFECTIVE PERFOR MANCE 4HIS SHARED FRAME OF REFERENCE BENEFITS EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE LEARNING PROCESS FOR STUDENTS CLEARLY DEFINED OUTCOMES HELP PROMOTE UNDERSTANDING OF COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND THEIR OWN PERFORMANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME FOR FACULTY OUTCOMES NOT ONLY PROVIDE A BASIS FOR COHERENT CURRICULUM DESIGN AND INFORMED PEDAGOGY BUT ALSO PRO MOTE A CONTINUING CONVERSATION WITHIN AND ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES ABOUT OUR GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS AS EDUCATORS AND OF COURSE OUTCOMES PRO
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VIDE A MEANS BY WHICH FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS CAN ASSESS THE PROGRESS OF THEIR PROGRAM TOWARD MEETING INSTITUTIONAL GOALSAND A MEANS OF EXPRESSING THAT PROGRESS IN TERMS THAT ARE UNDERSTANDABLE TO VARIOUS PUBLICS &OR MORE INFORMATION ON !LVERNOS APPROACH TO TEACHING AND ASSESSING FOR OUTCOMES SEE !LVERNO #OLLEGE &ACULTY ,OACKER 3O HOW DOES !LVERNOS EXPERIENCE WITH OUTCOMES FOR WRITING RELATE TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT !S WELL SEE THE MORAL OF THIS STORY HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING A LANGUAGE OF OUT COMES THAN WITH THE PARTICULARS OF THE LANGUAGE ITSELF &IRST AND FOREMOST PERHAPS MAKING A COMMITMENT TO TEACHING AND ASSESSING FOR OUTCOMES MEANS MAKING A COMMITMENT TO A PROCESS OF ONGOING REVIEW AND REVISION OF YOUR OUTCOMES AND IN OUR CASE THE CRITERIA THAT SUPPORT THEM *UST AS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT GREW OUT OF A DISCUSSION THAT HAS CONTINUED BEYOND ITS PUBLICATION DATE THOSE WHO WOULD BRING THE IDEA OF WRITING OUTCOMES TO A PROGRAM OR CAMPUS SHOULD EXPECT THAT THEY ARE OPENING A CONVERSATION RATHER THAN SETTLING SOMETHING ONCE AND FOR ALL 3ECOND MEANINGFUL OUTCOMES ARE TAILORED TO THE PARTICULARS OF THE INSTITUTIONAL SETTING AS THE OTHER CHAPTERS IN PARTS TWO AND THREE OF THIS VOLUME ILLUS TRATE 4HE LANGUAGE OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROVIDES A BASELINE BUT PROGRAMS AND CAMPUSES SHOULD CONSIDER HOW SITE SPECIFIC CONCERNS SUCH AS STUDENT NEEDS LEVEL OF PREPARATION PERSONALPROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS ETC FACULTY JUDGMENT PROGRAM GOALS AND INSTITUTIONAL MISSION MAY AFFECT THEIR EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT WRITING 4HIRD TO BE GENUINELY EFFEC TIVE ACROSS THE CURRICULUM THE LANGUAGE OF OUTCOMES MUST STRIKE A BALANCE BETWEEN THE PERSPECTIVES OF SPECIALISTS IN WRITING AND COMMUNICATION AND THE PERSPECTIVES OF OTHER DISCIPLINES /UTCOMES ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO BE EFFECTIVE TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY CAN PROMOTE COHERENCE IN COURSES AND PROGRAMS WITHOUT MANDATING SAMENESS IN PEDAGOGY AND CURRICULUM &INALLY OPENING A CONVERSATION ABOUT OUTCOMES FOR FIRST YEAR WRITING CAN AND SHOULD LEAD TO WIDER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT COLLEGE LEVEL LEARNING A POINT STRESSED IN THE PARTS OF THE STATEMENT ADDRESSED TO FACULTY IN OTHER PROGRAMS AND DEPARTMENTS &OR EXAMPLE 7HAT ARE OR SHOULD BE THE EXPECTATIONS FOR WRITING BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION (OW CAN AND SHOULD WRITING RELATE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FULL RANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES THAT CONSTITUTE GENERAL EDUCATION )N THE PAGES THAT FOLLOW ) WILL SUMMARIZE OUR STORY AND SOME OF THE LESSONS WEVE LEARNED ABOUT USING OUTCOMES AS A COMMON LANGUAGE FOR THE TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT OF WRITING
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; / , ( 3= , 9 5 6 * 6 5 ; , ? ;
!LVERNO BEGAN ITS WORK WITH OUTCOMES IN WHEN THE COLLEGE SHIFTED ITS EDUCATIONAL PARADIGM TO A PROGRAM BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION OF LEARNING OUTCOMES OR ABILITIES RATHER THAN TRADITIONAL COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADES %FFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ABILITIES IDENTIFIED AS A LEARNING OUTCOME FOR ALL GRADUATES AND WE DEFINE COMMUNICATION BROADLY TO INCLUDE LISTENING READING SPEAK ING AND COMPUTER AND QUANTITATIVE LITERACY AS WELL AS WRITING *UST AS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNICATION DEVELOPED AND DEEPENED OVER TIME THE SCOPE OF THE LEARNING OUTCOMES WE EXPECT ALL GRADUATES TO DEMON STRATE HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE EIGHT ABILITIES COMMUNICATION ANALYSIS PROB LEM SOLVING VALUING IN DECISION MAKING SOCIAL INTERACTION DEVELOPING A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE EFFECTIVE CITIZENSHIP AND AESTHETIC ENGAGEMENT (AVING IDENTIFIED LEARNING OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF ABILITIES TO BE DEM ONSTRATED ACROSS THE CURRICULUM THE COLLEGE NEEDED TO DEVELOP STAN DARDS BY WHICH FACULTY AND STUDENTS THEMSELVES WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSESS DEMONSTRATION OF ABILITIES IN STUDENT PERFORMANCE /UR COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STUDENTS AS INDIVIDUAL LEARNERS ALSO MEANT THAT WE WOULD NOT BE SATISFIED WITH LIMITING OUR ASSESSMENT OF THEIR ABILITIES TO SELECTED SAMPLES OR AGGREGATED DATA 2ATHER !LVERNO FACULTY WORKED TO EMBED ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES INTO THE TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS ITSELF &ACULTY AND ACADEMIC STAFF FROM ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES COL LABORATED TO ARTICULATE CRITERIA THAT COULD BE USED IN ASSESSING STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION OF ABILITIES WITHIN COURSES AND ACROSS THE CURRICULUM )NSTRUCTORS USE THESE CRITERIA NOT ONLY TO MAKE JUDG MENTS ABOUT STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN THEIR COURSES BUT ALSO AS A MEANS OF ARTICULATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ABILITIES AND THE DISCIPLINES ! STRUCTURE OF hABILITY DEPARTMENTSv CHARGED WITH MAINTAINING AND DEVELOP ING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ABILITIES AS A FUNDAMENTAL ELEMENT OF THE CURRICULUM EVOLVED OVER TIME 4HE FACULTY AND ACADEMIC STAFF FROM ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES WHO SERVE IN AN ABILITY DEPARTMENT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR BEING THE CAMPUS SPECIALISTS IN THAT AREAREVIEWING AND REVISING COL LEGEWIDE CRITERIA COORDINATING FACULTY AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHING AND ASSESSING THE ABILITY AND SETTING POLICY ON CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT RELATED TO THE ABILITY !S WITH EACH OF THE EIGHT COLLEGEWIDE ABILITIES !LVERNOS CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING AND OTHER MODES OF COMMUNICATION WERE ARTICULATED BY FACULTY AND STAFF FROM ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES AND THEY CONTINUE TO BE
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DISCUSSED REVISED AND REFINED THROUGH THE WORK OF THE COMMUNICATION ABILITY DEPARTMENT 4HESE CRITERIA PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR STUDENT SELF ASSESS MENT AND FACULTY JUDGMENT OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN COMMUNICATION COURSES AND ACROSS THE CURRICULUM 5NLIKE A GRADING SCALE THE CRITERIA DEFINE WHAT FOR US ARE THE KEY ASPECTS OF EFFECTIVE WRITING AND PROVIDE A DEVELOPMENTAL PICTURE OF THE COLLEGES EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT PERFOR MANCE AS WRITERS FROM ENTRY THROUGH GRADUATION )NSTRUCTORS USE THE CRI TERIA AS A GUIDE TO WHAT THEY EXPECT FROM STUDENTS ON PARTICULAR WRITING ASSIGNMENTS AND IN TERMS OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT A COURSE AND HOW THEY CAN BEST PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THEIR FUTURE LEARNING 4HE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMUNICATION ABILITY DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY INCLUDES SPECIALISTS IN LISTENING READING SPEAKING AND WRITING FROM THE DISCIPLINES OF %NGLISH AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION AS WELL AS COL LEAGUES FROM DISCIPLINES LIKE COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION MATHEMATICS NURSING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE 4HIS CROSS DISCIPLINARY GROUP ENGAGES IN ONGOING DISCUSSION OF WHAT WE AS A COLLEGE MEAN BY EFFECTIVE WRITING AND COMMUNICATION GENERALLY BOTH WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH COLLEAGUES ACROSS CAMPUS )N ADDITION TO THIS CONCEPTUAL LEADERSHIP THE COMMUNICA TION ABILITY DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS COMMUNICATION ACROSS THE CURRICULUM BY OVERSEEING THE COLLEGES PLACEMENT ASSESSMENT IN COMMUNICATION COORDINATING THE REQUIRED COMMUNICATION COURSES IN THE GENERAL EDUCA TION CURRICULUM AND OFFERING FACULTY AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN TEACHING AND ASSESSING FOR COMMUNICATION >90;05.6<;*64,:(:(565.605.796*,::
4HE h#RITERIA FOR %FFECTIVE 7RITINGv SHEET THAT !LVERNO STUDENTS RECEIVE IN THEIR BEGINNING COMMUNICATION COURSES AND THAT FACULTY USE IN DESIGN ING AND RESPONDING TO WRITING ASSIGNMENTS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM BEARS A SERIES OF COPYRIGHT DATES AND 3EE THIS CHAPTERS APPENDIX P FOR SELECTIONS FROM THE h#RITERIA FOR %FFECTIVE 7RITINGv 4HIS LIST OF DATES DEMONSTRATES HOW OUR DEVELOPING SENSE OF WHAT hEFFECTIVE WRITINGv MEANS HAS LED TO FAIRLY REGU LAR REVISIONS OF THE DOCUMENT OVER TIME 4HE CHANGES IN THE DOCUMENT HAVE INCLUDED MOVING FROM A LIST OF TWENTY THREE SEPARATE ITEMS TO CRITERIA ORGANIZED IN RELATION TO SEVEN KEY COMPONENTS OF EFFECTIVE WRITING AND ARTICULATED IN TERMS OF DEVELOPMENTAL LEVELS FOR EACH COMPONENT 7E HAVE ALSO REFINED THE LANGUAGE OF OUR CRITERIA CONDENSING OR EXPANDING ON OUR DESCRIPTIVE STATEMENTS BASED ON OUR DEVELOPING KNOWLEDGE OF THE ABILITY AND OUR EXPERIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM &OR EXAMPLE OUR DESCRIPTION
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OF EFFECTIVE STRUCTURE IN FIRST YEAR WRITING HAS EVOLVED FROM hSHOWS GENERAL SENSE OF STRUCTUREv TO hESTABLISHES AND MAINTAINS FOCUS ON A CLEAR PURPOSE PROVIDING TRANSITIONS TO CLARIFY RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MOST POINTS OF DEVELOPMENTv IN ORDER TO PROVIDE STUDENTS AND FACULTY WITH A FULLER SENSE OF WHAT hPURPOSEFUL STRUCTUREv MEANS SEE !LVERNO #OLLEGE #OMMUNICATION !BILITY $EPARTMENT FOR THE FULL EXPLANATION OF OUR CRITERIA 2EVISIONS LIKE THESE REFLECT THE WAY IN WHICH STATEMENTS OF OUTCOMES CAN AND SHOULD BE ADAPTED TO RESPOND TO OUR DEVELOPING UNDERSTANDING OF THE ABILITY AS TEACHERS AND SCHOLARS IN THE FIELD CHANGES IN OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR NEEDS AS LEARNERS AND CHANGES IN THE WAY COM MUNICATION WORKS IN THE WORLD AROUND US !T !LVERNO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WRITING AS AN ABILITY HAS LED US TO DEFINE DEVELOPMENTAL CRITERIA FOR PROGRESS TOWARD BECOMING AN EFFECTIVE WRITER AND COMMUNICATOR 4HIS MEANS FOR EXAMPLE THAT OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR HOW A STUDENT SUPPORTS A POSITION OR DEVELOPS AN IDEA BECOME MORE RIGOROUS AS SHE PROGRESSES IN THE CURRICULUM !T THE BEGINNING LEVEL WE EXPECT THAT A STUDENT WILL SHOW hABILITY TO USE EXAMPLES ANDOR EVIDENCE MEANINGFUL TO AUDIENCEv AS A STUDENT COMPLETES HER GENERAL EDUCATION AND MOVES INTO ADVANCED LEVEL WORK WE EXPECT THAT HER WRITING WILL EXHIBIT hDEVELOPMENT OF APPROPRIATE LENGTH AND VARIETY AND OF SUFFICIENT INTEREST TO CONVINCE AUDIENCE OF WORTH OF MESSAGEv 7HAT hAPPROPRIATEv AND hSUFFICIENTv MEAN HERE IS DETERMINED BY THE COURSE AND DISCIPLINARYPROFES SIONAL CONTEXT 3UCH CRITERIA CAPTURE THE QUALITATIVE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE EXPECT FROM STUDENTS AS THEY BEGIN THEIR DEGREE PROGRAM AND WHERE WE EXPECT THEM TO BE AS THEY MOVE INTO THE MAJOR )N ADDITION TO DESCRIBING INCREASING SOPHISTICATION IN ENGAGING AND PERSUADING READERS THE CRITERIA FOR DEVELOPMENT OF IDEAS ALSO REINFORCE THE EXTENT TO WHICH EFFECTIVE PERFOR MANCE IS DETERMINED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COURSE AND DISCIPLINE OR PROFES SIONAL AREA 7HAT COUNTS AS hAPPROPRIATEv LENGTH AND hSUFFICIENTv INTEREST CAN AND SHOULD VARY ACROSS ASSIGNMENTS AND COURSES AND PART OF WHAT WE AIM TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS IS THE ABILITY TO RESPOND SUCCESSFULLY TO A VARIETY OF RHETORICAL SITUATIONS WITHIN AND ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES 4HIS KIND OF ATTEN TION TO VARIED AUDIENCES AND WRITING IN DISCIPLINARY CONTEXTS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BUT WE HAVE ALSO TRIED TO ARTICULATE WHAT IT MEANS FOR STUDENT WRITERS TO BECOME INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED IN THE WAYS THEY SUPPORT A POSITION OR DEVELOP AN IDEA AS THEY MOVE FROM FIRST YEAR COM MUNICATION COURSES THROUGH THE GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM )N ADDITION TO REFINING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT MEANS FOR STU DENTS TO DEVELOP AS WRITERS OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR STUDIES WE HAVE ALSO
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ATTEMPTED TO REFINE OUR CRITERIA IN RESPONSE TO OUR CHANGING SENSE OF THE NATURE OF WRITING PARTICULARLY IN TERMS OF HOW WRITING RELATES TO OTHER MODES OF COMMUNICATION 7E HAVE DEFINED hEFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONv BROADLY OVER TIME AND IN ADDITION TO WRITING IT HAS COME TO INCLUDE LISTEN ING READING AND SPEAKING AS WELL AS QUANTITATIVE AND COMPUTER LITERACY 9ET EVEN AS WE HAVE DEVELOPED AND REFINED DISCRETE CRITERIA FOR EACH OF THESE ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION WE HAVE ALSO INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZED THE INTEGRATIVE NATURE OF EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION PARTICULARLY AT MORE ADVANCED LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE !S A RESULT WE HAVE WORKED WITH INSTRUC TORS TO HELP THEM TEACH AND ASSESS WRITING BOTH DISCRETELY AND AS PART OF AN INTEGRATED PERFORMANCE USING DISCUSSION ANDOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS AS PART OF A WRITING PROCESS FOR EXAMPLE OR DESIGNING ASSIGNMENTS THAT COMBINE ORAL AND WRITTEN PERFORMANCE 7E ALSO CONTINUE TO BE CHAL LENGED BY SUCH hNEWv LITERACIES AS INFORMATION MEDIA AND VISUAL LITERACY AND THE COMMUNICATION ABILITY DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING HOW TO ADAPT OUR CRITERIA IN ORDER TO CONVEY MORE EXPLICITLY WHAT WE EXPECT OF STUDENTS AND FACULTY IN THESE AREAS 4HOUGH WRITING WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US DEPARTMENTS OR PROGRAMS THAT EMBRACE OUTCOMES FOR WRITING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO EMBRACE THE CHANGING NATURE OF COMMUNICATION AND COMMIT THEMSELVES TO ONGOING REEVALUATION OF THEIR EXPECTATIONS FOR WHAT CONSTITUTES EFFECTIVE STUDENT WRITING 3 6 *( 3 + 0 ( 3 , * ; : 0 5 ; / , 3 ( 5 . < (. , 6 - 6 < ; * 6 4 , :
!NOTHER IMPORTANT LESSON ABOUT OUTCOMES FOR WRITING IS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SITE SPECIFIC ! GENERIC STATEMENT LIKE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS A VALUABLE BENCHMARK AND POINT OF DEPARTURE BUT STATEMENTS OF OUTCOMES SHOULD ALSO REFLECT THE PARTICULAR NEEDS AND CONCERNS OF THE PROGRAM OR CAMPUS FROM WHICH THEY COME !T !LVERNO FOR EXAMPLE THE NATURE OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION THE COLLEGES MISSION AND THE PROFESSIONAL JUDG MENT OF OUR FACULTY AND STAFF HAVE LED US TO DEFINE OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING IN THE WAY WE HAVE /UR WRITING OUTCOMES ARE GENERALLY CONSISTENT WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BUT THE WAY THEY ARE EXPRESSED REFLECTS THE PARTICULAR PLACE AND ROLE OF WRITING ON OUR CAMPUS AS WELL AS OUR BEST SENSE OF WHAT OUR STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM AS DEVELOPING COM MUNICATORS &OR EXAMPLE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SAYS STUDENTS SHOULD hUNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND POWERv !T !LVERNO WE WOULD ENDORSE THIS IDEA AND WE THINK OUR STUDENTS DO DEVELOP AND DEMONSTRATE SUCH UNDERSTANDING OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR STUDIES BUT WE HAVENT EXPLICITLY ARTICULATED THIS KIND OF CRITICAL LITERACY
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AS PART OF OUR OUTCOMES FOR COMMUNICATION 2ATHER WE SEE THE COM MUNICATION ABILITIES OUR STUDENTS DEVELOP AS A NECESSARY ELEMENT OF THE CRITICAL AWARENESS OF SELF AND WORLD PROMOTED BY THE COLLEGE CURRICULUM AS A WHOLE /UR OUTCOMES ALSO DIFFER FROM THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN TERMS OF THE PLACE AND ROLE OF GENRE IN THE TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT OF WRITING 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SAY STUDENTS SHOULD hUNDERSTAND HOW GENRES SHAPE READING AND WRITINGv AND hWRITE IN SEVERAL GENRESv BY THE END OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION (ERE TOO WE WOULD ACCEPT THIS POSITION BUT HAVENT ARTICULATED IT AS A PART OF OUR OUTCOMES /UR STUDENTS WORK IN A VARIETY OF GENRES IN ORDER TO ADDRESS VARIED AUDIENCES OR MEET THE DEMANDS OF DIFFERENT DISCIPLINARY CONTEXTS RATHER THAN STUDYING GENRE AS A CONCEPT UNTO ITSELF !LVERNOS ABILITY BASED CURRICULUM AS A WHOLE INFORMS HOW WE THINK ABOUT WRITING 3INCE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS ONE OF EIGHT LEARNING OUTCOMES EXPECTED OF ALL GRADUATES WRITING AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION HAVENT HAD TO BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE 7E EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO DEVEL OP AND DEMONSTRATE CRITICAL THINKING SOCIAL AWARENESS AESTHETIC ENGAGE MENT AND REFLECTIVE LEARNING THROUGH WRITING BUT WE DONT HAVE TO FEEL ITS UP TO THE WRITING PROGRAM ALONE TO ENSURE THAT THIS HAPPENS ,IKEWISE THE VALUE AND PRACTICE OF SELF ASSESSMENT AND REFLECTION IS SOMETHING STUDENTS LEARN ACROSS THE CURRICULUMNOT JUST WHEN THEYRE PROMPTED TO ANALYZE AND REFLECT ON THEIR PERFORMANCE IN A COMMUNICATION COURSE !T !LVERNO THE ABILITY DEPARTMENTS FOR ANALYSIS PROBLEM SOLVING SOCIAL INTERACTION VALUING IN DECISION MAKING DEVELOPING A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE EFFECTIVE CITIZENSHIP AND AESTHETIC ENGAGEMENT PROMOTE THE DEVELOP MENT OF ABILITIES THAT WRITING PROGRAMS OFTEN SEE AS PART OF THEIR MISSION AND PURPOSE %VEN IF NO COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO LEARNING OUTCOMES IS ON THE HORIZON AT YOUR CAMPUS IT STILL MAKES SENSE TO CONSIDER WHETHER AND HOW ELEMENTS OF YOUR OUTCOMES FOR WRITING ARE ALSO BEING ADDRESSED BY OTHER PROGRAMS ON CAMPUS BOTH TO BUILD ON MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS AND TO WEED OUT UNNECESSARY REDUNDANCY THAT MAY BLUR YOUR FOCUS AND FRUSTRATE YOUR STUDENTS #ONVERSELY YOUR OUTCOMES SHOULD HIGHLIGHT WHAT IS TRULY DISTINCTIVE ABOUT YOUR APPROACH TO WRITING SUCH AS THE CITIZENSHIP VALUES OF A WRITING PROGRAM WITH A STRONG SERVICE LEARNING COMPONENT 7ITHIN THE LARGER CURRICULAR CONTEXT FOR WRITING AT !LVERNO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON WHAT WE THINK OUR STUDENTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE MOST AS DEVELOPING COMMUNICATORS !LVERNO IS AN URBAN WOMENS COL LEGE SERVING A STUDENT POPULATION THAT IS DIVERSE BY AGE RACE ETHNICITY AND ACADEMIC PREPARATION 'IVEN OUR STUDENTS AND OUR MISSION OF PROMOTING
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THE PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN WE HAVE PRIMARILY ENVISIONED WRITING AND COMMUNICATION AS INSTRUMENTALPROVIDING THE MEANS TO BOTH PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT AND ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE !S A RESULT WE HAVE DEFINED OUR OUTCOMES AND CRITERIA FOR WRITING IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNICATION SKILLS WE THINK OUR STUDENTS WILL NEED FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND &OR US HOWEVER THESE ESSENTIAL SKILLS ENCOMPASS MUCH MORE THAN JUST hBACK TO BASICSv CORRECTNESS OR SLICK PRESENTATION 4HE CENTRAL CONCEPT IN OUR CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IS AUDI ENCE AND EACH DIMENSION OF EFFECTIVE WRITING WE HAVE DEFINED IS STATED IN TERMS OF HOW IT CONNECTS WITH AUDIENCE 4HE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF YOUR AUDIENCE TOGETHER WITH THE ABILITY TO ANA LYZE AND REFLECT ON YOUR OWN PERFORMANCE ARE THE TOUCHSTONES OF WHAT WE MEAN BY EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AT !LVERNO 4HESE ARE THE TOOLS WE THINK OUR STUDENTS WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND SUCCEED AS COM MUNICATORS AND LIFELONG LEARNERS 6 < ; * 6 4 , : (; > 6 9 2 · ( 5 + 0 5 7 3 (@
)N ADDITION TO CAPTURING THE LOCAL DIALECT OF ITS INSTITUTIONAL SETTING THE LANGUAGE OF OUTCOMES FOR WRITING SHOULD EXPRESS A BALANCE OR AT LEAST A CREATIVE TENSION AMONG THE MULTIPLE INTERESTS INVOLVED IN ANY EFFORT AT PROMOTING WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM 7ELL CRAFTED OUTCOMES AIM TO PROMOTE COHERENCE IN CURRICULUM AND PEDAGOGY WITHOUT MANDATING SAMENESS IN PRACTICE 4HEY ARE SHAPED BY THE EXPERTISE OF WRITING SPECIAL ISTS IN DIALOGUE WITH THE DISCIPLINES PROFESSIONAL AREAS AND THE VARIOUS PUBLICS WITH WHICH THE INSTITUTION IS ENGAGED !T THEIR BEST STATEMENTS OF OUTCOMES CAN BE USED TO DEFINE A RANGE OF THEORY AND PRACTICE THAT CONSTITUTES A WORKING CONSENSUS ON WHAT WRITING MEANS ON A CAMPUS 3UCH A ROUGH CONSENSUS WILL NEVER BE ABSOLUTE OR ENTIRELY SETTLED BUT THE CONTINUING DIALOGUE THAT OUTCOMES STATEMENTS SHOULD REPRESENT CAN HELP MAINTAIN AWARENESS AND DEVELOP UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE OF WRIT ING AND EFFECTIVE WRITING INSTRUCTION IN COLLEGE LEVEL LEARNINGBOTH FOR NEWER FACULTY AND ON A CONTINUING BASIS !T !LVERNO THIS CREATIVE TENSION AMONG VARIOUS INTERESTS AND PERSPEC TIVES PLAYS OUT IN A NUMBER OF WAYS THAT MAY SOUND FAMILIAR TO WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN WRITING ACROSS THE CUR RICULUM %VEN AFTER TWENTY FIVE YEARS OF USING COLLEGEWIDE CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WE EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO AS WRITERS ARE VERY MUCH ALIVE ON OUR CAMPUS )N RECENT YEARS OUR DISCUSSIONS HAVE CENTERED ON SUCH ISSUES AS THE NATURE AND ROLE
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OF RESEARCH IN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION OUR EXPECTATIONS RELATED TO STU DENTS COMPUTER LITERACY AND OF COURSE THE PERENNIAL ISSUE OF RESPOND ING TO STUDENT ERROR IN THE CONVENTIONS OF WRITTEN %NGLISH 4HE OUTCOMES EMBODIED IN OUR COLLEGE CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE COM MUNICATION HELPED FOCUS OUR MOST RECENT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE ROLE OF RESEARCH AND COMPUTER LITERACY IN COMMUNICATION ACROSS THE CURRICU LUMPARTICULARLY IN THE FIRST YEAR /UR OUTCOMES FOR FIRST YEAR COMMUNI CATION HAVE LONG INCLUDED THE ABILITY TO DISTINGUISH ONES OWN THOUGHTS FROM THOSE OF OTHERS AND TO SUPPORT ONES GENERALIZATIONS WITH EXAMPLES AND EVIDENCE BUT WE HAVE NOT MANDATED THAT A RESEARCH PAPER BE PART OF THE FIRST YEAR CURRICULUM IN OUR INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION SEMINARS 7E ADDRESS RESEARCH SKILLS AND STRATEGIES MORE EXPLICITLY AND THOROUGHLY IN THE FINAL COURSE IN OUR THREE COURSE SEQUENCE OF INTEGRATED COMMUNICA TION SEMINARS WHICH MOST STUDENTS TAKE IN THEIR THIRD SEMESTER &ROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE COMMUNICATION ABILITY DEPARTMENT THIS MADE SENSE IN TERMS OF HOW OUR STUDENTS DEVELOP AS COMMUNICATORS AND IN TERMS OF THE COLLEGE CURRICULUM 7E OFFER STUDENTS INSTRUCTION IN RESEARCH AFTER THEY HAVE MASTERED BASIC SKILLS AND STRATEGIES IN LISTENING READING SPEAKING WRITING AND COMPUTER LITERACY AND AT A POINT IN THE CURRICULUM WHERE THEY ARE BEGINNING TO DO RESEARCH IN DISCIPLINE BASED COURSES !T THE SAME TIME HOWEVER WE BECAME INCREASINGLY AWARE THAT OUR IMAGE OF THE FIRST YEAR DIDNT COMPLETELY MATCH THE REALITY &ACULTY TEACH ING OUR INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION SEMINARS AND OTHER FIRST YEAR COURSES IN THE DISCIPLINES REPORTED THAT OUR CRITERIA AND RELATED CURRICULUM DIDNT NECESSARILY FIT STUDENT NEEDS &OR EXAMPLE WHETHER WE COMMU NICATION SPECIALISTS LIKED IT OR NOT MANY FIRST YEAR STUDENTS WERE BEING REQUIRED TO DO RESEARCH PARTICULARLY USING THE )NTERNET OR WERE PURSU ING SUCH RESEARCH ON THEIR OWN !T THE SAME TIME FIRST YEAR STUDENTS WITH LITTLE COMPUTER EXPERIENCE OR LIMITED ACCESS TO COMPUTERS WERE BEING ASKED TO USE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN WAYS THEY HADNT BEEN TAUGHT -EMBERS OF THE COMMUNICATION ABILITY DEPARTMENT WORKED WITH COL LEAGUES IN THE DISCIPLINES AND RELEVANT ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE 4HE RESULTS WERE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHY RESEARCH IS A PRIORITY FOR SOME BUT NOT ALL FIRST YEAR GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR ASSESSING BEGINNING STUDENTS COMPUTER LITERACY AND DELIVERING THE RIGHT INSTRUCTION TO THE STUDENTS WHO NEED IT MOST AND A REVISION OF OUR COLLEGE CRITERIA FOR COMPUTER AND INFORMATION LITERACY TO REFLECT OUR CURRENT EXPECTATIONS AND PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICE IN THE FIRST YEAR )N CASES LIKE THESE OUTCOMES FOR WRITING AND COMMUNICATION DONT SOLVE
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THE PROBLEM IN THEMSELVES BUT THEY REPRESENT A SHARED COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING SUCH CONCERNS ACROSS THE CURRICULUM AND A MEANS FOR ARTICU LATING AND DISSEMINATING SOLUTIONS 4HE ONGOING CONVERSATION ABOUT RESPONDING TO ERROR IN STUDENT WRIT ING ON OUR CAMPUS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THE LANGUAGE OF OUTCOMES AND CRITERIA PROVIDES A MEANS FOR ADDRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT STUDENT WRIT ING /UR COLLEGEWIDE CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING HAVE BEEN INTENTIONALLY AMBIGUOUS WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT WE CALL THE USE OF hAPPROPRIATEv CON VENTIONS USAGE SPELLING PUNCTUATION CAPITALIZATION SENTENCE STRUCTURE FORMAT /UR EXPECTATION FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS IS THAT THEY hCONSISTENTLYv FOLLOW APPROPRIATE CONVENTIONS AND WE HAVE LEFT IT UP TO FACULTY TO DEFINE WHAT hCONSISTENTLYv MEANS IN THE CONTEXT OF THEIR COURSE AND DISCIPLINE 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT LANGUAGE ON KNOWLEDGE OF CONVENTIONS IS SIMI LARLY OPEN TO CONTEXTUAL DEFINITION )T REFERS TO hCONTROL OF CONVENTIONSv BUT LEAVES IT UP TO FACULTY TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT CONTROL OF CONVENTIONS MEANS /N OUR CAMPUS SUCH LANGUAGE ALLOWS US TO EXPRESS WHAT WE CAN AGREE ON WHEN IT COMES TO CONVENTIONS AND IT HAS HELPED GENERATE CONTINU ING DISCUSSION OF HOW TO BOTH TEACH AND RESPOND TO THIS ASPECT OF WRITING /NE CONSTRUCTIVE RESULT OF THE WAY OUR OUTCOMES FOR WRITING ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF ERROR IN CONVENTIONS HAS BEEN ONGOING DIALOGUE BETWEEN COMMUNICATION SPECIALISTS AND FACULTY FROM ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES ABOUT WHY OUR CRITERIA TAKE THE FORM THAT THEY DO 4HE CATEGORY OF APPROPRI ATE CONVENTIONS IS ONE OF SEVEN DIMENSIONS OF WRITING WE ADDRESS IN OUR CRITERIA REINFORCING THE IDEA THAT THE USE OF CONVENTIONS IS IMPORTANT BUT NOT THE SUM TOTAL OF EFFECTIVE WRITING 3IMILARLY THE GENERAL LANGUAGE OF THE CRITERIA FOR CONVENTIONS ITSELF REFLECTS THE DEGREE TO WHICH JUDGMENTS ABOUT THE APPROPRIATE USE OF CONVENTIONS ARE CONTEXTUAL RATHER THAN ABSOLUTE 4HROUGH DEPARTMENT MEETINGS AND FACULTY IN SERVICES WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TALK WITH COLLEAGUES ABOUT THE RESEARCH THAT DEMONSTRATES THE LIMITATIONS OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION IN hGRAMMARv 7E ALSO OFFER FACULTY IDEAS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE USE OF CONVENTIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR IDENTIFYING AND ADDRESSING PATTERNS OF ERROR IN STUDENT WRITING 4HESE EFFORTS HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT END EVERY COMPLAINT ABOUT WHAT OUR STUDENTS DONT SEEM TO KNOW OR BE ABLE TO DO AS WRITERS BUT OUR OUTCOMES FOR WRITING HAVE HELPED US EXPLAIN THAT OUR APPROACH TO ERROR IN CONVENTIONS IS AN INFORMED ONEAND NOT MERELY A SIGN OF NEGLECT OR GRAMMATICAL RELATIVISM &INALLY OUR WORK WITH OUTCOMES FOR WRITING AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICA TION HAS CONSISTENTLY SHOWN US THAT AN OUTCOME BASED APPROACH SHOULDNT
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BEGIN AND END WITH FIRST YEAR WRITING /UR CRITERIA FOR EFFECTIVE WRITING EXPRESS OUR EXPECTATIONS THROUGH GENERAL EDUCATION AND INTO THE MAJOR AND THEY REINFORCE THE MESSAGE THAT DEVELOPING STUDENTS WRITING ABILITY IS A COLLEGEWIDE COMMITMENT 4HE LANGUAGE IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ABOUT HOW FACULTY ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES CAN BUILD ON THE OUTCOMES FOR FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION IS A USEFUL STEP TOWARD THIS KIND OF COLLECTIVE COM MITMENT 7HAT REMAINS IS FOR DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS TO MAINTAIN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHERE AND HOW FACULTY ACROSS THE CURRICULUM CAN FOLLOW THROUGH ON THIS COMMITMENT !LVERNO BEGAN REINVENTING ITS CUR RICULUM WITH A PARADIGM SHIFT THAT PUT A SET OF LEARNING OUTCOMES AT THE HEART OF THE TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESS AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE HOW WE MUST ADDRESS MORE THAN JUST WRITING AND THE FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE IN ORDER FOR OUR STUDENTS TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AS LEARNERS 7E CON TINUE TO GRAPPLE WITH HOW TO RE DEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR AS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ABILITY AND OF THE WORLD IN WHICH OUR STUDENTS COMMUNICATE CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND WE CONTINUE TO TALK WITH OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES ABOUT HOW WE CAN BET TER UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS OUR STUDENTS NEEDS AS WRITERS AND LEARNERS 7RITING OUTCOMES AS A PROCESS AND A PRODUCT REPRESENT A SHARED COMMIT MENT TO THIS ONGOING INQUIRY
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)N RELATION TO SELF ASSESSMENT s 3HOWS SOME UNDERSTANDING OF DEVELOPMENT IN ONES OWN WRITING ABILITY BASED ON CRITERIA
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4HE EXODUS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FROM THE LOVING HOME OF ITS BIRTH PARENTS SEE 2HODES ET AL CHAPTER TWO IN THIS VOLUME FOREGROUNDS THE FOLLOWING QUESTION 7HAT PITFALLS DO THE WRITERS OF THE STATEMENTAND THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORSNEED TO BE AWARE OF AS THE STATEMENT IS CIRCULATED AND USED 4HIS ESSAY WILL CONSIDER THAT QUESTION IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT PUSH TOWARD GENERAL EDUCATION REFORM AS EXEMPLI FIED IN A REPORT ISSUED IN BY THE "OYER #OMMISSION 7HAT IMPLICA TION DOES GENERAL EDUCATION REFORM WHICH IS USUALLY DRIVEN BY HIGH LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS HAVE FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 7HAT DIFFERENCE DOES THE THINKING BEHIND SUCH REFORM MAKE TO THOSE OF US WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STATEMENT BECOME A RESPECTED WIDELY USED DOCUMENT 4HE "OYER #OMMISSION REPORTWHICH SEEMS TO ME REPRESENTATIVE OF THE THINKING BEHIND GENERAL EDUCATION REFORMIS IN MANY RESPECTS TER RIFIC 4ITLED 2EINVENTING 5NDERGRADUATE %DUCATION ! "LUEPRINT FOR !MERICAS 2ESEARCH 5NIVERSITIES IT ADDRESSESAND CALLS FOR REDRESS OFTHE GRIEVANCES BOTH STUDENTS AND FACULTY HAVE FILED METAPHORICALLY SPEAKING AGAINST LARGE RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN THIS COUNTRY !CCORDING TO THE WRITERS OF THE REPORT STUDENTS AT SUCH INSTITUTIONS TYPICALLY FIND THEIR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES DISJOINTED AND IMPERSONAL FROM DAY ONE THEY TAKE A SERIES OF COURSES THAT ARE CIRCUMSCRIBED BY THE BOUNDARIES OF DISCIPLINES AND THEREFORE COMPARTMENTALIZED hWRITING GOES HERE AND HISTORY IN HERE AND MATH v 4HE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THESE SEEMINGLY DISCRETE SUB JECTS COULD BE MADE CLEARER BY CARING FACULTY MEMBERS WHO WERE WILLING TO SPEND TIME WITH STUDENTS YET STUDENTS HAVE LIMITED CONTACT WITH ANY FACULTY AT ALL IN LARGE PART BECAUSE THE REWARD SYSTEM OF RESEARCH INSTITU TIONS PRIVILEGES RESEARCH OVER TEACHING AND CLASSROOM TIME OVER OFFICE HOUR TIME 4HE END RESULT IS THAT FACULTY WHO ENJOY TALKING AND WORKING WITH STUDENTS SEE THEIR MORALE IF NOT THEIR JOBS EVENTUALLY DISAPPEAR
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FACULTY WHO SEE STUDENTS AS A MERE DISTRACTION FROM THEIR RESEARCH ARE AWARDED PROMOTION AND TENURE A NEW CROP OF SOON TO BE DISAFFECTED FRESHMEN ENTERS THE UNIVERSITY AND THE CYCLE BEGINS ALL OVER AGAIN "OYER #OMMISSION 4HE CYCLE IS OF COURSE A RESULT OF THE HISTORICAL EVOLU TION OF THE !MERICAN UNIVERSITY A PROCESS THAT BEGAN IN THE S WITH THE IMPORTATION OF THE 'ERMAN RESEARCH INSTITUTION MODEL AND THE SPLITTING OF THE FORMERLY WELL INTEGRATED CLASSICAL CURRICULUM BASED COLLEGE INTO SPECIALIZED DEPARTMENTS WITH SEPARATE DISCIPLINARY CULTURES AND EXPECTA TIONS SEE FOR INSTANCE "RERETON n 4HE "OYER #OMMISSION REPORT CALLS FOR STOPPING THE CYCLE IN PART BY RECONCEIVING BOTH THE WAY FACULTY THINK OF RESEARCH AND THE WAY THEY ARE REWARDED FOR RESEARCH AND TEACHING 5NIVERSITIES THE AUTHORS OF THE REPORT SUGGEST SHOULD GIVE FACULTY MORE TIME TO SPEND ONE ON ONE WITH STUDENTS HELPING STUDENTS WITH RESEARCH AS PART OF THEIR COURSE LOAD 4HOSE WHO EVALUATE TEACHING SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK NEW WAYS OF MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF TEACHING NOT SIMPLY TO RELYAS HAS TRADITION ALLY BEEN DONEON RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION AS AN INDEX OF PRODUCTIVITY 4HE REPORT ALSO CALLS FOR OTHER TEACHING REFORMS INCLUDING MORE EXPLICIT CONNECTIONS AMONG COURSES THE FRESHMAN YEAR SHOULD PROVIDE A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE KIND OF ACADEMIC WORK THAT IS TO FOLLOW IN ALL DISCI PLINES AND THE SOPHOMORE JUNIOR AND SENIOR CURRICULUM SHOULD BUILD ON THAT FOUNDATION $EPARTMENTS SHOULD RESTRUCTURE COURSES AT THE UPPER LEVELS TO RELY LESS HEAVILY ON THE TRADITIONAL LECTURE MODE OF INSTRUCTION AND ALLOW STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THE KIND OF HANDS ON RESEARCH USING PRIMARY SOURCES THAT THEIR PROFESSORS TYPICALLY DO 4HROUGHOUT THE RESEARCH PROCESS PROFESSORS SHOULD PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH ONE ON ONE MENTORING AND ESTABLISH LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM THEREBY INCREASING EACH UNDERGRADUATES SENSE OF BELONGING TO AN INTELLECTUAL COMMUNITY "OYER #OMMISSION )T SEEMS TO ME THAT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD ELICIT A SYM PATHETIC RESPONSE FROM MOST COMPOSITIONISTS PARTICULARLY 70!S FOR WHOM THE DEPARTMENTAL AND CURRICULAR STRUCTUREAND CONSEQUENTLY REWARD SYSTEMOF THE TRADITIONAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY HAVE HISTORICALLY PRESENTED PROBLEMS %RNEST "OYERS 3CHOLARSHIP 2ECONSIDERED AND 3CHOLARSHIP !SSESSED 'LASSICK (UBER AND -AEROFF ARE FREQUENTLY CITED ON THE 70! , LISTSERV WHEN QUESTIONS ARISE ABOUT HOW TO CONVINCE COMMITTEES AND ADMINISTRATORS OF ONES WORTHINESS FOR PROMOTION AND TENURE THEY ARE ALSO REFERENCED IN THE #OUNCIL OF 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS DOCUMENT h%VALUATING THE )NTELLECTUAL 7ORK OF 7RITING
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0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATIONv 4HEY INFORM THE THINKING OF THE "OYER #OMMISSION REPORT AS WELL THOUGH IT IS ) THINK IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT %RNEST "OYER HIMSELF WAS ONLY A MARGINAL MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION HAVING DIED WELL BEFORE IT COMPLETED ITS WORK &URTHERMORE IF ONE TAKES THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS REPRESENTATIVE OF 70! THINKING ABOUT TEACH ING THE /3 AND THE REPORT ARE TO SOME DEGREE SIMPATICO "OTH ENCOURAGE THE INTEGRATION OF THEORY AND PRACTICE BOTH CALL ON FACULTY ACROSS THE DIS CIPLINES THOSE TEACHING UPPER DIVISION COURSES TO BUILD ON WHAT STUDENTS LEARN IN THE FRESHMAN YEAR "OTH ADVOCATETHOUGH THE /3 DOES THIS ONLY IMPLICITLYTHE CROSSING OF DISCIPLINARY BOUNDARIES (OWEVER THE REPORT RAISES FOR ME A TROUBLING ISSUE 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS CROSSING OF BOUNDARIES NOTWITHSTANDING A DISCIPLINARY DOCU MENT ITS VIRTUE AND ITS REASON FOR BEING IS THAT IT IS A STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE WITHIN THE FIELD OF COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC THINK FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSES SHOULD DO 4HE "OYER #OMMISSION REPORT ON THE OTHER HAND CRITIQUES THE VERY IDEA OF DISCIPLINARITY CHIDING ACADEMIC DEPART MENTSWHERE DISCIPLINARY EXPERTISE PRESENTLY RESIDESFOR BEING TOO INSULAR TOO CONCERNED WITH MAINTAINING THEIR OWN POLITICAL POWER WITHIN UNIVERSITIES AT THE EXPENSE OF hCHANGEv 5NIVERSITY BUDGETS ARE NOW BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF DEPARTMENTAL HEGEMONY AS A RESULT IMPORTANT INNOVATIONS ARE OFTEN DOOMED FOR LACK OF DEPART MENTAL SPONSORSHIP $EPARTMENTS NECESSARILY THINK IN TERMS OF PROTECTING AND ADVANCING THEIR OWN INTERESTS )NITIATIVES FOR CHANGE COMING FROM SOURCES OUTSIDE DEPARTMENTS ARE VIEWED AS THREATS RATHER THAN OPPORTUNITIES .EW DECISIONS ON DISTRIBUTING RESOURCES MUST BE CARRIED OUT AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN THE UNIVERSITY AND THEY CAN BE EXPECTED TO MEET LITTLE ENTHUSIASM FROM THOSE WHOSE INTERESTS ARE PROTECTED BY EXISTING SYSTEMS "OYER #OMMISSION
4HE REPORTS CRITIQUE OF DISCIPLINARY FACULTY IS ENCODED MORE DEEPLY IN SOME PLACES THAN IN OTHERS WITHIN ITS LANGUAGE (ERE THE ENCODING IS NOT PARTICULARLY DEEP 4AKEN IN THE LARGER CONTEXT OF THE REPORT THIS PASSAGE IMPLIES THAT STUDENTS ARE THE ONES WHO SUFFER FOR WHAT WOULD APPEAR TO BE FACULTY MEMBERS NATURAL TENDENCY TO THINK ONLY OF THEMSELVES ADMINIS TRATORS WHO ARE CHARGED WITH A HIGHER CALLING NEED TO WITHHOLD RESOURCES FROM SELFISH FACULTY IN ORDER TO BENEFIT THE STUDENTS 4HOSE OF US WHO HAVE RUN WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM WORKSHOPS CAN UNDERSTAND THIS VIEW OF DISCIPLINARY EXPERTISEAND DEPARTMENTAL HEGEMONYTO SOME EXTENT -OST OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED RESISTANCE FROM FACULTY WHO REFUSE TO INCORPORATE NEW WAYS OF TEACHING INTO THEIR COURSES
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BECAUSE TO RETHINK TEACHING WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH TIME FROM THEIR RESEARCH TAKE TOO MUCH TIME FROM CONTENT COVERAGE OR VIOLATE THEIR ACADEMIC FREEDOM 70!S WITH DEGREES IN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION ARE ALSO AWARE OF THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF COMPOSITION AS A DISCIPLINE THE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY INTO THE MAJORS OUR PROGRAMS hSERVEv HAS HAD AS WE KNOW A HUGE HAND IN CREATING COMPOSITIONS LOWER CLASS STATUS AND ITS RELEGATION TO THE PROVERBIAL BASEMENT 7!# WORKSHOPS OCCASIONAL LY BRING THOSE HISTORICAL FACTSAND THE RESENTMENT THEY HAVE ENGENDERED IN USINTO SHARP FOCUS (OWEVER IF WE THINK BACK ON THOSE SAME WORKSHOPS WE CAN ALSO PROBABLY REMEMBER THE FACULTY MEMBER FROM HISTORY WHO FOLLOWING THE WORKSHOP CREATED THE INFORMAL WRITING ASSIGNMENT WE USED AS A MODEL IN OUR NEXT WORKSHOP THE COMPUTER SCIENCE PROF WHO FIGURED OUT HOW TO SEQUENCE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS IN A MORE BENEFICIAL WAY THE PSYCHOLOGIST WHO FINALLY DECIDED TO SPEND MORE CLASS TIME CONFERENCING WITH STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR WRITING ! VISION OF FACULTY WITHIN DEPARTMENTS AS ONLY RESISTANT TO CHANGE AS ONLY PROTECTING THEIR OWN INTERESTS IS REDUCTIVE AND INAC CURATE 0ARTICULARLY WHEN SUCH A VISION IS APPLIED TO US )N THE SECTION OF THE "OYER #OMMISSION REPORT CHARGING UNIVERSITIES TO hLINK COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND COURSE WORK v THE AUTHORS PROCLAIM h4HE FAILURE OF RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES SEEMS MOST SERIOUS IN CONFERRING DEGREES UPON INARTICULATE STUDENTS %VERY UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT NO IDEA IS FULLY FORMED UNTIL IT CAN BE COMMUNICATED AND THAT THE ORGANIZATION REQUIRED FOR WRITING AND SPEAKING IS PART OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT ENABLES ONE TO UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL FULLYv 4HE SECTION CONCLUDES BY CALLING ON FACULTY ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES TO EVALUATE STUDENTS BY hBOTH MASTERY OF CONTENT AND ABILITY TO CONVEY CONTENTv TO EMPHASIZE hWRITING @DOWN TO AN AUDIENCE WHO NEEDS INFOR MATION TO PREPARE STUDENTS DIRECTLY FOR PROFESSIONAL WORKv AND TO hREIN FORCE COMMUNICATION SKILLSv ACROSS THE CURRICULUM hBY ROUTINELY ASKING FOR WRITTEN AND ORAL EXERCISESv 'RADUATE COURSES SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE hAN EMPHASIS ON WRITING AND SPEAKINGv 4HE SECTION ALSO CALLS ON hTHE FRESHMAN COMPOSITION COURSEv TO hRELATE TO OTHER CLASSES TAKEN SIMULTA NEOUSLY AND BE GIVEN SERIOUS INTELLECTUAL CONTENT OR BE ABOLISHED IN FAVOR OF AN INTEGRATED WRITING PROGRAM IN ALL COURSES 4HE COURSE SHOULD EMPHASIZE EXPLANATION ANALYSIS AND PERSUASION AND SHOULD DEVELOP THE SKILLS OF BREVITY AND CLARITYv 4HE REPORT GOES ON TO CITE THE h,ITTLE 2ED 3CHOOLHOUSEv AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF #HICAGO AS AN EXAMPLE OF GRADUATE
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STUDENTS FACULTY AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER ON INTE GRATING WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM 4HE DRAFTERS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY DISAGREE WITH EVERYTHING THE WRITERS OF THE REPORT SAY HERE ABOUT THE TEACHING OF WRITING %LSEWHERE IN THIS SECTION THE REPORT STATES h5NFORTUNATELY TODAYS STUDENTS TOO OFTEN THINK OF COMPOSITION AS A BORING %NGLISH REQUIREMENT RATHER THAN A LIFE SKILL &ACULTY TOO OFTEN THINK OF COMPOSITION AS A TASK THE %NGLISH OR COMPOSITION DEPARTMENT DOES BADLY RATHER THAN UNDER STANDING THAT AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF ALL FACULTY MEMBERS RESPONSIBILITY IS MAKING SURE THAT THEIR STUDENTS HAVE AMPLE PRACTICE IN WRITINGv -ANY 70!S WOULD AGREE ) THINK THAT WRITING SHOULD TAKE PLACE ACROSS THE CURRICULUM THAT WRITERS SHOULD LEARN TO WRITE FOR A VARIETY OF AUDI ENCES NOT SIMPLY THE PROFESSOR THAT WRITING SHOULD BE SEEN AS A hLIFE SKILLv THAT BEING ABLE TO WRITE WELL WHEN YOU GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE IS GOOD THAT THE ,ITTLE 2ED 3CHOOLHOUSE IS AN EXEMPLARY PROGRAM 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN FACT MAKES MANY OF THESE CLAIMS BOTH IMPLICITLY AND EXPLIC ITLY (OWEVER FROM A DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE THE REPORTS JUDGMENT OF WHAT IT MEANS TO WRITE AND TO TEACH WRITING IS IN MANY RESPECTSLIKE THAT VISION OF FACULTY MENTIONED EARLIERREDUCTIVE AND INACCURATE 7HY DIVORCE STYLE FROM CONTENT 7HY IS WRITING ONLY A MATTER OF COMMUNICA TIVE PERFORMANCE 7HY EMPHASIZE WRITING hDOWNv TO AUDIENCES 7HY IS THE GOAL OF WRITING INSTRUCTION TO INDUCT STUDENTS INTO THE PROFESSIONAL CLASS 7HY ARE BREVITY AND CLARITY ABSOLUTE VALUES IN WRITING !NDABOVE ALLWHY ARE COMPOSITIONISTS SEEN TO BE TEACHING BADLY )T SEEMS THAT A DISCIPLINARY STATEMENT OF WHAT WRITING COURSES SHOULD DO IS SORELY NEEDED TO DEEPEN AND COMPLICATE THE VIEW OF WRITING AND HOW WRITING IS LEARNED EXPRESSED HERE /NE WORRIES HOWEVER THAT IN AN INSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE INCREASINGLY HOSTILE TO DISCIPLINARITY ITSELF THE IDEA OF A DISCIPLINARY STATEMENT OF WHAT WRITING COURSES SHOULD DO MIGHT BE RECEIVED AS SIMPLY ANOTHER MEANS BY WHICH hSPECIALISTSv PROTECT THEIR TURFPARTICULARLY WHEN NONSPECIALISTS SEEM TO KNOW PERFECTLY WELL WHAT IT IS TO BE ABLE TO WRITE 3O AS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MAKES ITS WAY INTO THE COLD CRUEL WORLD OF GENERAL EDUCATION AND OTHER TYPES OF REFORM WHAT MIGHT THOSE RESPON SIBLE FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION DO TO EASE THE WAY FOR ITS RECEPTION (OW MIGHT WE POSITION OURSELVES WITHIN REFORM DEBATES SO THAT WE ARE LISTENED TO EVEN AS WE TRY TO MAINTAIN OUR DISCIPLINARY INTEGRITY ) WOULD SUGGEST THAT OUR DISCIPLINE ITSELF HAS PREPARED US TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION SINCE ANOTHER WAY OF PHRASING IT IS h(OW CAN WE DEPLOY RHETORIC
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TO OUR ADVANTAGE v 2HETORIC IS AFTER ALL AT THE HEART OF WHAT 70!S DO AS %DWARD - 7HITE HAS POINTED OUT UNFORTUNATELY WE FAIL TO USE IT AS OFTEN OR AS SKILLFULLY AS WE MIGHT 4HERE ARE SOME GOOD REASONS WHY )F WE THINK FOR EXAMPLE OF THE RHETORICAL STRATEGIES THAT ARE OFTEN REQUIRED TO CONVINCE FACULTY TO GIVE 7!# TECHNIQUES A TRY SOME OF THOSE STRATEGIES FEEL A LOT LIKE SELLING OUT /NE HAS FOR EXAMPLE TO DEPLOY A SYMPATHETIC ETHOS h) FEEL YOUR PAINv OR h9ES YOU ARE RIGHTTHOSE STUDENTS DONT ALWAYS WRITE VERY WELLv JUST TO GET PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO US EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT BE SQUIRMING INSIDE /NE MIGHT ARGUE HOWEVER THAT USING SUCH RHETORIC IS AKIN TO TEACHING WRITING CENTER TUTORS NOT TO SAY h7E DONT PROOFREADv STRAIGHT OUT IF ONLY TO KEEP STUDENTS COMING BACK SO THEY CAN GET TO THE REAL WORK THE WRITING CENTER MIGHT DO 4HE WORK OF "ARBARA 7ALVOORD AND HER COLLEAGUES ALSO SUGGESTS THAT NOT ONLY IS TEMPORARY COMPROMISE POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE IT IS NECESSARY TO ANY ETHICAL AND REALISTIC VIEW OF FACULTY CHANGE )N )N THE ,ONG 2UN 7ALVOORD ET AL WRITE THAT MOST 7!# STUDIESAND THEREFORE THE MINDS OF MANY 7!# DIRECTORSADHERE TO hTHE 0ILGRIMS 0ROGRESS MODEL OF FACULTY CHANGE v IN WHICH THE RESEARCHER OR WORKSHOP PRESENTER OR WHOEVER IS TRYING TO hCONVERTv THE FACULTY TO 7!# SETS THE STANDARDS TO WHICH THE FACULTY ARE SUPPOSED TO CONFORM h2ESEARCHER DEFINED GOOD PRACTICEv THEY NOTE IS AT ODDS WITH MORE EXPANSIVE DEFINITIONS OF GOOD TEACHING SOME STUDIES SUGGEST THAT INNOVATIVE TEACHERS ARE WILLING TO TRY NEW TECHNIQUES EVEN BEFORE THOSE TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN PROVEN SUCCESSFUL AND THAT 7!# IS ONLY ONE PEDA GOGICAL MOVEMENT COMPETING FOR THE ATTENTION OF THOSE TEACHERS n )RONICALLY THEN THE VERY THING THAT MAKES 7!# PEDAGOGIES ATTRACTIVE TO INNOVATORSTHEIR EFFECTIVENESSALSO PLAYS INTO THE INNOVATORS DESIRE TO MOVE BEYOND THEM &URTHERMORE AT LEAST ONE STUDY NOTES THAT TEACHING CAREERS ARE NOT SIM PLY MOVES THAT ONE GOES THROUGH BUT A COMPLICATED AND DEEP PROCESS OF SELF DEVELOPMENT h4HE PROCESS OF TEACHER DEVELOPMENT HAS TO BE UNDER STOOD IN RELATION TO PERSONAL SOURCES INFLUENCES ISSUES AND CONTEXTS 7HILE CHANGES IN STATUS AND INSTITUTIONAL MANDATES PROVIDE BOTH POS SIBILITIES FOR AND LIMITATIONS TO DEVELOPMENT THERE IS ALSO A DEEPER MORE PERSONAL STRUGGLE 0ROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS IN THIS SENSE AN ENACTMENT OF A LONG PROCESS OF CREATING SELF OF MAKING AND LIVING OUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF A BIOGRAPHYv 2AYMOND "UTT AND 4OWNSEND QTD IN 7ALVOORD ET AL 3O TOO ) WOULD ARGUE THAT THE PROFESSIONAL SELVES OF THOSE WHO DRIVE GENERAL EDUCATION REFORMWHETHER TRUSTEES DEANS OR COLLEGE PRESI
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DENTSARE BUILT OVER THE LONG TERM AND WE MAY NEED TO THINK RHETORI CALLY WITH THAT FACT IN MIND SO THAT WE CAN FIND SOME WAY TO GET TO THE COMMON GROUND OUR DISCIPLINARY OUTCOMES STATEMENT SHARES WITH OTHER MOVEMENTS !ND WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT TO SOME EXTENT WEVE ALREADY COME PRETTY FAR )N CHAPTER OF THIS VOLUME -ARTHA 4OWNSEND REFLECTS ON THE BENEFITS THE /3 CAN PROVIDE FOR 7!#7)$ PROGRAMS REMINDING US ALONG THE WAY THAT THERE ARE ALREADY MANY PROGRAMS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ENCOUR AGE FACULTY TO REACH BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF THEIR OWN DISCIPLINES EVEN WHILE HELPING STUDENTS BE MORE CAPABLE WRITERS AND THINKERS WITHIN THOSE DISCIPLINES 4HE "OYER #OMMISSION REPORT DOES SEEM TO SOME EXTENT TO OVERLOOK THE BREADTH AND SCOPE THE 7!# MOVEMENT HAS GAINED OVER THE LAST THIRTY YEARS /F COURSEAS 4OWNSENDS ESSAY SUGGESTSTHAT OVERSIGHT MAY BE OUR OWN FAULT ITS TAKEN THE FIELD OF COMPOSITION A LONG TIME TO JUMP WITH A FORMAL /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT INTO A GAME IN WHICH IT HAD ALREADY BEEN A PLAYER FOR A VERY VERY LONG TIME
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4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS NOW ARTIFACT THE PROCESS THAT PRODUCED IT EXISTS IN MEMORY !PPROVED BY THE 70! %XECUTIVE "OARD AND PUBLISHED BOTH ONLINE AND IN PRINT THE /3 NOW STANDS AS AN OBJECT OF STUDY SUBJECT TO LOCAL REVISION %VEN AS )RVIN 0ECKHAM UNPUBLISHED CHARACTERIZED THE STATEMENT AS hA VALUABLE QUASI END PRODUCTv MEANING THAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE AN END PRODUCT BUT IT SHOULD NEVER COME TO CLOSURE THE FACT REMAINS THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A PUBLISHED DOCUMENT IS STATIC A STATUS THAT OBSCURES ITS INFORMING THEORIES ) WAS NOT AN hINSIDERv IN FRAMING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ) BECAME INVOLVED IN THE /UTCOMES PROJECT IN THE SPRING OF WHEN ) JOINED THE /UTCOMES RELATED LISTSERV ! NEW 70! ) WANTED TO KEEP UP WITH CURRENT ISSUES REGARDING FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION 4HAT SUMMER AT THE 70! CON FERENCE IN 4UCSON ) ATTENDED THE 70! %XECUTIVE "OARD MEETING WHEN THE STATEMENT WAS DISCUSSED TO OFFER MORAL SUPPORT ) ALSO ATTENDED THE PRESENTATION ON THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND GAVE MY INPUT TO THE DOCU MENT $URING THE DISCUSSION OF THIS BOOK ) COMMENTED THAT A SECTION ON THE THEORIESTHEORIZING THAT INFLUENCED THE FRAMERS IN CONSTRUCTING THE DOCUMENT MIGHT BE HELPFUL ) WAS ASKED IF ) WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ON THE TASKAND HERE ) AM 4HIS ESSAY IS NOT THE ONE ) HAD ENVISIONED WHEN ) BEGAN )N MY ORIGI NAL PLAN ) WOULD QUERY THE FRAMERS ONLINE ABOUT THE THEORYIES THAT HAD INFORMED THEIR WORK IN GENERAL AND THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE /UTCOMES PROJECT ) WOULD THEN PROVIDE A SYNOPSIS OF THIS ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION (OWEVER THE SILENCE TO MY E MAIL QUERY WAS AS THEY SAY DEAFENING .OT DEAFENING PERHAPS BUT MUTED /UT OF THE RESPONSES ) DID RECEIVE THE LIST INCLUDED SUCH THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES AS THE SEMIOTICS AND PRAGMATISM OF 0EIRCE EXPRESSIVISM WRITING TO LEARN PROCESS THEORY WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIONISM AND CONSTRUCTIVISMAN INTERESTING
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LIST BUT NOT WHAT ) HAD BEEN EXPECTING ) HAD HOPED FOR A MORE OUTCOME BY OUTCOME RELATION TO PARTICULAR THEORIES (OWEVER SUCH ARTICULATION WAS MORE DIFFICULT THAN ) HAD FIRST NAIVELY IMAGINED /NE DIFFICULTY MAY HAVE BEEN THE hCOMPLICATED RHETORICAL SITU ATIONv OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT hFOR A COMPLICATED SET OF READERS WITH NO RECOGNIZED AUTHORS BY AUTHORS WHO ARE AND ARENT THERE FOR READERS WHO DEFINITELY WILL BEv 0ECKHAM UNPUBLISHED ! SECOND MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFERENTIATING THE hTHEORIES OF HOW WE GO ABOUT EXPLAINING OUR OWN WORK RATHER THAN THEORIES OF HOW STUDENTS WRITEv 2HODES !LSO 7ILEY B NOTED THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THEORYLINGUISTIC RHETORICAL HERMENEUTICAL SOCIOLOGICAL POLITICAL AND ETHICALWITHIN WHICH THE FRAMERS INDIVIDUALLY WORKED )N ADDITION WE HAVE THE NATURE OF COMPOSITION AS A FIELD ITSELF hNO MAINSTREAM THEORY DOMINAT;ES= #OMPOSITION 3TUDIES 4HEORIES ARE INTERTWINED AND THEORETICAL PER SPECTIVES OVERLAPv +ENNEDY X 0ERHAPS ) WAS ASKING THE WRONG QUESTION 7OLFF ECHOED MY THINKING hTHE 3TATEMENT ITSELF IS NOT INTENDED TO LAY OUT THE THEORETICAL GROUNDS 2ATHER THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS FOR A BROADER AUDIENCE ;SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS THE INTERESTED PUBLIC STUDENTS= WHICH @SIMPLY NEEDS TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL GROUNDS FOR SUGGEST ING THESE PARTICULAR OUTCOMES FOR &9# ACTUALLY THEYD BE HAPPIER THAN USUAL IF THEY THOUGHT WE HAD OUTCOMES AT ALL v (E WENT ON TO NOTE THAT hTHE SUGGESTIONS WHICH HAVE LED TO THE CURRENT 3TATEMENT ARE THEMSELVES THE PRODUCTS OF WIDE READING IN THEORYTOO WIDE TO BEGIN TO DOCUMENT IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENTAND A WIDE VARIETY OF APPROACHESTOO WIDE TO ESSENTIALIZE AND INEVITABLY VARIOUS )T IS THE THEORY THAT THEY HAVE READ LIVED THROUGH AND TAUGHT BY LEAVENED BY ENCOUNTERS WITH COUNTLESS STUDENTS THAT INFORMS THE 3TATEMENTv 7HY AM ) HUNG UP ON THEORY ANYWAY &IRST AS A COMPOSITIONIST WHO FINDS TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL IN FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION ) AM SENSITIVE TO THE WAYS IN WHICH &9# TEACHERS ARE NEGATIVELY CHARACTERIZED AS PRACTITIONERS WITHIN A FIELD OFTEN VIEWED BY hOUTSIDERSv TO INCLUDE COLLEAGUES IN OTHER SUBDISCIPLINES OF %NGLISH STUDIES AS ATHEORETICAL )NDEED 'ORDON 'RANT VOICED THE SAME CONCERN ABOUT COLLEAGUES OUTSIDE OF COMPOSI TION WHO HAD BEEN TASKED WITH WRITING OBJECTIVES FOR &9# BUT WHO hEITHER REFUSE;D= OR ;WERE= UNABLE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A BODY OF SCHOLARSHIP GUIDES OUR WORK RELYING ON THEIR OWN PREJUDICES AND MEMORY OF THEIR OWN CURRENT TRADITIONAL EXPERIENCESv !ND SO ) WANTED TO MAKE EXPLICIT
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THE THEORIES IMPLICIT IN THE STATEMENT IN ORDER TO LEND CREDIBILITY TO THE DOCUMENT AND ITS DEVELOPMENT AND TO DEMONSTRATE ITS VALIDITY BASED ON A ROBUST INTELLECTUAL EXCHANGE BOTH ONLINE AND FACE TO FACE )N ADDITION AS A hBIG PICTUREv PERSON WITH A PREFERENCE FOR CLARITY AND ORDER ) NEED THE RATIONALE UNDERLYING CLAIMS ) SEE MADE /NCE THE INTRO DUCTION TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ASSERTED THAT THE hFOLLOWING STATE MENT ARTICULATE;D= WHAT COMPOSITION TEACHERS NATIONWIDE HAVE LEARNED FROM PRACTICE RESEARCH AND THEORY v MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS WHAT PRACTICE WHAT RESEARCH WHAT THEORY 4EACHING &9# CLEARLY HAS A PRAG MATIC FOCUS "UT WHAT WE DO IN THE CLASSROOM HAS TO BE BASED ON MORE THAN A hWHAT WORKSv MENTALITY 5NDERLYING OUR BEST LAID PLANS HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF RATIONALE WHETHER WE ARTICULATE ITS POINTS OR NOT THAT HELPS US ASSESS WHAT WORKSBUT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT WHAT HAS HAPPENED WHEN WHAT ONCE WORKED NO LONGER DOES !ND SINCE THE GENERATIVE PROCESSING WAS ESSENTIALLY OVER BY THE TIME ) JOINED THE /UTCOMES LISTSERV ) WAS CURI OUS ABOUT HOW THE COMPOSITION SCHOLARS WHO HAD FRAMED THE STATEMENT MIGHT TALK ABOUT THEIR RATIONALES -Y INITIAL PLAN WAS NOT TO BE REALIZED (OWEVER 7OLFFS EARLIER COM MENTS INITIATED AN h!HAv MOMENT )F THE THEORY THAT HAS INFORMED THE STATEMENT IS INDEED hTHEORY THAT ;THE FRAMERS= HAVE READ LIVED THROUGH AND TAUGHT BY LEAVENED BY ENCOUNTERS WITH COUNTLESS STUDENTSv EMPHASIS ADDED THEN WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE THEORIZINGTHE COMING TO A SITUAT ED THEORY THROUGH ONES OWN READING AND REFLECTED PRACTICETHAT BELIES MY hLAUNDRY LISTv APPROACH TO THEORYIES IN THE STATEMENT 4HE ISSUE THEN IS NOT WHICH THEORIES INFLUENCED THE FRAMERS BUT THAT THEORY SHAPED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 7HAT ULTIMATELY MATTERS ARE THE PRACTICESRESEARCHTHEORIES THE CONTEXT OF THE PRAXIS THAT READERS AND POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS IN THE LOCAL INSTANTIATION OF THE STATEMENT BRING TO THEIR READINGS OF THE DOCUMENT 2EADERS ULTIMATELY hSEEv WHICH ONES ARE PRESENTOR ABSENTTHROUGH THEIR OWN THEORETICAL FRAMES )NDEED IT MAY EVEN BE BETTER IF WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO THEORIZE OFF OF THROUGH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 4O THE EXTENT THAT WE CLAIM AGENCY AS EDUCATORS IN LITERACY EACH OF US ISOR SHOULD BEA THEORIST NOT IN THE hBIG 4v USE OF THE TERM BUT AS REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONERS "IZZELL DEFINES THEO RIZING AS hTHINKING ABOUT WHAT ONE IS DOINGREFLECTING ON PRACTICEBUT THINKING ABOUT IT IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY TRYING TO TAKE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE INTO ACCOUNT AND USING THE IDEAS OF OTHER THINKERS WHEREVER THEY MAY BE USEFUL 4HEORIZING MIGHT THEN LEAD NOT TO LAWS BUT TO RULES OF THUMB
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WHICH ENABLE US NOT TO PREDICT OUTCOMES INFALLIBLY BUT AT LEAST TO SPECULATE ABOUT WHAT IS MORE OR LESS PROBABLE NOT ;TO= DICTATE PRACTICE BUT ;TO= GUIDE ITv n -OREOVER hTHEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS HELP US ORGANIZE OUR OBSERVATIONS IN USEFUL WAYS AND CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE PUSHES US TO BUILD OR RESTRUCTURE THESE FRAMEWORKSv -C,EOD !ND TO SOME EXTENT h4HEORY IS AUTOBIOGRAPHY A FORM OF INTELLIGIBILITY THAT THE THEORIST TRIES TO GIVE TO PERSONAL DILEMMAS DEEPLY FELT A WAY TO MAKE SENSE OF LIFE )N COMPOSITION THEORY IS IRREVOCABLY COMMITTED TO PRACTICE BEGINS THERE AND RETURNS THERE IN RECURSIVE LOOPSv 0HELPS VIInVIII !S ) CONSIDERED MY SITUATION IN WRITING THIS ESSAY ) HAVE FOUND THE PROCESS TO BE A WALK DOWN THE MEMORY LANE OF MY EVOLUTION AS A TEACHER OVER THE PAST THIRTY YEARS ALMOST FORTY IF YOU COUNT MY EXPERIENCE AS AN APPRENTICE MARKSMANSHIP INSTRUCTOR IN THE .ATIONAL 2IFLE !SSOCIATION IN THE LATE S !LONG THE WAY ) RECALLED NOT ONLY INFLUENTIAL NAMES AND IDEAS BUT PERSONAL AND STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND THE WAYS THAT BOTH THESE THEORETICAL INFLUENCES AND REFLECTED PRACTICE HAVE INTERTWINED INTO MY OWN INFORMED THEORETICAL ECLECTIC &OLLOWING MY EARLIER TEACHING EXPERIENCES IN THE UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES IN THE LATE S ) STEPPED OUT OF THE CLASSROOM IN THE EARLY S TO FOCUS ON RAISING TWO DAUGHTERSTHREE YEARS APART IN AGE AND LIGHT YEARS APART IN PERSONALITY AND LEARNING STYLEUNTIL OUR FAMILY WENT TO THE 2EPUBLIC OF +OREA IN THE LATE S 4HERE ) BEGAN TEACHING %NGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE 5PON OUR RETURN TO THE 5NITED 3TATES ) ENTERED GRADUATE SCHOOL IN %NGLISH LINGUISTICS IN THE EARLY S -Y READING IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION LED ME TO TEACHERSRESEARCHERS WHO WHILE NOT CLAIMING TO BE THEORISTS WERE CERTAINLY THEORIZERS IN THEIR QUEST FOR UNDERSTANDING HOW LANGUAGE USERS LEARN TO COMMUNICATE IN THEIR FIRST AND SUBSEQUENT LANGUAGES ) CAME UPON #ORDER AND HIS APPRECIATION OF THE INEVITABLE MISTAKES LEARNERS MAKE IN THEIR LANGUAGE LEARNING 3ELINKER AND HIS CONCEPT OF INTERLANGUAGE TO EXPLAIN THE NATURALLY EVOLVING GRAMMARS OF LANGUAGE LEARNERS TOWARD THE TARGET LANGUAGE AND THE PROCESSES THAT CAN INHIBIT A SUCCESSFUL APPROXIMATION 'ARDNER AND ,AMBERT AND THEIR DISTINCTION BETWEEN INTEGRATIVE AND INSTRUMENTAL MOTIVATION +RASHEN AND HIS MONI TOR MODEL WHICH ADDED THE AFFECTIVE ASPECT OF LANGUAGE LEARNING INTO MY EVOLVING THEORETICAL FRAME !S A TEACHING ASSISTANT TUTORING IN A WRITING CENTER FOR OUR %3, STUDENTS ) WAS INTRODUCED TO THE THEORIZERS IN COM POSITION AT THAT TIMEWHICH BASED ON MY EARLIER STUDY SEEMED A NATU RAL EXTENSION INTO WRITTEN LANGUAGE ) FIRST HEARD ABOUT WRITING PROCESS
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PEDAGOGY ) WAS INFLUENCED BY THE IDEAS OF 3HAUGHNESSY %LBOW -URRAY AND -ACRORIE THE SO CALLED EXPRESSIVISTS %MIG 0ERL AND THE FLUENCY EFFECTIVENESSCONTROL MODEL OF +IRBY AND ,INER hGETTING IT DOWNvhGET TING IT RIGHTvhCHECKING IT OUTv $URING MY EARLY YEARS OF TEACHING FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION FOR BOTH NON NATIVE AND NATIVE SPEAKERS OF %NGLISH IN THE MID S ) MOVED FROM THE hPUREv PROCESS MODEL OF &ULWILER AND OTHERS WHICH ALLOWED STUDENTS TO SHAPE THEIR OWN WRITING PROJECTS OVER THE TERM TO A MORE RHETORICALLY FOCUSED APPROACH ) DISCOVERED THAT MY STUDENTS COULD NOT MAKE THE TRANSITION FROM THE PERSONAL WRITING PROMPTED SOLELY BY PERSONAL INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCES TO THE KINDS OF WRITING THEY WOULD BE ASKED TO DO BEYOND &9# ) BEGAN TO FOCUS MORE OVERTLY ON RHETORICAL MODES BUT ALWAYS WITH THE CAVEAT THAT THE MODE SERVES THE MESSAGE NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND )N MY PROFESSIONAL READING ) CAME UPON SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION THE GENRE ANALYSIS OF 3WALES FROM THE APPLIED LINGUISTICS PERSPECTIVE AND +RESS FROM THE SOCIOPOLITICAL PERSPECTIVE AND *UNGIAN PERSONALITY THEORY AS ENACTED IN THE -EYERS "RIGGS 4YPE )NDICATOR AND ITS EFFECTS ON WRIT ING BEHAVIORS !S PART OF MY DOCTORAL STUDIES IN THE EARLY S ) MET 6YGOTSKY "AKHTIN AND &REIRE ) ALSO STARTED TEACHING &9# IN A LINKED SETTING WITH A SERVICE LEARNING COMPONENT WHICH INCLUDED AN ETHNO GRAPHIC COMPONENT AND SO BECAME PART OF THE SERVICE LEARNING AND LEARNING COMMUNITIES DISCUSSION !ND LONG BEFORE THE SO CALLED hPOST PROCESSv MOVEMENT MATERIALIZED ) RECOGNIZED THAT ALL WRITERS STUDENTS AND OTHERWISE ALREADY WRITE WITHIN A PROCESS !ND WHILE THE TYPICAL hWRITE IT AT THE LAST MINUTE BECAUSE ) WORK BETTER UNDER PRESSUREv PROCESS MAY NOT ALWAYS HAVE SERVED THE STUDENT WELL STILL IT WORKED OFTEN ENOUGH -Y TASK WAS OPENING STUDENTS UP TO OTHER PROCESSING POSSIBILITIESINVENTING COMPOSING REVISIONINGON WHICH THEY COULD DRAW /UT OF THIS MIX AMONG OTHER INFLUENCES HAS COME MY INFORMED THEO RETICAL ECLECTIC WHICH LEADS ME TO A PARTICULAR READING OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND A PARTICULAR ASSESSMENT OF ITS IMPLICATIONS IN MY LOCAL SITUA TION BOTH AS TEACHER AND AS WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR ) APPRECIATE THE INTELLECTUAL WORK THAT WENT INTO THE STATEMENT TO hWRITE IT SHORTv !LTHOUGH ITS BREVITY HAS BEEN CITED AS ONE OF ITS WEAKNESSES THIS DISTILLATION MAKES IT MORE AMENABLE TO LOCAL DISCUSSION 4O A CERTAIN EXTENT IT HAS THE ELEGANCE OF PARSIMONY THAT CHARACTERIZES A TIGHTLY CONSTRUCTED FORMULA IN MATH &ROM MY PERSPECTIVE THEN ) SEE NOTHING IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THAT COUNTERS WHAT ) HOLD VALID IN THE TEACHING OF READINGWRITINGCRITICAL THINKING IN &9# !ND ) FIND PARTICULAR RESONANCES WITH THE OUTCOMES THAT FOCUS ON THE RHETORICAL SITUATION SUCH AS
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s &OCUS ON THE ASPECTS OF RHETORICAL SITUATIONS AUDIENCE PURPOSE LAN GUAGE EG TONE DICTION s &OCUS ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT GENRES ON READING AND WRITING
) ALSO FIND THE hFOCUS ON RESPECT FOR WRITING AS @AN OPEN PROCESSv TO BE CONSISTENT WITH MY THINKING !S SITES OF EXPANSION AT MY LOCAL LEVEL ) SEE THE OUTCOMES ABOUT hWRIT ING AND READING FOR INQUIRY LEARNING THINKING AND COMMUNICATING v hUNDERSTAND;ING= THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND POWER v hTHE COLLABORATIVE AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE WRITING PROCESS v AND THE RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR A VARIETY OF TECHNOLOGIES TO ADDRESS A RANGE OF AUDIENCES TO BE MOST USEFUL ) EXPERIENCE THE GREATEST DISSONANCE WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN WHAT IS NOT SAID RATHER THAN ASSERTING THAT STUDENTS hSHOULD BE ABLE TO v ) WOULD INSERT THE PHRASE hSHOULD HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE ABILITY TOv 3UCH A CHANGE RECOGNIZES MORE OVERTLY THE DEVELOPMENTAL NATURE OF STUDENT READERSWRITERSCRITICAL THINKERS !S 3TERNGLASS AND (ASWELL SO ABLY POINT OUT IN THEIR CHAPTERS BELOW STUDENTS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO HAVE FULL COM MAND OF ANY OF THESE OUTCOMES BY THE END OF THE COURSE (OWEVER THEY SHOULD HAVE DEMONSTRATED SOME LEVEL OF ABILITY AT SOME POINTS ALONG THE WAYAND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF FACULTY ACROSS THE CURRICULUM WILL HAVE CONTINUED OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP IN THESE AREAS %ACH OF THE INVITED AUTHORS IN THIS SECTION HAS PERUSED THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THROUGH HIS OR HER OWN THEORETICAL FRAME -ARILYN 3TERNGLASS USES THE FINDINGS OF HER AWARD WINNING LONGITUDINAL INVESTIGATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE READING AND WRITING COMPETENCIES OF STUDENTS WHO BEGAN IN BASIC WRITING AND REGULAR FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSES AT THE #ITY #OLLEGE OF #ITY 5NIVERSITY OF .EW 9ORK FROM TO TO INTERROGATE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR ITS FAILURE TO MORE OVERTLY NOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PRACTICE OVER TIME 3ETTING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AGAINST LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT THEORY 2ICHARD (ASWELL TAKES THE STATEMENT TO TASK FOR FAILING TO RECOGNIZE THE VARIANCES IN STUDENT DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD MAKE THE ATTAINMENT OF DIFFERENT OUTCOMES DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THEIR PERSONAL COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT 0ETER %LBOW OFFERS AN ATTITUDE FOR REFORMULATING THE STATEMENT IN WAYS THAT BRING STUDENTS INTO THE DISCUSSION AND THAT CLARIFY MORE SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE EXPECT STUDENT WRITERS TO DEMONSTRATE IN THEIR WRITING
( - 9 0 , 5 + 3@ * / ( 3 3 , 5 . , ; 6 7 < : / ; / , 6 < ; * 6 4 , : : ;(; , 4 , 5 ; - < 9 ; / , 9 7L[LY,SIV^
) SHOULD hSITUATE MYSELFv AND SAY A WORD ABOUT THE HISTORY ) BRING TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT )N THE S ) SPENT THREE YEARS IN A RESEARCH PROJ ECT WITH SIX OTHERS LOOKING CLOSELY AT SEVEN EXPERIMENTS IN OUTCOME BASED hCOMPETENCE BASEDv HIGHER EDUCATION 7E EACH STUDIED OUR OWN SITE FOR THREE YEARSINTERVIEWING AND OBSERVING AND EVENTUALLY WRITING A CASE STUDY "UT THE WHOLE GROUP PAID A VISIT TO EACH SITE AT LEAST ONCE FOR ADDI TIONAL INTERVIEWING AND OBSERVING SO THAT WE COULD PROVIDE EACH OTHER WITH hTRIANGULATIONv OR ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVES 3ITES VARIED FROM SINGLE COURSES TO PROGRAMS TO ENTIRE INSTITUTIONS !LVERNO #OLLEGE IS PERHAPS THE BEST KNOWN INSTITUTION WE STUDIED AND REPORTED ON %ACH OF US ALSO WROTE A SECOND ESSAY ABOUT AN ISSUE OR DIMENSION OF OUTCOMES BASED EDUCATION )N MY ESSAY h4RYING TO 4EACH WHILE 4HINKING ABOUT THE %NDv ) STRUGGLED TO UNDERSTAND HOW AN OUTCOMES APPROACH AFFECTED THE TEACHING PROCESS ) SAY hSTRUGGLEDv BECAUSE ) FELT MY WHOLE TEMPERAMENT TO BE AT ODDS WITH AN OUTCOMES APPROACH *UST AS ) HAVE ALWAYS VALUED WRITING AS A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY TOWARD AN UNKNOWN DIRECTION RATHER THAN TOWARD AN OUTCOME OR OUTLINE SPECIFIED IN ADVANCE SO ) VALUE TEACHING AS A SIMILAR VOYAGE ) DONT LIKE DESTINATIONS SPECIFIED TOO MUCH IN ADVANCE "UT IN MY THREE YEARS OF OBSERVING VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND IN MY LENGTHY PROCESS OF WORKING THROUGH TO MY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT OUTCOMES BASED TEACHING ) ENDED UP WITH HIGH RESPECT FOR THE SPECIFICA TION OF OUTCOMES ) WANT TO SUMMARIZE HERE TWO OF MY CONCLUSIONS &IRST EVEN THOUGH MY TEMPERAMENT AND PERSONAL GOALS IN TEACHING SEEMED INIMICAL TO AN OUTCOMES APPROACH GOALS LIKE GROWTH INTELLECTUAL INTEGRITY CURIOSITY THE ABILITY TO QUESTION ) FINALLY CONCLUDED THAT IN FACT THERE IS NO CONFLICT HERE ) CONCLUDED THAT ANYTHING YOU ARE TRYING FOR IN TEACHING MAY BE SPECIFIED AS A GOAL OR AN OUTCOME OR EVEN A COMPE TENCEAS LONG AS YOU GO ABOUT SPECIFYING IT IN A SUFFICIENTLY CAREFUL AND SOPHISTICATED MANNER ) CONCEDED THAT THE OUTCOMES FOLKS WERE RIGHT ITS ALL A MATTER OF FORCING YOURSELF TO FIGURE OUT AND ADMIT WHAT YOU REALLY
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WANT 3ECOND THE ISSUE OF WHETHER TO SPECIFY OUTCOMES TURNS OUT TO BE INTERESTINGLY TANGLED UP WITH ISSUES OF CLASS 4HE RESISTANCE TO OUTCOMES TENDS TO COME WITH ELITIST ATTITUDES AND ELITIST INSTITUTIONS h.O ONE IS GOING TO FORCE ME TO SPECIFY MY GOALS )M THE EXPERT 4HEY WOULDNT UNDERSTANDv 3O ) ARRIVE AT THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT FOR FIRST YEAR WRITING RESPECTFUL BUT WARYSINCE OF COURSE WE ALSO SAW HOW AN OUTCOMES APPROACH COULD BE USED BADLY IN VARIOUS WAYS SOMETIMES MECHANISTI CALLY UNTHOUGHTFULLY UNREFLECTIVELY !ND ) WAS SUSPICIOUS OF THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BECAUSE ) DIDNT SEE ANY EVIDENCE THAT THE AUTHORS HAD CONSULTED OR WERE EVEN AWARE OF THE EXTENSIVE EXPERIMENTATION AND LITERATURE ON OUTCOMES BASED OR COMPETENCE BASED EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS OF CURRICULUMINCLUDING HIGHER EDUCATION ) END UP ADMIRING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 4HE FRAMERS HAVE DONE SOMETHING IMPORTANT USEFUL AND VERY DIFFICULT 4HEY TOOK ONE OF THE MOST CHAOTIC REALMS IN ALL OF HIGHER EDUCATIONFIRST YEAR COMPOSITION AND BROKE IT DOWN INTO CLEAR GOALS 0ERHAPS MORE STRIKING THEY MANAGED TO ATTAIN REMARKABLE AGREEMENT AMONG A VERY DISPARATE BUT IMPORTANT GROUP OF LEADERS IN THE FIELD 3TILL )M NOT SATISFIED AND ) OFFER THIS ESSAY AS A FRIENDLY CHALLENGE ) PROMISE TO JOIN IN ON FURTHER WORK IF INVITED 4HE FRAMERS OF THE 70! STATEMENT HAVE GONE A LONG DISTANCE BUT ) WANT TO PUSH FURTHER )N THIS ESSAY ) WILL OFFER THREE CHALLENGES ;/,:/07
#ONSIDER THIS THOUGHT EXPERIMENT )TS ONE ) LIKE TO USE WHEN )OR NEW TEACHERS ) WORK WITHBEGIN TO FEEL SLIGHTLY OR EVEN VERY TROUBLED )MAGINE YOUR FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSE AS A SHIPAS *ONAHS SHIP TOSSED ON HUR RICANE DRIVEN WAVES AND IN GREAT DANGER OF SINKING 9OUR CLASS IS NOT WORKING WELL AT ALL 3TUDENTS ARE RESISTING YOU THEY DONT SEEM TO BE LEARNING YOU ARE SUFFERING ,IKE THE MARINERS ON *ONAHS SHIP YOUR ONLY HOPE OF MAKING IT TO PORT IS TO JETTISON CARGO )MAGINE THEN THAT YOU HAVE TO JETTISON ALMOST EVERY THING ON YOUR 'OOD 3HIP %.' 7HAT FEW THINGS WOULD YOU CLING TO AND NOT THROW OVERBOARD 7HAT DO YOU CARE ABOUT MOST )F YOU COULD ONLY ACCOMPLISH ONE OR TWO THINGS IN YOUR WRITING COURSE WHAT WOULD YOU TRY FOR
) LOVE THIS QUESTION FOR THE WAY IT FORCES US TO FIGURE OUT OUR PRIORITIES ) ALSO LIKE THE WAY IT INVITES US TO BE FRANK ABOUT A FEELING MANY OF US MORE THAN OCCASIONALLY HAVE FEAR THAT OUR CLASS IS IN TROUBLE
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4HIS THOUGHT EXPERIMENT GIVES ME A TROUBLING PERSPECTIVE ON THE OUT COMES ON THE 70! LIST )M NOT TROUBLED THAT )LL HAVE TO THROW OVERBOARD MANY OF THEIR OUTCOMES THATS HOW IT IS WITH STORMS 7HATS TROUBLING IS THAT ) CANT FIND ON THEIR LIST ANY OF THE OUTCOMES ) MOST WANT TO HANG ONTO )M TALKING ABOUT THE OUTCOMES THAT ) FEEL ARE MOST CENTRAL AND WRIT ERLY FOR A FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSE GETTING STUDENTS TO EXPERIENCE THEMSELVES AS WRITERS AND TO FUNCTION LIKE WRITERS 4HE LAST PIECE OF CARGO ) WOULD JET TISON BEFORE MY SHIP SANK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA WOULD BE A CLUMP OF PRACTICAL AND WRITERLY OUTCOMES LIKE THESE s 4HE ABILITY TO GET LOTS OF WORDS AND LOTS OF IDEAS DOWN ON PAPER OR ON THE SCREEN WITHOUT TOO MUCH STRUGGLE 4HIS GENERAL STATEMENT IMPLIES TWO VERY PRACTICAL COROLLARY OUTCOMES THE ABILITY TO GET STARTED IN WRITING SOMETHING WITHOUT TOO MUCH HARMFUL DELAY OR PROCRASTINATION AND THE ABILITY TO KEEP ON WRITING EVEN WHEN YOU ARE TIRED OR DISCOURAGED ) LIKE TO PHRASE THIS IN THE STRONGEST WAY AS THE ABILITY TO ENJOY WRITING &ACE IT THE ONLY WAY THAT STUDENTS WILL GET GOOD AT WRITING IS TO CONTINUE WRITING WHEN NO ONE IS HOLDING A GUN TO THEIR HEADS s "UT )M NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST ANY WORDS 2ATHER MY CENTRAL GOAL FOR THE COURSE IS THE ABILITY TO PUT DOWN WORDS AND IDEAS THAT MATCH ONES FELT MEANING OR INTENTIONTHAT PRODUCE A CLICK OF GRATEFUL RECOGNITION WHERE YOU SAY h9ES THATS WHAT ) MEAN THATS WHAT ) WANT TO SAYv s !LSO THE ABILITY TO WRITE PAST WHAT YOU hHAD IN MINDv WHEN YOU SAT DOWN SO THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO DISCOVER WORDS AND THOUGHTS THAT FEEL NEWTHAT YOU DIDNT HAVE IN MIND OR AT LEAST THAT YOU DIDNT KNOW YOU HAD IN MIND
7HY DID THE FRAMERS SO UTTERLY NEGLECT THIS PRACTICAL NITTY GRITTY BEHAV IORAL DIMENSION OF WRITING $ID THEY ASSUME THAT OUR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS CAN ALREADY WRITE WITHOUT TOO MUCH STRUGGLE AND PROCRASTINATIONAND FIND WORDS THAT MATCH THEIR EXISTING MEANINGS AND INTENTIONS AS WELL AS NEW WORDS AND THOUGHTS 9ET ANY TEACHER OF FIRST YEAR WRITING WHO KNOWS WHATS REALLY GOING ON WITH THE STUDENTS AS THEY WRITE KNOWS THAT MANY OF THEM CANNOT WIELD WORDS IN THIS WAY 0ERHAPS THE FRAMERS FELT THEY hCOVEREDv THE ABILITIES )VE JUST MENTIONED WHEN THEY SPECIFIED THE ABILITY TO hUSE WRITING AND READING FOR INQUIRY LEARNING THINKING AND COMMUNICATINGv "UT THIS IS UNHELPFULLY VAGUE AND DOESNT GET AT THE NITTY GRITTY ABILITIES )M TALKING ABOUT )NSOFAR AS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TREATS INVENTION AT ALL AND MOSTLY IT DOESNT IT TREATS IT MORE AS A MATTER OF FINDING AND RESPONDING TO MATERIAL IN READ INGS ) SEE NO AWARENESS OF THE ROOT ABILITY TO FIND THOUGHTS AND TOPICS OF
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YOUR OWNTO WRITE AS AN INITIATOR AND AGENT RATHER THAN AS A RESPONDER ) THINK THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE FRAMERS WERE TOO PREOCCUPIED WITH ANOTHER GOALONE THAT IS OF COURSE EQUALLY IMPORTANT AND THAT -ARK 7ILEY SUMS UP WITH THIS PHRASE hHELP THEM DEVELOP INTO RHETORICALLY SAVVY CRITICALLY AWARE VERSATILE WRITERSv A 4HE FRAMERS SEEM TO ME TO STRESS THIS GOAL TO THE POINT OF REDUNDANCY THE ABILITY TO SUIT YOUR WORDS TO VARIOUS AUDIENCES TO VARIOUS PURPOSES TO VARIOUS GENRES AND TO VARIOUS SITUATIONS )N EFFECT ) AM CALLING ATTENTION TO TWO VERY LARGE OR GENERAL GOALS INVENTION FINDING LOTS OF WORDS AND THOUGHTS AND GETTING THEM OUT AND RHETORICAL SAVVYNESS CRITICAL AWARENESS OF AUDIENCE PURPOSE GENRE SITU ATION )T IS COMMON TO FEEL THAT THESE TWO GOALS OR EMPHASES ARE IN CON FLICT WITH EACH OTHER PEOPLE TEND TO ASSUME AN EITHEROR ATTITUDE TOWARD THEM NAIVE VS SOPHISTICATED BEING CARELESS VS EXERCISING CARE DOING IT WITH PLEASURE AND SATISFACTION VS DOING IT RIGHT )TS THIS KIND OF THINKING THAT IS THE PROBLEM THE SENSE THAT ONE HAS TO CHOOSE ONE OR THE OTHER 4HATS EXACTLY WHAT THE FRAMERS SEEM TO HAVE DONE )N EFFECT THEY OPTED FOR WHAT FELT LIKE hSOPHISTICATIONvBUT ) WOULD CALL IT AN UNSOPHISTICATED OR CRUDE DECISION &OR IN TRUTH BOTH THESE GOALS CAN REASONABLY AND EFFECTIVELY BE PURSUEDINDEED THEY MUST BE PURSUED IF WE WANT TO HELP PRODUCE WELL EQUIPPED WRITERS )F THE ONLY GOAL IS INVEN TION AND FERTILITY WE LOSE CRITICAL AWARENESS AND RHETORICAL SAVVY "UTAND HERE IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE 70! LISTIF TEACHERS EMPHASIZE ONLY CRITICAL AWARENESS AND RHETORICAL SAVVY THIS FUNCTIONS AS AN IMPEDIMENT TO STUDENTS MASTERING WHAT ) WOULD CALL THE PRIOR OR FOUNDATIONAL COMPETENCES OF FINDING LOTS OF WORDS THAT MATCH THEIR FELT INTENTIONAND THUS GETTING INTRINSIC SATISFACTION FROM THE ACT OF WRITING 4HIS ONE SIDEDNESS IS PRECISE LY THE CONDITION THAT LEADS TO SO MUCH WOODEN THOUGHTLESS UNINVESTED WRITING FROM FIRST YEAR STUDENTS 4HROUGHOUT MOST OF MY WORK ON WRITING ) HAVE EMPHASIZED THIS PROB LEM OF THE SEEMING CONFLICT BETWEEN THE GENERATIVE AND THE CRITICAL )VE EMPHASIZED THAT IN PRACTICE TIME IS THE KEY WE CAN DO JUSTICE TO BOTH DIMENSIONS IF WE GIVE DEDICATED TIME TO EACH 4HE FRAMERS DO ALLUDE TO THIS CRUCIAL AND WRITERLY ABILITY TO STRATEGIZE IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF TIME THEY SPECIFY THE ABILITY hTO SAVE EXTENSIVE EDITING FOR AFTER INVENTION AND DEVELOPMENT WORK HAS BEEN DONE VERY COMPLETELYv 9ET AMAZINGLY THEY DONT INCLUDE THIS CENTRAL ASPECT OF THE WRITING PROCESS AS AN OUTCOME FOR THE FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSE ITSELF BUT RATHER ONLY IN THE LIST OF OUTCOMES THAT TEACHERS IN OTHER DISCIPLINES MIGHT ADOPT
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4HE FRAMERS UNCONSCIOUS PREOCCUPATION WITH RHETORICAL AWARENESS OF AUDIENCEGENREPURPOSE LED THEM IN FACT INTO AN UNSOPHISTICATED BLIND NESS TO AN AUDIENCEGENREPURPOSE THAT IS CENTRAL FOR MOST WRITERSAND ONE THAT IS A FOUNDATIONAL ABILITY THAT ) WOULD ALSO CLING TO IN A TERRIBLE STORM s 4HE ABILITY TO EXPLORE A TOPIC FOR YOURSELF ON YOUR OWN BECAUSE YOU ARE INTERESTEDEVEN WHEN OTHERS ARE NOT INTERESTED 4HIS IS THE ABILITY TO KEEP ON WRITING WHEN THERES NO FEEDBACK OR WHEN THE FEEDBACK IS NEGATIVE 0UTTING IT DIFFERENTLY HERE IS THE ABILITY TO LIKE YOUR OWN WRITING SO YOU CARE ABOUT IT ENOUGH TO REALLY WORK FURTHER ON IT WHEN OTHERS IGNORE IT OR DONT LIKE IT
"ECAUSE THE FRAMERS WERE SO PREOCCUPIED WITH CRITICAL AWARENESS THEIR ONLY WAY OF IMAGINING PEER RESPONSE WAS AS hCRITIQUEv 4HEY TOTALLY NEGLECT s 4HE ABILITY TO GIVE SUPPORTIVE RESPONSES TO OTHERS TO SUIT YOUR RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS OF THE WRITER s .OR DO THEY MENTION THE CRUCIAL ABILITIES THAT WRITERS NEED IN SOLICITING RESPONSE FIGURING OUT WHAT RESPONSE YOU NEED FOR YOUR DRAFT AND LEARN ING TO GET READERS TO GIVE IT TO YOURATHER THAN WHAT IS INAPPROPRIATE OR UNHELPFUL
) THINK THEIR PREOCCUPATION WITH RHETORICAL THEORY MAKES THEM NEGLECT THE CENTRAL EXPERIENCES OF WRITERS IN PEER GROUPS 3O THEY LEAVE OUT ONE OF THE HARDEST BUT MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS FOR FRESHMEN NOT TO MENTION FULL PROFESSORS s 4HE ABILITY TO LISTEN WELL TO FEEDBACK FROM OTHERSHEAR IT AND TAKE IT SERI OUSLY YET NOT BE HAMSTRUNG BY IT
4HE 70! MEMBERS UNCONSCIOUS EMPHASIS ON hCRITICALv ALSO LEADS THEM TO NEGLECT A BASIC SKILL IN GOOD PERSUASION AND ARGUMENTATION 4HOUGH THEY TALK ABOUT hCRITICAL THINKING READING AND WRITING v THEY DONT MENTION s 4HE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND WRITE WITH RESPECT AND EVEN SYMPATHY FOR POINTS OF VIEW DIFFERENT FROM YOUR OWN THE BELIEVING GAME
!M ) JUST REACTING LIKE SO MANY REVIEWERS OF ANTHOLOGIES WHO WRITE h4HOSE SELECTIONS YOU CHOSE ARE ALL VERY WELL BUT YOU LEFT OUT SOME OF MY OLD FAVORITESv .O ITS MORE THAN THAT )M TROUBLED BY A SERIOUS TILT
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TOWARD KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE PRINCIPLES OF RHETORIC AND A TILT AWAY FROM KNOWING HOW TO BE A WRITER LEARNING HOW TO FUNCTION AS AND EXPERIENCE ONESELF AS A WRITER 256>05. /6>
)F ) WANTED TO MAKE FUN OF THE LIST ) COULD PROPOSE A SCARY THOUGHT EXPERI MENT #ONSIDER A HARD ASSED SKEPTICAL HIGH LEVEL ADMINISTRATOR OR LEGISLA TOR WHO THINKS THAT TEACHING FIRST YEAR WRITING IS TOO EXPENSIVEAND WHO WANTS MORE MONEY FOR LARGE SCALE ASSESSMENT (E MIGHT TAKE THIS LIST AND SAY h'OOD WORK !T LAST THESE VAGUE WISHY WASHY %NGLISH TEACHERS HAVE SHOWN A SPARK OF EFFICIENCY AND SPELLED OUT EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO TEACH 7ITH THIS LIST WE CAN NOW TEACH WHAT NEEDS TO BE TAUGHT BY MEANS OF A LARGE LECTURE COURSE WITH A MACHINE GRADED EXAM AT THE ENDv ) FEAR THAT THE OUTCOMES LIST LENDS ITSELF TO THIS PERVERSION BECAUSE SO MUCH OF IT IS hKNOWLEDGEv THAT STUDENTS COULD GAIN BY READING AND LISTENING TO LECTURES AND THAT THEY COULD DEMONSTRATE ON MACHINE GRADED EXAMS 4O USE A DISTINCTION FROM PHILOSOPHY THERE IS TOO MUCH hKNOWING THATv AND NOT ENOUGH hKNOWING HOWv ,ET ME ILLUSTRATE #ONSIDER THE FOLLOWING CLUMP OF OUTCOMESALL TAKEN FROM THE FIRST TWO SECTIONS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE AND #RITICAL 4HINKING2EADING7RITING s s s s s
2ECOGNIZE DIFFERENT AUDIENCES AND THEIR NEEDS 2ECOGNIZE DIFFERENCES IN COMMUNICATIVE SITUATIONS (AVE A SENSE OF WHAT GENRES ARE AND HOW THEY DIFFER ,EARN THE STEPS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT WRITING )NVESTIGATE REPORT AND DOCUMENT EXISTING KNOWLEDGE
7E COULD TEACH THESE OUTCOMES WITH LECTURES AND READINGS AND ATTEN TIVE STUDENTS COULD GIVE CORRECT ANSWERS ON AN EXAMEVEN A SOPHISTICATED MULTIPLE CHOICE EXAM 4HE THIRD SECTION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS 0ROCESSES AND HERE IS WHERE WE WOULD EXPECT THE MOST EMPHASIS ON hKNOWING HOWv RATHER THAN hKNOWING THATv !ND YET UNDER 0ROCESSES WE ARE TOLD THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT IT USUALLY TAKES MULTIPLE DRAFTS AND UNDERSTAND THAT WRITING IS AN ONGOING PROCESS AND UNDERSTAND THE COLLABORATIVE AND SOCIAL ASPECTS AND SO ON MY EMPHASIS 4HESE TOO COULD BE TAUGHT IN LECTURES AND TESTED ON AN EXAM 4HE FOURTH SECTION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT COM PRISES +NOWLEDGE OF #ONVENTIONS THIS KNOWLEDGE CAN OBVIOUSLY BE TAUGHT BE ENTIRELY WITH WORKBOOKS AND TESTED WITH MACHINE GRADED EXAMS
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.EEDLESS TO SAY MY READING IS SATIRICALLY HOSTILE .O ONE BUT A MEAN SPIRITED COST CUTTING ADMINISTRATOR WOULD FAIL TO REALIZE THAT THE FRAMERS OF THE OUTCOMES DID NOT INTEND FOR THEM TO BE USED IN THIS WAY !ND HALF OF THE OUTCOMES ASK FOR hKNOWING HOWv BUT HALF ISNT REALLY VERY MANY USE CONVENTIONS OF FORMAT ADOPT APPROPRIATE VOICE WRITE IN SEVERAL GENRES USE WRITING AND READING FOR INQUIRY DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR GENERATING AND EVEN PRACTICE MEANS OF DOCUMENTING AND SO ON 3TILL THE ISSUE ) RAISE IS FAR FROM TRIVIAL .OT ONLY DO WE LIVE IN A TIME WHEN INSTITUTIONS ARE DESPERATE TO CUT COSTS AND FRAME LEARNING INTO OUT COMES THAT CAN BE INEXPENSIVELY ASSESSED IN ADDITION THE WHOLE POINT OF AN OUTCOMES STATEMENT IS TO HELP US BE MORE SOPHISTICATED ABOUT THE NATURE OF KNOWINGAND THUS TO AVOID GETTING MIXED UP ABOUT THE DIFFER ENCE BETWEEN KNOWING THAT AND KNOWING HOW -Y DISSATISFACTION FEELS SUBSTANTIAL BUT IN A SENSE IT IS A MINOR ONE FOR IT WAS PRETTY MUCH CURED BY A REVISION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PREPARED BY )RV 0ECKHAM /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 3TEERING #OMMITTEE n 5NFORTUNATELY ITS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ARCHIVES )T DID AN ADMIRABLE JOB OF FRAMING OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF KNOWING HOW AND THIS MADE THE OUTCOMES MUCH CLEARER AND CRISPER THAN IN THE MAIN DOCUMENT > / (; ( 9 , @6 < 3 6 6 2 0 5 . - 6 9 &
)T SEEMS TO ME THAT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OF OUTCOMES NEEDS TO BENEFIT FROM THE LIVELY EXPERIMENTATION AND EXTENSIVE SCHOLARSHIP ON COMPE TENCE BASED EDUCATION IN THE S 4HE MOVEMENT WAS FRANKLY DEMO CRATIC EGALITARIAN AND LIBERATORY ,ET ME TRY TO SPELL OUT MY SENSE OF THE CENTRAL PREMISES THAT ) SAW DRIVING IT s 0OOR TEACHING IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES OFTEN STEMS FROM FACULTY BEING CHARACTERISTICALLY INEPT AT GIVING CLEAR AND CONCRETE ANSWERS TO THEIR STU DENTS AND OFTEN TO THEMSELVES AND TO THE PUBLIC WHEN ASKED THE DIRECT QUESTION h7HAT ARE YOU ACTUALLY TRYING TO TEACH v )N A SENSE THE COMPE TENCE BASED MOVEMENT COULD BE SUMMED UP AS A CONCERTED INSISTENCE THAT WE TAKE SERIOUSLY THAT PESKY QUESTION THAT STUDENTS LIKE TO ASK AND TEACH ERS LIKE TO DUCK h7HAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR v 4HE MOVEMENT SEEMED TO ME DRIVEN BY AN IRRITATION IF NOT DOWNRIGHT ANGER AT TEACHERS WHO ANSWER IN EFFECT h$ONT ASK +EEP YOUR MIND ON HIGHER THINGS "ESIDES YOU WOULDNT UNDERSTAND )M THE EXPERT HERE /NLY ) UNDERSTAND THE CRITERIA ONLY ) CAN BE THE JUDGE OF WHAT CONSTITUTES ;SAY= GOOD WRITINGv 0EOPLE IN THE MOVEMENT ARGUED THAT TEACHERS DONT DESERVE THEIR JOBS UNLESS THEY
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CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION CLEARLY AND CONCRETELY ENOUGH THAT THE STUDENT AND TEACHERS WILL AGREE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENT HAS LEARNED THAT PARTICULAR SKILL OR ABILITY s /UTCOMES SHOULD BE hVALIDATEDv 4HAT IS FACULTIES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTI TUTIONS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO CONSULT WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE ACADEMY IN DECIDING WHAT KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES STUDENTS SHOULD ACHIEVE 4HE 70! FRAMERS EXPLICITLY DECLINED TO OPEN THIS CAN OF WORMSASKING VARIOUS CONSTITUENCIES WHAT THEY SEE AS GOOD WRITING OR A COMPETENT WRITER 4HE COMPETENCE BASED FOLK INSISTED IT WAS A COP OUT NOT TO OPEN IT s #OLLEGES TYPICALLY MYSTIFY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEACHING AND ASSESS ING OR CERTIFYING #URRICULAR STRUCTURES OFTEN TACITLY LEGISLATE THAT LEARNING DOESNT COUNT OR DESERVE CREDIT UNLESS IT OCCURS WHILE ENROLLED IN A COURSE )T WAS A CENTRAL PREMISE THAT STRUCTURES SHOULD BE SET UP SO THAT STUDENTS COULD GET CREDIT FOR THINGS THEY LEARN WITHOUT HAVING TO UNDERGO INSTRUC TION #ONSTANTLY WE FELT THE THEME THAT STUDENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE SO DEPENDENT UPON TEACHERS FOR LEARNING ! MAJOR GOAL WAS TO CLARIFY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TEACHING FUNCTIONS AND THE ASSESSING OR CERTIFYING FUNCTIONS OF EDUCATION IN SUCH A WAY AS TO EMPOWER STUDENTS 4HE COM PETENCE MOVEMENT YIELDED SOME VERY SOPHISTICATED INSIGHTS ABOUT ASSESS MENT THAT ARE PARTICULARLY NEEDED TODAY s -OST ASSESSMENT IS PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IT ASSUMES A hNORM BASED MODELv OF ASSESSMENT WE NEED INSTEAD A hCRITERION BASEDv MODEL .ORM BASED ASSESSMENT TREATS TIME AS THE CONSTANT AND LEARNING AS THE VARIABLE THUS THE NORMAL CONSTANT IS A SEMESTER OR SIXTY MINUTES AND THE VARIABLE IS THE DEGREE OF LEARNINGAND THUS THE RANGE OF SCORES OR GRADES THAT STUDENTS GET #RITERION BASED ASSESSMENT IN CONTRAST TREATS LEARNING AS THE CONSTANT AND TIME AS THE VARIABLE THE CONSTANT SHOULD BE A SET OF SPECIFIC ABILITIES OR SKILLS THAT ALL STUDENTS MUST ATTAIN AND THE VARIABLE WILL THEN BE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT DIFFERENT STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE 4HE CENTRAL PEDA GOGICAL AND IDEOLOGICAL POINT IS THIS IF WE ARTICULATE OUTCOMES IN MORE CONCRETE DETAIL WE CAN ASK THAT ALL STUDENTS MASTER THEM THE TERM MASTERY LEARNING WAS SOMETIMES USED 7E MUSTNT WRITE OFF THE ABILITY OF CERTAIN STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE THE IMPORTANT OUTCOMES JUST BECAUSE IT TAKES THEM LON GER 3LOW IS A EUPHEMISM FOR STUPID 4HUS THE NORM BASED MODEL TENDS TO EMPHASIZE DIFFERENCE AND COMPETITION THE )1 hINTELLIGENCEv TEST IS THE PARADIGM OF NORM BASED ASSESSMENT WHEREAS THE CRITERION BASED MODEL EMPHASIZES THE EXPECTATION THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN LEARNAS LONG AS WE PRO VIDE GOOD CONDITIONS AND FLEXIBILITY OF TIME 3EE -C#LELLANDS FOUN DATIONAL ESSAY FOR THE MOVEMENT h4ESTING FOR #OMPETENCE 2ATHER 4HAN FOR )NTELLIGENCEv
(-YPLUKS`*OHSSLUNL[V7\ZO[OL6\[JVTLZ:[H[LTLU[-\Y[OLY
s &INALLY BY INSISTING ON CLEARER OUTCOMES WE CAN INCREASE LEARNING IN YET ANOTHER FASHION NAMELY BY HELPING STUDENTS THEMSELVES UNDERSTAND MORE CONCRETELY THE SKILLS AND ABILITIES WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO IMPARTTHEREBY INCREASING THEIR ABILITY TO TEACH THEMSELVES AND TO ASSESS THEMSELVES ABOUT WHETHER THEY LEARNED )N SHORT FOR THE COMPETENCE BASED MOVEMENT THE KEY TO IMPROVED LEARNING AND STUDENT EMPOWERMENT IS META AWARENESS THE ABILITY TO NOTICE MONITOR AND TAKE CONTROL OF ONES OWN LEARNING PRO CESS
) WAS TROUBLED WHEN ) STARTED OBSERVING AND WRITING ABOUT OUTCOMES BASED LEARNING ITS ADHERENTS ARE SO COMMITTED TO META AWARENESS AND SELF CONSCIOUSNESS WHEREAS ) AM SO COMMITTED TO INTUITIVE PROCESSES LIKE FREEWRITING WHERE YOU TURN OFF CRITICAL AWARENESS AND CONTROL "UT ) GRADU ALLY LEARNED THAT ) DIDNT NEED TO FEAR THEIR APPROACH THOUGH TOO FEW OF THEM UNDERSTOOD THE VALUE OF THE INTUITIVESOMETIMES USING hINTUITIVEv AS A BAD WORD 4HAT IS ) FIGURED OUT THAT ) COULD DO A BETTER JOB OF FOSTER ING MY ATTEMPTS TO MAKE USE OF INTUITIVE AND NON SELF CONSCIOUS PROCESSES IF ) LEARNED FROM THE COMPETENCE FOLKS TO BE MORE CRITICALLY AWARE OF THESE AS GOALSGOALS THAT ) NEED TO BE BETTER AT ARTICULATING ) LEARNED HOW TO SAY THINGS LIKE THIS h)F OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS DEEPER AND MORE CONNECTED THINKINGAND EVEN RHETORICAL SAVVYNESSWE CAN GET THERE BETTER IF WE CONSCIOUSLY SET ASIDE PERIODS WHERE WE EXPLICITLY ENGAGE IN NON GOAL ORI ENTED WRITING BEHAVIOR 4HERE ARE CERTAIN GOALS THAT WE ATTAIN BETTER WHEN WE TAKE TIME TO SET THOSE GOALS ASIDEv )F THE 70! FRAMERS HAD EXPLORED THE LITERATURE FROM THE COMPETENCE BASED MOVEMENT OF THE S THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND IT HELPFUL AND SYMPATHETIC "UT THEY WOULD HAVE LEARNED TWO IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES THAT ) WOULD ARGUE FOR STRENUOUSLY IN A REVISION 9ET ) THINK )M ASKING FOR NO MORE THAN THE NEXT LOGICAL STEPS IN A JOURNEY ON WHICH THE FRAMERS HAVE ALREADY GONE THE HARDEST DISTANCE ;( 2 , : ; < + , 5 ; : 0 5 ; 6 6 < 9 * 6 5 - 0 + , 5 * , > / , 5 > , ( 9 ; 0 * < 3 (; , 6<;*64,:
!NOTHER THOUGHT EXPERIMENT )MAGINE WE WERE PROFESSIONAL MOUNTAIN GUIDES LEADING A PARTY OF AMATEUR CLIMBERSWE WOULD DO WELL TO GET OUR DESTINATIONS AND GOALS VERY CLEAR AMONG OURSELVES 7HERE ARE WE HEADED AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO GET THERE #LEARLY THE 70! FRAMERS TOOK THIS SENSIBLE STEP IN FORMULATING OUTCOMES "UT WE WOULDNT STOP THERE IF WE WERE THINKING HARD ABOUT OUTCOMES 7ED REALIZE THAT OUR MOUNTAIN
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EXPEDITION WOULD HAVE A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF GETTING TO ITS DESTINATION IF THE GUIDES TOOK CARE TO ENSURE THAT THOSE WE ARE TRYING TO LEAD ALSO KNOW THE DESTINATIONS AND GOALS 4HIS ANALOGY SEEMS TO ME PARTICULARLY APT FOR TEACHING 3TUDENTS WILL GET MUCH MORE FROM OUR TEACHING IF THEY KNOW WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO LEAD THEM AND THUS CAN HELP US GET THERE -OST OF US HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS TRUTH IN AN UNFORTUNATELY NEGATIVE FORM WE NOTICE THAT IF STUDENTS DONT UNDERSTAND OR SHARE OUR GOALS THEY CAN PREVENT LEARNING NO MATTER WHAT WE DO ) THINK ) UNDERSTAND WHY THE 70! FRAMERS DECIDED NOT TO TALK TO STU DENTS DECLARING h7E EXPECT THE MAIN AUDIENCE FOR THIS DOCUMENT TO BE WELL PREPARED COLLEGE WRITING TEACHERS AND COLLEGE WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS 7E HAVE CHOSEN TO WRITE IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL LANGUAGEv 3OMETIMES ) TOO CANT FIGURE SOMETHING OUT ABOUT MY TEACHING IF ) HAVE TO TALK IT OUT PUBLICLY WITH MY STUDENTS OR WITH PARENTS OR THE PUBLIC 9ET GIVEN THE GOOD WORK THE FRAMERS HAVE ALREADY DONE THEY ARE NOW IN A GOOD POSITION TO TAKE THE SECOND STEP AND ARTICULATE THESE OUTCOMES IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ADDRESS STUDENTS TOO 4HIS IS NOT JUST A hRHETORICALv CHOICE OF AUDIENCE IN THE TRIVIAL SENSE OF hRHETORICALv ITS RHETORICAL IN THE DEEPER SENSE 4HAT IS DECISIONS ABOUT HOW TO FRAME OR ARTICULATE KNOWLEDGE ARE ALWAYS DEPLOYMENTS OF POWER 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS WE NOW HAVE IT CONSTITUTES AN INSISTENCE ON RETAINING POWER TO OURSELVES AS PROFESSIONAL EXPERTSAND REFUSING TO INVITE POWER AND PARTICIPATION BY THE STUDENT LEARNER OR THE OUTSIDE WORLD )D CALL IT PROFESSIONALISM IN THE BAD SENSE !M ) TOO HARSH IN CHARGING THE 70! FRAMERS WITH HIDING BEHIND THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE )M IMPORTING A FLAVOR OF HARSHNESS THAT ) FELT FROM LEADING FIGURES IN THE COMPETENCE BASED MOVEMENT OF THE SOFTEN AIMED AT ARROGANT FACULTY MEMBERS AND ELITE INSTITUTIONS THAT PRETENDED TO EDUCATE WHEN THEY WERE REALLY JUST REWARDING STUDENTS FOR THE TRAINING AND TALENT THEY ALREADY POSSESSED BEFORE THEY CAME TO COLLEGE OR ENROLLED IN THE COURSE 4HERES NO NEED TO BE CLEAR AND EXPLICIT WITH STUDENTS IF THOSE STUDENTS ARE ALREADY IN GOOD SHAPE TO LEARN WHAT YOU ARE TEACH ING /F COURSE THE COMMUNITY OF COMPOSITION SCHOLARS AND TEACHERS IS ANYTHING BUT AN ELITIST BASTION OF POWER AND AUTHORITY THOUGH 70!S DO IN FACT HAVE NONTRIVIAL AUTHORITY 3TILL )M TROUBLED WHEN ) CONSULT THE VERSION OF THE OUTCOMES THAT THE 70! GROUP DOES PROVIDE FOR STUDENTS AGAIN ON A LINK FROM THE MAIN STATEMENT ) THINK ITS A VERSION THAT MOST STUDENTS WOULD EXPERIENCE AS CONDESCENDING AND OBFUSCATORYA PIECE OF RHETORIC THAT SAYS IN EFFECT h9OU WOULDNT UNDERSTAND US IF WE REALLY TRIED
(-YPLUKS`*OHSSLUNL[V7\ZO[OL6\[JVTLZ:[H[LTLU[-\Y[OLY
TO EXPLAIN THESE OUTCOMES TO YOU SO WELL JUST GIVE YOU VAGUE HIP SLANGv ,ET ME REITERATE THE PREMISE OF THE COMPETENCE BASED MOVEMENT IF WE WANT TO IMPROVE TEACHING AND LEARNING BY ARTICULATING OUTCOMES THE JOB IS NOT DONE TILL WE TAKE THE STUDENTS INTO OUR CONFIDENCE 7E NEED TO BE SMART ENOUGH TO SPELL OUT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR SO CLEARLY THAT STUDENTS CAN SEE AS WELL AS WE CAN WHETHER THEY HAVE ATTAINED ANY PARTICULAR SKILL OR ABILITY /N ONE OF MY VISITS TO A SITE ) WAS SITTING IN ON A DREADFUL LECTURERAM BLING DISORGANIZED DULL ) WAS STARTING TO TUNE OUT IN A MOOD OF STRONG IRRITATION WHEN GRADUALLY ) NOTICED HOW DIFFERENTLY ALL THE STUDENTS WERE REACTING 4HEY DIDNT LOOK ABSENT OR ANNOYED AND THEY WERE BUSILY ABSORBED IN TAKING NOTES WITH GREAT FOCUS 7HEN ) TALKED TO SOME OF THEM AFTERWARD THEY TOLD ME THAT OF COURSE THEY KNEW IT WAS A PRETTY BAD LEC TURE BUT THEY KNEW WHAT THEY HAD TO GET FROM ITAND THEY COULD INDEED GET IT 7HEN WE EXPLAIN OUTCOMES CLEARLY TO STUDENTS THEY CAN GET GOOD BENEFITS FROM BAD TEACHING 0EOPLE WITH PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS ARE DISCOVERING THE SAME THING 7HEN STUDENTS KNOW AHEAD OF TIME WHAT SKILLS OR ABILITIES THEY NEED TO DISPLAY IN THEIR PORTFOLIOS THEY CAN BE MORE ACTIVE AND INTELLECTU ALLY AWARE AS THEY TRY TO PRODUCE IN THEMSELVES THE LEARNING NEEDED TO GET THOSE SKILLS AND ABILITIES VISIBLE IN THEIR PORTFOLIOS .OTICE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO STATEMENTS TO STUDENTS s 'IVE ME YOUR PORTFOLIO AND ) IN MY PROFESSIONAL WISDOM WILL JUDGE IT AND REVEAL TO YOU WHETHER YOU PASS OR FAIL s (ERES WHAT YOUR PORTFOLIO WILL HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE TO READERS ) PROB ABLY CANT TEACH ALL THOSE THINGS BRILLIANTLY IN FOURTEEN WEEKS BUT IF YOU WILL TRY TO LEARN THEM WHILE )M TRYING TO TEACH THEM YOU HAVE A MUCH BET TER CHANCE OF SUCCESS
!ND REMEMBER AS STUDENTS TRY TO GET THEIR PORTFOLIOS TO DEMONSTRATE THE REQUIRED ABILITIES THEY WILL BE TRYING OUT TESTING AND CONFIRMING THEIR CONCEPTUAL OR THEORETICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THESE SOMETIMES DIFFICULT SUBTLE OR FUZZY RHETORICAL OUTCOMES )N SHORT THIS ROUTE ADDRESSES BOTH hKNOWING HOWv AND hKNOWING THATv 4 ( 2 , 6 < ; * 6 4 , : ( : * 3 , ( 9 ( 5 + + 6> 5 ;6 , ( 9; / ( : 7 6 : : 0 ) 3 ,
)N A WAY THIS PRINCIPLE FOLLOWS FROM DECIDING TO TAKE STUDENTS AS AUDIENCE /F COURSE SOME COMPETENCE BASED ENTHUSIASTS WENT MUCH TOO FAR TOWARD MICRO hBEHAVIORAL OBJECTIVES v BUT ) CAME TO RESPECT A GENERAL PUSH IN
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THE MOVEMENT TOWARD BEING DOWN TO EARTH /UTCOMES FOLKS INSISTED ON A SIMPLE BUT PRODUCTIVE TWO STEP SEQUENCE OF THINKING &IRST THEY ASK h7HAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TEACH v BUT THEN THEY ALWAYS GO ON TO ASK h3O HOW WILL WE KNOW THIS SKILL OR ABILITY OR PIECE OF KNOWLEDGE WHEN WE SEE IT 7HAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN THE FLESHON THE HOOF v 4HUS ) COULD HAVE FRAMED THE WHOLE OPENING SECTION OF THIS ESSAY IN TERMS OF A NEGLECT OF THE TRADITIONAL AND BASIC RHETORICAL SKILL OF INVENTION "UT THIS IS ABSTRACT AND IT IS GENERAL )TS CRUCIAL TO TALK INSTEAD ABOUT THINGS THAT EVERY STUDENT WILL RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE AS A WORTHWHILE GOAL hGETTING LOTS OF WORDS DOWN WITHOUT TOO MUCH STRUGGLEv OR hLEARNING TO AVOID UNPRODUCTIVE PROCRASTINATIONv )TS INTERESTING AND PERPLEXING TO ME THAT THE FRAMERS WORKED SO HARD TO AVOID TALKING IN TERMS OF TEXTS 4HEY WROTE OUTCOMES LIKE hFOCUS ON A PURPOSE AND ADDRESS AUDIENCE NEEDS v INSTEAD OF hPRODUCE A PORTFOLIO THAT SHOWS YOU CAN FOCUS ON A PURPOSE AND ADDRESS AUDIENCE NEEDSv 4HIS MAY SOUND LIKE SEMANTIC QUIBBLING BUT MY REFORMULATION WILL BE CLEARER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE FOR STUDENTS AND LEAD TO FEWER ARGUMENTS 4HE EXTENSIVE WORK ON PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DECADES WILL PROVE ENORMOUSLY USEFUL HEREESPECIALLY WHERE EXPERIMENTERS AND RESEARCHERS HAVE BEGUN TO SPECIFY EXTREMELY INTERESTING AND SOMETIMES SUBTLE WRITING OUTCOMES "UT IF THE FRAMERS HAD OPENED THE DOOR TO THE CONCRETENESS OF TEXT THEY WOULD SURELY HAVE MADE A HUGE CHANGEAND ONE THAT STRIKES ME AS DESIRABLE 4HAT IS EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT TEXTUAL FEATURES LIKE hCONTROL OF SPELLING AND GRAMMARv WHAT DOES hCONTROLv REALLY MEAN AND hUSE OF APPROPRIATE VOICE AND REGISTER v FOR SOME REA SON THEY RAN AWAY FROM TALKING ABOUT MANY OF THE TEXTUAL FEATURES THAT TURN UP MOST PROMINENTLY IN TEACHERS MOUTHS AND WRITTEN COMMENTS CLEAR SENTENCES COHERENT PARAGRAPHS AND EFFECTIVE STRUCTURES 0ERHAPS THE FRAMERS FELT THAT THESE TEXTUAL FEATURES WERE NOT SUFFICIENTLY hRHETORI CALv AND SMACKED TOO MUCH OF h0LATONIC GOOD WRITING IN THE ABSTRACTv "UT THESE SORTS OF TEXTUAL FEATURES ARE JUST THE KIND THAT MUST BE SPECIFIED IF WE WANT TO GIVE HONEST ANSWERS TO THAT CENTRAL QUESTION THAT AN OUTCOMES APPROACH INVITES h7HAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR v &URTHERMORE THESE TEXTUAL OUTCOMES DO NOT EXCLUDE THE RHETORICAL DIMENSIONINDEED THEY ARE VERY PROBLEMATIC UNLESS FORMULATED IN A RHETORICAL MANNER s 4HE ABILITY TO CREATE OPENINGS THAT BRING READERS IN SATISFACTORILY AND END INGS THAT GIVE A SATISFYING SENSE OF CLOSURE
(-YPLUKS`*OHSSLUNL[V7\ZO[OL6\[JVTLZ:[H[LTLU[-\Y[OLY
s 4HE ABILITY TO STRUCTURE ESSAYS SO THAT READERS HAVE AN APPROPRIATE SENSE OF WHERE THEY ARE BEING LEDSO THEY DONT GET LOST s 4HE ABILITY TO CREATE SENTENCES AND PARAGRAPHS THAT ARE CLEAR FOR THE KIND OF READERS AND GENRE ADDRESSED
.OTE HOW THIS RHETORICAL FORMULATION AVOIDS THE TRAP OF RIGID FORMULAS SUCH AS INSISTING THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE RIGHT WAY TO OPEN OR CLOSE OR STRUC TURE AN ESSAY 4HE FRAMERS STAY AT A SIMILAR LEVEL OF GENERALITY WHEN THEY SPEAK MERELY OF hCRITICAL THINKINGv .O DOUBT THEY DIDNT WANT THEIR LIST TOO LONG BUT THE TERM STRIKES ME AS USELESS ON ITS OWN 7E NEED ENOUGH CONCRETE CLARITY THAT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS COULD AGREE ABOUT WHETHER SO CALLED hCRITICAL THINKINGvOR CERTAIN DIMENSIONS OF ITHAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED 4HIS MEANS LISTING OUTCOMES OF THE FOLLOWING SORT )N WRITING ESSAYS STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE s 4O WORK AT BOTH THE GENERAL AND SPECIFIC LEVEL AND TO MOVE CLEARLY AND COMFORTABLY BETWEEN LEVELS s 4O CREATE A MOVEMENT OF THINKING AND NOT JUST REITERATE A STATIC hPOSITIONv s 4O DO SOME JUSTICE TO POINTS OF VIEW OTHER THAN THEIR OWN
/F COURSE THE FRAMERS WANTED TO AVOID GETTING INTO ISSUES OF GRADING OF DEFINING hSTANDARDS OR LEVELS OF ABILITYv 2IGHTLY SO "UT THE RHETORICALLY FORMULATED TEXTUAL OUTCOMES )VE JUST NAMED DONT FALL INTO THAT TRAP ! PIECE OF WRITING COULD LACK OR BE SIGNIFICANTLY WEAK IN SOME OF THESE OUT COMES AND STILL MANAGE TO BE VERY GOOD INDEED 9ET NEVERTHELESS THESE ARE TEXTUAL OUTCOMES THAT MOST TEACHERS ARE INDEED LOOKING FORAND THEY ARE THE FEATURES MOST HELPFUL TO SPECIFY IF WE WANT STUDENTS TO HELP US MOVE TOWARD THE DESTINATION WE ARE TRYING TO REACH IN OUR TEACHING &OR A WHILE NOW )VE BEEN HEARING A VOICE "UT 0ETER YOUVE MISUNDERSTOOD US 7E WERE TRYING FOR OUTCOMES TO HELP PLAN PROGRAMS AND CLASSROOMS NOT TO ASSESS INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS 9OUR hNITTY GRITTYv OUTCOMES WILL JUST REINFORCE THE PUSH FOR LARGE SCALE ASSESSMENTS
"UT IT STRIKES ME THAT YOU MISS THE BENEFITS OF OUTCOMESAND INDEED THE VERY MEANING OF THE WORDIF YOU RUN AWAY FROM SAYING WHAT YOUR OUTCOMES LOOK LIKE IN STUDENTS AND IN TEXTS ,ARGE SCALE ASSESSMENTS ARE UPON US AND ) THINK OUTCOMES OF THIS SORT CAN MAKE THEM LESS HARMFUL 0LENTY OF THE PROCESS OUTCOMES ) SUGGESTED EARLIER SUCH AS THE ABILITY TO AVOID PROCRASTINATION TO WRITE PAST WHATS ON YOUR MIND AND TO BALANCE
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THE USE OF OTHERS AND RELIANCE ON SELF CAN ONLY BE ASSESSED BY STUDENTS THEMSELVESBUT THAT DOESNT MAKE THEM LESS IMPORTANT /NE OF THE MANY GOALS OF THE COMPETENCE MOVEMENT WAS TO CREATE NEW STRUCTURES FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING !DHERENTS ARGUED THAT IF WE SPECI FIED MORE CLEARLY AND CONCRETELY WHAT WE ARE TEACHING AND HOW WE KNOW WHEN STUDENTS HAVE LEARNED IT WE WOULDNT BE SO UNTHINKINGLY STUCK WITH THE STANDARD STRUCTURES LIKE THE hCOURSEv AND THE COLLECTION OF COURSES ADDING UP TO A DEGREE 3URELY FIRST YEAR WRITING IS UNHELPFULLY STUCK IN THE MODEL OF THE STANDARD COURSE FIFTEEN TO THIRTY STUDENTS AND ONE TEACHER MEETING IN ONE ROOM FOR TEN TO FIFTEEN WEEKS )T WAS MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE COMPETENCE MOVEMENT THAT LED ME TO PROPOSE EXPERIMENTING WITH WHAT ) CALLED THE hYOGURT MODELv FOR FIRST YEAR WRITING 4O CONCLUDE LET ME SAY AGAIN THAT )M NOT SO MUCH ARGUING AGAINST OUTCOMES IN THE 70! STATEMENT AS ARGUING FOR OTHERS IN ADDITION AND FOR SOME REFORMULATION ) THINK THE FRAMERS DID A GOOD AND A DIFFICULT JOB IN BRINGING THE STATEMENT AS FAR AS THEY DID )F INVITED ) WOULD BE HAPPY TO JOIN IN A REVISION PROCESS
6 < ; * 6 4 , : ( 5 + ; / , + , = , 3 6 7 0 5 . 3,(95,9 9PJOHYK//HZ^LSS /N OUR QUICKST DECREES 4HE INAUDIBLE AND NOISELESS FOOT OF 4IME 3TEALS ERE WE CAN EFFECT THEM 3HAKESPEARE !LLS 7ELL 4HAT %NDS 7ELL
-Y TOPIC OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT BRIDGES TWO DIFFERENT ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES PSYCHOLOGY AND COMPOSITION )N THE PAST THE BRIDGE HAS PROVEN SHAKY -IN :HAN ,U REMARKS ACCURATELY THAT hCOMPOSITION STUDIES HAVE LONG QUESTIONED THE FUNCTION OF THE DEVELOP MENTAL FRAME ESPECIALLY THE PLOT LINE OF @YOU HAVE TO BEFORE YOU CANv "UT WHOSE PLOT LINE IS THIS )T IS TRUE THAT SEQUENCE IS THE BENCHMARK OF THE DEVELOPMENTAL SURVEY OF HUMAN LIVES BUT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES POSIT NO hHAVE TOv )NSTEAD THEY RECORD THE hDIDv OF INDIVIDUALS THE hTEND TOv OF CULTURAL GROUPS THE hOUGHT TOv OF HUMAN VALUE SYSTEMS AND THE hREQUIRED TOv OF INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAMS ,U FOR INSTANCE IS WARNING SPECIFICALLY AGAINST THE EXPECTATION THAT MINORITY AND SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING STUDENTS NEED TO LEARN THE MAJOR ITY LANGUAGE BEFORE THEY CAN ASSUME THEIR OWN VOICE 9ET THAT IS HARDLY AN EXPECTATION ONE WILL FIND AMONG DEVELOPMENTALISTS WHO CUSTOMARILY DEFEND THE COGENCY AND LEGITIMACY OF EACH INDIVIDUALS VOICE AT WHATEVER POINT IN LIFE 4HESE NOTIONS OF SEQUENCE AND VOICE MARK JUST TWO OF MANY DISCON NECTS BETWEEN THE FIELD OF COMPOSITION AND THE FIELD OF PERSONAL DEVELOP MENT A TOPIC THAT ) WILL RETURN TO AT THE END OF THIS COMMENTARY "UT FIRST ) SHOULD ATTEND TO MY MAIN QUESTION (OW DO THEORIES OF ADULT OR LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT CRITIQUE ILLUMINATE AND PERHAPS SUGGEST IMPROVEMENTS TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 6OICE IT WILL BE REMEMBERED IS AN EXPLICIT OUTCOME IN THE STATEMENT hSTUDENTS SHOULD ADOPT APPROPRIATE VOICE TONE AND LEVEL OF FORMALITYv 3EQUENCE IT MAY NOT BE NOTICED IS MISSING FROM THE STATEMENT )S THE STATEMENTS INCLUSION OF THE ONE AND EXCLUSION
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OF THE OTHER COUNTENANCED BY DEVELOPMENTAL THINKING 7HAT ELSE OF THIS CAREFUL DECREEHAD 3HAKESPEARE SEEN ITS AUTHORING HE WOULD HARDLY CALL IT hQUICKESTv OF FOOTDOES DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY COUNTENANCE ; / , + , = , 3 6 7 4 , 5 ;( 3 - 9 ( 4 ,
!CTUALLY SINCE THERE IS NOT ONE THEORY OF LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENT BUT RATHER A CLOUD OF THEORIES IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO DROP IN ELEVATION ) WILL ADOPT ,US TERMINOLOGY AND TALK ABOUT THE hDEVELOPMENTAL FRAME v THE CUSTOM ARY WAY THE DISCIPLINE OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT LOOKS AT PERSONS )T IS OF COURSE HARD TO FIND ANY KNOWLEDGE FRAME MORE INTUITIVE AND UNIVERSAL THAN THAT OF LIFELONG DEVELOPMENT #HILDREN YEARN TO BE GROWN UP GROWN UPS COMPULSIVELY WRITE AND REWRITE THE STORY OF THEIR GROWTH SINCE CHILD HOOD #HILDHOOD ADOLESCENCE MAJORITY MATURITY SENILITY ARE MASSIVE CULTURAL CONSTRUCTS BACKED WITH THE AUTHORITY OF PERSONAL CHANGE SOCIAL EXPEDIENCY AND LEGAL CODE AND PREOCCUPIED WITH THE IMPORTANT STUFF OF OUR LIVES SEX CARS MARRIAGE ALCOHOL NICOTINE OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY MILITARY SERVICE RETIREMENT ETC )N EVERY CULTURE AROUND THE WORLD THE STORY OF GROWING UP AND GROWING OLD IS AN UR NARRATIVE IN THE SENSE THAT IT UNDERLIES MANY OTHER STORIES AND FEW IF ANY UNDERLIE IT "UT FORMAL STUDY HAS BROKEN DOWN THIS FOLK UR NARRATIVE INTO A NUMBER OF ELEMENTS OR ,US hPLOT LINESv 3EQUENCE IS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF A COM PLEX OF NOTIONS WIDELY ASSUMED BY LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTALISTS %RAS OF A PERSONS LIFE FORM STRUCTURED WHOLES ORGANIZATIONS OF THE SELF THAT MAKE SENSE AND FOR THE PERSON MAKE SENSE OF THE WORLD -AJOR CHANGES THEN REORGANIZATIONS OF THE SELF ARE NOT hQUANTITATIVEv BUT hQUALITATIVE v DEFINED NOT BY THE ACCUMULATION OF NEW KNOWLEDGE OR SKILL BUT BY THE ACQUISITION OF A NEW MODE OF UNDERSTANDING THAT ALLOWS NEW KNOWLEDGE OR SKILL ,IFE CHANGES CORRELATE WITH AGE AND EVENT BUT DO NOT DEPEND ON AGE AND EVENT (OWEVER LIFE CHANGES FORM SEQUENCES NORMATIVE IN TERMS OF AND USUALLY ACROSS CLASS SEX AND CULTURE 4HE SEQUENCES ARE DIRECTIONAL IN THE SENSE THAT THEY GROW IN hCOMPLEXITY v ONE STEP LAY ING A FOUNDATION FOR THE NEXT ,IFE CHANGES INVOLVE ALL ASPECTS OF THE PERSONPHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL INTELLECTUAL EMOTIONAL SPIRITUAL SOCIAL HISTORICAL !SPECTS ARE NOT DETERMINISTIC BUT hPLASTICv 0EOPLE AS IN 3HAKESPEARE SHAPE THEIR OWN ENDS !SPECTS ARE INTERDEPENDENT OR hEMBEDDEDvCHANGING AT DIFFERENT RATES WITH ONE ASPECT OFTEN EXERT ING A PULL UPON ANOTHER !DMITTEDLY THERE MAY BE CHASMS BETWEEN SOME OF THESE ASSUMP TIONS AND FOLK UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE GROWTH 2EORGANIZATION OF SELF FOR
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INSTANCE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT ANY OF US CAN RECALL AS WE DO A WRENCHED KNEE EVEN THOUGH SUCH REORGANIZATION MAY BE DEMONSTRATED WHEN WE READ A BOOK WITH DISTASTE THAT YEARS EARLIER WE READ WITH CAPTIVATION OR APPRECIATE ONE WE ONCE READ AND THOUGHT STUPID &OR EVIDENCE OF THESE ASSUMPTIONS LOOK TO THE DEVELOPMENTALISTS WHOSE PLENTIFUL STUDIES OF LIFESPAN CHANGE ARE CHARACTERIZED BY RIGOR SCOPE AND INTELLIGENCE &OR THIS ESSAY ) WILL NOT QUESTION THE LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL FRAME BUT INSTEAD ASK WHAT LIGHT IT CASTS UPON THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT &OUR OF THE COMPONENTS SEEM ESPECIALLY PERTINENT SEQUENCE COMPLEXITY PLASTICITY AND EMBEDDEDNESS )N THE END HOWEVER THE DISJUNCT BETWEEN THE FIELDS OF COMPOSITION AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE IT CASTS ITS OWN LIGHT ON A DECREE THAT HAS ARISEN VERY MUCH FROM THE CENTER OF THE COMPOSITION FIELD :LX\LUJL
)T GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT IF YOUR PREOCCUPATION IS TEMPORAL SEQUENCE THEN YOUR BASIC UNIT OF OBSERVATION HAS TO BE NO FEWER THAN TWO POINTS IN TIME 4O DO OTHERWISE WOULD BE LIKE TRYING TO INFER DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT FROM A SINGLE PHOTOGRAPH 4HE FIRST THING A DEVELOPMENTALIST WOULD NOTE ABOUT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS THAT IT RATHER INSISTENTLY FRAMES ITSELF AS A SNAPSHOT TAKEN AT ONLY ONE POINT IN TIME h"Y THE END OF FIRST YEAR COM POSITION STUDENTS SHOULD v 3EQUENCE THEN HAS TO BE EITHER INFERRED FROM THE STATEMENT OR IMPOSED UPON IT ! DEVELOPMENTALIST WOULD ASK 7HERE SHOULD STUDENTS BE AT THE BEGINNING OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION 7HERE SHOULD THEY BE AT GRADUATION )N SHORT WHERE SHOULD THIS POISED STATE AT THE END OF FIRST YEAR INSTRUCTION HAVE TAKEN AND BE TAKING STUDENTS $EPENDING UPON THE ANSWER EVERY ITEM IN THE STATEMENT CAN BE READ IN RADICALLY DIFFERENT WAYS 3HOULD STUDENTS hADOPT APPROPRIATE VOICEv SO LATER THEY CAN SWITCH INTEGRATE OR HIDE THEIR OWN DISTINCTIVE VOICE #LEARLY DIFFERENT SEQUENCES AND THE AUTHORITY FOR DIFFERENT SEQUENCES WILL MAKE QUITE DIFFERENT SENSE OF THE STATEMENTS END OF COURSE GOALS .OTIONS OF ADULT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORIZE THEIR SEQUENCES FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES 4HE MOST OBVIOUS ARE THOSE LIFE STEPS IDEOLOGICALLY SET AND MATERIALLY ENFORCED BY OUR CULTURE SCHOOLING BEFORE SELF SUPPORT SELF SUP PORT BEFORE MARRIAGE MARRIAGE BEFORE CHILDREN ETC &OR COLLEGE STUDENTS THE DOMINATING SEQUENCE IS THE WAY EDUCATION IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO WORK (AVIGHURST 4HERE IS AMPLE EVIDENCE EG !STIN THAT COLLEGE STUDENTS ATTITUDES AND ACHIEVEMENTS TAKE A DEVELOPMENTAL LEAP WHEN THEY SEE THEMSELVES NOT JUST AS LEARNERS AT LARGE BUT AS APPRENTICE
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PROFESSIONALS USUALLY WITH THE TAKING ON OF UPPER DIVISION WORK WITHIN A MAJOR 4HE WAY THE WRITING OF STUDENTS AND THEIR VIEW OF WRITING TAKES QUALITATIVE JUMPS AT THAT POINT HAS ALSO BEEN RECORDED ,IGHT 3TERNGLASS )T IS WITHIN THIS COMPELLING SOCIAL SEQUENCE MORE THAN ANY OTHER THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT EXPLICITLY LODGES ITSELF MOST NOTICEABLY IN THE WAY IT RECOMMENDS THAT SUBSEQUENT YEAR INSTRUCTORS hBUILD ONv FIRST YEAR OUTCOMES BY TEACHING COMPETENCIES ASSOCIATED WITH PROFESSIONAL FIELDS ! SECOND SOURCE FOR SEQUENCEAND THE ONE WITH THE LONGEST TRADITION IN DEVELOPMENTAL STUDYIS SIMPLY THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS !N INSTANCE IS THE WAY STUDENTS SHIFT IN THEIR CONCEPTION OF AUTHORSHIP DURING COLLEGE ,ONGITUDINAL STUDIES HAVE FOUND FIRST YEAR STUDENTS WITH A WEAK AWARENESS THAT TEXTBOOKS ARE AUTHORED BY LIVE PEOPLE /NLY GRADUALLY DO THEY READ WITH A SENSE THAT THE WORDS ON THE PAGE EMERGE FROM THE LIMITED EXPE RIENCE AND PERSPECTIVE OF INDIVIDUAL WRITERS (AAS (ASWELL 7INEBERG (ERE IT WILL BE NOTED THAT THE STATEMENT ISOLATES NO OUTCOMES CONNECTED WITH THIS READING ABILITY )N FACT UNDER 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE THE RECOMMENDATION THAT STUDENTS SHOULD hUNDERSTAND HOW GENRES SHAPE READING AND WRITINGv MIGHT BE TAKEN AS AN OUTCOME THAT WOULD BLOCK STUDENTS FROM MAKING THAT CRITICAL STEP ! DEVELOPMENTAL REWRITING OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MIGHT WELL ADD A NEW hBUILD ONv TO THIS SECTION RECOMMENDING THAT FACULTY CAN HELP STUDENTS LEARN THAT WHILE GENRES SHAPE READING AND WRITING GENRES MAY ALSO IMBUE WRITERS WITH FALSE AUTHORITY THAT NEEDS TO BE DECONSTRUCTED 'ENERALLY THE hBUILD ONv SECTIONS OF THE STATEMENT PICTURE A NONPROBLEMATIC CONTINUATION OF OUTCOMES WHILE LIFE STORY STUDIES OF INDIVIDUALS PICTURE A CONFLICTED TRANS FORMATION OF POSITIONS "OTH THE STATEMENT AND LIFESPAN STUDIES CHEER US ON BUT THE CRY OF THE ONE IS !LLONS ENFANTS AND OF THE OTHER IS 2ECULER POUR MIEUX SAUTER ! THIRD SOURCE FOR DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCES GROUP COMPARISONS SUGGESTS ANOTHER WAY THE STATEMENT MIGHT BE WRITTEN MORE USEFULLY .ORMATIVE CHANGE IN LANGUAGE COMPETENCY CAN BE MAPPED BY COMPARING DIFFERENT COLLEGE CLASSES AT THE SAME TIME OR THE SAME GROUP AT DIFFERENT YEARS USING THE SAME PROMPTS AND MEASURES 2ARELY IS CHANGE SMOOTH 4HE MAPS SHOW PERIODS OF FOCUS LAISSEZ FAIRE AND CONCESSION 6OCABULARY IS A CASE IN POINT #OLLEGE UNDERGRADUATES SHOW RAPID INCREASE IN THEIR WORKING VOCABULARY EG (ASWELL .EWBERRY BUT THE CHANGE SEEMS TO BE LARGELY IN THE AREA OF FORMAL VOCABULARY ESPECIALLY TECHNICAL JARGON AND SO PROBABLY MEANS SOME REGRESSION IN THE KIND OF PLAIN DIC
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TION PROMOTED BY WRITING HANDBOOKS 4HE STATEMENT RECOMMENDS THE TEACHING OF hSPECIALIZED VOCABULARY v AN ADVANCE THAT STUDENTS ARE MAKING ON THEIR OWN BUT WOULDNT IT BE BETTER TO TEACH STUDENTS TO RECENTER THAT ADVANCE %SSENTIALLY SEQUENCE IS A REFINEMENT OF SUCCESSION 4O ITS CREDIT THE STATEMENT RECOGNIZES THAT FIRST YEAR ACHIEVEMENTS ARE PARTS OF A SUCCES SION ARE MOMENTS IN A MOVING STREAM h!S WRITERS MOVE BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION THEIR WRITING ABILITIES DO NOT MERELY IMPROVE 2ATHER STU DENTS ABILITIES MOVE INTO WHOLE NEW LEVELS WHERE EXPECTED OUTCOMES EXPAND MULTIPLY AND DIVERGEv 4HIS TAKES A STRONG DEVELOPMENTAL STANCE "UT IT ALSO DECLINES A FINE DEVELOPMENTAL OPPORTUNITY (OW MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL SHOULD THE STATEMENT DESCRIBE ITS hKNOWLEDGESv AND hPRO CESSESv AS A SEQUENCE THAT IS WITH PREDICTED AND MEANINGFUL CHANGES AT MORE THAN ONE ACADEMIC LEVELSAY AT ENTRY END OF FIRST YEAR AND END OF SECOND YEAR *VTWSL_P[`
! FOURTH SOURCE OF DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCE IS INTERNAL LOGIC 4HE BASIC ASSUMPTION IS THAT DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCES WILL TEND TO EVOLVE FROM LESS TO MORE COMPLEXMORE COMPLEX IN THE SENSE THAT THE NEW STRUC TURING IS BASED LOGICALLY OR PRAGMATICALLY ON THE PREVIOUS STRUCTURING ! FIRST POSITION OF TRUST IN hDURABLE CATEGORIESv THE ASSUMPTION THAT WHAT HOLDS FOR ONE PERSON HOLDS FOR EVERYONE IS ENTAILED IN A LATER POSITION OF hCROSS CATEGORIESv THE ASSUMPTION THAT SOME PRINCIPLES CONNECT DIFFERING INDIVIDUAL VIEWPOINTS +EGAN OR AN ABILITY TO HANDLE PROBLEMS COGNITIVELY KNOWING HOW TO COMPUTE FIGURES IS ENTAILED IN AN ABILITY TO HANDLE PROBLEMS METACOGNITIVELY UNDERSTANDING WHEN FIGURES SHOULD BE COMPUTED +ITCHENER 3UCH INTERNAL LOGIC MIGHT RAISE COMPOSI TIONISTS FEAR OF hYOU HAVE TO BEFORE YOU CAN v BUT ONLY IF WE ACCEPT THE HIGHLY UNLIKELY RULE THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS TAKE THE LOGICAL WAY AS THEY LIVE OUT THEIR LIVES !LAS PEOPLE WHO OUGHT TO KNOW BETTERTHOUGH PROBABLY FOR COGENT DEVELOPMENTAL REASONSSOMETIMES ACT AS THOUGH EVERYONE ELSE SEES CATEGORICALLY AS THEY DO OR SOMETIMES DISCOVER THEY NEED TO COMPUTE IN A WAY THEY NEVER LEARNED OR HAVE FORGOTTEN !MONG ITS VARIOUS hOUTCOMES v THE STATEMENT DOES NOT DISTINGUISH DEGREES OF COMPLEXITY 3OMETIMES THE RESULT IS A LITTLE UNREAL 5NDER #RITICAL 4HINKING 2EADING AND 7RITING THE STATEMENT EXPECTS FIRST YEAR STUDENTS TO h5NDERSTAND A WRITING ASSIGNMENT AS A SERIES OF TASKS v A NAR RATIVE ORDER OR hSECOND ORDER CONSCIOUSNESSv OUTCOME THAT WE REASONABLY
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MIGHT LOOK FOR IN SCHOOLCHILDREN AND TO h5NDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND POWER v A TRANS SYSTEM OR hFIFTH ORDER CONSCIOUSNESSv OUTCOME FOUND ONLY IN A MINUTE PORTION OF COLLEGE GRADUATES THE TERMS ARE FROM +EGAN ! WIDESPREAD DEVELOPMENTAL FINDING IS THAT REFLECTIVE OR METACONSCIOUS UNDERSTANDING AIDS QUALITATIVE ADVANCE IN LEARNING ONLY WHEN IT IS DIRECTED TO KNOWLEDGE OR SKILLS ALREADY LEARNED AND SOMEHOW FELT INADEQUATE 2EFLEXIVITY IS A STEP FOR EXAMPLE THAT TAKES ONE FROM A POSITION OF APPRENTICE TO PRACTITIONER 3CHÚN OR FROM A PASSIVE AGENT TO AN ACTIVE AGENT IN ONES EMOTIONAL LIFE "EARISON AND :IMILES 7HEN THE STATEMENT ASKS STUDENTS TO REFLECT IT MAKES MORE DEVELOPMENTAL SENSE WHEN THE TARGET IS AUDIENCE NEEDS AND LESS WHEN THE TARGET IS PROFESSIONAL GENRES IN WHICH FIRST YEAR STUDENTS ARE UNLIKELY TO HAVE HAD THE WORKING SKILLS GOALS PRIVILEGES AND DISAP POINTMENTS THAT WOULD MAKE METATHINKING PROFITABLE $OES IT PROFIT TO h5NDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LANGUAGE KNOWLEDGE AND POWERv IF ONE DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER OR DOES NOT DOUBT THE KNOWLEDGE )MAGINE A FIRST YEAR OUTCOMES STATEMENT THAT WOULD SORT WRITING PRO CESSES SKILLS KNOWLEDGE AND METAKNOWLEDGE INTO FOUR CATEGORIES ALREADY INTERNALIZED IN ACQUISITION IN DOUBT AND FOR THE FUTURE )T WOULD BE A MUCH MORE CONTENTIOUS DECREE BUT MORE REALISTIC FROM A DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE 7SHZ[PJP[`HUK,TILKKLKULZZ
&OR SEQUENCE DEVELOPMENTALISTS ALSO DRAW UPON VALUE SYSTEMS UPON NOT ONLY WHAT DOES HAPPEN BUT ALSO UPON WHAT COULD OR SHOULD HAPPEN /F COURSE NONE OF THE SEQUENCES ALREADY MENTIONED TAKE THE FORM OF PURE BIOLOGICAL IMPERATIVE )NSTEAD THEY DRAW A PICTURE OF INDIVIDUALS SLOWING DOWN AND SPEEDING UP HESITATING FORWARD AND CIRCLING BACK A PICTURE NOT OF MECHANICAL DRIVE BUT OF HUMAN hPLASTICITYv EG 'OLLIN !NY ONE OF THE SEQUENCES COULD BE ALTERED WITH CHANGES IN SOCIETY AND SCHOOLING 3TUDENTS FOR INSTANCE COULD ARRIVE AT COLLEGE WITH A MUCH STRONGER AWARENESS OF TEXTBOOK AUTHORSHIP HAD THEY BEEN THOROUGHLY EXERCISED IN THE KIND OF AUTHOR ROLE PLAYING DESCRIBED BY 'RAVES AND (ANSEN 4O A CERTAIN DEGREE ALL THE SEQUENCES ASSUME HUMAN PLASTICITY THE ABILITY TO CHANGE DIRECTION AND THUS ARE IDEALIZED OR VALUE LADEN "RUNER B #ONSIDER GENDER hCROSSOVER v THE POSTADOLESCENT SEQUENCE DISTIN GUISHED BY MALES GRAVITATING TOWARD CULTURALLY DEFINED FEMININE POSITIONS AND FEMALES TOWARD MASCULINE POSITIONS 3OMETIMES CROSSOVER IS PRESENT
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ED AS A CULTURAL EFFECT EG 'IELE SOMETIMES AS A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL EFFECT EG "AXTER -AGOLDA SOMETIMES AS A LITERACY EFFECT EG 0ETERSON /THER TIMES THOUGH IT MUCH MORE TAKES THE SHAPE OF A MORAL IDEAL ,ABOUVIE 6IEF FOR INSTANCE OFFERS THE SEQUENCE AS A HEALTHY PERSONAL LIFE COURSE CHOICE BUT ONE THAT TODAY IS COUNTERCULTURAL A NEW TURN IN THE WAY 7ESTERN CIVILIZATION HAS DEVELOPED SINCE THE CLASSIC 'REEKS 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS GENDER WASHED OF COURSEA CHOICE THAT MIGHT SURPRISE MANY DEVELOPMENTALISTS WHO WOULD FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT ALL THESE OUTCOMES ARE PERTINENT OR PROACTIVE FOR FIRST YEAR COLLEGE MALES AND FEMALES EQUALLY /R THAT BOTH MALES AND FEMALES WILL STRESS ALL OUTCOMES EQUALLY #AN WE EXPECT OR WANT ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE ALL OF THIS SPECTRUM OF WRITERLY OUTCOMES ACROSS THE BOARD %VERYTHING THAT IS KNOWN ABOUT DEVELOPMENT ARGUES STRONGLY THAT SUCH IS NOT THE WAY PEOPLE LEARN 7ITH A SKILL AS COM PLEX AS WRITING INDIVIDUALS PROGRESS ON ONLY A FEW SUBSKILLS AT ONCE AND SINCE SUBSKILLS INTERACT THEN ADVANCE OF THE OTHERS IS CHARACTERISTICALLY UNEVEN &ELDMAN IS A NOW CLASSIC DESCRIPTION OF THIS hEMBEDDEDv PROCESS !LL IN ALL THE GENERAL DEVELOPMENTAL JUDGMENT ON THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS MIXED 4HE STATEMENT ACCORDS BEST WHERE IT IMPLIES THAT THE OUTCOMES STAND AS A WAY STATION IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ONGOING JOURNEY AS WITH THE hBUILD ONv SECTIONS NOT AS A TERMINAL SUFFICIENT FOR THE REST OF AN EDUCATIONAL CAREER !S CRITERIAL POINTS MADE EXPLICIT FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO CONSIDER AND USE THE OUTCOMES SERVE A GENERAL DEVELOPMEN TAL PURPOSE OF MAKING THINGS METACONSCIOUSA STEP THAT OFTEN HELPS A DEVELOPMENTAL CYCLE SPIRAL ON TO A NEW LEVEL "RUNER A )N TERMS OF PARTICULAR WELL DOCUMENTED ADULT DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCES SOME OF THE OUTCOMES FIT WELL ENOUGH OTHERS DO NOT "UT WHERE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MOST TRANSGRESSES DEVELOPMENTAL LORE IT DOES AS A WHOLE NOT PART BY PART 4O THE DEGREE THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT MIRRORS THE ALL ANGLES COVERED FORMAT OF A RHETORIC TEXTBOOK OR OF A PROFESSIONALLY SANC TIONED PROGRAM IT DEPARTS MOST DEEPLY FROM THE DEVELOPMENTAL FRAME 6<;*64,:(5+/<4(5*65;,?;:
)N RESPONSE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ARGUES THAT THESE DEVELOPMENTAL CONCERNS LIE BEYOND ITS PURVIEW )TS JOB IS TO hDESCRIBE ONLY WHAT WE EXPECT TO FIND AT THE END OF FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCEv MY EMPHASIS )T JUST LAYS OUT CERTAIN EDUCATIONAL hRESULTSv AT ONE CURRICULAR MOMENT )N COLLEGE AT THIRTY SEMESTER HOURS STUDENTS SHOULD hFOCUS ON A PURPOSEv IN THEIR
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WRITING )F THEY DONT THEY ARE SIMPLY NOT WHERE THE CURRICULUM EXPECTS THEM TO BE )N OUR FRAME THE STATEMENT WOULD ARGUE THESE STUDENTS ARE UNLEARNED )N YOUR FRAME THEY ARE REMEDIAL OR hDEVELOPMENTALv 4O hFOCUS ON A PURPOSEv IS A LEARNING OUTCOME THE BEFORE AND AFTER IS A DEVELOP MENT OUTCOME IF YOU WISH 4HE DEVELOPMENTALISTS COUNTER RESPONSE IS TWOFOLD &IRST TO SEPARATE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT EVOKES A FALSE DISTINCTION 4HEY ARE THE SAME !NY DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGE IS AN ACT OF LEARNING ANY ACT OF TRUE LEARNING IS DEVELOPMENTAL 4HAT IS WHY DEVELOPMENTALISTS IN FACT DISLIKE THE TERM DEVELOPMENTAL AS APPLIED TO STUDENTS WHO HAPPEN NOT TO HAVE LEARNED WHAT EDUCATORS EXPECT THEM TO HAVE LEARNED AT THE START OF A PARTICULAR COURSE 4HAT IS WHY A DEVELOPMENTALIST WOULD DO A DOUBLE TAKE ON READING THE TITLE OF THIS COMMENTARY 4HE hDEVELOPING LEARNERv 7HAT OTHER KIND IS THERE 4O hFOCUS ON A PURPOSEv IS ALSO AND ALWAYS A DEVELOPMENTAL OUT COME AND TO TERM IT A hLEARNING OUTCOMEv WILL NOT ERASE THE BEFORE AND AFTER THAT IS PART OF ITS NATURE !LL IT TAKES TO REALIZE THAT BEFORE AND AFTER NATURE IS TO IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF STUDENTS COULD DEMONSTRATE ALL THE STATEMENTS OUTCOMES ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION 4HEN THE STATEMENT HAS NO REASON TO EXIST 3ECOND THE NATURE OF AN OUTCOME SUCH AS hTO FOCUS ON A PURPOSEv IS EVEN MORE RADICALLY DEVELOPMENTAL 4O CALL IT A LEARNING OUTCOME PUTS IT IN A PARTICULAR SEMANTIC BOX BUT NOT TO CALL IT A DEVELOPMENTAL REALITY IS TO HELP MAKE THE BOX MEANINGLESS )T STRIPS IT OF ONE OF THE CONTEXTS WITHOUT WHICH THE WORDS ARE LITTLE MORE THAN EMPTY PLACEHOLDERS ) WANT TO CLARIFY THIS IMPORTANT POINT BY LOOKING AT A SINGLE DEVELOP MENTAL STUDY 0RACTICALLY ANY RECENT INVESTIGATION MIGHT MAKE THE SAME BASIC POINT BUT THE PIECE IS ESPECIALLY INSTRUCTIVE BECAUSE IT DEALS WITH A KIND OF LANGUAGE PERFORMANCE THAT GLOSSES THE TERMS OF MY EXAMPLE FROM THE STATEMENT hFOCUSv AND hPURPOSEv 4HE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN BY #AROL &ELDMAN *EROME "RUNER $AVID +ALMAR AND "OBBI 2ENDERER AND PUB LISHED IN AS h0LOT 0LIGHT AND $RAMATISM )NTERPRETATION AT 4HREE !GESv 4HE RESEARCHERS READ ALOUD THE SAME SHORT STORY TO INDIVIDUALS WHO FORMED THREE PARTICIPANT GROUPS CHILDREN AGED TEN TO TWELEVE ADO LESCENTS AGED FIFTEEN TO NINETEEN AND ADULTS AGED TWENTY SIX TO FORTY NINE %ACH PARTICIPANT WAS ASKED QUESTIONS AT FIXED POINTS DURING THE READING AND FINALLY ASKED TO RETELL THE STORY AND TO GIVE THE GIST OF IT 4HE STORY h4RUTH AND #ONSEQUENCESv BY "RENDAN 'ILL ABOUT A YOUNG MAN CAUGHT BETWEEN ROMANCE SEMINARY AND HIS MOTHERS WISHES IS EASY TO FOLLOW BUT OPEN TO INTERPRETATION
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4HE BASIC FINDING OF THE STUDY IS CLEAR CUT 4HE WAY PARTICIPANTS RECOUNTED THE EVENTS DIFFERED LITTLE ACROSS AGE GROUPS BUT THE WAY GROUPS INTERPRETED THE EVENTS THE NARRATIVE MODEL BY WHICH THEY MADE SENSE OF THE STORY AS A WHOLE CHANGED CONSISTENTLY 4HE CHILDREN LOOKED FOR PLOT SIMPLE MOTIVES LEADING DIRECTLY TO ACTION BY CHARACTERS IDENTIFIED AS OCCUPYING CATEGORICAL ROLES h(E SAYS HE CANT BECAUSE HE IS A PRIESTv 4HE ADOLESCENTS LOOKED FOR PLIGHT CHARACTERS WITH A TIME BOUND INNER BEING WHOSE PAST INEXORABLY LEADS THROUGH CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES TO A FUTURE THAT REMAINS POORLY UNDERSTOOD h4O GO OUT INTO THE WORLD HE WOULD HAVE TO BREAK TIES WITH HIS MOTHERv !DULTS LOOKED FOR DRAMATISM IN +ENNETH "URKES SENSE A SITUATION COMPOSED OF DIFFERENT FACTORS AGENTS ACTIONS SCENES MOTIVES ETC WHOSE CLASHES CREATE TENSION AND IRRESOLVABILITY h(ES TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING WITHOUT REALLY KNOWING WHY HES TRY ING TO DO ITv /N HEARING THE SAME LANGUAGE ARTIFACT THE GROUPS SHAPE IT INTO DIFFERENT CULTURAL STORIES 4HE ADOLESCENTS WRITE A NARRATIVE OF PEOPLE DRIVEN BY UNCONTROLLABLE INNER FORCES A DE -AUPASSANT TALE OF FATALISM 4HE ADULTS WRITE A PSYCHOSOCIAL DRAMA A TROUBLED SITUATION IN WHICH CONFLICTING ELEMENTS STRUGGLE A #HEKHOV PLAY WITH COMIC AND IRONIC UNDERTONES 7HAT HAPPENS WHEN WE READ THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN LIGHT OF h0LOT 0LIGHT AND $RAMATISM )NTERPRETATION AT 4HREE !GESv 4HE IMPLICATIONS ARE NOT MINOR &IRST THE STATEMENT WILL BE SEEN AS A DOCUMENT WHOSE EVERY ITEM WILL PROBABLY BE INTERPRETED DIFFERENTLY BY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATORS 4O FIRST YEAR STUDENTS hFOCUS ON A PURPOSEv MAY MEAN TO WRITE A PAPER SUPPORTING A POINT THAT THE TEACHER BELIEVES IN TO UPPER DIVISION STUDENTS IT MAY MEAN TO APE THE TOPICS AND CONVENTIONS OF THE PROFESSIONAL FIELD TO TEACHERS IT MAY MEAN TO FIND AND MAINTAIN A POSI TION THAT SURPRISES OR CHALLENGES THE READER 3O TOO WITH THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AS A WHOLE 3TUDENTS ARE LIKELY TO ENVISION PLIGHTWISE A SERIES OF UNAVOIDABLE HURDLES EN ROUTE TO SOME UNDEFINED FUTURE STATE 4EACHERS ARE LIKELY TO ENVISION A SET OF OVERLAPPING CONSTRAINTS AND GOALS PROMOTED BY DIFFERENT CONSTITUENTS WITH CONFLICTING MOTIVES CHAIRS DEANS POLITICIANS PUBLIC PAST TEACHERS PRESENT STUDENTS ETC )N SUM THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DOES NOT EXIST OUTSIDE OF THE INTERPRETATION OF IT AND AS &ELDMAN ET AL PUT IT INTERPRETATION ITSELFTHAT FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN CONDITIONAPPEARS hTO UNDERGO INTERESTING AND RATHER SYSTEMATIC REORGANIZATION WITH AGE AND DEVELOPMENTv 3ECOND IT IS THE SAME FOR ALL THE FUNDAMENTALS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR ,IFESPAN STUDY HAS ALWAYS FOCUSED ON FUNDAMENTALS BECAUSE THEY ARE
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ALWAYS ON THE MOVE THEY ARE LIFE CHANGES IN THE PARAMETERS OF PERCEP TION IN THE ORGANIZATIONS OF THOUGHT IN THE STRUCTURES AND IMPULSES OF SEX IN THE SHAPING POWER OF EMOTIONS IN THE SCHEMAS OF DISCOURSE IN THE MECHANISMS OF THE DRIVE TO LEARNLIFE CHANGES PERFORCE IN THE PRIMARY MOTIVES AND MOTIVATIONS FOR WRITING THAT LIE MORE DEEPLY THAN THE EPIPHE NOMENA LISTED IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 4HEY LIE MORE DEEPLY BECAUSE THEY LIE AS DEEPLY AS THE GIVENS OF HOME EXPERIENCE AGE ETHNICITY CLASS SEX AND CULTUREGIVENS THAT ARE THE hMASTER STATUSES THAT MUST BE IMPLICATED IN THE PROCESS BY WHICH IDENTITIES FORM AND CHANGEv 3TRYKER AND WHOSE COMBINATIONS GUARANTEE THAT NO TWO STUDENTS WILL PERFORM THEIR WAY THROUGH THE STATEMENTS OUTCOMESUNIVERSAL AS THEY WOULD LIKE TO APPEARAT THE SAME RATE FROM THE SAME TIME AND PLACE WITH THE SAME UNDERSTANDING VIA THE SAME ROUTE AND TO THE SAME EFFECT )N A WORD ALL THE HUMAN CONTEXTS BY WHICH THE STATEMENT WILL BE REAL IZED SHOW DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGE THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES ON THIS PLANET !S &ELDMAN ET AL SAY HOW STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND AND DEAL WITH THE OUTCOMES IS hA MATTER NOT ONLY OF COGNITIVE BUT ALSO OF CULTURAL DEVELOP MENT THE TWO BEING INEXTRICABLY CONNECTED IN THE ACT OF INTERPRETATIONv 4HE IRONY IS THAT DEVELOPMENTAL THEORY HAS BEEN QUESTIONED OR IGNORED BY COMPOSITIONISTS SUPPOSEDLY BECAUSE IT DOES NOT hDIRECTLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE SOCIAL ASPECTS OF WRITINGv *AMEISON AND $AVID 9ET IN THE LIGHT OF LIFESPAN STUDIES IT IS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THAT SEEMS TO NEGLECT SOCIAL CONTEXT AND IT IS THE DEVELOPMENTAL FRAME THAT COULD RESCUE A VITAL PART OF THE HUMAN CONTEXT NEEDED TO HELP GIVE THE OUTCOMES MEANING AND FUNCTION -AYBE HERE IS WHY DEVELOPMENT HAS SO OFTEN BEEN QUESTIONED WITHIN COMPOSITION CIRCLES -IGHT IT NOT BE THE FIELD OF COMPOSITION THAT STILL CANNOT ABSORB THE FACT OF CONTEXTUALISM AND THAT BRACKETS THE TEMPORAL DEVELOPMENTAL FRAME BECAUSE IT BRINGS WITH IT CONTEXTS MORE POWERFUL OR AT LEAST MORE BASIC THAN TEMPORARY PROGRAM MATIC DECREES
79(*;0*, ;OL9VHK[V[OL6\[JVTLZV]LY;PTL 4HYPS`U::[LYUNSHZZ
4HE INTRODUCTION TO THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT STATES ITS MOST IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE h,EARNING TO WRITE IS A COMPLEX PROCESS BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL THAT TAKES PLACE OVER TIME WITH CONTINUED PRACTICE AND INFORMED GUIDANCEv EMPHASIS ADDED )N LIGHT OF THAT OBSERVATION IT SEEMS CRITI CAL TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN OUTCOMES AT THE END OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSES AND OUTCOMES OVER THE COLLEGE YEARS 4HE NOTION OF CONTINUED PRACTICE OVER TIME IS ONE THAT ) EMPHASIZED STRONGLY IN MY BOOK 4IME TO +NOW 4HEM BY RECOUNTING THE EXPERIENCES OF STUDENTS WHO STARTED AT BASIC WRITING LEVELS AND IN THE REGULAR FRESHMAN COMPOSITION COURSE AT THE #ITY #OLLEGE OF #ITY 5NIVERSITY OF .EW 9ORK IN FOLLOWING THEM TO GRADUATION IN 4HROUGH ASSIGNMENTS BOTH IN COMPOSITION COURSES AND DISCIPLINE AREA COURSES OVER THE YEARS THAT STRESSED CRITICAL READING CRITICAL WRITING AND PRACTICE WITH THE PROCESSES OF ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS THESE STUDENTS LEARNED TO UNDERTAKE THE COMPLEX WRITING TASKS DEMANDED OF THEM 3IMULTANEOUSLY STUDENTS WITH SECOND DIALECT AND SECOND LAN GUAGE BACKGROUNDS WERE GRADUALLY ABLE TO IMPROVE THEIR CONTROL OF THE CONVENTIONS OF ACADEMIC WRITING !LL OF THESE PROCESSES REQUIRED INSTRUC TIONAL SUPPORT THAT EMPHASIZED CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT WHILE ENCOURAG ING AND FACILITATING THE GRAMMATICAL FORMS THAT ENHANCED THE EXPRESSION OF THE STUDENTS IDEAS #RITICAL READING IS THE PRIMARY SKILL THAT STUDENTS MUST ACQUIRE IN THEIR FIRST YEAR OF COLLEGE AND IT CAN BEST BE LEARNED THROUGH DEMANDS FOR CRITI CAL WRITING )N THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSES STUDENTS BENEFIT MOST WHEN THEY ARE CHALLENGED TO INVESTIGATE A VARIETY OF TOPICS ANALYTICALLY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY BEING ENCOURAGED TO INCORPORATE OR MODIFY THEIR OWN WORLDVIEWS AS THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROPOSES 2ATHER THAN EXPECTING FULL COMPETENCE INSTRUCTORS OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSES SHOULD SEE THEIR ROLE AS GIVING STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE THE PRO CESSES OF ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS WHICH THE STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP FURTHER IN UPPER LEVEL COURSES
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7RITING AS A MEANS OF LEARNING HAS FREQUENTLY BEEN DESCRIBED AS HAVING THREE STAGES AS RECALL PRIMARILY OF FACTS AS THE ABILITY TO ORGANIZE AND SYNTHESIZE INFORMATION AND AS THE ABILITY TO APPLY INFORMATION TO CREATE NEW KNOWLEDGE 3TERNGLASS n 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SAYS THAT BY THE END OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANALYZE AND SYNTHESIZE APPROPRIATE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SOURCES 7HILE THIS IS AN ADMIRABLE GOAL THIS COMPETENCE CANNOT BE SEEN TO BE UNIVERSAL IN REGARD TO ALL READINGS SINCE THE ABILITY TO RESPOND IN THIS WAY IS DEPEN DENT ON BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE BROUGHT TO THE ASSIGNED READINGS 7HEN COMPLEX COGNITIVE PROCESSES ARE EXAMINED THROUGH A LONGITUDINAL LENS IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEE THAT THE ABILITY TO HANDLE THEM IS NOT ALWAYS LINEAR IN THAT STUDENTS MAY BE RESPONDING TO ONE TASK AT ONE LEVEL AND TO ANOTHER TASK AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL 4HIS CAN BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY CONSIDERING THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE THE STUDENT HAS IN RELATION TO A PARTICULAR TASK AND TO THE STUDENTS COMMITMENT TO THAT TASK 3TERNGLASS 7HILE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PROPOSES hUSING WRITING AND READING FOR INQUIRY LEARNING THINKING AND COMMUNICATION v IT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL DIFFICULTIES FOR STUDENTS FROM A RANGE OF BACKGROUNDS WHO MAY DIFFER MARKEDLY IN THE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE THEY BRING TO AN ASSIGNED READING 4HE IMPORTANCE OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN A FUNDAMENTAL TENET OF THE PSYCHOLINGUISTIC MODEL OF READING SEE 'OODMAN 3MITH 7HETHER STUDENTS READ AT A LITERAL OR AN INTERPRETIVE LEVEL IS HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE SUBJECT BEING INTRODUCED IN THE READING 4HAT KNOWLEDGE MAY BE FACTUALLY BASED OR BASED ON THE STUDENTS PRIOR EXPERIENCES AND WORLDVIEW !N IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION FOR INSTRUCTORS OF FIRST YEAR WRITING IS TO SELECT READING MATERIALS THAT WILL CHALLENGE THEIR STUDENTS BUT NOT FRUSTRATE THEM 7HEN STUDENTS BRING ADEQUATE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE TO A READING THEY WILL BE PREPARED TO GO BEYOND USING WRITING AS A MEANS OF SIMPLY hRETELLINGv A STORY OR hRECOUNTINGv THE INFORMATION THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO 4O STIMULATE THE PROCESS OF ANALYSIS IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO INCORPORATE THEIR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND THEIR WORLDVIEWS INTO WRITINGS ABOUT TOPICS THAT THEY CREATE THUS FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY SEE THAT THEIR VIEWPOINTS ARE RESPECTED AND VALUED 7RITING COMBINED WITH READ ING IN THIS WAY PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO TRY OUT THEIR PER SPECTIVES AND GAIN FROM CRITICAL RESPONSES BY THEIR INSTRUCTORS AND THEIR PEERS )T IS PRECISELY THIS CONTINUOUS PRACTICE THAT MUST START IN THE FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSES WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT STUDENTS MAY NOT MASTER THE ABILITY TO ANALYZE ALL MATERIALS EFFECTIVELY AT FIRST "UT BY BEING GIVEN
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OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE BASE AND TO PRACTICE ANALYZING INCREASINGLY COMPLEX MATERIALS THEY WILL BE PREPARING THEMSELVES FOR THE STILL MORE DIFFICULT MATERIALS THEY WILL ENCOUNTER IN THEIR DISCIPLINE AREA COURSES 4HE IMPORTANCE OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE IS STRESSED BY RESEARCHERS WHO DESCRIBE TRANSACTIONAL MODELS OF READING SEE 2OSENBLATT "LEICH 0ETROSKY (ARSTE &OR (ARSTE THE COMBINATION OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND TEXT RESULTS IN A SHIFT FROM INFORMATION TRANSFER TO TRANSAC TION )NSTEAD OF THE PRIMARY FOCUS BEING ON THE TRANSFER OF INFORMATION THE READER CONSTRUCTS A NEW MEANING IN THIS TRANSACTION THAT RESULTS IN hA NEW EVENT LARGER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTSv )N THE WRITING THAT IS PRO DUCED IN RESPONSE TO THIS hNEW EVENTv IN THEIR READING WRITERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A TEXT THAT WILL BRING ORIGINAL PERSPECTIVES TO THEIR OWN READERS 4HIS OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE ORIGINAL PERSPECTIVES IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS WHO COME FROM BACKGROUNDS WHERE THEIR PERSPECTIVES HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED OR VALUED 4HE STUDENTS IN MY LONGITUDI NAL STUDY OF PRIMARILY !FRICAN !MERICAN ,ATINO AND !SIAN BACKGROUNDS BROUGHT SENSITIVE RESPONSES TO READINGS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNARTICU LATED BY STUDENTS FROM MIDDLE CLASS %UROPEAN BACKGROUNDS &OR EXAMPLE #HANDRA AN !FRICAN !MERICAN COMMUNICATIONS MAJOR WROTE A PAPER TITLED h4HE -EDIA )MAGE OF "LACK 7OMEN -AMMIES 3APPHIRES AND *EZEBELSv )N THIS PAPER SHE ARGUED THAT hTELEVISION PERPETUATES AND REIN FORCES CULTURAL STEREOTYPES 4HUS VIEWERS MUST BECOME CRITICAL THINKERS AND DECODERS OF THIS INFORMATION THAT WE ARE FORCE FED EVERY DAYv 4HEN SHE WENT ON TO ASK h"UT WHO CONTROLS WHAT WE SEE v !RGUING THAT TELEVISION PROGRAMMING IS CONTROLLED BY hWHITE MALES v SHE QUESTIONS HOW hBLACK WOMEN ARE PORTRAYED IN SITUATION COMEDIESv 3EEN AS h-AMMIESv SER VANTS RESPONSIBLE FOR DOMESTIC DUTIES AND REARING CHILDREN h3APPHIRESv TALKATIVE AND SASSY OR h*EZEBELSv SHAPELY SEDUCTRESSES WHO USE THEIR SEXUALITY TO GET THEIR WAY hBLACKS WERE LOCKED INTO STEREOTYPESv AS THE ONLY WAY OF EVEN BEING INCLUDED #ITING THE RESEARCH OF OTHERS #HANDRA NOTED THAT TELEVISION HAS hEVOLVED FROM JUST BEING A TOOL FOR ESCAPISM TO BECOME THE MYTH MAKERS THE STORY TELLER AND THE PASSER OF OLD CULTURAL IDEASv 3HE ALSO ARGUED THAT hTELEVISIONS UNSPOKEN MOTIVE WAS TO SELL THE @!MERICAN DREAM A WHITE WAY OF LIFE AND VALUES TO THE !MERICAN PUBLICv 7E SEE IN THIS PASSAGE AN EXAMPLE OF #HANDRA BRINGING AN ANALYTICAL STANCE TO TELEVISION PROGRAMMING THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY A COMBINATION OF HER RESEARCH AND HER LIFE EXPERIENCES 3TERNGLASS
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0RIOR KNOWLEDGE IS ALSO A FACTOR IN DISCERNING THE CONCEPTUAL LEVEL AN INDIVIDUAL HAS ATTAINED IN ATTEMPTING A PARTICULAR TASK 4HE DIFFICULTY IN ASSIGNING A PARTICULAR CONCEPTUAL LEVEL BECOMES APPARENT WHEN WE CON SIDER THE WAYS THAT WRITING IS USED IN LEARNING RECALL ANALYSIS AND SYNTHE SIS AND CREATION OF NEW KNOWLEDGE %ACH OF THESE WAYS OF USING WRITING WOULD BE ASSIGNED A DIFFERENT CONCEPTUAL LEVEL BUT STUDENTS MAY RESPOND TO DIFFERENT READINGWRITING TASKS DEPENDING ON WHAT KNOWLEDGE WAS BROUGHT TO THAT TASK )T IS LIKELY THAT STUDENTS WILL MERELY REGURGITATE INFOR MATION FROM A TEXT IN RESPONDING TO A WRITING ASSIGNMENT IF THERE IS NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT AND NO ABILITY TO TRANSFORM THAT INFORMA TION INTO SOMETHING PERSONALLY MEANINGFUL )NSTEAD OF RELEGATING STUDENTS TO A LOWER LEVEL OF COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IT IS ESSENTIAL TO CONSIDER THAT THE STUDENTS ARE UNABLE AT THAT POINT IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE LEVEL TO PUT THE IDEAS INTO THEIR OWN LANGUAGE 4HAT STEP IS AN IMPORTANT COGNITIVE MOVE BUT IT BECOMES POSSIBLE ONLY WHEN THE STUDENTS KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE SUBJECT TO PERFORM THAT OPERATION %VEN SEEING THE IMPROVEMENT IN ANALYTIC WRITING AS A PURE DEVELOPMEN TAL PROCESS IS MUDDIED BY WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN DIFFERENT INSTRUCTIONAL SETTINGS ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AMOUNT OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE DIFFERS SO GREATLY 4HE DIFFICULTY IN MAKING GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT COGNITIVE LEVEL CAN BE SEEN IN THE RESPONSES A STUDENT IN A BASIC WRITING CLASS IN MY LONGITUDINAL STUDY MADE TO TWO DIFFERENT TASKS IN THE SAME SEMESTER )N HER SECOND SEMESTER AT THE COLLEGE AFTER HAVING COMPLETED THE SECOND LEVEL OF BASIC WRITING $ELORES WHO HAD COME TO THE 5NITED 3TATES FROM THE $OMINICAN 2EPUBLIC FOUR YEARS BEFORE STARTING HER COLLEGE STUDIES WROTE A PAPER FOR AN INTRO DUCTORY PHILOSOPHY COURSE EXPLAINING THE PHILOSOPHY OF (ENRY *AMES )N HIS PIECE h0RAGMATISM v 7ILLIAM *AMES DISCUSSES THE TRUTH OF IDEAS )N HIS WORK *AMES MADE A MERE DISTINCTION BETWEEN PRAGMATISTS AND INTELLECTUALISTS VIEW ABOUT THE TRUTH OF AN IDEA &OR INTELLECTUALISTS AS *AMES DESCRIBES THE TRUTH OF AN IDEA IS AN INERT AND AT THE SAME TIME STATIONARY PROPERTY OF AN IDEA )NTELLECTUALISTS SUPPOSITION IS THAT ONCE AN INDIVIDUAL HAS REACHED THE TRUTH OF ANYTHING THE PROCESS OF SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH IS DISCONTINUED 3TERNGLASS
) DO NOT WISH TO ASSERT HERE THAT $ELORES DID NOT UNDERSTAND *AMESS IDEAS BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT SHE HAS STAYED SO CLOSE TO THE LANGUAGE OF THE SOURCE TEXT THAT IT IS CLEARLY AN EXAMPLE OF hINFORMATION TRANSFERv )N A PAPER THAT $ELORES WROTE THAT SAME SEMESTER FOR HER FRESHMAN COMPOSITION COURSE SHE VENTURED FURTHER INTO AN ANALYTIC STANCE )N
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WRITING ABOUT /RWELLS h3HOOTING AN %LEPHANT v SHE OFFERED HER OWN INTER PRETATION OF THE EFFECTS OF SUBJUGATING OTHERS ON THE hTYRANTv HIMSELF /RWELL SAYS h! TYRANT NEEDS TO WEAR A MASKv /RWELL IN HIS ESSAY h3HOOTING AN ELEPHANTv IS REFERRING TO THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR THAT THE TYRANT MUST DISPLAY IN FRONT OF PEOPLE THEY OPPRESS %VEN THROUGH THEY MIGHT AS WELL BEHAVE DIF FERENTLY FOLLOWING THEIR OWN FEELINGS THEY HAVE TO BEHAVE AS EXPECTED BY THE PEOPLE %VEN THOUGH TYRANTS SUBJUGATE THE PEOPLE IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER THEY ARE ALSO SUBJUGATING THEMSELVES BY HAVING TO LET FEELING ;BE= SUPPRESS !ND AT THE SAME TIME ROBBING THEMSELVES
!LTHOUGH SHE WAS NOT YET DEEPLY INVOLVED IN HER MAJOR OF PSYCHOLOGY $ELORES WAS GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY IN THIS PAPER TO EXPRESS A COMPAS SIONATE SENSE OF UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF CERTAIN BEHAVIORS ON THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN SUCH ACTS !ND IN A COMPOSITION SETTING IN WHICH THE PRIMARY READINGS WERE LITERARY ONES CRITICAL INTERPRETATIONS OF SUCH TEXTS WERE HIGHLY VALUED 3INCE THIS READING DID NOT REQUIRE COMPLEX PRIOR KNOWLEDGE TO PROVIDE AVENUES FOR INTERPRETATION $ELORES ABILITY TO PERFORM AT AN ANALYTIC LEVEL WOULD CERTAINLY BE JUDGED AT A HIGHER COGNITIVE LEVEL THAN IN THE PRECEDING EXAMPLE DURING THE SAME SEMESTER 3TERNGLASS n &URTHER CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT OCCURRED AS $ELORES CONTINUED IN HER PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR DEMONSTRATING HER ABILITY TO BOTH ANALYZE AND SYN THESIZE IDEAS FROM COMPLEX READINGS 4OWARD THE END OF HER THIRD YEAR AT THE COLLEGE $ELORES WROTE A LENGTHY PAPER ON THE ROLE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT GROUPS IN THE INDIVIDUALS LIFE IN WHICH SHE EXPLORED THE ROLES OF RACE AND GENDER ON AN INDIVIDUALS ABILITY TO FUNCTION IN THE SOCIETY 4HUS FAR WE HAVE SEEN THE INFLUENCE OUR IMMEDIATE SOCIAL SUPPORT GROUPS HAVE ON OUR HEALTH 0SYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL HEALTH "UT IT IS NOT ONLY OUR IMMEDIATE SOCIAL SUPPORT GROUP INFLUENCING OUR HEALTH THE GROUP TO WHICH WE HOLD MEMBERSHIP AND THE STATUS IN WHICH OUR GROUP IS REGARDED BY SOCIETY ALSO INFLUENCES IMPORTANT ;ASPECTS= OF OUR LIVES /UR MEMBERSHIP IN GROUPS WHICH ARE REGARDED AS HIGHv STATUSv OR hLOW v hINFERIORv OR hSUPERIOR v INFLUENCES THE WAY WE FEEL ABOUT OURSELVES AND BY THE SAME TOKEN INFLUENCES OUR HEALTH
)N THIS EXCERPT WE SEE THE COMBINATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE $ELORES HAS GAINED FROM HER READINGS IN THE FIELD OF PSYCHOLOGY AND THE WORLDVIEW SHE HAS INTERNALIZED FROM HER BACKGROUND WHICH SHE HAS DESCRIBED AS BEING A hPROUD "LACK ,ATINO WOMANv 3TERNGLASS
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!S STATED BEFORE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT CALLS FOR STUDENTS TO USE hWRITING AND READING FOR INQUIRY LEARNING THINKING AND COMMUNICA TIONv )F THE NOTION OF hINQUIRYv CAN BE THOUGHT OF AS INCLUDING THE IDEA OF hQUESTIONING v THAN SUCH AN OUTCOME WOULD CARRY STUDENTS INTO THE ESSENTIAL FACTOR TO BE DERIVED FROM A COLLEGE EDUCATION THE ABILITY TO CHAL LENGE THE ASSUMPTIONS OF THE SOCIETY WHEN THEY FEEL IT IS APPROPRIATE TO DO SO 3OME OF THE QUESTIONING MAY SEEM LIGHTHEARTED BUT EVEN THEN MORE SERIOUS CONCERNS CAN BE SEEN TO BE ADDRESSED )N A PSYCHOLOGY CLASS 2ICARDO A ,ATINO STUDENT WHO CAME TO THE 5NITED 3TATES FROM 0UERTO 2ICO AS A YOUNG ADULT WROTE A PAPER IN WHICH HE ASSERTED HIS CONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF AS A COMPLEX AUTONOMOUS PERSON EVEN AS HE PRESENTED AN ANALYSIS OF WHAT SOME MIGHT CONSIDER A TRIVIAL TOPIC THE COLOR OF THE UMBRELLA HE CARRIED )N THE LAST MONTH AS THE WINTER WANED AWAY AND SPRING BEGAN TO ENTICE IN ITS SPELL AN INTERESTING EVENT KEPT REPEATING ITSELF EVERY TIME ) USED MY COLORFUL BRIGHT UMBRELLA ) RECEIVED FROM FELLOW STUDENTS FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES A VERY SIMILAR COMMENT THEY ALL ASKED IF ) TOOK MY WIFES UMBRELLA ) GAVE THE SAME ANSWER TO ALL OF THEM AND THAT WAS THAT IT WAS INDEED MY UMBRELLA 4HAT IS NOT YOUR UMBRELLA OR THEY SAID 4HAT IS A WOMANS UMBRELLA NOT A MANS UMBRELLA ) WAS SHOCK BY THEIR RESPONSE TO MY COLORFUL UMBRELLA AND ) DECIDE TO GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT ) BEGAN TO QUESTION WHAT MADE MY UMBRELLA MEN OR A WOMAN UMBRELLA 3O BEGAN A LITTLE SEARCH FOR SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHAT THEY THOUGHT ) BEGAN WITH A YOUNG FEMALE STUDENT WHO SAID THOSE COLORS ARE NOT MAN COLORS THEY ARE WOMAN COLORS 3HE WAS REFERRING TO THE BRIGHT YELLOW GREENS BLUES AND RED COLORS OVER A WHITE BACKGROUND ON MY UMBRELLA ) ASK HER WHY ) COULDNT HAVE THOSE COLORS ON MY UMBRELLA AT THAT MOMENT A FELLOW STUDENT WHO HAPPENS TO BE GAY TOLD ME THOSE BRIGHT COLORS ARE SAYING TO THE WORLD LOOK )M HERE AND )M GAY ) ANSWERED THAT ) LIKE MY UMBRELLA BECAUSE THOSE COLORS MAKE ME FEEL GOOD IN A CLOUDYGRAY RAINY DAY )T WAS TO NO AVAIL 4HEY ALL HAVE A PREJUDICE AGAINST MY POOR LITTLE UMBRELLA 3TERNGLASS n
!S THIS EXCERPT REVEALS 2ICARDO WAS NOT THREATENED BY THE VIEWS OF THOSE WHO CRITIQUED HIS INDIVIDUALISM AND ALTHOUGH HE WAS MARRIED HE CLEARLY FELT NO CONSTRAINT ABOUT BEING IDENTIFIED WITH MEN WHO WERE GAY (E ASSERTED HIS RIGHT TO BE A NONCONFORMIST BOTH IN HIS DRESS AND IN HIS ACTIONS !NOTHER STUDENT IN THE LONGITUDINAL STUDY $ONALD WHO WAS PLACED DIRECTLY INTO THE FRESHMAN COMPOSITION COURSE WROTE A PAPER FOR THAT
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COURSE COMPARING THE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MINORITIES WITH THAT LEVELED AGAINST IMMIGRANTS IN THE FIELD OF HIGHER EDUCATION $RAWING ON HIS OWN EXPERIENCES AS AN !FRICAN !MERICAN HE DESCRIBED THE ADVICE GIVEN TO HIM AND OTHER MINORITY STUDENTS BY HIS HIGH SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELOR 5NDER PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN HIGH SCHOOL MY GUIDANCE COUNSELOR MANY TIMES TRIED TO DISCOURAGE MINORITIES FROM APPLYING TO WELL KNOWN AND RESPECTED COL LEGES %VEN WITH AN ACCEPTABLE GRADE POINT AVERAGE THEY WERE TOLD IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO BE ACCEPTED !FTER THIS BELIEF FROM MY COUNSELOR WAS ISSUED MANY WENT ON THEIR OWN AND APPLIED !ND TO THEIR SURPRISE THEY WERE WELL MANY WERE ACCEPTED !ND TO OUR SURPRISE MANY NON MINORITIES WITH POOR GRADE POINT AVERAGES WERE ENCOURAGED ;TO APPLY=
!LTHOUGH $ONALDS VOICE WAS MUTED IN THIS DISCUSSION HIS SENSE OF PERSONAL OUTRAGE AT THIS TYPE OF TREATMENT IS APPARENT &URTHERMORE HIS EXPERIENCE PROVIDES JUST A SMALL WINDOW INTO THE OBSTACLES THAT MANY MINORITY STUDENTS FACE AS THEY ATTEMPT TO NEGOTIATE THE hSYSTEM v WHICH IS OFTEN CLOSED TO THEM 3TERNGLASS !S THESE TWO EXCERPTS REVEAL QUESTIONING THE ACCEPTED MORES OF SOCIETY IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT LEADING TO THE KIND OF LEARNING THINKING AND COMMUNICATING THAT FOSTERS RESPONSIBLE VALUES IN INDIVIDUALS 7RITING IS THE MEANS BY WHICH STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO GRAPPLE MORE DEEPLY WITH THE IMPORTANT ISSUES OF THEIR TIME *UST AS THE ABILITY TO READ MORE COMPLEX MATERIALS AND TO HANDLE MORE COMPLEX WRITING TASKS THROUGH THE PROCESSES OF ANALYSIS AND SYNTHESIS DEVELOPS OVER TIME SO DOES THE ABILITY TO GAIN CONTROL OVER THE SURFACE FEATURES OF WRITING SUCH AS SYNTAX GRAMMAR PUNCTUATION AND SPELLING !BSOLUTE CONTROL OF THESE CONVENTIONS CANNOT BE EXPECTED OF ALL STUDENTS BY THE END OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION NOR SHOULD IT BE )F INSTRUCTORS BECOME TOO FIXATED ON THESE FORMS THEY ARE LIKELY TO PAY LESS ATTENTION TO THE CONTENT OF THE STUDENT WRITING A CHARACTERISTIC ALREADY FREQUENTLY NOTED WHEN STUDENTS ARE EVALUATED IN TIMED IMPROMPTU WRITING TESTS THAT ARE USED FOR PLACEMENT INTO THE VARYING LEVELS OF COMPOSITION OFFERED AT A PARTICULAR INSTITUTION -INORITY STUDENTS WITH SECOND DIALECT LANGUAGE FEATURES OR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS WITH SECOND LANGUAGE BACKGROUNDS ARE THE ONES MOST OFTEN PENALIZED BUT THE SAME DIFFICULTY APPLIES TO OTHER NATIVE SPEAKERS WHO PRODUCE NONSTANDARD FEATURES IN THEIR WRITING 3ECOND LANGUAGE USERS WHO HAVE THE LEAST EXPERTISE IN ACADEMIC %NGLISH ARE OFTEN PLACED IN %NGLISH AS A 3ECOND ,ANGUAGE %3, CLASSES UNTIL THEY HAVE ACQUIRED ENOUGH PROFICIENCY TO BE PLACED INTO COMPOSITION CLASSES
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"UT AS FOR MANY OF THE STUDENTS IN MY STUDY THOSE WHO DO NOT PRODUCE A GREAT MANY GRAMMATICAL FEATURES THAT IDENTIFY THEM AS SECOND LANGUAGE USERS MAY BE PLACED INTO BASIC WRITING CLASSES 4HE PROBLEM IS NOT THAT STUDENTS WHO USE NONSTANDARD FEATURES IN THEIR WRITING MAY NOT BENEFIT FROM AN ADDITIONAL SEMESTER OF COMPOSITION BUT THAT THEY CONTINUE TO BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST EVEN WHEN THEY ARE ENROLLED IN THE FRESHMAN COM POSITION COURSE AND UPPER LEVEL REQUIRED CORE COURSES AND THEIR MAJORS 3UCH STUDENTS MAY HAVE THEIR WORK EVALUATED ON THE CORRECTNESS OF THE FORMS RATHER THAN THE SOPHISTICATION OF THEIR IDEAS 4HE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS SOMEWHAT CONTRADICTORY ON THE HANDLING OF CONVENTIONS IN WRITING /N THE ONE HAND IT STATES THAT BY THE END OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION hSTUDENTS SHOULD CONTROL SUCH SURFACE FEATURES AS SYNTAX GRAMMAR PUNCTUATION AND SPELLINGv EMPHASIS ADDED "UT THEN THE STATEMENT GOES ON h&ACULTY IN ALL PROGRAMS AND DEPARTMENTS CAN BUILD ON THIS PREPARATION BY HELPING STUDENTS LEARN @STRATEGIES THROUGH WHICH BETTER CONTROL OF CONVENTIONS CAN BE ACHIEVEDv 3INCE THE LATTER STATEMENT ACKNOWLEDGES CORRECTLY THAT FULL CONTROL CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO BE ACHIEVED BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSES THE FIRST STATEMENT SHOULD BE MODIFIED TO INDICATE THAT BY THE END OF FIRST YEAR COM POSITION STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRACTICING THE CONVENTIONS OF SYNTAX GRAMMAR PUNCTUATION AND SPELLING WORKING TOWARD FULL CONTROL )N THIS WAY THE EMPHASIS ON MASTERING THESE CONVENTIONS WOULD BE CONTINUED BUT UNREALISTIC AND UNFAIR EXPECTATIONS WOULD NOT BE GENERATED #OMPOSITION TEACHERS AND UPPER LEVEL INSTRUCTORS MUST LEARN THE SEQUENCES OF DEVELOPMENT IN LANGUAGE FEATURES SO THAT FOR EXAMPLE AN !SIAN STUDENT WHO OMITS ARTICLES IN A PIECE OF WRITING OR AN !FRICAN !MERICAN STUDENT WHO OMITS SOME PAST TENSE VERB MARKERS IS NOT CON DEMNED FOR CARELESSNESS OR HEAVILY PENALIZED )T IS LIKELY THE CASE THAT EACH STUDENT IS AWARE OF THE EXPECTED GRAMMATICAL FORM BUT DOES NOT CONTROL THE PARTICULAR FORM AUTOMATICALLY )N SUCH CASES INSTRUCTORS MUST BE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT PATTERNS OF LANGUAGE USE SO THAT THEY CAN SEE WHEN STUDENTS ARE STILL ERRATIC ABOUT ONE OR TWO INSTANCES OF A PATTERN THAT IS OTHERWISE WELL CONTROLLED 0LACEMENT AND EXIT EXAMS FOR COMPOSITION COURSES ARE INSIDIOUS IN PROVIDING HAZARDS FOR STUDENTS WITH SECOND DIALECT OR SECOND LANGUAGE BACKGROUNDS )N THE CASE OF THE FIRST THE PLACEMENT EXAM THE STUDENT IS CONFRONTED WITH A TIMED IMPROMPTU TEST DEMANDING ESSENTIALLY ALL THE COMPONENTS OF WRITING REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE REGULAR COMPOSITION COURSE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE PROBABLY NOT TOO DIFFERENT
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FROM THE OUTCOMES REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE COURSE 3TUDENTS WHO FAIL TO DEMONSTRATE SUCH COMPETENCE ARE THEN PLACED EITHER INTO BASIC WRITING SECTIONS OR INTO %3, PROGRAMS 4HE INSTRUCTION IN THESE COURSES DELIBERATELY TEACHES THE STUDENTS TO WRITE DRAFTS AND LATER EDIT THEIR TEXTS INCLUDING THE FORMAL CONVENTIONS OF WRITING "UT WHEN THESE STU DENTS CONFRONT THE EXIT EXAMINATIONS AGAIN TIMED IMPROMPTU WRITING IS DEMANDED AND NO TIME FOR EDITING IS AVAILABLE 4HUS THE INSTRUCTION HAS SET THE STUDENTS UP FOR LIKELY FAILURE WHEN THEY LACK THE TIME TO EDIT THEIR WRITING !NOTHER DIFFICULTY FACED BY SECOND LANGUAGE STUDENTS IN PARTICULAR IS THEIR POTENTIAL UNFAMILIARITY WITH THE CULTURAL ASPECTS OF THE TOPICS THEY ARE ASKED TO WRITE ABOUT IN THESE PLACEMENT AND EXIT TESTS 'LEASON )NSTEAD OF DEMANDING CONTROL OF THESE SURFACE FEATURES BY THE END OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSES INSTRUCTORS SHOULD FOCUS ON MAKING STU DENTS FAMILIAR WITH THE PATTERNS THEY ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY IN CONTROLLING "Y POINTING OUT SUCH FEATURES INSTRUCTORS CAN ASSIST STUDENTS IN DIFFEREN TIATING BETWEEN THOSE PATTERNS THEY CONTROL AUTOMATICALLY AND THOSE THAT STILL REQUIRE SPECIFIC ATTENTION ! PARTICULARLY DRAMATIC EXAMPLE OF A STU DENT HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH ONE PARTICULAR FEATURE IN HIS WRITING APPEARED IN A PIECE OF WRITING PRODUCED BY A ,ATINO STUDENT FOR A COMMUNICATIONS COURSE )N THE PAPER 2ICARDO WAS VERY CRITICAL OF WHAT HE CALLED THE hMEDIA STEREOTYPESv IN 3PIKE ,EES FILM $O THE 2IGHT 4HING ! 4ELEOLOGIST WOULD EXAMINED THE CONSEQUENCES BROUGHT BY THE USES OF STEREO TYPES AND HE OR SHE WOULD NOT JUSTIFIED THE USE OF THEM 4HEY WILL ARGUE THAT THE USE OF STEREOTYPES ENCOURAGES PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION UPON ANY ETHNIC GROUP AND THAT THE CONSEQUENCES WILL ALWAYS BE HARMFUL TO THOSE GROUPS WHICH ARE BEING PORTRAYED ! THEORIST USING !RISTOTLES 'OLDEN -EANS THEORY CANNOT JUSTIFIED THEM EITHER 4HEIR DECISION IS BASED UPON THE ANALYSIS THAT DID NOT PRESENTED DIVERSITY OR ) SHOULD SAY HE DID NOT PRESENTED A RANGE OF CHARACTERS WITHIN THOSE ETHNIC GROUPS (E JUST PRESENTED THE GROUPS AS ONE ;EMPHASIS ADDED=
!LTHOUGH THE INSTRUCTOR CAREFULLY MARKED EACH INAPPROPRIATE VERB FORM THERE WAS NO COMMENT ABOUT THE PATTERNS OF VERB ENDINGS EACH INCORRECT ONE BEING ATTACHED TO A MODAL OR NEGATIVE AUXILIARY VERB )T IS CLEAR THAT 2ICARDO HAD OVERGENERALIZED THE PAST TENSE FORMS OF REGULAR VERBS BUT WITHOUT HIS ATTENTION BEING CALLED TO THIS PATTERN HE WOULD BE LIKELY TO CONTINUE USING THESE FORMS SEEING ONLY DISCRETE VERB FORMS MARKED BY HIS INSTRUCTOR 3TERNGLASS
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!S IS APPARENT FROM THE DISCUSSION PRESENTED HERE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT POSITS MANY IMPORTANT PROCESSES THAT MUST ULTIMATELY BE MAS TERED BY COLLEGE STUDENTS -Y RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT THE STATE MENT BE READ AS ONE THAT IDENTIFIES THE PROCESSES THAT STUDENTS SHOULD BE PRACTICING THROUGHOUT THE COLLEGE YEARS AND THAT THE ASSUMPTION SHOULD NOT BE MADE THAT STUDENTS HAVE MASTERED ALL THESE PROCESSES BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSES 3TUDENTS WILL BE STARTING THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR WITH A DIZZYING ARRAY OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS ACADEMICALLY CULTURALLY AND PERSONALLY &IRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSES SHOULD PROVIDE THEM WITH THE BASIS OF DEVELOPING THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO UNDERTAKE THE ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL TASKS THAT AWAIT THEM )F STUDENTS ARE SHOWN HOW TO APPROACH A VARIETY OF TASKS AS THE OUTCOMES LISTINGS ALREADY SUGGEST THEN STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE GREATER COMPETENCY OVER TIME )NSTEAD OF SAY ING hBY THE END OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO DOv THE FOLLOWING ) BELIEVE THE STATEMENT SHOULD SAY h"Y THE END OF FIRST YEAR COM POSITION STUDENTS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO DOv THE FOLLOWING 3UCH A CHANGE IN WORDING WOULD EMPHASIZE THE DEVELOPMENTAL ASPECTS OF LEARNING TO READ CRITICALLY AND WRITE CRITICALLY !S POTENTIAL ATHLETES AND MUSICIANS ARE OFTEN TOLD THE WAY TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IS TO PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
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) 6> 3 0 5 . ;6 . , ; / , 9 +L]LSVWPUN+PZ[YPI\[PUNHUK7(6\[JVTLZ :[H[LTLU[·HUK4HRPUN*\S[\YHS*OHUNL 2H[OSLLU)SHRL@HUJL`
7HATS LEFT FOR AN AFTERWORD TO DO !NNE 'ERE
4HE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS SUCCEEDED WE KNOW THIS 0ATTI %RICSSONS RESEARCH HAS DOCUMENTED THIS CLAIM AND WE HAVE LISTS OF MANY KINDS OF SCHOOLS FROM *OHNSON #OMMUNITY #OLLEGE AND 5# 3ANTA "ARBARA TO !RIZONA 3TATE AND 8AVIER 5NIVERSITY AND THE ENTIRE 6IRGINIA #OMMUNITY #OLLEGE SYSTEMTHAT HAVE USED IT IN A FUNDAMENTAL WAY TO HELP SHAPE COMPOSITION CURRICULA THROUGH USING ITS CONCEPTS AND VOCABU LARY TO WRITE THE COMPOSITION CURRICULUM THROUGH DESIGNING ACTIVITIES THAT LEAD TO DEMONSTRATION OF THE 70! OUTCOMES THROUGH CREATING ASSESSMENTS THAT LINK THESE ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES 7E ALSO KNOW THAT OTHER INSTITUTIONS NOT ON THE h%RICSSONv LIST HAVE USED IT AS WELL (AWKEYE #OMMUNITY #OLLEGE FOR EXAMPLE AND 5.# 'REENSBORO )N ADDITION WE KNOW THAT AT MANY INSTITUTIONS THE STATEMENT HAS BEEN APPLIED IN ACHIEVING OTHER PURPOSES RELATED TO THE DELIVERY OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION HELPING TO PROFESSIONALIZE TEACHING ASSISTANTS FOR INSTANCE AND INVITING STUDENTS TO ASSESS THEIR OWN WORK IN THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE OF THE OUTCOMES AS PART OF THEIR OWN DEVELOPMENT -OREOVER ASSISTING SUCH EFFORTSAND PERHAPS COMMODIFYING THEM DEPENDING ON YOUR PERSPECTIVETEXTBOOK AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS HAVE USED THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT NOT ONLY AS A MARKETING TOOL TO SELL BOOKS SUCH AS THE WELL REGARDED AND BEST SELLING #ALL TO 7RITE INTENDED FOR USE IN COMPOSITION CLASSROOMS BUT ALSO AS MEANS OF DEMONSTRAT ING THAT THE APPROACH USED IN THE TEXT IS CONGRUENT WITH THE PRINCIPLES ESPOUSED IN THE STATEMENT 4HIS POINT IS WORTH REPEATING THE STATEMENT IS INFORMING THE TEXTBOOKS EVEN IF AFTER THE FACT AND NOT THE REVERSE AS IS HISTORICALLY THE CASE !ND WE KNOW THAT THE AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS OF
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BOOKS INTENDED TO hTRAINv TEACHERS OF COMPOSITION ALSO WANT TO LOCATE THEIR APPEAL IN PART AT LEAST IN THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT /NE SMALL CLAIM THEN IS THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN FUN DAMENTAL IN CHANGING THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION COURSE AT MANY INSTITU TIONS ) , @6 5 + ; / , 0 5 0 ; 0 ( 3 * 3 ( 0 4 : 6 4 , 9 , : , 9 =(; 0 6 5 0 : ; : ( 5 + ( * 6 4 7 ; / (; 4 (; ; , 9 :
! SECOND CLAIM IS THAT THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN USED IN WRITING AND LEARNING CONTEXTS BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION IN CONTEXTS STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN BOTH BEFORE THEY ENROLL IN FIRST YEAR COMPAND AFTER )T HAS BEEN USED WITH TEACHERS IN HIGH SCHOOLS FOR EXAMPLE NOT TO SCRIPT THEIR PRACTICE BUT TO FACILITATE ARTICULATION BETWEEN THE TWO CONTEXTS TO SEE WHAT VOCABULARY AND CONCEPTS COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL WRITING CURRICULA SHARE AS WELL AS TO SEE HOW THESE CONTEXTS FOR LEARNING ARE APPROPRIATELY DIFFERENTIATED 4HE STATEMENT HAS ALSO BEEN USED IN THE POSTSECONDARY SETTING AS PART OF REVIEW AND REFORM OF GENERAL EDUCATIONAT THE 5NIVERSITY OF .ORTH #AROLINA AT #HAPEL (ILL AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF 7YOMING AND AT #LEMSON 5NIVERSITY TO NAME THREE SUCH LOCATIONS )T HAS BEEN HIGHLIGHTED NATIONALLY AT CONFERENCES HOSTED BY THE TWO MAJOR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WAS PART OF A PLENARY SESSION OF THE !MERICAN !SSOCIATION OF #OLLEGES AND 5NIVERSITIES !!#5 IN IT WAS PART OF A KEYNOTE SESSION OF THE !MERICAN !SSOCIATION OF (IGHER %DUCATIONS !!(% !SSESSMENT #ONFERENCE 9ANCEY A 'IVEN THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT OF INFLUENCE IS THE STUDENT AND GIVEN THAT THE STUDENT TAKES WITH HIM OR HER THE EXPERIENCE OF FIRST YEAR COMP THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WOULD NECESSARILY EXERT INFLUENCE BEYOND THE COM POSITION CLASSROOM WE UNDERSTOOD THAT 7HATS INTERESTING IS THAT SUCH INFLUENCE HAS BEEN EXTENDED MORE FORMALLY AND STRUCTURALLY THROUGH MAKING CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS WITH THOSE WHO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS BOTH BEFORE THEY BECOME OUR STUDENTS AND AFTERWARD -ORE GENERALLY THEN ITS FAIR TO SAY THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS SPOKEN TO NUMEROUS STAKEHOLDERSSTUDENTS TEACHING ASSISTANTS FACULTY TEACHING FIRST YEAR COMP AND FACULTY ADMINISTERING PROGRAMS COLLEAGUES IN OTHER DISCIPLINES THE LEADERS OF MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING TO REIN VIGORATE UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION 7HICH HOWEVER IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE STATEMENT HAS MET WITH UNQUALIFIED ENDORSEMENT EVEN WITHIN COMPOSI TION STUDIES
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)N OUR FIELD WE HAVE TO ASSUME ) THINK THAT MANY IF NOT MOST TEACH ERS OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION ARE ONLY VAGUELY AWARE OF THE STATEMENT IF THEY ARE AWARE OF IT AT ALL #ERTAINLY MOST OF OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS CAMPUS ARE HAPPILY IGNORANT OF IT AS DEMONSTRATED BY THE FALL WRITING THE MATIZED ISSUE OF !!#5S 0EER 2EVIEW WHOSE ARTICLES DISCUSSING CURRENT WRITING PROGRAMS CITE THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT NOT ONCE !ND OF THOSE WHO ARE AWARE SOME ARE NOT AMUSEDOR GRATIFIED $EREK 3OLES FOR INSTANCE RESPONDED TO THE PUBLICATION OF THE STATEMENT IN #OLLEGE %NGLISH WITH CONCERN THAT IT DID NOT INCLUDE AN ENDORSEMENT OF SPECIFIC PHILOSOPHIES OF COMPOSITION FROM EXPRESSIONISM WITH ITS hSELF HYPHEN ATED WORDSv TO THE hRADICAL AGENDA;S=v OF FEMINISM AND -ARXISM NOR HE RIGHTLY SAID DID IT SEEK TO WHET THE APPETITES OF UPPER LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS FOR STUDENT hACADEMIC AND CAREER SUCCESSv (IS POINT THE INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS COMPOSITION PHILOSOPHY SHOULD TRUMP THE CURRICULAR COMMONALITY OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT *AMES :EBROSKI IN h#OMPOSITION AND 2HETORIC )NC v COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE BUT FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE )N DISCUSSING THE ROLE OF KNOWLEDGE MAKING IN COMPOSITION HE REFERS READERS TO THE hRECENT;LY= VETTEDv 70! STATEMENT ENDORSING A hLIMITED NOTION OF KNOWLEDGE IN COMPOSITION AND RHETORICv !LTHOUGH THE POINT IS NOT ELABORATED ONE INFERENCE OF :EBROSKIS CRITIQUE IS A CONCERN THAT IN TRYING TO SPEAK TO SUCH A BROAD MANDATE AND SET OF CONDITIONS THE AUTHORS OF THE STATEMENT HAVE DILUTED THE SUBSTANTIVE PURPOSES OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION UNACCEPTABLY 3TILL 3TILL 3TILL 7HATS REMARKABLE IS THAT ANYONE IS PAYING ATTENTION AT ALL )N OTHER WORDS TO PARAPHRASE 3HIRLEY ,OGANS #### ADDRESS AND $OUG (ESSES #### CONFERENCE THEME A LOT OF SOMEONES FINALLY SEEM TO KNOW THAT WE ARE HEREAND THAT WE IS THE WE OF THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT AND NOT THE WE OF GRAMMAR AS IS SO OFTEN THE CASE NOR THE WE OF A BENIGHTED ELITE SEEKING TO CORRUPT STUDENTS THROUGH A RADICAL AGENDA WHICH IS HOW WE ARE OFTEN PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE AS WE SEE IN THE CASE OF 54 !USTIN 7HICH ITSELF LEADS TO A SIMPLE QUESTION 7HY 7HY IS IT THAT THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS EXERTEDAND CONTINUES TO EXERTSUCH INFLUENCE ; / , ; , * / 5 6 3 6 . @ 6 - + 0 : : , 4 0 5 (; 0 6 5 ; / , 9 / , ; 6 9 0 * ( 3 4 6 4 , 5 ; ( 5 + * 6 4 4 < 5 0 ; 0 , : 6 - 7 9 ( * ; 0 * ,
! CYNICAL ANSWER TO THE QUESTION OF WHY THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL MIGHT BE THAT SINCE IT PROMISES MUCH BUT COSTS LITTLE ITS AN EASY STATEMENT TO ENDORSE )N OTHER WORDS WERE WE TO IN FACT ABIDE BY THE
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RECOMMENDATIONS OF OTHER LIKE MINDED REFORM DOCUMENTSAND ) TAKE THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT TO BE A REFORM DOCUMENTIT WOULD BE TRICKIER AND CERTAINLY MORE EXPENSIVE WHICH IN TURN MAY BE WHY SOME OF OUR SISTER DOCUMENTS HAVE NOT WIELDED MORE INFLUENCE )F THE RECOMMENDA TIONS MADE IN THE #### 0OSITION 3TATEMENT ON !SSESSMENT WERE FOLLOWED FOR EXAMPLE INSTITUTIONS WOULD NEED TO ABANDON ALL INDIRECT MEASURES OF WRITINGESPECIALLY STANDARDIZED TESTS ON GRAMMAR AND USAGEIN FAVOR OF ASSESSMENTS LIKE PORTFOLIOS THAT ENHANCE LEARNING %VEN APART FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THIS WOULD BE AN EXPENSIVEALTHOUGH USEFULTRAN SITION FOR MANY SCHOOLS 4HE 7YOMING 2ESOLUTION IF FOLLOWED WOULD BE EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE SINCE IT REQUIRES FACULTY TO BE PAID A LIVING WAGE WITH BENEFITS "Y WAY OF CONTRAST THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT NEITHER REQUIRES NEW PRACTICES FOR STUDENTS NOR MANDATES ANY STRUCTURAL CHANGE AND THUS IT INCURS NO NEW COSTS "Y WAY OF CONTRAST ITS EASY TO ENDORSE !NOTHER QUICK EXPLANATION ACCOUNTING FOR THE STATEMENTS SUCCESS MIGHT ALSO BE CONSIDERED INSTRUMENTAL THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE DOCUMENT )N THIS CASE HOWEVER THE DISTRIBUTION WAS MEANS AND METHOD BOTH AND SUBSTANTIVE AS WELL 3EVERAL POINTS ABOUT ITS EARLY DISTRIBUTION ARE WORTH NOTING &IRST FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE EFFORT THE DOCUMENT WAS AS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED AS POSSIBLE EVEN AS IT WAS BEING DEVELOPED -AKING IT AVAILABLE FROM THE START PERMITTED PEOPLE BOTH TO TRY IT OUT AS WE WENT FORWARD AND TO SPEAK BACK TO IT 3ECOND BECAUSE THE DOCUMENT WAS WIDELY DISTRIBUTEDTO HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AS WELL AS TO COLLEGE FACULTY FOR INSTANCETHINKING ABOUT THE DOCUMENT OCCURRED IN MANY DIFFERENT SITES IT WAS THUS DEVELOPED IN A MULTICONTEXTUAL ENVIRONMENT 4HIRD THE STATEMENT IN PROCESS WAS MADE AVAILABLE IN SEVERAL MEDIA FIRST OF COURSE AS A DRAFT DOCUMENT USED IN PERSON AT CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS AND DELIVERED AS A DRAFT IN THE PAGES OF 70! 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATION AND MADE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE AND ALL ON THE 7EB &OURTH THE POINT OF THE DISTRIBUTION WASNT TO ANNOUNCE ONLY ALTHOUGH THAT WAS CERTAINLY ITS PURPOSE IN PART BUT TO SOLICIT RESPONSE AS WELL )N OTHER WORDS GETTING THE STATEMENT hOUT THEREv ALSO CONSTITUTED AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN ITS FORMATION /NCE ADOPTED BY THE 70! THE STATEMENT WAS AGAIN MADE AVAILABLE IN SEVERAL VENUES ON THE 70! 7EB SITE IN THE PAGES OF #OLLEGE %NGLISH WHEN EDITOR *EANNE 'UNNER INVITED ITS PUBLICATION REPRINTED IN VARIOUS PROGRAM HANDOUTS AND CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY .OT LONG AFTER THE STATEMENTS ADOPTION 70! RECEIVED REQUESTS FROM TEXTBOOK AUTHORS AND PUBLISHERS TO REPRINT IT 0UT GENERALLY THEN ONE REASON THAT
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THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT HAS SUCCEEDED IS THAT IT WAS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED AND THAT ITS DISTRIBUTION WAS UNDERSTOOD AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPMENT !S IMPORTANT IS THE FACT THAT THE STATEMENT WAS DISTRIBUTED BY THE TECHNOLOGY OF THE DISCIPLINE RATHER THAN ONLY BY THE TECHNOLOGY OF AN ORGANIZATION CON FERENCE PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS OF VARIOUS KINDS INCLUDING 70! #### AND .#4% THE 7EB SITES THE JOURNALS THE TEXTBOOK INDUSTRY AND NOW OF COURSE THIS VOLUME 4HAT TECHNOLOGY IN TURN FED THE TECHNOLO GIES OF HIGHER EDUCATION BOTH ON LOCAL CAMPUSES IN THEIR LARGER REFORM EFFORTS AND IN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE !!(% &ROM A "ITZERIAN PERSPECTIVE THE PROCESS OF THE DOCUMENTS DEVEL OPMENT AS WELL AS THE WAY THAT DEVELOPMENT WAS MANAGED WAS HIGHLY UNUSUAL AND THIS TOO HAS PLAYED A ROLE IN THE SUCCESS OF THE STATEMENT /RDINARILY AS THE HISTORY OF COMPOSITION REFORM DOCUMENTS SUGGESTS SUCH DOCUMENTS ARE hCOMMISSIONEDv BY A PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION 4HE 70!S DOCUMENT ON 70! 7ORK AS )NTELLECTUAL 7ORK EXEMPLIFIES THIS OBSERVATION AS DOES THE #### #OMMITTEE ON ,EARNING 4EACHING AND !SSESSING IN $IGITAL %NVIRONMENT A GROUP ) AM CURRENTLY CHAIRING AND WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO DEVELOP A POSITION PAPER ON THESE TOPICS )N EACH CASE THE LEADERS OF THE ORGANIZATION SOMETIMES ACTING ON THEIR OWN AND SOMETIMES RESPONDING AS WELL TO SPECIFIC CALLS FROM THE MEMBER SHIPS CHARGE AN ORGANIZATIONS SUBGROUP TO CREATE THE DOCUMENT 4HE AMOUNT OF OVERSIGHT OF THE DOCUMENTS DEVELOPMENT VARIES ACCORDING TO THE NATURE OF THE TOPIC THE TIMELINE THE TEMPERAMENTAL DISPOSITION OF THE LEADERS AND SO ON BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THE ORGANIZATION ITSELFORDINARILY THROUGH THE COMMISSIONING OVERSIGHT AND APPROVAL PROCESS OF ITS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OR BOARDPLAYS A ROLE IN AUTHORING THE DOCUMENT "Y WAY OF CONTRAST AND AGAIN AS ARTICULATED IN THIS VOLUME THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DEVELOPED QUITE DIFFERENTLY THERE WAS NO ORGANIZATIONAL CHARGE THERE WAS NO OVERSIGHT THERE WERE SUGGESTIONS FOR REVISION BUT THERE WAS ADOPTION RATHER THAN APPROVAL 4HE EXIGENCE FOR THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ALTHOUGH NOT FRAMED IN THIS LANGUAGE AT THE TIME WAS IDENTIFIED BY A GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT AS DOUBLED 3EEN FROM ONE VANTAGE POINT ONE EXIGENCE WAS A FRUSTRATION WITH THE PANOPLY OF COMPOSITION COURSES AND APPROACHES USED IN VARIOUS PROGRAMS AND A SENSE THAT THIS SEEMING INCOHERENCE MADE COMPOSI TION PROGRAMS VULNERABLE AND WASNT NECESSARY COULD BE ADDRESSED /NE "ITZERIAN RESPONSE THEN WAS TO CREATE THE DOCUMENT THAT WOULD SPEAK TO AND RESOLVE THIS FRUSTRATION &ROM A SECOND VANTAGE POINT A SEC OND AND RELATED EXIGENCE HAS TO DO WITH A QUESTION #OULD SUCH A DOCUMENT
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BE WRITTEN )T WAS AS ) SAID IN THE INTRODUCTION TO ITS PUBLICATION IN #OLLEGE %NGLISH THE FIRST TIME SUCH A CURRICULAR STATEMENT HAD EVEN BEEN ATTEMPTED /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT 3TEERING #OMMITTEE 4HE EFFORT THEN WAS TWOFOLD TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING A COHERENT SET OF OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS AT ALL KINDS OF SCHOOLS AND IF POSSIBLE TO ARTICULATE SUCH A CURRICULUM AS WELL 4HE "ITZERIAN RESPONSE OF COURSE OCCURRED WITHIN AN IMMEDIATE CON TEXT THAT OF THE 70! LISTSERV WHICH ITSELF DESERVES NOTE )N THE LANGUAGE OF TODAY WE WOULD SAY THAT THIS LISTSERV IS A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE A MAJOR CONCEPT CURRENTLY INFORMING EDUCATIONAL REFORM ESPECIALLY AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL 3UCH COMMUNITIES BE THEY VIRTUAL OR FACE TO FACE ARE hGROUPS WHO INTERACT REGULARLY IN ORDER TO EXPLORE COMMON PROBLEMS BUILD NEW IDEAS DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS AND ADDRESS SHARED INTERESTSv 7ENGER ET AL )NTERACTING IS THE KEY PIECE IT IS THE INTERACTING THROUGH WHICH BOTH COMMUNITY AND KNOWLEDGE ARE MADE -OREOVER THE INTERACTING IS HIGHLY RITUALIZED EITHER EXPLICITLY OR IMPLICITLY OFTEN FOCUSED ON A PARTICULAR GOAL OR OUTCOME GUIDED BY RITUALS THAT OCCUR WITHIN A COLLECTIVE ACTIVITY THAT IS ONGOING !LTHOUGH THEY MAY BE LINKED TO OR SPONSORED BY A FORMAL GROUP SUCH COMMUNITIES OFTEN HAVE A VOL UNTARY DIMENSION TO THEM !ND SUCH COMMUNITIES ACCORDING TO 7ENGER AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL IN ACHIEVING THEIR GOALS 4HE PAR TICIPANTS IN CREATING THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT SEEM TO CONSTITUTE A COM MUNITY OF PRACTICE 7E HAD A GOAL BECAUSE OF THE ELECTRONIC MEDIUM WE INTERACTED VERY FREQUENTLY AND WE MIXED THAT INTERACTION WITH FF MEETINGS PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS 7E SAW OURSELVES AS AN ONGOING GROUP AND INDEED WE ACCOMPLISHED OUR GOAL "EFORE WE HAD DEVELOPED THE LANGUAGE TO IDENTIFY WHO WE WERE WE WERE ALREADY MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE - 0 = , * 9 0 ; 0 *( 3 + , * 0 : 0 6 5 :
!LTHOUGH MANY FACTORS EXPLAIN THE SUCCESS OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IN RETROSPECT FIVE CRITICAL DECISIONS SEEM ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT s $ECIDING TO SEPARATE THE STATEMENTS OUTCOMES FROM STANDARDS THAT MIGHT APPLY s $ECIDING THAT THE STATEMENT SHOULD BE A hLIVINGv TEXT SUCH THAT EVEN THE OUTCOMES WRITTEN INTO THE STATEMENT SHOULD BE CHANGED AS LOCAL NEEDS REC OMMENDED s $ECIDING THAT A CHIEF PURPOSE OF THE STATEMENT WAS TO ASSIST WITH FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
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s $ECIDING TO USE A VOCABULARY THAT MIGHT APPEAR UNFAMILIAR TO MANY BUT THAT WAS THE VOCABULARY OF THE DISCIPLINE s $ECIDING TO USE A hGATEWAY INv APPROACHONE FOCUSED ON THE EXIT POINT OF THE CURRICULUM REGARDLESS OF WHERE THAT MIGHT BEIN LOCATING THE OUT COMES
%ACH OF THESE MERITS SOME EXPLANATION $ECIDING TO SEPARATE THE STATEMENTS OUTCOMES FROM STANDARDS THAT MIGHT APPLY 4HE FIRST GENIUS OF THE STATEMENT STEMS FROM THE WAYS IT PARSED THE RELA TIONSHIP BETWEEN AND AMONG OUTCOMES STANDARDS NATIONAL AND LOCAL 4HE STATEMENT ITSELF WOULD BE NATIONAL IN SCOPE WOULD SEEK TO SPEAK TO EVERY KIND OF FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION CURRICULUM IN EVERY KIND OF INSTITUTION !T THE SAME TIME EACH OF THESE INSTITUTIONS WOULD HAVE THE hRIGHTv TO SET ITS OWN STANDARDS WHICH WAS A NEAT WAY OF ACCOMMODATING THE VERY CLEAR DIFFERENCES THAT DEFINE CAMPUSES 4HIS ABILITY TO STRADDLE BOTH THE LOCAL AND THE NATIONAL INDEED IS A KEY FEATURE OF THE STATEMENT !ND A QUICK REVIEW OF HOW THE STATEMENT HAS BEEN USED DEMONSTRATES THAT INDEED CAMPUSES WITH VERY DIFFERENT PROGRAMS HAVE USED IT IN SOME OF THESE ANTICIPATED WAYS $ECIDING THAT THE STATEMENT SHOULD BE A hLIVINGv TEXT SUCH THAT EVEN THE OUT COMES WRITTEN INTO THE STATEMENT SHOULD BE CHANGED AS LOCAL NEEDS RECOMMENDED *UST AS THE PROGRESSION OF THE DOCUMENTS DEVELOPMENT WAS UNDERPRE SCRIBED SO TOO WERE ADMONITIONS ABOUT ITS USE 4HE ASSUMPTION IN FACT WAS THAT IT WOULD BE USED IT WOULD BE USED VARIOUSLY GIVEN DIFFERENT CAMPUSES AND THEIR STILL DIFFERENT NEEDS AND THAT WE WOULD LEARN FROM THOSE DIFFERENCES )N GENERAL THEN ITS PROBABLY FAIR TO SAY THAT CAMPUSES WERE ENCOURAGED TO ADAPT THE STATEMENT TO SERVE THEIR STUDENTS WHICH THEY HAVE $ECIDING THAT A CHIEF PURPOSE OF THE STATEMENT WAS TO ASSIST WITH FACULTY DEVELOP MENT !S "ARBARA 7ALVOORD HAS ARGUED VARIOUS WRITING PROGRAMS PARTICULARLY 7!# PROGRAMS HAVE SUCCEEDED BECAUSE THEY HAVE TARGETED FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AS THE MEANS OF MAKING CHANGE 7E WORKED SIMI LARLY IN THE PROCESS CREATING A DOCUMENT THAT COULD SPEAK TO THE FACULTY AUDIENCE AS WELL AS THE STUDENT AUDIENCE AND CREATING THE IDEA THAT SUCH A DOCUMENT AND SUCH AN APPROACH WOULD BE USEFUL FOR ANY INSTITUTION ENGAGING IN CURRICULAR REFORM )N OTHER WORDS IN ADOPTING THIS APPROACH THE WRITERS OF THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT ALSO MODELED ONE OF ITS USES $ECIDING TO USE A VOCABULARY THAT MIGHT APPEAR UNFAMILIAR TO MANY BUT THAT WAS THE VOCABULARY OF THE DISCIPLINE !S $EREK 3OLES SUGGESTS THE
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VOCABULARY OF THE DISCIPLINE IS A PLURAL VOCABULARY CRITIQUE IS A KEY TERM FOR A CULTURAL STUDIES APPROACH COLLABORATION FOR MANY FOCUSED ON ACTIVE LEARNING !T THE SAME TIME THE PURPOSE OF THE DOCUMENT ITSELF WAS NOT TO DOCUMENT THE KEY TERMS OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES WE DID NOT DEFINE THIS TASK AS AN ACCUMULATION OF DIFFERENT KEY TERMS NOR DID WE TARGET SPECIFIC PEDAGOGIES 2ATHER WE TRIED TO FIND A COMMON FRAME THAT WOULD BE INCLUSIVE WITHOUT BEING PRESCRIPTIVE 'IVEN THIS TASK DEFINITION ONE OBVIOUS APPROACH MIGHT HAVE BEEN TO REVERT TO hSTANDARDv LANGUAGE THAT READERS WOULD RECOGNIZE TO TERMS LIKE THESIS AND CORRECTNESS 3UCH AN APPROACH MIGHT ALSO ALLOW THE WIDEST POSSIBLE READERSHIP AND THUS THE GREATEST ADOPTION !NOTHER GOAL HOWEVER WAS TO WRITE A STATEMENT THAT WAS CONGRUENT WITH CURRENT THEORY IN THE FIELD AND THIS GOAL COULD NOT BE SATISFIED WITH THE CURRENT TRADITIONAL LANGUAGE OF THESIS AND SUPPORT )RONICALLY PERHAPS THE MOST CURRENT THEORY IS ALSO THE OLDEST RHETORICAL THEORY !CCORDINGLY AN ARTICULATION OF A COMPOSITION CURRICULUM USED RHETORIC AS ITS PRINCIPAL FRAME WHICH LED US TO EXPRESSIONS LIKE RHETORICAL SITUATION AND THE CATEGORY 2HETORICAL +NOWLEDGE THAT ARE NOT COMMONLY UNDERSTOOD EVEN IN THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY !T THE END OF THE DAY HOW EVER WE INCLUDED MANY DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC CONCEPTS BUT THE STATEMENT ALSO INCLUDES TERMS LIKE CONVENTIONS FORMAT AND AUDIENCE THAT ARE FAMILIAR TO NEARLY ANYONE WHO HAS TAKEN A WRITING COURSE )N THIS PRACTICE THE BEAUTY OF THE STATEMENT IS IN ITS USE OF FAMILIARITY TO CONTEXTUALIZE THE NEW AND THUS SIGNAL THAT THIS IS A NEW CURRICULUM WHICH IS NOT YOUR FATHERS COMPOSITION !S IMPORTANT THROUGH THIS VOCABULARYPARTICULARLY IN TERMS LIKE RHETORIC AND GENREA NEW CONSTRUCT OF WRITING IS CREATED AND THOUGH THAT GOOD ASSESSMENTTHAT IS ASSESSMENT OF WHAT IT IS THAT WE REALLY WANTIS ALSO MADE POSSIBLE /R VOCABULARY MATTERS $ECIDING TO USE A hGATEWAY INv APPROACHONE FOCUSED ON THE EXIT POINT OF THE CURRICULUM REGARDLESS OF WHERE THAT MIGHT BEIN LOCATING THE OUTCOMES !NOTHER DECISION THAT PARTICIPANTS NEEDED TO MAKE WAS HOW TO DEFINE WRITING PROGRAMS IN THE FIRST YEAR #OULD THEY BE THEMATICALLY FOCUSED WRITING SEMINARS AS AT (ARVARD 7ERE THEY COMPUTERWRITING CLASSES 7ERE THEY TAUGHT BY A SPECIAL GROUP OF INSTRUCTORS 'IVEN BASIC WRITING AT WHAT POINT DID THEY BEGIN AND AT WHAT POINT DID THEY END 4O FOCUS OUR EFFORTS WE TOOK THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAM BE IT COURSE COURSES SEMINAR AS THE COMMON POINT FOR ALL FIRST YEAR PROGRAMS %VEN IF STUDENTS OPTED OUT THEY TOO WOULD DEMONSTRATE THESE OUTCOMES 4HAT DECISION LIKE MANY PROGRAM DECISIONS WAS WISE IN PART BECAUSE ITS ORIENTED TO THE GATEWAY IN RATHER THAN TO GATEKEEPING STUDENTS OUT ,ET ME EXPLAIN
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4OO OFTEN WRITING PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN USED WILLINGLY OR OTHERWISE TO GATEKEEP TO KEEP STUDENTS OUT %VEN SO TODAY PERCENT OF ALL STU DENTS MATRICULATE IN COLLEGE 5NFORTUNATELY TOO FEW OF THEM COMPLETE THEIR PROGRAMS AT EITHER TWO YEAR OR FOUR YEAR INSTITUTIONS .ATIONALLY ONLY PERCENT OF ALL ADULTS HAVE A "3 OR "! DEGREE !T PERCENT FOR !FRICAN !MERICANS AND PERCENT FOR ,ATINOS,ATINAS AND EVEN LOWER FOR .ATIVE !MERICANS THE FIGURES SHRINK FOR MINORITY POPULATIONS !ND YET AS THE RESEARCH OF 2ICHARD ,IGHT SHOWS WRITING HELPS KEEP STUDENTS IN SCHOOL AND ASSISTS THEM AS THEY BECOME PROFESSIONALS 4HE RESEARCH PROVIDED BY THE .ATIONAL 3URVEY OF 3TUDENT %NGAGEMENT ECHOES THIS PHENOMENON ONLY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF STUDENTS STUDENTS SAT ISFACTION WITH POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION IS KEYED TO THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH THEY WRITE ACROSS THE YEARS OF THEIR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE 4HE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT IS LIKEWISE ORIENTED TO MOVING STUDENTS INTO THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AND HELPING THEM SUCCEED THERE )T IS THEN ORIENTED NOT TO THE MOMENT OF ENTRY BUT TO THE GATEWAY INTO THE REST OF THE CURRICU LUM &ROM AN ASSESSMENT PERSPECTIVE THIS IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT !S ) HAVE ARGUED ELSEWHERE 9ANCEY WHEN TESTS DO TAKE A BENIGN FORM ONE OF THE REASONS IS THAT THE TEST IS SEEN AS IN THE CASE OF THE !0 TEST AS A MEASURE OF A CURRICULUM )T IS LINKED TO THE TEST )N CITING A NEGATIVE EXEM PLAR OF THE SAME POINT -ARY 4RACHSAL DEMONSTRATES THAT ONCE CUR RICULUM IS SEPARATED FROM ASSESSMENTAS IT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY IN THE GATEKEEPING MOMENT OF ENTRYTHOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR CURRICULUM TEND TO BE DISCOUNTED WHICH OF COURSE IS WHAT WE SEE IN TESTS LIKE THE 3!4 7HAT THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT DOES IS WORK TOWARD THE GATEWAY MOMENT THUS KEEPING ALIVE THE HOPE OF LINKING CURRICULUM AND APPROPRIATE ASSESSMENT - 6 9>( 9 + 0 5 . ; / , ( - ; , 9>6 9 +
!S WE GO FORWARD THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES WE WILL NEED TO CONSIDER !MONG THESE )D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT FOUR s )N "OWLING !LONE 2OBERT 0UTNAM MAKES THE CASE THAT IN LATE TWEN TIETH CENTURY !MERICA WE HAVE LOST A SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT HAD PREVI OUSLY DEFINED !MERICA AND HE FURTHER SUGGESTS THAT THE SOCIAL CAPITAL WE CREATE THROUGH COMMUNITY IS NECESSARY FOR A HEALTHY COMMUNITY ,OCATED INSIDE THE HUMANITIES WE HAVE ORDINARILY CONSTRUCTED OUR WORK AS INDI VIDUALSINDIVIDUAL TEACHERS SEPARATE STUDENTS #ERTAINLY THOSE OF US INTER ESTED IN PROGRAMS ENGAGE IN A COMPETING IMPULSE AS WE SEE IN THE
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COLLECTIVE ACTIVITY SURROUNDING THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT .ONETHELESS THERE IS MORE WE MIGHT DO 1UESTION )N A TIME WHEN RESEARCH ON ENHANCING STUDENT DEVELOPMENT IS SORELY NEEDED HOW MIGHT WE ENGAGE THE OUTCOMES STIPULATED HERE )N OTHER WORDS SEPARATE INSTITU TIONSAS THE CASES HERE IDENTIFIED ATTESTHAVE MADE WONDERFUL STRIDES 7HAT IF WE WORKED TOGETHER CROSS INSTITUTIONALLY WITH OUR STUDENTS AS WE DID IN CREATING THE DOCUMENT 7HAT KIND OF CHANGE MIGHT WE MAKE THEN s 4HERE IS A SMALL LINE OF RESEARCH INDICATING THAT ASKING STUDENTS TO WORK EXPLICITLY WITH THE LANGUAGE OF OUTCOMES AS THEY ASSESS THEIR OWN WORK THAT IS TO ASSESS THEIR OWN WORK IN THE LANGUAGE OF SPECIFIC OUTCOMES ENHANCES STUDENT LEARNING AND IMPROVES THE PRODUCTS OF THAT LEARNING 7ASHINGTON 3TATE 5NIVERSITY FOR INSTANCE HAS DEVELOPED A SOPHISTICATED SET OF CRITERIA FOR CRITICAL THINKING AND HAS INVITED FACULTY TO WORK WITH IT IN THEIR CLASSES 3OME OF THOSE FACULTY HAVE REQUIRED STUDENTS TO EVALUATE THEIR OWN WORK AND TO DO SO IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE CRITERIA !LTHOUGH THE EFFORT IS YOUNG AND THE CLASSES INVOLVED FEW SO FAR THE STUDENT WORK RATED BY INDEPENDENT SCORERS IS BETTER THAN THAT OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT ENGAGED IN THIS ACTIVITY ! SIMILAR FINDING CHARACTERIZES A PORTFOLIO PROGRAM AT 0ORTLAND 3TATE 5NIVERSITY WHERE STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO EVALU ATE THEIR WRITING IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE COURSE AND THIS FINDING IS ALSO CONNECTED TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RATES OF STUDENT RETENTION 1UESTION 7HAT MIGHT BE THE EFFECT ON STUDENT WRITING IF SEVERAL INSTITUTIONS TRIED SUCH AN APPROACH WITH THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT s /NE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAS VEXED COMPOSITIONISTS SINCE THE MODERN ITERATION OF COMPOSITION IS THE CONTENT OF COMPOSITION WHAT IS IT )TS NOT UNCOMMON AS $EREK 3OLES ATTESTS TO THINK OF COMPOSITION AS AN ALMOST EMPTY VESSEL EAGER TO BE FILLED WITH ANY NUMBER OF STUDIES FROM CULTURAL TO QUEER TO CRITICAL AND LIBERATION PEDAGOGY TO LITERACY )NDEED AS COGENTLY OUTLINED BY $AVID "ARTHOLOMAE IN HIS #### CHAIRS ADDRESS COMPOSITIONS INTERDISCIPLINARY QUALITY IS BOTH CHARM AND STRENGTH )N REVIEWING THE LANGUAGE OF THE 70! OUTCOMES HOWEVER ) HAVE TO WONDER IF WHAT IS ARTICULATED THERE ISNT ALREADY A CURRICULUM 'ENRE AND LANGUAGE AND RHETORICAL SITUATION THEY ARE THE CURRICULUM 1UESTION 7HAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE TOOK THIS IDEA SERIOUSLY AND UNDERSTOOD THAT WE ARE A DISCI PLINE AFTER ALL THAT COMPOSITION IS THE CONTENT OF ANY COMPOSITION CLASS AND PROGRAM (OW MUCH CHANGE MIGHT WE SEE IN STUDENT LEARNING s !S EXPLAINED IN THIS VOLUME ONE OF THE CRITICAL DECISIONS THAT WAS MADE EXEMPTED TECHNOLOGY AS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF COMPOSITION !S $ENNIS "ARON ARGUES THIS CAN MAKE SENSE THE TECHNOLOGY OF COMPOSING IS SUBORDINATE NOT SUBSTANTIVE !ND ITS FAIR TO NOTE THAT HISTORICALLY WRITING
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FOR PRINT HAS PLAYED A CENTRAL ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF STUDENTS INTELLEC TUALLY AND SOCIALLY IT HAS BEEN PLACED AT THE HEART OF EDUCATION INSTITUTION ALLY AS WELL 4HIS DOCUMENT SPEAKS TO THAT HISTORY AND TO THAT ROLE !T THE SAME TIME HOWEVER IN SCHOOL AND OUT ON THE STREET AND IN THE CLASSROOM WE HAVE ALREADY MIGRATED TO THE SCREEN AND TO MULTIMEDIA !ND THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD CLAIM MYSELF AMONG THEM THAT WHILE COMPOSITION IS NOT ABOUT TECHNOLOGY IT IS ABOUT THE MEDIA PLURAL 1UESTION )F WE CONTINUE TO ELECT TO FOCUS EXCLUSIVELY ON PRINT WITHOUT EXPLICITLY INCLUDING THE LIT ERACY OF THE SCREEN WILL WE PREPARE OUR STUDENTS FOR THAT GATEWAY INTO THE COMPLETION OF COLLEGEAND BEYOND 7ILL WE ENDANGER THE RELEVANCE AND EVEN SURVIVAL OF OUR OWN FIELD
,30!#% )N CALLING OUR STUDENTS AND OURSELVES TO WHATS VISIONARY WE CREATED NEW OUTCOMES FOR ALL OF US )N CREATING A FOUNDATION FOR STUDENTS WE CRE ATED ONE FOR PROGRAMS AS WELL 'IVEN THE PROMISE OF THE 70! /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN REALIZED ITS CRITICAL THAT THIS LEGACY BE CARRIED FORWARD 4O DO OTH ERWISE WOULD BE BOTH TRAGIC AND IRONIC INDEED
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4HIS BECAME hWE EXPECT THE PRIMARY AUDIENCE FOR THIS DOCUMENT TO BE WELL PREPARED COLLEGE WRITING TEACHERS AND COLLEGE WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS )N SOME PLACES WE HAVE CHOSEN TO WRITE IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL LANGUAGE 7HILE WE HAVE ALSO AIMED AT WRITING A DOCUMENT THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND IN LIMITED CASES WE HAVE AIMED FIRST AT COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY WITH EXPERT WRITING TEACHERS AND WRIT ING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORSv 4HIS BECAME h!S WRITERS MOVE BEYOND FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION THEIR WRITING ABILITIES DO NOT MERELY IMPROVE 2ATHER STUDENTS ABILITIES NOT ONLY DIVERSIFY ALONG DISCIPLINARY AND PROFESSIONAL LINES BUT ALSO MOVE INTO WHOLE NEW LEVELS WHERE EXPECTED OUTCOMES EXPAND MULTIPLY AND DIVERGEv
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7E OFFER HERE AS A SUGGESTION THE TERM #0!S COMPOSITION PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS RATHER THAN 70!S AS A WAY OF ACKNOWLEDGING THE CHANGING NATURE OF COMPOSITION IN AN AGE AND CULTURE THAT IS INCREASINGLY ELECTRONIC AND THAT HAS MADE WHAT 'UNTER +RESS CALLS THE hTURN TO THE VISUALv 7E USE COMPOSITION TO ACCOMMODATE THE PRACTICE OF CREATING TEXTS THAT MAY WELL EXCEED THE ALPHABETICAND THE SOCIOCULTURAL VALUES AND BELIEFS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH TEXTS )N THIS USE WE ARE INFORMED BY THE WORK OF THE .EW ,ONDON 'ROUP #OPE AND +ALANTZIS WHICH HAS EXPLORED SIMILAR PRACTICES AND VALUES UNDER THE RUBRICS OF MULTIMODAL LITERACIES OR MULTILITERACIES ! TERM USED BY -ANUEL #ASTELLS TO REFER TO DESCRIBE THE ERA GENERATED BY THE hCONVERGING SET OF TECHNOLOGIES IN MICROELECTRONICS COMPUTING MACHINES AND SOFTWARE TELECOMMUNICATIONSBROADCASTING AND OPTOELECTRONICSv AND THE hNETWORKED SOCIETYv THAT HAS TRANSFORMED hALL DOMAINS OF HUMAN ACTIVITYv "Y LITERACY WE MEAN THE PRACTICES OF READING COMPOSING COMMUNICATING AND THE COMPLEX SET OF CULTURAL AND INDIVIDUAL VALUES AND FORMATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE PRACTICES "Y EMERGING LITERACIES WE MEAN THOSE LITERACIES ASSOCIATED WITH MAKING MEANING IN NEW KINDS OF ELECTRONIC COMPOSING ENVIRONMENTS -ANY OF THESE LITERA CIES ARE VISUALLY BASED AND NOT ALPHABETICALLY DEPENDENT "Y FADING LITERACIES WE REFER TO THOSE LITERACIES ASSOCIATED WITH MAKING MEANING IN COMPOSING ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE LESS FREQUENTLY USED NOW THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN FORMER POINTS IN HISTORYFOR INSTANCE WRITING LETTERS BY HAND 4HE TERM CULTURAL ECOLOGY WE BORROW IN PART FROM WORK IN COMMUNICATION UNDERTAKEN BY 2ONALD $EIBERT AND OTHER SCHOLARS IN THAT FIELD WHOSE WORK HAS TO DO WITH THE EMERGENCE AND hFITNESSv $EIBERT OF COMMUNICATION MEDIA IN HISTORICAL SOCIAL CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS "RUCE AND (OGAN #OOPER 4O US HOWEVER THE NOTION OF A CULTURAL ECOLOGY ALSO SUGGESTS A hDUALITY OF STRUCTURINGv BETWEEN SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND LITERACY PRACTICES THAT COMES THROUGH MORE CLEARLY IN THE WORK OF !NTHONY 'IDDENS AND -ANUEL #ASTELLS )N COM BINATION THE WORK OF THESE SCHOLARS INDICATE TO US THAT LITERACIES EMERGE COMPETE FLOURISH AND FADE BECAUSE THEY SHARE A hFITNESSv WITH THE CULTURAL ECOLOGY OF A GIVEN TIME AND PLACE 4HIS ECOLOGY BOTH STRUCTURES AND IS STRUCTURED BY HUMAN BEINGS WHO USE LITERACY AS A MEANS OF STRATEGIC SOCIAL ACTION
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) REFER HERE TO THE THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS TEACHING COLLEGE WRITING COURSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHOSE PREPARATION AND SCHOLARLY INTERESTS DO NOT INCLUDE COMPOSITION THEORY AND TO THE SIMILARLY SITUATED FACULTY STILL RUNNING FIRST YEAR WRITING hPROGRAMSv AT HUNDREDS OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY 4HOSE OF US WHO ARE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY OF COMPOSITION SCHOLARS AND WORK WITH COLLEAGUES LIKE OUR SELVES CAN EASILY BE MISLED INTO BELIEVING THAT OUR SITUATION IS THE NORM BUT ) DARESAY IT IS NOT 4O THE CREDIT OF THE /UTCOMES GROUP THEY WERE APPARENTLY AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS THIS WORDING MIGHT CAUSE 2ITA -ALENCZYK PROVIDED ME WITH LOGS OF SEVERAL OF THE -// SESSIONS IN WHICH THE /UTCOMES 3TEERING #OMMITTEE REFINED THE STATEMENT JUST PRIOR TO ITS ADOPTION BY THE 70! )T IS CLEAR FROM THOSE hCONVER SATIONSv THAT THEY STRUGGLED WITH THIS PROBLEM /NE PLANNED SOLUTION THAT APPAR ENTLY FELL THROUGH WAS TO INCLUDE HYPERLINKS ON THE 7EB VERSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT WHICH COULD LEAD A READER TO DIFFERENT EXPLANATORY EXAMPLES )T IS ALSO CLEAR THAT THEY WERE FULLY AWARE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THE TERM AND ITS IMPLICATIONS !T VARIOUS POINTS THE GROUP CONSIDERED ALTERNATIVE TERMS SUCH AS hMUL TIPLE FORMATSv "UT THEY ULTIMATELY REJECTED SUCH TERMS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT GET AT THE VARIETY OF PROCESSES AND AWARENESSES THE STATEMENT IS MEANT TO SUCCINCTLY EXPRESS &INALLY GENRE THEORY HAS TO BE MENTIONED
+EITH 2HODES )M WONDERING IF hGENRE THEORYv IS REALLY WHAT WAS MOTIVATING FOLKS SO MUCH AS JUST NOT USING THE 0 THEME FOR EVERYTHING -UCH SIMPLER IDEA 2ITA -ALENCZYK ) WONDERED THAT MYSELF "UT WE DID USE THE WORD hGENRE v WHICH ALLOWS US TO GET GENRE THEORY IN BY THE BACK DOOR )RVIN 0ECKHAM ) THINK GENRE THEORY IS BEHIND IT 3USANMARIE (ARRINGTON !RE WE AGREED ON hUNDERSTAND WHAT GENRES ARE AND HOW THEY FUNC TIONv +EITH !GREED THE THEORY IS INFORMING US BUT ) DONT THINK THE AMBITIONS FOR FYC STUDENTS ARE HIGH ENOUGH TO INVOKE A GREAT DEAL OF IT h&UNCTIONSv KINDA SCARES ME AS AN ASSESSMENT ITEM FOR FYC )RV ) WAS SUGGESTING hUNDERSTAND WHAT GENRES ARE AND HOW THEY FUNCTIONv 3USANMARIE 7HAT ABOUT IF WE JUST GO WITH hUNDERSTAND WHAT GENRES ARE v +EITH ) THOUGHT IT WAS hKNOWv 3USANMARIE 7ELL ITS EITHER hKNOWv OR hUNDERSTANDv )RV %ITHER 3USANMARIE !RE WE AGREED ON DITCHING THE hANDv 2ITA h5NDERSTAND WHAT GENRES AREv WOULD WORK FOR MEv )RV /NE OF THE PROBLEMS IS GENRES hARENT SOMETHINGvTHE FUNCTION IS THE REAL KEY BUT 3USANMARIE ) THINK ) LIKE hUNDERSTAND v MYSELF /K BY YOU +EITH +EITH h4HATv THEY FUNCTION MIGHT NOT SCARE ME AS MUCH BUT THEN THATS UGLY LAN GUAGE 3USANMARIE h6ERY UGLY )RV ) TAKE YOUR POINT BUT ) THINK IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE WERE BACKED INTO NOW (ARRINGTON ET AL
)VE EDITED SOME OFF TOPIC CHITCHAT FROM THE ABOVE CONVERSATION BUT THE BULK OF IT REMAINS )T IS CLEAR HERE THAT THE GROUP HAS A FULLY THEORIZED UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM GENRE AND THAT SEVERAL OF THEM FEEL UNEASYTO SOME DEGREELEAVING THE WORD THERE ON ITS OWN WITH ALL ITS CONNOTATIONS OF COMPLEX SOCIAL FUNCTIONS LEFT UNEXPLICATED )T IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT 0ECKHAM IN A VERSION OF THE /UTCOMES 3TATEMENT PRE PARED FOR HIS OWN STUDENTS USE DOES NOT USE THE WORD GENRE AT ALL AMONG OTHER REVISIONS HE REPLACES GENRE WITH hWRITING SITUATIONSv
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*OY 2EID WORKS WITH HER %3, STUDENTS TO FIND ALTERNATIVES TO h) DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANTv SUCH AS @4HIS IS THE FIRST PAPERREVIEWREPORT ) HAVE WRITTEN AT A 53 UNI VERSITY -AY ) MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO TALK WITH YOU DURING YOUR OFFICE HOURS 2EID n 7HILE A NUMBER OF COLLECTIONS ON GENRE HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED NONE COULD REALLY QUALIFY AS AN INTRODUCTION TO GENRE THEORY FOR NONSPECIALIST COMPOSITION INSTRUCTORS 4HE MOST LIKELY CANDIDATE MIGHT BE &REEDMAN AND -EDWAYS 'ENRE AND THE .EW 2HETORIC
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!MONG THOSE PRESENT AT THE *UNE MEETING WERE 6IVIAN $AVIS ,INDA &LOWER -AXINE (AIRSTON 'EORGE +ENNEDY 2ICHARD ,ANHAM 2ICHARD ,ARSON 2ICHARD ,LOYD *ONES 2ICHARD -ARIUS *OHN -UNRO *AMES -URPHY *AY 2OBINSON (ARRIET 3HERIDAN *ERRY 7ARD 4HOMAS 7HITAKER AND *OSEPH 7ILLIAMS 7AYNE "OOTH 3HIRLEY "RICE (EATH AND 0HYLLIS &RANKLIN WERE INVITED BUT DID NOT ATTEND !CCORDING TO *OSSEY "ASS EDITORIAL ASSISTANT -ELISSA +IRK .OVEMBER %NGAGING )DEAS HAS SOLD OVER TWENTY TWO THOUSAND COPIES IN THE EIGHT YEARS SINCE IT WAS PUBLISHED /UR EXPERIENCE AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ISSOURI WHERE A COPY IS GIVEN TO EACH FACULTY MEMBER WHO ATTENDS A 7!# WORKSHOP IS THAT INSTRUCTORS CONTINUE TO USE THE BOOK AFTER THE WORKSHOP AND TO APPLY 7!# PRINCIPLES TO THEIR TEACHING 4HE .ATIONAL %DUCATIONAL 'OALS 0ANEL .%'0 HAS SINCE BEEN DISSOLVED BY #ONGRESSIONAL MANDATE AND ITS WEBSITE HTTPWWWNEGPGOV IS DEFUNCT ! STATE MENT OF ITS GOALS IS STILL AVAILABLE AT A .ORTH #ENTRAL 2EGIONAL %DUCATIONAL ,ABORATORY SITE HTTPWWWNCRELORGSDRSAREASISSUESENVRNMNTGOGONEGPHTM AND WEB SEARCHES REVEAL LINKS TO SOME .%'0 PUBLICATIONS ALTHOUGH NONE ARE DIRECTLY AVAILABLE FROM GOVERNMENT SITES AS THIS VOLUME GOES TO PRESS
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)NDIANA 5NIVERSITY 0URDUE 5NIVERSITY )NDIANAPOLIS )505) IS )NDIANAS COMPREHEN SIVE URBAN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS HOUSING BOTH )NDIANA 5NIVERSITY AND 0URDUE 5NIVERSITY SCHOOLS 4HE WRITING PROGRAM IS PART OF THE %NGLISH DEPARTMENT LOCATED IN THE )NDIANA 5NIVERSITY 3CHOOL OF ,IBERAL !RTS 7RITING COURSES SERVE UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS IN %NGLISH AS WELL AS STUDENTS IN OTHER MAJORS ACROSS CAMPUS )NDIANA 5NIVERSITY 0URDUE 5NIVERSITY )NDIANAPOLIS )505) IS )NDIANAS COMPREHEN SIVE URBAN UNIVERSITY CAMPUS HOUSING BOTH )NDIANA 5NIVERSITY AND 0URDUE 5NIVERSITY SCHOOLS
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) WOULD LIKE TO THANK MY !LVERNO COLLEAGUES #AROLE "ARROWMAN .ANCY "ORNSTEIN AND 'EORGINE ,OACKER FOR THEIR COMMENTS ON A DRAFT OF THIS MANUSCRIPT AND ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR LONGTIME COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR STUDENTS AS COMMUNICATORS
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/NE OF THE MAIN PREMISES OF THE COMPETENCE BASED MOVEMENT WAS THAT OUTCOMES SHOULD BE WORKED OUT LOCALLY EITHER BY INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS OR BY TEACHERS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY IN A PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OR EVEN A WHOLE COLLEGE 4HE MOVEMENT WAS BASED ON THE IDEA THAT TEACHING COULD BE REVITALIZED IF TEACHERS THEMSELVES FIG URED OUT WHAT OUTCOMES THEY ARE TEACHING TOWARD )N CONTRAST THE /UTCOMES PROJECT THOUGH IMPRESSIVELY COLLABORATIVE AIMS TO PROVIDE OUTCOMES TO TEACHERS WHO HAD NO HAND IN DEVISING THEM &OR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ESSAY ) SET TO ONE SIDE THIS IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE
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4HIS IS A STRUCTURE WHERE ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE AT LEAST HALF A SEMESTERS EXPERIENCE IN A WRITING WORKSHOP BUT WHERE STUDENTS WHO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS EARN THE RIGHT TO LEAVE AS EARLY AS HALFWAY THROUGH THE SEMESTER WHILE OTHERS MAY HAVE TO STAY LON GERMAYBE EVEN WELL MORE THAN A SEMESTER 7HEN A STUDENT IS JUDGED COMPETENT BY MEANS OF A PORTFOLIO AND EXITS A NEW STUDENT ENTERS )N THIS MODEL STUDENTS HAVE MORE INCENTIVE TO IMPROVE THEIR WRITING THAN IN THE STANDARD SEMESTER LONG LOCKSTEP COURSE !ND THE ADMITTEDLY STARTLING STRUCTURE GIVES RELIEF FROM WHAT STRIKES ME AS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT TEACHING WRITING STARTING OFF EACH SEMESTER WITH A BRAND NEW CLASS WHERE ALL ARE STRANGERS TO EACH OTHER AND NONE HAS INTERNALIZED THE CULTURE OF A WRITERS WORKSHOP )N THE YOGURT MODEL HALF OR TWO THIRDS OF THE CLASS WOULD ALWAYS BE EXPERIENCED MEMBERS OF THE CULTUREEVEN ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEMESTER )N EFFECT THE YOGURT MODEL SIMULATES THE WRITERS GROUPWHERE SOME PEOPLE LEAVE AND OTHERS ENTER 4HE MODEL ALSO SUGGESTS EXPERIMENTING WITH SMALLER hCLASSESv OF hGROUPv SIZE ! SINGLE TEACHER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MULTIPLE GROUPSAND THUS THEY WOULD HAVE TO FUNCTION MORE AUTONOMOUSLY THAN STANDARD CLASSES ) SPEAK MORE ABOUT THIS IN MY ESSAY h7RITING !SSESSMENT IN THE 4WENTY FIRST #ENTURY ! 5TOPIAN 6IEWv
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.OT THAT PLASTICITY IS A CONCEPT ALIEN TO BIOLOGY FAR FROM IT !S JUST ONE LUMINOUS EXAMPLE SEE 'ERALD - %DELMANS BOOK ON THE INDIVIDUAL HUMAN BRAIN AS A ORGAN PHYSIOLOGICALLY MODIFYING IN REACTION TO DAILY EXPERIENCE 4HE INTERPRETIVE OR HERMENEUTIC APPROACH TO ADULT DEVELOPMENT IS WELL ESTABLISHED )N DEVELOPMENTAL AND LIFE HISTORY STUDIES SEE "RUNER A AND &REEMAN )N COMPOSITION SEE 'REEN (ASWELL AND 0HELPS *AMEISON AND $AVIDS ENTRY ON h#OGNITIVE $EVELOPMENTAL 4HEORYv IN +ENNEDYS 4HEORIZING #OMPOSITION IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE WAY THE FIELD OF COMPOSI TION BRACKETS OR TRIVIALIZES DEVELOPMENTAL THINKING 4HE ENTRY RESTRICTS ITSELF TO OUT DATED COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTALISTS AND MENTIONS NONE OF THE OUTPOURING OF SOCIAL CULTURE AND SITUATIONAL STUDIES OF THE LAST THREE DECADES 4HEY CITE ONLY SIX STUDIES IN COMPOSITION FROM THE S THREE OF THE PIECES ARGUE AGAINST THE USE OF DEVELOPMEN TAL THEORY AND THE OTHER THREE DONT REFER TO IT AT ALL .ONE OF THE DEVELOPMENTALISTS CITED IN THE PRESENT PIECE APPEAR IN *AMEISON AND $AVID $EVELOPMENT DOES NOT APPEAR AS AN ENTRY IN (EILKER AND 6ANDENBERGS +EYWORDS IN #OMPOSITION 3TUDIES OR IN %NOSS %NCYCLOPEDIA OF 2HETORIC AND #OMPOSITION
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0ERSONAL COMMUNICATION WITH INSTITUTIONS )RONICALLY IN THIS CRITIQUE WE SEE A CONTINUING TENSION BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUALISM OF THE TEACHER EXPRESSIVISM AND THE COLLECTIVE OF THE PROGRAM -ARXISM !LL TOO OFTEN WE ARENT NOTICED AS IS ALL TOO CLEAR !S ) FINISH WRITING THIS CHAPTER THE 70! LISTSERV IS EXPLODING WITH DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RECENT REMOVAL OF THE 5NIVERSITY OF &LORIDA COMPOSITION PROGRAM FROM THE %NGLISH DEPARTMENT TO THE PROVOSTS OFFICE UNDER THE CODIRECTION OF A PROFESSOR OF CLASSICS 4HE 70! WAS IT SEEMS NOT CON SULTED EITHER BEFORE THE REMOVAL OR AS THE PROGRAM TOOK A NEW FORM #OMPOSITION HAS BEEN INFORMED BY OTHER COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE ONE OF THE FIRST IS 0ORTNET A GROUP OF TEACHER RESEARCHERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO STUDIED PORTFO LIOS IN THEORY AND PRACTICE SEE !LLEN &OR A MORE SUSTAINED DISCUSSION OF COM MUNITY OF PRACTICE IN COMPOSITION SEE 9ANCEYS h"OWLING 4OGETHER #OMMUNITIES OF 0RACTICE AND THE +NOWLEDGE -AKING &UNCTION OF 2EFLECTIONv FORTHCOMING
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* 6 5 ; 9 0 ) < ;6 9 : 3USANMARIE (ARRINGTON IS PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AND DIRECTOR OF WRITING AT )NDIANA 5NIVERSITY 0URDUE 5NIVERSITY )NDIANAPOLIS (ER RESEARCH INTERESTS FOCUS ON THE WAYS LITERACY IS SHAPED BY ASSESSMENT AND TECHNOLOGY 7ITH ,INDA !DLER +ASSNER SHE IS CO AUTHOR OF "ASIC 7RITING AS A 0OLITICAL !CT 0UBLIC #ONVERSATIONS ABOUT 7RITING AND ,ITERACIES (AMPTON AND CO EDITOR OF 1UESTIONING !UTHORITY 3TORIES 4OLD IN 3CHOOL 5 OF -ICHIGAN !FTER AN EARLIER CAREER AS A LAWYER +EITH 2HODES COMPLETED A MASTERS AND DOCTORATE IN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION (E SERVED AS COORDINATOR OF COMPOSI TION AT .ORTHWEST -ISSOURI 3TATE 5NIVERSITY FROM (E THEN MOVED TO -ISSOURI 7ESTERN 3TATE #OLLEGE WHERE HE SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENTAL WRITING AND WRITING PLACEMENT (E HAS NOW RETURNED TO THE PRACTICE OF LAW 2UTH /VERMAN &ISCHER RECEIVED HER 0H$ IN %NGLISH WITH AN EMPHASIS IN RHETORIC AND LINGUISTICS FROM )NDIANA 5NIVERSITY OF 0ENNSYLVANIA IN 3HE HAS TAUGHT IN THE %NGLISH $EPARTMENT AT 'EORGE -ASON 5NIVERSITY SINCE AND WAS THE DIRECTOR OF COMPOSITION FROM 3HE HAS THREE SHORT ESSAYS IN 3TRATEGIES FOR 4EACHING &IRST 9EAR #OMPOSITION 2OEN ET AL AND COAUTHORED AN ESSAY WITH #HRIS 4HAISS IN #OMING OF !GE 4HE !DVANCED 7RITING #URRICULUM ED BY 3HAMOON ET AL 2ITA -ALENCZYK IS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AND DIRECTOR OF THE 5NIVERSITY 7RITING 0ROGRAM AT %ASTERN #ONNECTICUT 3TATE 5NIVERSITY (ER SCHOLARLY WORK WHICH HAS APPEARED IN VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS INCLUDING 70! 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATION IS FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE POLITICS AND RHETORIC OF ADMINISTERING WRITING PROGRAMS ,INDA !DLER +ASSNER TEACHES FIRST YEAR WRITING AND COMPOSITION PEDAGOGY AT %ASTERN -ICHIGAN 5NIVERSITY 7ITH (EIDI %STREM SHE ALSO DIRECTS %ASTERNS FIRST YEAR WRITING PROGRAM 7ITH 3USANMARIE (ARRINGTON SHE IS CO AUTHOR OF "ASIC 7RITING AS A 0OLITICAL !CT 0UBLIC #ONVERSATIONS ABOUT 7RITING AND ,ITERACIES AND CO EDI TOR OF 1UESTIONING !UTHORITY 3TORIES 4OLD IN 3CHOOL ,INDA 3 "ERGMANN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AT 0URDUE 5NIVERSITY AND DIRECTOR OF THE 0URDUE 7RITING ,AB HAS STARTED WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM PRO GRAMS AND WRITING CENTERS AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ISSOURI 2OLLA THE )LLINOIS )NSTITUTE OF 4ECHNOLOGY AND (IRAM #OLLEGE 3HE HAS PUBLISHED ARTICLES IN SUCH JOURNALS AS ,ANGUAGE AND ,EARNING !CROSS THE $ISCIPLINES &EMINIST 4EACHER !" !UTO"IOGRAPHY 3TUDIES AND !MERICAN 3TUDIES 7ILLIAM #ONDON HAS BEEN ENGAGED WITH WRITING ASSESSMENT AS A 70! AT A WIDE VARIETY OF INSTITUTIONSTHE 5NIVERSITY OF /KLAHOMA !RKANSAS 4ECH 5NIVERSITY THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ICHIGAN AND 7ASHINGTON 3TATE 5NIVERSITY WHERE HE IS DIREC TOR OF #AMPUS 7RITING 0ROGRAMS AND PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH (E HAS PUBLISHED
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EXTENSIVELY AND IS PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR OF A THREE YEAR &)03% GRANT DEVOTED TO FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AND STATEWIDE ACCOUNTABILITY ASSESSMENT AROUND TEACHING CRITICAL THINKING 0ETER %LBOW IS PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH EMERITUS AT 5NIVERSITY OF -ASSACHUSETTS !MHERST (E DIRECTED THE WRITING PROGRAM THERE AND AT 35.9 3TONY "ROOK AND TAUGHT AT -)4 &RANCONIA #OLLEGE AND %VERGREEN 3TATE #OLLEGE (IS RECENT BOOK %VERYONE #AN 7RITE %SSAYS 4OWARD A (OPEFUL 4HEORY OF 7RITING AND 4EACHING 7RITING WAS GIVEN THE *AMES "RITTON !WARD BY THE #ONFERENCE ON %NGLISH %DUCATION .#4% RECENTLY GAVE HIM THE *AMES 3QUIRE !WARD hFOR HIS TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE AND LASTING INTELLECTUAL CONTRIBUTIONv 0ATRICIA &REITAG %RICSSON IS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE %NGLISH DEPARTMENT AT 7ASHINGTON 3TATE 5NIVERSITY WHERE SHE WORKS WITH THE $IGITAL 4ECHNOLOGY AND #ULTURE 0ROGRAM (ER WORK HAS APPEARED IN A VARIETY OF VENUES INCLUDING #OMPUTERS AND #OMPOSITION 4HE !#% *OURNAL 4EXT 4ECHNOLOGY AND SEVERAL EDITED COLLECTIONS (EIDI %STREM TEACHES FIRST YEAR WRITING COURSES FOR FUTURE %NGLISH TEACH ERS AND GRADUATE COURSES IN WRITING PEDAGOGY AND THEORY AT %ASTERN -ICHIGAN 5NIVERSITY 3HE IS ALSO ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF FIRST YEAR WRITING #URRENTLY SHE IS WORK ING ON A VARIETY OF PROJECTS STEMMING FROM HER INTERESTS IN HOW AND WHY STUDENTS READ IN WRITING CLASSES (ER RECENT PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE CO AUTHORED ESSAYS IN 70! 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATION AND 2HETORIC 2EVIEW 'REGORY 'LAU IS DIRECTOR OF WRITING PROGRAMS AT !RIZONA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY WHERE HE HAS TAUGHT SINCE "EFORE BEING APPOINTED 70! HE DIRECTED !35S BASIC WRITING 3TRETCH 0ROGRAM 7ITH ,INDA !DLER +ASSNER OF %ASTERN -ICHIGAN 5NIVERSITY HE IS CO EDITOR OF THE "EDFORD "IBLIOGRAPHY OF "ASIC 7RITING AND HAS CO AUTHORED AND PUBLISHED NUMEROUS BOOKS AND ARTICLES 2ICHARD (ASWELL IS (AAS 0ROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AT 4EXAS ! - 5NIVERSITY #ORPUS #HRISTI !T 7ASHINGTON 3TATE 5NIVERSITY HE SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF WRITING AND DIRECTOR OF THE 5NIVERSITY /FFICE OF 7RITING !SSESSMENT AND PLAYED SIGNIFICANT ROLES IN THE REVISION OF THE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE JUNIOR PORTFOLIO EXAMINATION (E IS THE AUTHOR AND COAUTHOR OF NUMEROUS BOOKS AND ARTICLES ON WRITING ASSESSMENT AND INTERPRETATION INCLUDING 'AINING 'ROUND IN #OLLEGE 7RITING 2OBERT /"RIEN (OKANSON IS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AND COORDINATOR OF THE #OMMUNICATION !BILITY DEPARTMENT AT !LVERNO #OLLEGE (E ALSO SERVES AS CO CHAIR OF THE COLLEGES #OUNCIL FOR 3TUDENT !SSESSMENT (E HAS PUBLISHED AND PRESENTED ON A RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING DIGITAL PORTFOLIOS COMMUNICATION ACROSS THE CURRICULUM !MERICAN POETRY AND TEACHING AND ASSESSING FOR STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES "ARBARA ,ITTLE ,IU IS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AT %ASTERN #ONNECTICUT 3TATE 5NIVERSITY WHERE SHE ALSO COORDINATES THE FIRST YEAR WRITING PROGRAM (ER TEACHING AND RESEARCH FOCUS ON COMPOSITION THEORY AND PEDAGOGY AND RHETORICAL THEORY AND CRITICISM ESPECIALLY POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS RHETORICS "ARRY - -AID IS PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION AT !RIZONA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY %AST WHERE HE DEVELOPED A NEW PROGRAM IN MULTIMEDIA WRITING
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AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION !T THE 5NIVERSITY OF !RKANSAS AT ,ITTLE 2OCK HE DIRECTED THE FIRST YEAR COMPOSITION PROGRAM CHAIRED THE DEPARTMENT OF %NGLISH AND HELPED CREATE THE DEPARTMENT OF RHETORIC AND WRITING 4HOUGH MOST OF HIS TIME IS NOW SPENT IN PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION HE KEEPS IN TOUCH WITH HIS INTERESTS IN COMPUTERS AND WRITING WRITING PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION AND ACADEMICINDUS TRY PARTNERSHIPS *, -C#LURE IS PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AT +IRKWOOD #OMMUNITY #OLLEGE IN #EDAR 2APIDS )OWA (E TEACHES COMPOSITION VARIOUS LITERATURE CLASSES AND CRE ATIVE WRITING (E ALSO SERVES AS COORDINATOR OF %NGLISH ASSESSMENT )RVIN 0ECKHAM IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT ,OUISIANA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY WHERE HE DIRECTS THE FIRST YEAR WRITING PROGRAM (E HAS PUBLISHED ARTICLES IN #OMPOSITION 3TUDIES #OMPUTERS AND 7RITING 0EDAGOGY AND IN SEVERAL COLLECTIONS OF ESSAYS (E HAS RECENTLY CO EDITED WITH 3HERRY ,INKON A SPECIAL EDITION OF #OLLEGE %NGLISH ON WORKING CLASS WRITING AND LITERATURE (IS RESEARCH INTEREST IS THE FUNCTION OF WRITING INSTRUCTION IN SOCIAL CLASS REPRODUCTION $UANE 2OEN PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH CURRENTLY SERVES AS (EAD OF (UMANITIES !RTS AND %NGLISH AT !RIZONA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY %AST &ROM TO HE DIRECTED THE #ENTER FOR ,EARNING AND 4EACHING %XCELLENCE AT !RIZONA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY WHERE HE ALSO SERVED AS 70! )N ADDITION TO SIX BOOKS INCLUDING 3TRATEGIES FOR 4EACHING &IRST 9EAR #OMPOSITION HE HAS AUTHORED OR CO AUTHORED MORE THAN CHAPTERS ARTICLES AND CONFERENCE PAPERS #YNTHIA , 3ELFE IS PROFESSOR OF (UMANITIES AT -ICHIGAN 4ECHNOLOGICAL 5NIVERSITY AND THE CO EDITOR OF #OMPUTERS AND #OMPOSITION )N 3ELFE WAS RECOGNIZED AS AN %$5#/- MEDAL AWARD WINNER FOR INNOVATIVE COMPUTER USE IN HIGHER EDUCATION )N 3ELFE ALONG WITH LONG TIME COLLABORATOR 'AIL (AWISHER WAS PRESENTED WITH THE /UTSTANDING 4ECHNOLOGY )NNOVATOR AWARD BY THE #### #OMMITTEE ON #OMPUTERS 3ELFE HAS SERVED AS #HAIR OF #### AND #HAIR OF THE #OLLEGE 3ECTION OF .#4% -ARILYN 3TERNGLASS WAS PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF %NGLISH AT #ITY #OLLEGE OF #ITY 5NIVERSITY OF .EW 9ORK AND AUTHOR MOST NOTABLY OF 4IME TO +NOW 4HEM WHICH WON BOTH THE -INA 0 3HAUGHNESSY -EDAL FROM THE -ODERN ,ANGUAGE !SSOCIATION AND THE #### /UTSTANDING "OOK !WARD 3HE WAS IN THE WORDS OF HER #### COLLEAGUES hA TIRELESS ADVOCATE OF EDUCATIONAL ACCESS AND THE STUDY AND TEACHING OF LITERACYv ### *UNE 3HE DIED IN *ANUARY -ARTHA 4OWNSEND IS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AND DIRECTOR OF THE 5NIVERSITY OF -ISSOURIS TWENTY YEAR OLD #AMPUS 7RITING 0ROGRAM (ER PUBLICA TIONS INCLUDE CHAPTERS AND ENTRIES ON 7!#7)$ IN NUMEROUS VOLUMES MOST RECENTLY 4HE 7RITING 0ROGRAM !DMINISTRATORS 2ESOURCE (ER WORK IN WRITING AND GEN ERAL EDUCATION HAS TAKEN HER TO UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE 53 AS WELL AS 2OMANIA +OREA 4HAILAND 3OUTH !FRICA #HINA AND #OSTA 2ICA %DWARD - 7HITE HAS WRITTEN OR EDITED ELEVEN BOOKS AND ABOUT ARTICLES OR BOOK CHAPTERS ON WRITING WRITING INSTRUCTION AND WRITING ASSESSMENT (IS BEST KNOWN BOOKS ARE 4EACHING AND !SSESSING 7RITING WHOSE SECOND EDITION IN WON AN AWARD FROM THE -,! FOR hOUTSTANDING RESEARCH IN TEACHING v AND !SSESSMENT OF 7RITING 0OLITICS 0OLICIES 0RACTICES
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-ARK 7ILEY IS PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AND DIRECTOR OF THE &ACULTY #ENTER FOR 0ROFESSIONAL $EVELOPMENT AT #ALIFORNIA 3TATE 5NIVERSITY ,ONG "EACH WHERE HE ALSO COORDINATED THE COMPOSITION PROGRAM FOR EIGHT YEARS 0RESENTLY HE IS PART OF A FACULTY TEAM TO ASSESS WRITING IN #35 ,"S 'ENERAL %DUCATION 0ROGRAM -OST OF HIS RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS WHICH INCLUDE #OMPOSITION IN &OUR +EYS HAVE BEEN IN RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION 3TEPHEN 7ILHOIT IS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AT THE 5NIVERSITY OF $AYTON (E SERVES AS THE DEPARTMENTS DIRECTOR OF WRITING PROGRAMS AND IS A TEACHING FEL LOW IN THE UNIVERSITYS 2YAN # (ARRIS ,EARNING 4EACHING #ENTER (IS RESEARCH FOCUSES ON COMPOSITION PEDAGOGY 4! EDUCATION AND FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AND HE HAS AUTHORED TWO BOOKS ! "RIEF 'UIDE TO 7RITING FROM 2EADINGS AND 4HE !LLYN "ACON 4EACHING !SSISTANTS (ANDBOOK $ONALD 7OLFF IS PROFESSOR OF %NGLISH AT %ASTERN /REGON 5NIVERSITY WHERE HE DIRECTS THE /REGON 7RITING 0ROJECT (E HAS WORKED IN ASSESSMENT FOR MOST OF THE TWENTY FIVE YEARS HE HAS BEEN TEACHING AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL 2ECENT PUBLICATIONS INCLUDE h!SYNCHRONOUS #OMPUTER #ONFERENCINGv IN 3TRATEGIES FOR 4EACHING &IRST 9EAR #OMPOSITION EDITED BY $UANE 2OEN ET AL AND 3OME $AYS A POETRY CHAPBOOK 0AST #HAIR OF #### AND THE .#4% #OLLEGE 3ECTION AND PAST PRESIDENT OF 70! +ATHLEEN "LAKE 9ANCEY IS THE 2 2OY 0EARCE 0ROFESSOR OF 0ROFESSIONAL #OMMUNICATION AT #LEMSON 5NIVERSITY WHERE SHE DIRECTS THE 0EARCE #ENTER FOR 0ROFESSIONAL #OMMUNICATION AND THE 0EARCE #ENTER 3TUDIO 3HE HAS CO EDITED EDITED OR AUTHORED EIGHT BOOKS HAS DELIVERED NUMEROUS PLENARY AND KEYNOTE ADDRESSES AND HAS AUTHORED OVER ARTICLES AND BOOK CHAPTERS
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