Re: WAC workshops

[Felicia Mitchell <fmitchel@ehc.edu>]

Stephanie,

Here are some topics we covered in my last WAC workshop:

Writing as a way of learning/telling
Writing across the curriculum/communication across the curriculum
Levels of Teaching and the Learning Process
Cognitive Objectives of Writing Tasks
Constructing and analyzing writing assignments
Developing checklists
Evaluating writing
Finding and correcting common errors
Use of informal writing in class
Plagiarism
Computers and Writing
E-Mail Communication
Using the Internet in Assignments
Establishing grading criteria
Dealing with learning differences

My goal is to reinforce how the educational exchange is a two-way exchange.
For example, we look at our own writing assignments and discover ways to
communicate more clearly (and to provide better models of writing).

One of the greatest aspects of our workshops is that people from different
disciplines share so much about those disciplines, and we end up learning a
good bit about something like the concept of time or market theory along
with writing.  There's a good bit of hands-on work, with people doing what
we would have our students do. This includes formal and informal writing.
People do presentations and experiment with activities in a handbook I put
together.  We spend a lot of time talking about teaching in general.  Each
workshop then becomes a support group the following year as people try
things out.  Oh, and we added another dimension this year.  People get an
extra stipend for writing a paper (conference or article) reflecting on
teaching in some way (preferably with the use of writing in there but not
necessarily) within a year of the conference.  In the past, I wanted people
to write more formally about their teaching but they just wouldn't/couldn't
find the time (thus the incentive).  Write if you have questions.  
Felicia Mitchell
Department of English
Emory & Henry College
P.O. Box 947
Emory, VA 24327-0947
PHONE: (540) 944-6225
FAX: (540) 944-6880
E-MAIL:  fmitchel@ehc.edu