Colleagues again -- Russ is right that we should be able to present administrators with published research supporting our preferred teaching methods. Here's a rough annotated bibliography on the value of individual instruction that I prepared for one of our writing centres at U of T, where administrators were coming on a bit too strong about the virtues of technology and of group instruction. There are some other historical references I look forward to rooting up later to give to Jan Freeman for her proposed historical study. From the list, the White reference may be the most useful item for Victoria. National Writing Centres webpage: http://departments.colgate.edu/diw/NWCA.html See the "startup kit" for the position statement by Muriel Harris at http://departments.colgate.edu/diw/NWCA/Startup/Slate.html about what they do and why it's justified, and a reading list of other articles at http://departments.colgate.edu/diw//Pegg/WCBib.html Survey of First-Year English Programs (Cdn): http://web.uvic.ca/~pjfinn/fys/index.html Shows the range in Canada, including a growing place for composition courses. Little on writing centres specifically – much discussion on Inkshed list about that omission. Susan Bell and Henry Hubert, "Report on Writing Centres in Canada," Inkshed 14:6 (September 1996), 11-18. Concentrates on funding and staffing problems, but makes clear that all writing centres give one-to-one tutoring; some have also developed different methods of instruction. Margaret Procter, Post-Admission Assessment of Writing: Issues and Information (U of T, 1995 -- with Victoria Littman as research assistant). Undertaken to show U of T administrators that Ontario and other universities do MANY things to teach writing, not just give tests. Writing centres are clearly the mainstay here and elsewhere. Muriel Harris, "Talking in the Middle: Why Students Need Writing Tutors," College English 37: 1 (January 1995), 27-41. (mailed) The best theoretical and practical justification for the work of writing centres; includes a reference list. Ilona Leki, Understanding ESL Writers: A Guide for Teachers (Boynton/Cook, 1992): Ch. 12 on Responding makes the point that ESL learners need intensive and tactful comment on work in progress, with a balance between grammar and content issues Edward M. White, Developing Successful College Writing Programs (Jossey-Bass, 1989): Pages 38-61, part of the chapter on "Strengths and Weaknesses of Approaches," keep reverting to the strengths of individual instruction as part of other methods, including courses based on literature and other types of content; in large part based on his empirical research in the California state university system. Richard J. Light, Harvard Assessment Seminars, 2nd report: Explorations with Students and Faculty about Teaching, Learning, and Student Life (Harvard University Graduate School of Education, 1992). Pages 34-42 mailed, also an article by Marchese about this research. Based on sets of surveys and interviews with students. One main finding is that students say their writing improves only when they get timely and clear comments from instructors, and that they need clear strategies for revising written work. (Harvard has had composition courses since 1895, and also has a strong writing centre giving individual tutoring. It has recently started working intensively with students and instructors in courses throughout the disciplines and years.) The report tends to undermine the usefulness of early-year courses by suggesting that individual instruction is more effective. B. S. Bloom, "The Two-Sigma Problem: The Search for Methods of Group Instruction as Effective as 1 to 1 Tutoring," Educational Researcher 13: 6 (1989), 4-16. Starts from empirical research showing that (in content courses) the average student under individual tutoring gets grades that are two standard deviations above the average student in the class. (Cf. also programs like "Success for All," where at-risk students in elementary schools in inner cities are given individual tutoring by trained instructors: they then succeed at amazingly high rates. The Transitional-Year Program at U of T also takes underprepared and underprivileged adult students and prepares them for university life by combining rigorous basic courses with lots of individualized support, now extending to the first year of the university program too.) Russ Hunt wrote: > > I don't have any to hand, but I bet references to published studies > substantiating some of the things we all know are true about > remediation, on-line courses, etc., would be more help to Victoria > than a chorus of vociferous "no"s from a clearly unauthoritative (in > the eyes of an administrator) group like Inkshedders. Anybody know > any offhand, or know how to find them quickly? > > -- Russ > __|~_ > Russell A. Hunt __|~_)_ __)_|~_ Professor of English > St. Thomas University )_ __)_|_)__ __) PHONE: (506) 452-0424 > Fredericton, New Brunswick | )____) | FAX: (506) 450-9615 > E3B 5G3 CANADA ___|____|____|____/ [log in to unmask] > \ / > ~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.StThomasU.ca/~hunt/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to > [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties, > write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask] > > For the list archives and information about the organization, > the annual conference, and publications, go to the Inkshed Web site at > http://www.StThomasU.ca/inkshed/ > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -- (Dr.) Margaret Procter University of Toronto Coordinator, Writing Support Room 216, University College 15 King's College Circle Toronto, ON M5S 3H7 (416) 978-8109; FAX (416) 971-2027 [log in to unmask] http://www.utoronto.ca/writing -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties, write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask] For the list archives and information about the organization, the annual conference, and publications, go to the Inkshed Web site at http://www.StThomasU.ca/inkshed/ -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-