My two cents worth - as someone who teaches writing in 'real world'
contexts i.e. tutoring students on constructing their professional
identities through resumes, I have found that it is primarily through
the mastery of the essay writing process that students are able to
tackle this form of writing. It is almost impossible to teach a
student to develop a thesis statement about themselves if they have
never learned how to do that in an academic context.
I have found the product of the writing process and the process
itself are intertwined and that no context is any more or less real
than the other. Not that I've been successfully in making the claim
that the forms of writing that I teach are 'legitimate' in terms of
writing expertise at my home university!
Carolyn
Victoria Littman wrote:
>
> It seems there are three main areas of reality/unreality, maybe four up for
> debate: genre; audience/client; editorial or supervisory review; evaluation.
> Traditional academic essays can down play audience and stick to a certain
> academic-like while emphasizing the evaluation of the Prof./TA. Case study or
> experiential assignments in the academy can emphasize audience/client
> negotiation and editorial review.
>
> Of course, this is an oversimplification which denies shifts in pedagogy. But
> it may relate to the "difference" between the two "realities" that is used in
> common parlance. It may also, as Theresa points out be something some of us
> wish to argue against.
>
> Also, I like Theresa's point about academic writing hopefully challenging
> assumptions, knowledge, and "reality". As Theresa points out writing's value is
> presumed to relate to it's "real world" market value, i.e. certain genres have
> efficacy in market economies. The academic essay, for those not initiated in
> the academy, seems to have less efficacy. Of course, this is another "real"
> fallacy given the importance of essays for careers, and for knowledge
> construction which under girds so much of market economies, and particularly
> knowledge based market economies.
>
> When we talk of writing in order to think in new ways aren't we talking about
> knowledge construction? Doesn't our research and education promote knowledge
> construction which both has "real" world "market economy" efficacy and other
> kinds of efficacy, also?
>
> Victoria Littman, Ph.D.
> Learning Strategist
> Accessibility Services
> University of Toronto
>
> Sharron Wall wrote:
>
> > Writing students in the Public Relations Certificate Program and the
> > Bachelor of Commerce Programs at McGill often have a "real-world" writing
> > component in their courses, weighted at about 1/3 of the course. The
> > students find their own opportunities with community organizations, local
> > businesses or their own entrepreneurship projects; they carry them out with
> > client and instructor guidance. Over the years these projects have developed
> > a reputation; we often get requests for assistance from organizations such
> > as refugee shelters, internet startups, environmental groups, industry,
> > hospitals, and daycares.
> >
> > The experience starts at the beginning of the term: the students have to
> > make
> > cold calls; send their credentials (resume and letter of intent); describe
> > the project in detail in consutation with the client (needs assessment);
> > create the documents needed (news releases, brochures, media kits, letters
> > to employees, grant applications, business plans...). The materials are
> > workshopped with peers and are reviewed by the instructor before submission
> > to the client.
> >
> > The main constraint is the length of the term; the assignment boils down to
> > about one month in contact with the client. Some of
> > the students get published; some go on to find work as a result. Everyone in
> > the class benefits from working on genuine projects that have an impact on
> > the community beyond the classroom.
> >
> > Instructors teach what the assignments dredge up, allowing the instructor
> > to "review" everything from basic sentence structure to detailed editing for
> > impact.
> > I would like to know of other such experiential modules, particularly in
> > Canada.
> > Sharron Wall
> >
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--
Carolyn Steele MA
Career Development Co-ordinator
The Career Centre
York University
N108 Ross Building
4700 Keele St.
Toronto, ON
M3J 1P3
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To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
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