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Kathryn,

It sounds like you have some good checks and balances in place. The issue of
TA's giving feedback is an ongoing challenge (and a subject of research for us
here). Do you have some sway over selection of TA's for W courses, or is that
up to the department? Some TA's are simply untrainable -- and they can be from
any discipline.

We've recently found in some of our WAC initiatives that using undergrad TA's
who have taken one of our key third-year courses has proven a really successful
strategy. The TA's learn a huge amount about writing in a way that reinforces
the material from the communication course, AND we benefit because they have
learned a productive vocabulary for responding to writing.  They do require
close supervision, even so, but are better than many of the graduate TAs we've
had do the same work in the past. The quality of TAs can often profoundly
affect the effectiveness of the WAC involvement or, I assume, a W course.


Rob

Quoting Kathryn Alexander <[log in to unmask]>:

> >
> >I didn't see mention of class-size restrictions in your W courses.
> Traditional
> >WI course structures limit class size in order to facilitate the teaching
> of
> >writing and revision. It was this factor that killed off the idea in
> >Engineering at U of Toronto. Are your numbers restricted? If not, how
> do/will
> >the faculty cope?
> >
> >Rob Irish
>
>
>
> At 01:56 PM 5/20/2004 -0400, you wrote:
>
> Rob, yours important question  and one we are wrestling with and will
> determine the success of the writing - intensive implementation process
> over time.
>
> In many respects  at SFU  large classes  are the targeted courses  -
> especially at the lower division level.
>
>
> Class size has been one of the largest hurdles to overcome with regard to
> the implementation of the writing-intensive learning courses.
> The Writing Support Group (WSG)  which is an elected cross-disciplinary
> body  has developed a proposal process for identifying the requirements and
> commitment of resources for supporting writing-intensive learning in large
> classes -
>
> so now there is a requirement for  faculty orientation, education  and
> consultation prior to the course development stage,   a  detailed proposal
> process and adjudication of a process through development of a
> syllabus,  possibly  at at this point (rare) granting of release time to
> develop a new W course, allocation of resources and training for the number
> of  TA's required, an increase in TA  funding for more hours for feedback
> and evaulation of "W" assignments,  and then  pre-semester and during
> semester   training for TA's in w courses. For the Faculty also
> consultation over the semester,  and  post-course assessment.  Up until
> recently our Centre was responsible for all of the above in pilot courses
> and now we are more involved in assisting in the development of proposals
> and courses, working with Faculty in individual courses  TA
> training,  assessment and research, and developing better workshops.
>
> Since the beginning of this fiscal year  April 1, 2004   the WSG
> adjudicates the W proposals and the funding -   the rest of the details are
> also  works in progress but we are making headway.
>
> I can pass along the Undergraduate Taskforce website so that people can get
> the history and background on how the University has come to its
> definitions and criteria.
> http://www2.sfu.ca/ugcr/
>
> So far, there is a strong commitment - both financial and institutional for
> these changes to occur and I think that is at the heart of our success,
> apart from the incredible vision and commitment from individuals like
> Wendy.  We have been the little centre that could - but now it is in the
> hands of a larger university infra-structure and how the requirements are
> upheld and negotiated across the University community.
>
> K
>
>
> >Quoting Kathryn Alexander <[log in to unmask]>:
> >
> > > At 01:14 PM 5/19/2004 -0600, you wrote:
> > >
> > > Hello all  -   as  you might know  from  Wendy Strachan and my
> presentation
> > > at INKSHED  -  SFU has now passed in Senate as of last monday the "W"
> > > requirement for writing-intensive learning across the entire
> undergraduate
> > > curriculum.
> > >
> > > I  can  pass along  our web-site for the Centre for Writing Intensive
> > > Learning (CWIL) and links to faculty resources that have a list of
> > > pilot  courses and some assignments  and syllabi.
> > >
> > > These are the criteria that new "W" courses will be expected to
> integrate
> > > into their existing curricula and they define what SFU means by a "W"
> > > course. I have posted them below.
> > >
> > > I have also provided a link to the Centre for Writing Intensive
> Learning
> > > web-site where you can find these guidelines
> > >
> > > http://www.sfu.ca/cwil/facrespg/wguidelines.html
> > >
> > > and also discipline specific resources that have been developed in
> pilot
> > > courses since the FALL 2002 semester.
> > >
> > > http://www.sfu.ca/cwil/facrespg/wil_courses.html Here you can look at
> > > syllabi and some assignments from pilot courses that have already begun
> to
> > > integrate w criteria.
> > >
> > > The general rule of thumb  will be  that as of Sept. 2006  new students
> > > will be  required to take 6 credits ( 2 courses) of w courses in
> > > total,  one  at  lower  division and one at upper division.
> > >
> > > This is a work in progress ( as is the web-site) -  but after two  years
> of
> > > really hard  work -  the criteria and the infrastructure is in place.
> Let
> > > the games begin!
> > >
> > > cheers
> > >
> > > kathryn
> > >
> > >
> > > >I'm putting together a workshop on the state of WAC and I want to
> update
> > > >myself on what other people are doing.  I'm especially interested in
> > > >which universities use a writing-intensive course model.  I'd be even
> > > >more grateful for specific resources such as the criteria used for WI
> > > >courses, how many of them must be taken, how this is enforced -- the
> > > >logistical nitty gritty.
> > > >
> > > >If everyone is willing, I'd suggest replying to the list rather than
> to
> > > >me personally -- there have been a number of such discussions that
> > > >started on CASLL and then moved off-list, and I for one would have
> liked
> > > >to follow the conversation; I'm sure many others will be interested
> > > >too.  Nice break from viagra ads.
> > > >
> > > >Thanks, all!
> > > >
> > > >Doug
> > > >--
> > > >Dr. Doug Brent
> > > >Associate Dean (Academic)
> > > >Faculty of Communication and Culture, University of Calgary
> > > >2500 University Drive N.W.
> > > >Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
> > > >Voice: (403) 220-5458 Fax: (403) 282-6716
> > > >http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dabrent
> > > >
> > > >                -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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> > > >         write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]
> > > >
> > > >For the list archives and information about the organization,
> > > >    its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
> > > >              http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
> > > >                 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> > >
> > > "A Writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for
> > > other people." Thomas Mann
> > > _________________________________________
> > >
> > > Kathryn Alexander, Ph.D.,
> > > Centre for Writing Intensive Learning (CWIL),
> > > Simon Fraser University,
> > > Burnaby, B.C.  V5A 1S6
> > > Office:  AQ 6207
> > > Tel: (604) 268 - 6799  Fax: (604) 268 - 6915
> > > email: [log in to unmask]
> > >
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> > >          write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > > For the list archives and information about the organization,
> > >     its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
> > >               http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
> > >                  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> > >
> >
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> >   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,
> >     its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
> >               http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
> >                  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>
> "A Writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for
> other people." Thomas Mann
> _________________________________________
>
> Kathryn Alexander, Ph.D.,
> Centre for Writing Intensive Learning (CWIL),
> Simon Fraser University,
> Burnaby, B.C.  V5A 1S6
> Office:  AQ 6207
> Tel: (604) 268 - 6799  Fax: (604) 268 - 6915
> email: [log in to unmask]
>
>                 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>   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,
>     its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
>               http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
>                  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>

                -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
  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,
    its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
              http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
                 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-