Writing, research, service, and
methods
by
Adam Webb
2010
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to develop an
effective approach in creating and developing
a new model for First-Year Learning
Communities that contains a New Media
Writing course and a Service-Learning course.
My Research Questions
RQ1: How could service-learning effectively be incorporated into the first-year
program and core curriculum? Should it be its own course?
RQ2: What kind of writing course(s) should freshmen be required/given the
choice to take? Should their be a “New Media Writing” course instead of
a “Composition” course?
RQ3: How can university services such as the Center for Civic Engagement and
Career Services be effectively incorporated into a first-year program,
core curriculum?
Research Questions continued…
RQ4: How can a writing and service-learning course connect and work with
a content course (i.e. such as psychology, biology, etc.) to promote
writing and research?
RQ5: How can writing and service-learning courses effectively teach
students research and writing methods?
RQ6: What kinds of writing assignments and activities would be effective in
a design such as this?
Many Learning Communities Model
Content course
(i.e. history,
political science,
etc.)
University/
Seminar
course
Composition/
Writing
course
What is service-learning?
What is service-learning? Service-learning is a
method that connects teaching and learning goals
with community service, usually in the form of
volunteering. Service-learning helps students
participate within local communities—promoting
civic engagement and responsibility—thus building
important connections and a greater understanding
of those communities’ diverse needs.
Theoretical Framework
Service-learning:
-Bruce Herzberg (1994, 2000) – Incorporating servicelearning into the composition/writing course
-Thomas Deans (2000) – Different approaches to writing for,
about, and with community
-Paula Mathieu (2005) – The purposes for establishing
service-learning within the university
-Ellen Cushman (2002) – “Sustainable Service-Learning
Programs” (article)
Theoretical Framework continued…
-Linda Adler-Kassner (2001) – Emphasizes Deans’ writing
for, about , and with community
-Dubinksy (2001) – Learning, serving, and reflecting
-Mikolchak (2006) – St. Cloud University in Minnesota
-Posey & Quinn (2009) - Interdisciplinary General Education
(IGE) track at California State Polytechnic University,
Pomona
-Munter, Tinajero, Peregrion, & Reyes III (2009) - Project
Action for equity: Service-learning with a gender equity
focus on the U.S.-Mexico border (text, collection of essays)
Theoretical Framework continued…
New Media Writing:
-Lev Manovich (2001) – New Media includes: “Internet, websites,
computer multimedia, computer games, CD-ROMS, and DVD
… but also television programs, photographs, etc.” (p. 43)
-Brian McNely (2009) – “Allopatric, parapatric, and sympatric”
programs
-Anne Frances Wysocki, Johndan Johnson-Eilola, Cynthia L.
Selfe, and Geoffrey Sirc (2004) – Writing New Media: Theory
and Applications for Expanding the Teaching of Composition
(text by the authors listed)
Theoretical Framework continued…
-Neal Jansons (2008) – “How to Write for New Media” (blog
article: http://writenewmedia.com/writing/write-media/)
Jansons states:
“Writers write, and we like to think we do it well. But
sometimes what we were taught in writing classes and
have learned from reading will mean death in online
media. This is because the medium is so vastly different
and people have different needs from the new media than
they did from the old” (Jansons, 2008).
Design set-up (possible)
“Day One Leadership Community” at Mississippi
State University (Learning Community focus)
Website: http://www.dayone.msstate.edu/
-“Pods” that consist of three courses:
--Composition/communication
--Large lecture (i.e. psychology)
--Large seminar (service-learning course)
Day One Leadership Community
Consists of:
-Master teachers recruited, trained
-Service-learning expert (visits various
communities)
-Support from lecture faculty
-Seminar focuses around guest speakers, creating a
dialogue, asking questions
Examples of (Service in) Learning Communities
Michigan University Learning Communities:
-Community and discipline-focused
-Fusing learning communities and service-learning:
http://www.lsa.umich.edu/mlc/
University of Maryland Learning Communities:
-Different tracks, discipline and community-centered
http://www.fylc.umd.edu/
-Service-learning at the University of Texas article: Does ServiceLearning Really Help?
-The University of Texas at Austin’s Service-Learning Blog
New Learning Communities Model
New Media
Writing
Course
Would entail: Teaching writing
using technology, web-based
formats and conventions, critical
analyses of written and visual
media, “multimodal rhetoric,”
technical formats, and research
methods.
History, Political
Science,
Psychology,
Biology, etc.
course
Goal: How
language, writing,
technology,
research methods,
and service is used
in various
discourse
communities
Servicelearning
course
Would entail: Teaching students
how to apply what they learn in
their NMW course and their
content course in real life,
community service, reflective
writing, community-based
projects, civic engagements within
city/local governments.
New Media Writing Course
Writing-Reading Methods:
-Reflective writing assignments/activities
-Primary research strategies (i.e. plans and goals) and tactics (i.e. adapting and
altering those plans and goals as they go)
-Use of technology, locating, assessing, and understanding the “situation” in
which research and writing occurs (i.e. PBWorks, MS SharePoint, etc.)
-In-class speakers from certain writing and research communities and
disciplines
Research Methods:
-Focus on the sequence of writing and research
-Logistics
-Planning, goals, motivations, etc.
Service-learning course
Writing-Reading Methods:
-Writing structured around and within the community(ies)
-Reflective writing
-Reading and writing on articles about service-learning
-In-class speakers from the communities
Research Methods:
-Center for Civic Engagement at UTEP (other organizations/individuals
within the community[ies])
-The process of volunteering
-The process of conducting field research (i.e. semi-formal interviews, surveys,
connecting the primary data with the in-class readings on service-learning)
Reasons why…
Why New Media Writing and Service-Learning
courses?
Reason 1: To better connect to research and writing
in content (large lecture) courses (i.e. focusing on
the teaching of writing and research
methodologies (sequence of steps, the process of
research and writing for certain situations), not
just formats and conventions, that can help the
students in their other courses
Reasons why…
Reason 2: To introduce freshmen students to
possible career choices, community issues, and
the actual types of writing and research needed in
order to be successful in their academic and
professional careers
Reason 3: To more efficiently connect what the
three courses (i.e. large lecture,
university/seminar, and composition/writing
courses) are doing in the areas of teaching
research and writing
Thank you
Questions?