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WI Courses WI Proposal |
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL WRITING INTENSIVE COURSES 1. Writing Intensive courses work best when they include a combination of informal and formal writing experiences for students and emphasize the two prongs of writing across the curriculum: writing to learn and learning to write. Faculty should design some assignments in the course, especially major course projects, in a way that not only allows but also strongly encourages students to revise their projects before submission for formal teacher evaluation. A minimum production of at least 2500 words during the semester is one way of tracking the volume of writing. 2. Course projects are designed to allow for revision opportunities based on feedback students receive from the instructor. An individual conference with a student over a rough draft of the assignment is the most powerful and expedient way to communicate considered feedback and coach the revision process. Written comments providing feedback on a draft version of a project with suggestions for revision can also help students recognize areas of concern. In addition, utilizing a Writing Fellow for the WI course, integrating peer appraisal workshops within the course, or creating other meaningful opportunities for students to receive considered feedback on their written work will only enhance the Writing Intensive experience for students and instructors. 3. Writing Intensive courses are taught at a 28:1 student to faculty ratio. This ratio is considerably higher than those set by the National Council of Teachers of English and other professional groups for writing courses. This ratio then represents the maximum number of students allowed in a WI course to ensure students the quality and frequency of feedback in order to facilitate the development of their writing skills and learning of the course material. 4. Because of
the significant demands of time and energy placed on the faculty member
teaching a WI course, it is recommended that faculty limit themselves
to two WI courses per semester. This is to recognize the labor-intensive
nature of the WI course and to ensure instructors ample time to provide the
considered feedback for their students throughout the course. 6. Having completed the workshops, faculty participants are invited to consider a Writing Intensive pilot experience in a semester before their course(s) is designated in the schedule as WI. In this case, an instructor receives a non instructional pay unit to operate one course as if it were WI even though it is not so designated in the schedule. Class size is not limited in a pilot. This purpose of this practicum is to provide the instructor with an opportunity to shift the existing course to a Writing Intensive course by testing the planned strategies listed on the WI Course Proposal Form. 7. Written assignments are a major component of the course, accounting for approximately 35-40% of the course grade. While more than 40% is acceptable, it would be difficult for students to perceive the writing portion of the course as significant if it accounts for less than 35%. This percentage assumes a healthy mix of various kinds of writing assignments, both formal and informal, produced in and out of class, with revision and feedback opportunities provided at appropriate times. Essay exams could comprise a portion of this percentage but cannot wholly account for the writing in a Writing Intensive course. 8. In order to accommodate the increased workload for faculty teaching a Writing Intensive course, faculty are compensated at the rate of 1 non-instructional pay unit per WI course. 9. Students are required to have successfully completed English 101 before they enroll in any course designated Writing Intensive. |
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