Just Because Everyone Else is Doing It… Multimodal Programming May Seem Like Risky Business for WPAs

Project Origins My assignments in my classes Talking to other faculty and a few WPAs Considering how students react and how faculty in and out of my department react to the idea of not teaching “traditional” projects

The Questions What are the perceived risks of requiring the teaching of multimodal or digital writing project, particularly research assignments, in FYC? What are the rewards of engaging students with this kind of activity? What are the characteristics of programs/schools that seem more likely to be willing to require instructors to teach a multimodal or digital writing project?

Who to Ask Four WPAs and some program websites IRB approval to interview and investigate initial questions Survey for a broader view of digital writing/multimodal composition in FYC (or writing program classes more broadly) to gain perspective

The Four WPAs “Lucy” -- second-year WPA at a large two-year college, experienced faculty member, without a specialization in writing “James” – first-year WPA at a small, four-year liberal arts private college; recently hired into tenure-track position to serve as WPA; PhD in Rhetoric but no formal training to serve as WPA

The Four WPAs, cont. “William” – tenured faculty member at a large research institution; hired six years ago as WPA, fresh from PhD program, is not currently the WPA but serves as informal assistant WPA; trained in Rhet/Comp program for WPA leadership “Rhonda” – long-time WPA at a two-year college with PhD in composition but no formal WPA training.

Some Commonalities All four interviewees mentioned tension in the department among faculty about whether the move toward a requirement was the “right thing to do” All four interviewees work in departments with faculty from diverse training areas (not all Rhetoric/Composition Studies)

Two Not Requiring Lucy Tried to push forward the requirement with the new WPA Outcomes Statement last year Extreme resistance “Students are here to learn to write papers for criminal justice or biology, not to create a website.” James Wants to encourage faculty to learn more about multimodal and digital writing Has some interested faculty “We haven’t understood writing to include that stuff before, but we’re willing to learn.”

Two Requiring William Initiated a requirement in his last year as WPA and works now to help train faculty and TAs meet the expectations of the requirement, as the new WPA sees it. “We need to understand that students live in a digital world and write digital texts every day. Not to teach them how to read and write them ethically and rhetorically is not just wrong, it’s essentially failing them in the most basic of ways.” Rhonda Worked for many years toward a digital writing requirement, but only initiated one this year. “Faculty were very resistant for a long time, but it was mostly because they were fearful of what they did not know and of seeming like novices in their own classrooms. We had to train them over time, not on technology or new genres, but in a new way of thinking about writing and about writing instruction.”

Implications Digital writing requirements are Student-centered Forward-thinking Both process- and product-oriented Resistance to digital writing requirements are instructor-centered Fear drives the majority of the resistance movements

Survey

22 Respondents More than half were WPAs Roughly another ¼ were otherwise in charge of the writing program

Faculty in the Programs Majority of respondents reported that non-tenure track faculty teach FYC Only three respondents have tenured and/or tenure-track faculty teaching FYC Majority of respondents reported that faculty teaching in program were full-time teaching faculty

Required or Encouraged 12 of 22 require or encourage multimodal or digital writing 5 require specifically, in at least one course at a minimal level 10 remaining respondents reported that conversations were ongoing in the department/program regarding the inclusion of more multimodal and digital writing

Why Require Multimodal Assignments? “I want students to think expansively about their options as they write. Obviously, there are instances where certain kinds of projects (print essays) are most appropriate for the context/audience, but because the focus of students' research projects in our program aren't defined at the outset, I think it makes good sense for students to learn how media/mode are important parts of working through what kind of text is most appropriate to make in response to any specific exigence.”

Why Shy Away from a Requirement? “I am new here, and having come from a program where multimedia composing was central, I was surprised at the lack of emphasis here. I do not know the reasons for this -- except perhaps the expertise and temperament of the faculty? Many have MFA/lit backgrounds (rather than comp), so perhaps that is an influence. But frankly, I don't know why digital writing & multimedia composing are off the radar. And I don' t know why there has been little enthusiasm when I mention it!”

Why Shy Away from a Requirement? “It's the whole paper portfolio thing with the 5 required essays. We have this scary rubric for grading essays and the components are all about the writing. Thus, the entire FYC sequence (2 courses) are not interested in multimodal composing as a skillset to be assessed.”

Why Shy Away from a Requirement? “We do not require because some stumps are best plowed around. Not all battles are worth fighting.”

Contact Me Sonja Andrus Sonja.Andrus@UC.edu 214.395.2433 (cell) 513.936.7144 (office)