Cover: The Online Writing Conference: A Guide for Teachers and Tutors, 1st Edition by Beth Hewett

The Online Writing Conference: A Guide for Teachers and Tutors

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First  Edition©2015  Beth Hewett

ISBN:9781457697647

ISBN:9781457684326

About

More writing courses than ever are being taught online, and effective online writing instruction requires teachers to communicate deliberately and clearly in order to have productive relationships with their students. In The Online Writing Conference: A Guide for Teachers and Tutors, former chair of the CCCC Committee for Effective Practices in Online Writing Instruction Beth L. Hewett articulates the how and why of one-to-one online writing conference pedagogy. Complete with an instructor’s study guide and informed by the principles set forth in the CCCC Position Statement of Principles and Example Effective Practices for OWI, her updated text provides examples and transcripts of synchronous and asynchronous instructor-student interaction, targeted lessons, and conferencing action plans that help instructors hone their pedagogical practice, from formatting comments to showing regard for students.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Benefits of Online Teacher/Tutor Conferencing

What an Online Conference Is

Who Conferences Online and Why

When and Why Conferencing Online Helps

Why Conferencing Online Is Hard to Do Well

2. Practical Matters

The Nature of the Writing Conference

Writing Conference Characteristics

Identify the Strengths of the Tools

3. Establishing Trust

Creating the Learning Environment

Setting Instructional Expectations

Helping Students to Set Agendas and Make Choices

Connecting with Students

Caring for Students

Letting Students Care for Us

4. Theories for Writing Response in Online Settings

Responding to Writing

Expressivism and OWI

Social Construction and OWI

Postprocess and OWI

Eclectic Approaches and OWI

5. First Steps for Writing Response in Online Settings

Know What You Are Talking About

Use Vocabulary Specific to Writing Instruction

Write at the Student’s Level

Choose Desired Outcomes

Writing Problem-Centered Lessons and Next Steps

6. The Orneriness of Language

What Students Say They Need in Conference-Based Commentary

Direct and Indirect Speech

"I’ve Got a Secret" (Direct and Indirect Commentary)

7. Using What Works

Engagement

Where to Comment

Too Much and Too Little Commenting

Modeling by Proofing and Editing

Addressing Sensitive Issues

8. Ensuring Effective Conferences

Learning from Student Progress

Instructional Rubrics

Interactive Journals

Spontaneous or Scheduled Chats

Midterm and End-of-Term Surveys

Self-Audits

Postscript: Toward a Theory of Conference-Based Teaching: 2015 Update

Appendix 1: A Study of Online Writing Instructor Perceptions

Appendix 2: Direct and Indirect Speech in Writing Response:

What, Why, How

Appendix 3: Instructor’s Study Guide

WORKS CITED

INDEX

Beth Hewett

Beth L. Hewett has been a leader in the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Committee for Effective Practices in Online Writing Instruction. A college-level writing instructor for more than thirty years, Beth is the author, coauthor, and editor/coeditor of multiple articles and books, to include Foundational Practices of Online Writing Instruction, Preparing Educators for Online Writing Instruction: Principles and Practices, Virtual Collaborative Writing in the Workplace: Computer-Mediated Communication Technologies and Practices, and Technology and English Studies: Innovative Professional Paths. Beyond online writing instruction, Beth’s interests include using digital technologies to understand the characteristics of college-level writing, the public rhetoric of eulogies, and practical connections between postsecondary writing and the world-at-large.