The design and the effects of a course in writing on research and synthesis texts: the power of observation and analysis
Submitted by:
Brenda van den Broek
Abstract:
In this presentation we will present the design principles for the 6 credit blended learning course on Academic Writing for pre-master students in Multilingual Professional Communication.
The course design is research based, that is to say that the principles are based on research (Rijlaarsdam et al., 2005, 2008, 2010, 2015): process, strategy and genre oriented, with multiple opportunities for feed forward feedback, based on process data (screen films, and/or keylogging), product data (three times during the course of 12 weeks, relative feedback with essay scale information) and self-reports (questionnaires on writing process style, self-efficacy, writing apprehension)
At the other hand, the course it self provides data for students as well as for researchers: the data used for process and product feedback are also used for our writing process studies. Students participate in all kinds of writing process tasks, that provided them with data about their process, which they use to write short 'research like' texts. In addition, at three moment (start, mid, end) they write a synthesis text, a research text based on written sources, to provide information about the text quality and the writing process at that moment in the development. They also fill in questionnaires about their self-efficacy, their writing processes, beliefs and attitudes.
After we have presented the key-learning activities in the course, we will present some of the analyses to demonstrate what kind of research questions can be answered based on course data: (1) is there a specific writing process style related to better quality of texts? (2) is there a specific writing process style related to learning gain during the course? (3) is self-efficacy related to the way students plan their synthesis texts?
References
Rijlaarsdam, G., Braaksma, M., Couzijn, M., Janssen, T., Raedts, M., Van Steendam, E., Toorenaar, A., & Van den Bergh, H. (2008). Observation of peers in learning to write. Practise and research. Journal of Writing Research, 1(1), pp. 53-83.
Rijlaarsdam, G. Braaksma, M., Couzijn, M., Janssen, T., Kieft, M., Broekkamp, H. & van den Bergh, H. ( 2005). Psychology and The teaching of writing in 8000 and some words. In Pedagogy – Learning for Teaching. BJEP Monograph series II(3), 127-153.
Rijlaarsdam, G., Van den Bergh, H., Couzijn, M., Janssen, T., Braaksma, M., Tillema, M., Van Steendam, E., Raedts, M. (2010). Writing. In Graham, S., Bus, A., Major, S., & Swanson, L. (Eds.). Application of Educational Psychology to Learning and Teaching. APA Handbook Volume 3, 189-228.
Rijlaarsdam, G., Van den Bergh, H., & Van Steendam, E. (2015). Writing process theory: A functional dynamic approach. In C.A. MacArthur, S. Graham, & J. Fitzgerald (Eds.), Handbook of writing research. Second edition. [57-71]. New York/London: The Guilford Press.