As evidence of the robust culture of writing that exists at Mason, we can point to the number of academic programs that have infused writing into courses throughout their undergraduate curriculum rather than in just one or two designated writing-intensive courses. To recognize these programmatic efforts as well as to support others striving to attain a similar goal, the WAC program is engaging in a new Writing-Infused, or WIN(ning), initiative.
The initiative commenced with a June 2009 meeting of faculty program leaders who had accepted the WAC director’s invitation to participate in planning the initiative. Those faculty receiving an invitation had already demonstrated their commitment to developing a writing-infused curriculum, dubbed "WIN(ning)" by a member of the WAC committee when the initiative was first discussed. This informally convened group decided to constitute ourselves as a task force and to meet at regular intervals to develop the initiative and their own departmental plans.
In fall 2009, the ad hoc WIN(ning) task force met to articulate the goals of this new initiative, a preliminary list of characteristics of WIN(ning) programs, and plans for moving forward. Our goals parallel our WAC mission and goals.
WIN(ning) Programs at Mason
Criminology, Law, and Society (in progress)
English (in progress)
History (in progress)
Philosophy (in progress)
Social Work (in progress)
Systems Engineering (in progress)
WIN(ning) programs include all or most of the following:
Descriptions of the most typical genres/kinds of writing assigned to student writers
Attention to scaffolding writing tasks with descriptions of the base-line writing skills students will learn/should have learned as they move from course to course across the program curriculum
Explicitly articulated expectations/outcomes for student writing
A plan for and commitment to assessing students’ growth as writers and/or student writing competence in the course and the curriculum
Faculty development in teaching with writing*
Some indication on program website that this is a WIN(ning) program and why
Students’ accomplishments as writers recognized through writing awards and/or other means best suited to individual programs**
WIN(ning) courses may include different kinds of writing tasks and different levels of attention to writing, but writing is, in some way, a component of most courses in a WIN(ning) program. “Attention to writing” may include all or many of the following:
Learning goals for writing in the course are made explicit.
Some kind of writing—low-stakes/high-stakes--occurs regularly throughout semester.
Informal writing (writing-to-learn), e.g. journals, discussion boards, in-class writing, is used to discover, to learn, to synthesize, to problem solve, etc.
One or more formal papers are assigned, but, preferably, not a long paper at the very end of the semester.
Instructor explains how writing is used by professionals in the discipline/field.
Instructor asks for reflective writing—on learning and on one’s self as writer.
Instructor is attentive to developing clearly articulated writing assignments with writing goals made explicit.
Instructor utilizes effective response practices.
Writing is used as part of the whole learning process to gauge students’ critical understanding of course content.
*Faculty development may take the form of department and peer-to-peer conversations about writing and informal mentoring of new faculty. The WIN(ning) program liaison may lead workshops or invite a writing specialist to conduct workshops and will take the lead on disseminating advice on best practices and other relevant material.
** Writing awards may be given in conjunction with the WAC program, which will support the awards as necessary and as the budget allows.
On May 19, 2011, the WAC program sponsored its first WIN(ning) Workshop which was attended by department liaisons from Criminology, Law, and Society (CLS), English, Philosophy, School of Management (SOM), and Social Work. During this workshop, the liaisons began documenting their departments’ commitment to a writing-infused curriculum. They each left with a tailored action plan specific to their individual departments and a distinct network of faculty from across the disciplines.
In Spring/Summer 2012, the in-progress departments listed above (i.e., CLS, English, History, Philosophy, SOM, Social Work, and Systems Engineering) will finish documenting their departments' commitment to a writing-infused curriculum. Once this task is completed, they will officially become the first group of WIN(ning) programs at Mason.
Joan Bristol (History), Peggy Brouse (Systems Engineering), Rose Cherubin (Philosophy), Emmett Holman (Philosophy), Brian Lawton (CLS), Lisa Newmark (CLS), Shannon Portillo (CLS), Debra Shutika (English), Nicola Scott (SOM), Cathy Tompkins (Social Work), and Terry Zawacki (WAC Director), Sarah Baker (WAC Assistant Director) and Jackie Brown (WAC Research Assistant).
Lynne Constantive (Art and Visual Technology), Tamara Maddox (Computer Science), Anne Magro (Accounting), Buffy Price (Dance),Shelley Reid (Director of Composition)Nicola Scott (Marketing), Cathy Tompkins (Social Work), Paige Wolfe (Management), and Terry Zawacki (WAC Director) and Sarah Baker (WAC Assistant Director).
NOTE: After looking at the Louisiana State University Distinguished Communicator Program, several of the task force planning group indicated an interest in drawing on elements of the LSU model in developing their own WIN(ning) process to recognize excellent student communicators.
On June 8, 2009, a group of 10 faculty from five colleges met for a day-long brainstorming session to develop a plan for implementing a new writing-infused--WIN(ning)--initiative. The group articulated a list of components that WIN(ning) programs should include, along with issues and questions that will need to be addressed. After a productive meeting, the group decided that we should constitute ourselves in an ad hoc working group with plans to meet several more times in the fall to get the initiative underway. See the Spring 2009 Writing @ Center newsletter for more on WIN(ning) programs.