Abstract:
"AAC&U's Essential Learning Outcomes and the Degree Qualifications Profile identify writing as a key outcome. Virtually all colleges and universities aim to develop proficient writers. Recent evidence suggests that experiences critical to developing writing competence correspond to broader benefits in student learning. And "Writing Across the Curriculum" initiatives make clear that the responsibility to develop this important competency is shared across departments.
Consistent with AAC&U's emphasis on enhancing institutional structures and practices to support student success, many institutions monitor students' exposure to and participation in effective educational practices through the use of student surveys such as the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). To enable deeper examination of specific practices and experiences, in 2013 NSSE began offering a menu of topical modules to complement the core survey's breadth of focus. Results from topical modules provide a fresh opportunity to "drill down" on educational quality and make targeted improvements in teaching and learning.
One of the new modules investigates students' experiences with writing. Whereas the core survey focuses on the number of assigned papers of various lengths, the writing module probes a range of activities and experiences promoted by those who teach composition--interactive writing processes, meaning-making tasks, and clarity of instructor expectations for writing assignments.
This research-informed panel presentation session (1) highlights recent findings from NSSE's Experiences with Writing module, including how these experiences vary across subpopulations and major fields, and (2) provides examples of how institutions are making productive use of their results. NSSE researchers report on large-scale findings, and two panelists share what they have learned and how they are using results to guide improvement."
