Student-Faculty Collaboration in Teaching College Writing

Learning to learn: Learning therapy in a college classroom

“…When the volley subsides, the leader, stressing the importance of hearing everyone's voice, asks quieter members about peer-to-peer work they may have done. During the discussion, the educational therapist and course assistants have opportunities to cite writing research that supports peer interaction in a writing classroom (Held and Rosenberg 1983;Brown 1984;Flower 1985;Mader 1985;Rorschach and Witney 1986;McManus and Kirby 1988). Students learn that they are not expected to correct a partner's paper, but only to use a template (Appendix B) that helps them to explain how easy or difficult the paper was to read.…”

Student Engagement, Accountability, and Empowerment

“…Previous research on collaborative classrooms reveals greater student participation (Brown, Iyobe, and Riley 2013;Chow et al 2003;Cordner, Klein, and Baiocchi 2012;); increased sense of ownership and empowerment (Chow et al 2003;Freire [1968Freire [ ] 1993Freire [ , 1998Haynes 2001;Hess 2008;Hudd 2003); higher levels of student engagement, interest, and effort (Cordner et al 2012;McDuff 2012;Pederson 2010;Rau and Heyl 1990;Rinehart 1999); a shift from the model of students as passive recipients to students as active cocreators of their education (Chow et al 2003;Fobes and Kaufman 2008;Hudd 2003;Sweet 1998); and a stronger and closer relationship between students and faculty (Cordner et al 2012;Chow et al 2003;Held and Rosenberg 1983;Mihans, Long, and Felten 2008). Mihans et al (2008:7) report, "[S]tudents on the course design team gained significant new disciplinary knowledge, developed what Hutchings (2005) calls their 'pedagogical intelligence' ('an understanding about how learning happens, and a disposition and capacity to shape one's own learning), and became more capable of and confident in expressing their own expertise in academic settings."…”

“…The advantages of collaborative teaching and learning (again, broadly defined as encompassing many kinds of collaborative efforts) have been well established in the scholarship of teaching and learning. Previous research on collaborative classrooms reveals greater student participation (Brown, Iyobe, and Riley 2013; Chow et al 2003; Cordner, Klein, and Baiocchi 2012;); increased sense of ownership and empowerment (Chow et al 2003; Freire [1968] 1993, 1998; Haynes 2001; Hess 2008; Hudd 2003); higher levels of student engagement, interest, and effort (Cordner et al 2012; McDuff 2012; Pederson 2010; Rau and Heyl 1990; Rinehart 1999); a shift from the model of students as passive recipients to students as active cocreators of their education (Chow et al 2003; Fobes and Kaufman 2008; Hudd 2003; Sweet 1998); and a stronger and closer relationship between students and faculty (Cordner et al 2012; Chow et al 2003; Held and Rosenberg 1983; Mihans, Long, and Felten 2008).…”

“…Most previous research also points to the gains for professors who engage in collaborative teaching. Held and Rosenberg (1983) discuss collaborative team teaching with undergraduates in an undergraduate writing course. They point to instructor self-awareness about the need for control and the importance of relinquishing some of it.…”

“…They point to instructor self-awareness about the need for control and the importance of relinquishing some of it. Further, they report (1983:820), “We have found it lifts the burden of isolation that teaching imposes. .…”