Pedagogy of a Pandemic (Remains of the Day)

• Published in: College teaching Vol. 70; no. 2; pp. 161 - 163
• Main Author: Durkin, Diane Bennett
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington Routledge 03.04.2022; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Anxiety; Electronic Learning; Future of online learning; Learning; Motivation; online composition pedagogy; online pedagogies; Pandemics; Pedagogy; Student Centered Learning; Teachers; Time on Task; using zoom break out rooms; writer's block; Writing; Writing Apprehension; Writing instruction; Writing processes
• ISSN: 8756-7555; 1930-8299
• DOI: 10.1080/87567555.2021.1909527

This Commentary is designed for an interdisciplinary context, in classes where students are asked to produce a significant piece of writing. It draws from pandemic pedagogies several key writing and response strategies. The innovations may inspire and strengthen the paradigm shift toward online learning, while they retain an emphasis on writing process over product.Pedagogy of a Pandemic first describes break-out rooms where composing is featured - their use as a way to activate student-centered learning and facilitate "point of need" instructor response. It then turns to "Protected Writing," which can heighten social supports and diminish distractions and competing demands. Protected Writing can circumvent writing anxiety (and Writer's Block), which has undermined academic careers. The pedagogy described here meshes with decades of composition theory on process-based writing, decentered classrooms, in-process instructor response, and causes of writer's block. It is supported by recent applications of neuroscience on the limbic system, the seat of motivation and meaning. Instructors who fear loss of "instructional time" to Protected Writing may benefit by more fully understanding its long-term value.