A Team of Equals: Teaching Writing in the Sciences

• Published in: Educational action research Vol. 14; no. 1; pp. 65 - 81
• Main Authors: Emerson, Lisa, MacKay, Bruce R, MacKay, Marion B, Funnell, Keith A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.03.2006
• Subjects: Action research; Collaboration; Curriculum development; Horticulture; Interdisciplinary; Writing
• ISSN: 0965-0792
• DOI: 10.1080/09650791600585335

Writing across the curriculum (WAC) is a way of integrating the teaching of writing into specific academic disciplines. A problem faced in the WAC literature is how to develop a process that integrates the skills of multi-disciplinary teams. In this project, action research was used to develop a team comprising faculty from the applied sciences & a writing teacher which had been commissioned to integrate the teaching of writing into an undergraduate horticulture course. Five features of action research were of particular importance: the foci of change & collaboration, the rational, systematic process it provided, the locating of the research in a real as opposed to controlled context, & the dual foci of action & research. Action research provided a successful process & structure for the project: outcomes included changed attitudes to writing amongst students & a deeper understanding of how students value written assessment. Unexpected outcomes included spontaneous participation of students in the action research process, the provision of useful methods of reflection for teaching staff, & the development of professional trust amongst faculty from different disciplines. 39 References. Adapted from the source document.