Conference Paper
Developing an Emergent Pedagogy for an Academic Writing Group: Bridging theory and practice
Paper Proposal accepted by the Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (CASAE), 2019, Vancouver, BC.
Support for adult graduate students` writing is significantly limited in universities. Despite being out of school, often for many years, graduate students are expected to face the demands and conventions of academic literacies: researching and analysing text, building effective arguments, and expressing themselves through their scholarly writing skills. However, as Aitchison (2009) notes, home universities often fail to assist the development of these academic literacies making student participation in university culture a difficult process for many to undertake.
With our interest in scholarly writing, we have observed that universities, while pushing for students to write assignments, essays, and publishable papers often fail to support the students’ writing skills. To fill this gap, we argue that the support provided by an academic writing group may create the learning space for graduate students to develop and deepen their academic language.
We agree with Boud (1999) who argues that the need for academic writing for students has not been adequately addressed by institutions of higher learning. By situating ourselves between faculty and students, we are also placing ourselves at the intersection of university policy and student expectation. This intersection provides the space for a structure to emerge that encompasses all the elements of academic literacies, as wells as a position to develop a writing pedagogy.
Wenger, McDermott & Snyder `s (2002) Community of Practice (COP) anchors our theoretical framework in that our non-formal learning community deepens the knowledge and expertise of all participants in area of interest, as we interact on a regular basis, therefore a community of adult learners emerges. We, in our role, as mentors, facilitators and instructors find value in interactions because we apply strategies that improve both our own as well as the students’ academic writing skills. We share information, insight, and advice, help each other solve problems, ponder common issues, and explore ideas. In embedding the students’ writing—mainly essays, theses and dissertations—in our community of practice, graduate students learn that, as Wenger et al. (2002) stipulate, the value is not merely instrumental, “it also accrues in personal satisfaction of knowing colleagues who understand each other perspectives and of belonging to an interesting group of people” (p. 5).
To provide a further flow and deepen our theoretical framework we use Coady’s (Welton, 2001) approach to adult education, which contributes to the empowerment of people through cooperative education practice. Our strategically based weekly activities advance our emergent pedagogy, situating it in the development of student’s scholarly writing. The ramifications of the complexities of an academic writing group further embeds the participant into the CoP of academe.
Key significance in our conceptual framework—substantiated by the above mentioned appropriate theories, Wenger et al. and Coady—relates to and validates the notion that theory can, in fact, inform action and good practice. Further, our study, also provides new avenues for discourses in academic literacy development. Even though we, as adult educators, acknowledge the difference between theory and practice we nevertheless work toward bridging the two.
Journal Articles or Chapters
Kocsis, A, B. (2022). Challenges facing educational leaders in an ethos of anti-intellectualism. Populist leadership and the personalisation of power in Hungary. In P. Milley & E. A. Samier (Eds.), Populism and educational leadership, administration and policy. International perspectives (pp. x-y). London, UK: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003099482
In 2021, Hungary is witnessing unique circumstances in the field of education with respect to its organisational system, leadership, and governance. These are stemming from the increasing influence of a dominant political regime characterised by an illiberal focus founded on orthodox ideologies. To maintain control over public education, the government is attempting to exclude a fundamental aspect of educational institutions and actors: their critical scope. Critical perspectives constitute an essential part of education. Silencing critique leads to an all-too-familiar situation: disengaged students, disenfranchised educators, sanitised curricula, inadequate learning institutions, and the tyranny of uniformity. Drawing on critical theory, this chapter examines how a hegemonic administration exerts its agenda, highlights its negative influences and limitations, offers critical alternatives, and calls on educators to become agents of change.
Link to the book:
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781003099482/populism-educational-leadership-administration-policy-peter-milley-eugenie-samier