CEL Writing Beyond the University research seminar holds second summer session virtually

Participants in the Center for Engaged Learning’s research seminar on Writing Beyond the University: Fostering Writers’ Lifelong Learning and Agency are working virtually the week of July 12-17 during their second summer meeting.

The group is led by three seminar leaders from Elon — Julia Bleakney, director of the Center for Writing Excellence and assistant professor of English, Paula Rosinski, director of Writing Across the University and professor of English, and Jessie Moore director of the Center for Engaged Learning and professor of English. Of the 33 participants, 10 countries are represented in 10 time zones. Heather Lindenman,  assistant professor of English, and Amanda Sturgill, associate professor of journalism, are also representing Elon.

Other participants represent Allegheny College, Auburn University at Montgomery, Baylor University, Boise State University, Bowling Green State University, Drake University Law School, Eastern Michigan University, Florida State University, Georgetown University, Georgia State University, Hofstra University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Justus Liebig University Giessen (Germany), Marquette University, Maynooth University (Ireland), Michigan State University, Singapore Institute of Technology (Singapore), Sohar University (Oman), Strathmore University (Kenya), University of Denver, University of Edinburgh (Scotland), University of Limerick (Ireland), University of Maine, University of Michigan, University of North Georgia, University of Surrey (England), University of Wollongong (Australia), VSB-Technical University of Ostrava (Czech Republic), and William Paterson University of New Jersey.

During the week-long meeting, groups of participants are working in multi-institutional teams to analyze data collected during their first year of research. They also continue to plan for a second year of data collection. Bleakney, Rosinski and Moore are navigating the setting change by using a variety of online platforms while maintaining a schedule attentive to different time zones from the U.S. pacific coast to eastern Australia. The seminar leaders are keeping participants working and engaged by providing asynchronous activities and deadlines, as well as synchronous meetings. For example, the seminar leaders use Microsoft Teams to communicate with all six research teams, posting writing prompts, keeping deadlines and sending reminders, and providing feedback to each team along the way.

Looking forward to the third summer, the Writing Beyond the University participants will return to campus for a week-long meeting adjacent to the 2021 Conference on Engaged Learning. A call for proposals for the conference to be held July 11-13, 2021, will be available in August.

The Center for Engaged Learning (CEL) hosts multi-institutional research and practice-based initiatives, conferences, and seminars. Visit CEL’s website for resources for faculty and faculty developers on high-impact practices for engaged learning. To learn more about CEL’s research seminars, contact CEL Director Jessie L. Moore at jmoore28@elon.edu.