Writing Workshops with Dr. Barbara Walvoord, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 5-6, 2011: 

UMBC is committed to providing appropriate and effective instruction in writing to our students and to supporting our writing intensive courses as fully as possible.  To those ends, the Provost has funded, and the Office of Undergraduate Education has arranged for Dr. Barbara Walvoord, Professor Emerita of English from Notre Dame University to return to UMBC on April 5-6, 2011. Dr. Walvoord is an acknowledged expert in the teaching of writing in the disciplines and now focuses her work supporting faculty members as they develop writing intensive course content.

Dr. Walvoord will provide workshops designed for faculty and staff members who are teaching writing-intensive (WI) courses, are planning to teach a WI course, and/or want to learn how to create more effective writing experiences for their students.  These sessions will be very practical, and participants may select any number of sessions to attend.

Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to explore how writing can enhance students’ learning.   Sign up

through Ms. Barbara Smith in the Office of Undergraduate Education (bsmith@umbc.edu, 5-2300) as soon as possible.  Please be sure to identify which sessions you will be attending as part of your RSVP.

 Workshops with Barbara Walvoord
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Commons 331
2:30-4:00 p.m.

 Using Writing for Assessment:  Participants are invited to bring grading criteria, rubrics, or similar materials for one or more assignments.  If you don't bring materials, it's okay.  We will discuss how to establish standards and criteria for assessing writing, how to use student writing to assess how well your own teaching strategies are working, and how to use student classroom writing for departmental assessment.

 Wednesday, April 6, 2011
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
ACIV B-wing, rm. 477

9:15-10:45 a.m.                How to create good assignments

11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.      How to provide helpful comments on students’ papers

12:30-1:00 p.m.                Short Lunch Break

1:00-2:15 p.m.                  How to use writing to generate meaningful classroom discussion

2:30-4:00 p.m.                  Using Writing for Assessment (Repeat of Thursday’s session)