Academic writing skills are essential for students in higher education, but they can be challenging to teach and learn in a virtual learning environment. How can you help your students develop their writing abilities and confidence online? Here are some tips and strategies to consider.
One of the first steps to teach academic writing skills online is to communicate clearly what you expect from your students in terms of format, style, content, and assessment criteria. You can use rubrics, checklists, models, and examples to illustrate your expectations and guide your students through the writing process. You can also provide feedback and suggestions on drafts and revisions to help your students improve their writing quality and skills.
Give students lots of opportunities to revise. Re-writing is very important for anyone who is learning to write. I find people learn best in when they can try repeatedly in an environment where it's ok to make mistakes. Uncoupling assessment from grading in some way is a really useful tactic here--for example, one could grade drafts on a "complete/incomplete" scale. However, online courses often have lots of students, so it can be hard to apply this method without it being a tremendous drain on your time. It's important to space out assignments so that you have time to provide feedback.
Create a safe space for students to experiment with words, sentences and paragraphs. Let themslowly take up the pace of patching together words into atories. Devise exercises and alternate modes of interaction in order to practice. Bit by bit. This way, students learn the diversity of writing and get a sense of the process which, let's be honest is time-consuming. Writing takes time and is a craft that needs to be learned through practice. These core values need to be conveyed also in online classes and especially in times where imminent reaction is a priority.
In that the number of multilingual students in post-secondary education online has increased exponentially in the last ten years, translation support is imperative. Ensuring the learning management system has a terminology enunciator such as Google Translate or Babble enabled will support students. Additionally, offering peer-led writing review sessions is a method to allow students to engage with other students. Faculty should provide online sessions focused on writing mechanics and using learning resources. Academic writing can be the most overwhelming aspect of online education. Focusing on providing a variety of supports geared toward writing will help students gain the confidence to be successful.
Lately I have experienced teaching in blended classes (online and physical presence). It is a challenging experience, especially if you have established patterns of concentration in the group and you forget the audience which is online. So, we fist have to unlearn from old patterns, and than learn new patterns. However, besides being able to coordinate, it is important to know to involve. I ask the audience online to keep cameras on, to share opinions with voice, involve them in group work (mix online and offline). I use poles online to share the attention. Suma sumarum, it is not easy, but doable.
What has worked for me is engaging with your students, setting clear expectations on your writing requirements for the class, and providing resources for students to achieve those expectations. I also believe that when providing feedback to your students, the feedback should be specific when stating what needs to be corrected, so that the student is not is knowledgeable on what needs to be corrected moving forward.
Another way to teach academic writing skills online is to use interactive tools and platforms that can enhance your students' engagement and collaboration. For example, you can use online discussion forums, blogs, wikis, or podcasts to create authentic writing tasks and contexts for your students. You can also use online annotation tools, peer review systems, or video conferencing to facilitate feedback and dialogue among your students and between you and your students.
Online forums and blogs provide a real-world writing context, encouraging students to articulate arguments coherently. Annotation tools and peer reviews are pivotal; they don't just facilitate constructive feedback but also foster critical analysis. However, it's crucial to scaffold these tools, guiding students on their effective use and ensuring that technology enhances, not hinders, learning. Tools should be used to supplement, not substitute, the pedagogical goals of fostering independent, critical writers.
In an online environment, if the learners don't have access to interactive tools then there is a huge gap between the teacher and the students. They can either share the screen and annotate on that, they can have options to select, they should have real time features to ask and respond just like in the classroom. Zoom is a good place to do it. Liveworksheets is another one. EDpuzzle is also good.
I would recommend using diverse tools to provide a dynamic learning experience, fostering collaboration and skill development. Online discussion forums, for instance, encourage students to exchange ideas and diverse perspectives. Blogs and wikis offer platforms for authentic writing tasks, nurturing creativity. The use of podcasts injects innovation, allowing students to communicate their ideas verbally. Moreover, annotation tools and peer review systems enhance critical thinking and refine writing skills. In my experience, integrating these tools has not only boosted engagement but also improved the overall quality of written work.
The key is providing students with real-world workplace writing opportunities. I have experimented with human-machine collaborative learning in my writing courses, both undergraduate and graduate. I am currently experimenting with teaching students how to rhetorically engineer generative AI prompts and outputs.
These are all great ideas. I particularly like collaboration to provide support: I coach my students in Dropbox files, where I can add formative feedback. I also advise students on the value of developing a regular writing habit, especially with reflective writing. Writing is like working a muscle: the more you write, the better it becomes. For students with English as an additional language (EAL), I am beginning to learn about 'trans-languaging' pedagogy and translation apps.
A third way to teach academic writing skills online is to incorporate multimodal resources and materials that can support your students' learning and development. For example, you can use videos, podcasts, infographics, or e-books to introduce or explain key concepts, theories, or methods related to your discipline or topic. You can also use online databases, libraries, or repositories to help your students access and evaluate relevant sources and evidence for their writing.
Keep in mind that the goal is the process of learning , so in my experience the best way is incorporating multimodal resources and materials that can support the students. This resources must be motivating and linked with a significant learning experience in order to create emotions that made the learning experience a success
Helping the student to access resources is very useful and many students say no-one else has ever shown them how to. There are so many resources online, so teaching also how to sort out the poor from the valuable is a good use of teaching time.
Pour développer les capacités d'écriture et la confiance en ligne des élèves, utilisez des outils comme Grammarly pour améliorer la grammaire et le style. Intégrez des plateformes comme Storybird ou Book Creator pour encourager la créativité en combinant textes et images. Encouragez l'utilisation de blogs éducatifs avec WordPress pour pratiquer l'écriture régulière. Finalement, incorporez des forums de discussion comme Padlet pour favoriser l'interaction et le feedback entre pairs.
El aprendizaje de la escritura es todo un reto y más aún en un entorno virtual, pues se requiere que los estudiantes estén en permanente práctica para desarrollar dicha habilidad, para ello el docente en su planeación curricular debe integrar didacticamebte diversos materiales en diferentes formatos que le permitan afianzar la escritura, más aún, en jóvenes universitarios que requiere afinar dicha habilidad para poder comprender el entorno y contexto desde el ejercicio de su profesión, en este ámbito la IA se convierte en un aliado para potenciar la habilidad escritural en diversos formatos
Diversifying materials enhances comprehension and engagement. Videos and podcasts, for instance, offer dynamic explanations of complex concepts, catering to varied learning styles. Infographics condense information effectively, aiding retention. E-books are easily accessible and portable, allowing students to delve into topics at their own pace. Online databases and libraries empower them to explore a plethora of credible sources, fostering research skills. In my experience, supplementing traditional text-based learning with multimedia has sparked curiosity and creativity in students. It's about creating a rich, immersive learning environment. #AcademicWriting #OnlineLearning #MultimodalEducation
A fourth way to teach academic writing skills online is to scaffold the writing process and break it down into manageable steps and stages for your students. For example, you can use online templates, outlines, or planners to help your students organize their ideas and structure their writing. You can also use online quizzes, exercises, or games to help your students practice their grammar, vocabulary, or citation skills.
Scaffolding is critical! And what has worked for me is not only scaffolding the writing process, but also giving feedback at each step of the process. The feedback is not only to show how students can improve but to help show them the thought process that goes into academic writing. I find if I can teach you how to think writing you can actually do the writing.
I prefer to use a " Tell - show - do " Method ( as clinicians we often use this to take control of a child patient's behaviour to gain trust and perform a clinical procedure). For example, if I need to teach about the structure of an academic research paper, I do this Tell: Use storytelling and relevant examples and verbally explain to introduce a research paper Show: Take up any research paper available online and show each section of the paper. Then take it off the screen. Do: Each participant now has to recall and write one line about each section of the research paper. This is only one example. The idea of Tell- show-do method is student engagement in the academic writing activity and providing a sense of accomplishment.
Interactive quizzes, exercises, and games make learning grammar, vocabulary, and citation skills engaging. Gamification can boost motivation and retention, turning learning into a fun challenge. In my teaching journey, I've seen how these tools transform the writing process from daunting to doable. It builds confidence and competence among students. I'd be interested in hearing your experiences with specific scaffolding techniques or tools. Sharing best practices can benefit the entire academic community. Let's keep the conversation going!
Scaffolding is a fantastic way to teach academic writing. I like to follow the 'I do, we do, you do' method to allow students to see examples of what their academic writing should look like; work together and give them the opportunity to make mistakes in a safe environment, and then allow them to try independently using their notes and/or a framework as guidance. This helps to build confidence and skill, which is crucial for progress.
Online quizzes and flashcards are a great resource to use with students as they are familiar with this style of learning online. It's also a good idea to have them copy out flashcards or handwrite mindmaps or revision cards as it engages a different part of the brain in the learning and helps to mimic the handwriting they will have to do in the exam. If students become too used to doing things online it can be very jarring to then handwrite essays in an exam, so you need to prepare them for this eventuality.
A fifth way to teach academic writing skills online is to foster a writing community and a sense of belonging among your students. For example, you can use online groups, chats, or forums to create a space for your students to share their writing experiences, challenges, and successes. You can also use online badges, rewards, or recognition to motivate and encourage your students to write and learn together.
In my experience, a strong sense of community not only enhances learning but also helps students overcome writer's block and isolation. Online groups, chats, and forums provide a platform for students to connect, share their writing journeys, and support one another. It cultivates a sense of belonging and collaboration. Using badges, rewards, and recognition systems can be powerful motivators. They acknowledge students' achievements, encouraging them to strive for excellence together. It fosters a positive and competitive spirit.
This is very important to do, especially online, but my experience suggests that in-person writing communities are still in demand from students. They have asked for a quiet space, away from the stress of academic libraries, with support available if needed. This works especially well around exam time. I tend to provide tea, coffee and cookies to help ( and they tend then to take frequent breaks but the breaks are shorter than if they went to the canteen).
Criar uma comunidade de escrita proporciona um ambiente colaborativo e de apoio entre os alunos. O uso de grupos online, bate-papos ou fóruns permite o compartilhamento de experiências, desafios e sucessos, promovendo um senso de pertencimento. Além disso, a implementa??o de emblemas, recompensas ou reconhecimento pelo esfor?o e pela aprendizagem colaborativa estimula a motiva??o dos alunos, incentivando-os a se envolver ativamente na prática da escrita acadêmica. Essa dinamica fortalece significativamente o aprendizado conjunto.
I hadn't considered the importance of this until now. A class is by default a community. David Perell has created an online seminar (Write of Passage), the main basis of which seems that it will put budding writers in touch with other writers, as well as with team leaders who set timed tasks and challenge participants to do more than they think they're capable of. Participants seem happy with the results, with many of them going on to become successful writers. The Cultural Tutor is one. I'm interested to read specific examples of instructors creating communities in their classrooms.
A sixth way to teach academic writing skills online is to provide ongoing support and guidance for your students throughout the course. For example, you can use online surveys, polls, or feedback forms to monitor your students' progress, needs, and satisfaction. You can also use online tutorials, workshops, or webinars to address your students' questions, concerns, or difficulties. You can also use online resources, links, or referrals to direct your students to additional writing support or services.
Ongoing support is quite large. It is essential to provide an environment where no matter the background and level of the student, he/she is made to feel safe and therefore open to asking the right questions. Support is not only a tool but a whole strategy to ensure learning happens. This is why even when using online platforms, using some form of face-to-face interaction (through live videos) will enhance the student's experience.
It is important to revise what students have written. facilitating peer learning is the best way to support students. Peers easily learn from each other. It gives an opportunity to ask questions easily.
In teaching online academic writing, ongoing support is crucial. Utilizing tools like Google Forms or LMS forums for regular feedback allows me to monitor student progress and address specific needs. Hosting bi-weekly writing workshops via Zoom or Teams is effective for tackling common challenges in real-time. Additionally, creating a resource hub on the course website where students can access writing guides, sample essays, and links to writing centers has been beneficial. This approach of combining direct interaction, continuous feedback, and accessible resources ensures that students receive comprehensive support throughout their learning journey, enhancing their writing skills and confidence.
I am not sure I agree with the overall sentiment here…the title is on ongoing support…surely the focus here is not only on feedback mechanisms, touching base but also the additional support for all students? What additional support is available to students in academic literacy, what support is available for students with a disability or other condition or characteristic? How does this support look, is it accessible, is it flexible, is it adaptable? Supporting students in developing these skills is fundamental to their confidence and success so doing it well and being available for all is key!
I believe education professionals sometimes forget to trust in our students. They come with complex sets of experiences, impressions, and from all walks of life. At the end of the day, they need to understand the value of the writing assignment - either explicitly or implicitly. Make your students relate intellectually, emotionally, culturally, or otherwise. Make them feel they belong. Challenge your students and have high expectations. They will rise to meet the challenge.
First introduce your students to academic writing where you talk about how to search for academic papers, where to search it. From there on talk about how to paraphrase and intl text citation and formats of references. After that, make sure you keep them writing in a blog. Sometimes essays that will require them to search the internet and submit. Academic writing cannot be possible without practical application, whether online or contact.
Present examples of academic essays that require editing and proofreading. If, like many teachers and academics, you perform editing and proofreading, you can ask permission to use these papers in your virtual classes. A class might begin with introducing a typical problem (e.g., wordy/unclear phrasing). Then, the teacher can show an example of that problem in the context of a real essay and ask the students to find the problem and then fix it.
I provide sample "A" papers for students to learn from, many with annotations that indicate which specific skills the "A" paper evinced and which elements needed work. I also provide a short list of the things needed to PROVE an academic argument: 1. Citations from experts, 2. Specific Examples from the text (I'm a Film/TV Professor), and 3. logical argumentation (the hardest methodology for undergrads to master). Finally, I URGE them (with penalties) to read the assignment instructions CAREFULLY and to FOLLOW THEM perfectly. Too many students, often starting to write at the last minute, just write whatever they find "interesting" and I have no way of determining how much of the coursework (and writing ability) they have imbibed.
Why teach it at all ... Most students are going on to work in non academic settings Problem is that most of those doing the teaching have only experienced academic HE and so that is all they know how to teach. For sure do it post grad, but at UG teach more useful 'writing skills' that they will use throughout their careers.