Faculty writing groups as a professional-academic development tool: Interactions and perceptions

COLOMBO, LAURA; RODAS BROSAM, ELISABETH

Xian

Conferencia; 6th International Writing Research Across Borders Conference; 2021

International Society for the Advancement of Writing Research (ISAWR)

This proposal is part of a research project which studies the functioning of writing groups as a professional-academic development tool and as a means to improve scientific writing practices of professors and researchers of an Ecuadorian university. Although in Ecuador, like in other countries, publications play a key role in the advancement of the academic career of professors and researchers and constitute an added value for higher education institutions as they account for their scientific production (Rankin, 2001; Rocco, 2011), few are the opportunities provided to learn literacy practices common in the academic and scientific sphere. However, writing groups stand out as one initiative implemented to teach writing for publication which seems useful and easy to implement (Aitchison & Guerin, 2014; McGrail, Rickard, & Jones, 2006), making it an interesting option in the South American context where such groups are still uncommon and infrequently used (Colombo & Carlino, 2015). The results presented in this proposal respond to two objectives: characterize the oral interactions that occur within three writing groups around the processes of writing academic-scientific texts; and, analyze the perception of the members about the usefulness of the groups as tools for scientific production, knowledge construction, and inclusion in disciplinary communities. The study applied a multiple case study approach, of naturalistic and instrumental design. Theoretically, it is based on the concept of interdisciplinary enculturation, aligned with the sociocultural approach to learning and human activity (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Vygotsky, 1978, among others). Thus, learning is conceived as social interaction. Through gradual participation in certain contexts and communities and through group member interaction, participants are able to develop their identity as scholars and discipline writers (Aitchison, Kamler, & Lee 2010; Colombo, 2012; Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998). Data collection was done through audio recordings of the work sessions of three writing groups and semi-structured interviews of the three members of each group. In both cases, records were transcribed and completed with the coordinator-researcher?s field notes. Members? drafts were also collected (sent to be reviewed and commented on by other members before each session) as well as final versions of the texts produced by participants. A qualitative and quantitative strategy was used for data analysis. The results indicate that the interactions between writing group members tend to focus mainly on the texts? socio-rhetorical aspects (e.g. text format, organization, unity) and literacy practices (e.g. publication processes, peer review), and to a lesser extent on discipline-specific content. Additionally, the members? perception tends to be positive with respect to the usefulness of writing groups for the development of university professors and researchers? literacy practices.The study contributes to the development of scientific writing practices of university professors and/or researchers. Since it is not possible to generalize the results, the scope and limitations of this work regarding faculty writing groups open the need to address other cases through similar methodologies.