WAC Partnerships Between Secondary and Postsecondary Institutions

Reviewed by Tim Sears, Associate Professor of Practice, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on 12/20/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text provides comprehensive descriptions of a variety of Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) partnerships between secondary and postsecondary schools. Readers can explore specific examples and logistics of collaborative efforts throughout the United States and abroad (Argentina, Germany) that span a range of academic disciplines, levels, and courses. Neither an index nor a glossary is provided but terms are defined within ten chapters outlined clearly in the table of contents.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text describes in detail--and without any noticeable content errors--different models for WAC partnerships intended to address and improve gaps between high school and college writing. Chapters include conceptual or theoretical frameworks but also practical logistics, methods, and processes that secondary schools, postsecondary schools, and writing centers can use to implement similar partnerships. The advantages and disadvantages of partnerships are discussed in the first and last chapters, and specific successes and obstacles discussed in each chapter are useful and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Chapters describe partnerships and collaborative models that are relevant to both secondary and postsecondary institutions that want to implement programs for writing across the curriculum. Methods describing ways to utilize high school and college writing centers are particularly relevant, as are the chapters that offer insights into embedding writing in the physical and life sciences to improve student learning. Implications for Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are discussed. The text was published in 2016 but the modular nature of each chapter lends itself to the addition of examples involving popular technologies--like online video conferencing and shared documents for real-time collaboration and feedback--in future updates.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is clear and the discipline-specific terminology used is adequately explained to promote an understanding of how theory can be applied in various educational settings. Chapters describe recommendations based on successes, lessons learned, limitations, and obstacles (i.e., pacing). Understanding how to implement effective or improved partnerships is enhanced through the inclusion of questionnaires, data that offer evidence of impact, and appendices that provide rubrics, assignments, and practical guides.

Consistency rating: 5

Each chapter provides examples of meaningful WAC partnerships utilizing a consistent approach that includes relevant background information, an overview of each partnership described, and details of each collaborative partnership in the context of an appropriate conceptual or theoretical framework. Subheadings help with consistency yet are aligned to each chapter's distinct examples in order to provide readers with meaningful insight for inspiration or their own partnership implementation.

Modularity rating: 5

Chapters provide practical and appropriate sections with logical subheadings to convey the variety of partnerships and program implementation, advantages, and disadvantages. The modular nature of each chapter can be read and analyzed in any order and independently of each other to meet the needs of a course, its instructor, or its students. A robust list of references on a wide range of relevant topics aligned to frameworks is included at the end of each chapter for further reading.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The chapters describe a range of partnerships across disciplines using a logical, clear organizational structure enhanced by clear subheadings and meaningful implementation details. The partnerships that are described offer the reader inspirational case studies to analyze or consider in the context of their own implementation plans.

Interface rating: 5

The text is offered in ePub and PDF formats that are easy to read and free of interface issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors were observed.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text is culturally sensitive: Various examples from partnerships throughout the United States plus Argentina and Germany are discussed. They offer different perspectives and make clear the impact of Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) initiatives on various populations. Readers can make comparisons and identify one or more models from comparable institutions or settings that are feasible for their needs. A deeper discussion about or integration of culturally relevant pedagogy could enhance the text.

This text offers many practical WAC models rooted in theory that I plan to share with my institution's writing center. As an instructor of pre-service STEM educators, I appreciated the high-engagement writing strategies in the sciences described and plan to share them with my undergraduate students.

Reviewed by Meredith McCool, Assistant Professor and Director of the Education Program, Sweet Briar College on 6/15/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The text begins with a chapter that introduces the reader to Writing Across the Curriculum in which the authors state that the purpose of the book is to "promote models of collaborative partnerships across the curriculum and across schools/colleges, so other institutions can design their own programs or create new innovative ones," a purpose upon which they deliver. The text does not provide an index or glossary; however, I never felt the need to access one as I was reading.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Drawing on the experiences of a range of authors and practitioners of WAC partnerships--educators in both high school and higher ed, high school peer tutors--from Argentina, Germany, and the United States, the text provides a variety of perspectives. What is more, the authors intentionally highlight both successful and less than successful WAC partnerships. In particular, the chapter by Beaumont and colleagues and that by Hansen and colleagues detail very different experiences with WAC partnerships, yet both reached similar conclusions: that shared beliefs and values allow partnerships to thrive.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The text was published in 2016, although many of the partnerships detailed therein took place earlier in the last decade. Whereas the content does not feel out-of-date, it does not reflect the ways in which WAC partnerships might make use of newer technologies such as video conferencing platforms.

Clarity rating: 5

Overall, the clarity of the text is high. To support clarity as well as transferability to other contexts, several chapter authors provided artifacts of their WAC partnerships such as rubrics, assignment descriptions, and guides for writing center conversations.

Consistency rating: 4

The chapters within the book feel consistent--particularly with respect to the ways in which they provide concrete examples that the reader could transfer to their own practice--with the exception of the chapter by Navarro and Chion. While well-written, the chapter lacks concrete examples and thick descriptions, impeding the transferability of the authors' findings.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is subdivided into separate chapters, each with its own set of authors. Whereas each chapter could stand alone, the authors also often reference other chapters within the text, supporting cohesiveness and continuity.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is bookended by chapters that provide a zoomed-out view of WAC partnerships. Inside this frame, each chapter zooms in on a particular partnership. Some authors make explicit connections to other chapters with the text. In some cases, vastly different experiences yielded similar results. Such throughlines support the reader in making connections across chapters and WAC partnerships.

Interface rating: 5

I read the text as a PDF and experienced no interface issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not notice any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

WAC partnerships in different countries (i.e., Argentina, Germany, the United States) are described; however, the broader cultural contexts of the programs within these countries are not explicitly addressed.

As a teacher educator who is frequently exploring ways to facilitate engagement that spans the boundaries between K-12 schools and higher education, I encountered many ideas in this text that I hope to explore in my own practice and share with my school partners.