Foundational Practices of Online Writing Instruction

Reviewed by Cara Miller, Associate Professor of English, Anderson University on 12/26/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book revolves around the 15 “grounding principles” for online writing instruction (OWI) that are introduced in the first chapter. These principles become the framework for the remainder of the book as issues related to pedagogy, administrative decisions, access, inclusion, training, and compensation are explored. Each chapter focuses on specific challenges and recommendations for addressing these issues. What is particularly helpful is the way that OWI is contextualized within larger administrative and institutional decisions that play a key role in providing accountability and support for teachers, students, and tutors. In other words, OWI is explored from multiple angles to give a much larger picture of teaching and learning.

On the other hand, as each chapter circles back to the initial principles, the book becomes somewhat repetitive. Further, though the book provides a broad overview of issues and recommendations for OWI, including curricular design and pedagogy, it doesn’t provide many specific strategies that teachers can use to engage students and enhance learning.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book draws from a number of credible sources and seems to provide information about online writing instruction that is accurate and balanced. Bibliographic information is listed at the end of each chapter. It’s also helpful that the first chapter gives a clear account of the exigence for the book as well as the research methods that were used to create the grounding principles of OWI.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Given the Covid-19 pandemic and the quick shift to virtual learning, the book is very relevant. In general, the book focuses on grounding principles, key constituents, and related issues that are current and provide an accurate depiction of online writing instruction. The principles themselves as well as the chapters that explore various issues are intentionally broad so that readers can make appropriate choices based on their own circumstances. However, some of the information is just a little outdated. For instance, the chapter about nontraditional students and their access to technology dates back to the mid 1990s and early 2000s. Also, some recommendations for instructors and administrators are so broad/vague, it’s sometimes difficult to imagine how they might be implemented on a practical level.

Clarity rating: 5

The writing is clear and well-developed so that it’s easy to follow along with key ideas. The book also provides a list of commonly used abbreviations, many of which are used in the book. The bulleted lists and tables throughout the text also make it easier to process the information presented.

Consistency rating: 5

The book continually refers back to the 15 guiding principles that provide the framework for the text. These principles are used to identify key challenges as well as suggestions for addressing those challenges in meaningful ways.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is divided into five parts (with several chapters in each part) that consider OWI from different perspectives. This makes it possible to divide up the reading topically in manageable chunks. Appropriate headings and subheadings make it easy to follow along with the key ideas of each chapter and to break up the reading into smaller sections if necessary. It would definitely be important to read the first chapter before any other section as it sets up the grounding principles that tie everything else together.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is organized somewhat chronologically, beginning with the history of and the exigence for OWI grounding principles and ending with a section that considers the future of OWI. Chapters are ordered sequentially as later chapters build on key ideas and terminology presented in the beginning. The book also seems to begin with smaller, local issues related to OWI instruction for particular classes/teachers and then works outward to consider the larger context of the writing program and the institution/infrastructure.

Interface rating: 4

The text is free of interface issues or distortions. It would have been nice to have internal hyperlinks that make it easier to navigate from one chapter or section to another.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book has very few, if any, grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

A large focus of the book is about access and inclusivity for various populations that are often marginalized in OWI classes. This is one of the strengths of the book as it challenges instructors and administrators to design classes from the beginning that are suitable for all students, not just white, middle-class, traditional students.

Comments

This book would be most suitable for graduate students who are currently or planning to teach online writing. Current faculty would also benefit from the book's discussions about the advantages and challenges of OWI, ways to accommodate marginalized students, and suggestions for keeping sound pedagogy at the core of the class.

Reviewed by Elizabeth Kleinfeld, Professor, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 7/14/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book covers online writing instruction basics and beyond. The coverage of inclusivity, multimodality, and administrative aspects make it both current and pragmatic.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book is based on current research and theory by well-respected composition scholars.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The coverage of inclusivity and multimodality make it very relevant to contemporary approaches to teaching writing online.

Clarity rating: 5

The prose is engaging and clear.

Consistency rating: 5

The chapters are informed by current pedagogy and engagement with accessibility, which provides consistency across authors and topics.

Modularity rating: 5

Chapters could be assigned out of order, but I think reading them in order makes the most sense, especially if the book is being used by new(ish) teachers who will need the foundational chapters in section 1 to fully engage with later chapters.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The organization is well thought-out, beginning with foundational concepts and building toward what they editors call "new directions."

Interface rating: 5

I found the book easy to read.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The prose was easy to read.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book includes chapters on multilingual writers, nontraditional students, and writers with disabilities and has an overall focus on accessibility.

Comments

I found this book excellent overall, but I think, because of the constantly developing nature of online anything, the "new directions" section is already in need of updating. For example, I'd like to see treatment of social media and online writing instruction.

Reviewed by Alise Lamoreaux, Professor, Lane Community College on 4/17/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Foundational Practices of Online Writing Instruction is a comprehensive look at teaching writing via online and/or Hybrid settings. It contains a broad spectrum of Online Writing Instruction (OWI) topics and combines research with examples for implementing the 15 grounding principles for OWI instruction put forth in this book. The 18 chapters in the book are designed to be stand alone topics that can be used individually, or the book can be utilized comprehensively to examine the many issues surrounding online writing instruction. The book was written by a collaborative team created by the College Composition and Communication Conference.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Foundational Practices of Online Writing Instruction provides evidence for it 15 grounding principles based on research from the field. Part 1, An OWI Primer, has evidence-based rationale for online/hybrid course design and implementation. Part 3, Practicing Inclusivity, had an excellent chapter (8) on Physical and Learning Disabilities in OWI; however, the chapter on Non-Traditional Student Access to OWI (10) had dated information and questionable student profiles. In Part 5, New Directions, there is a chapter (16) titled OWI on the Go, about Smartphones and Tablets that seemed out dated and disconnected from current student trends.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The initial sections of this book will continue to be a good resource for OWI development and design in a timeless manner. The grounding principles are strong and well thought out. The second half of the book, sections 3-5, have embedded the grounding principles, which is helpful, but the technology and delivery methods will rapidly change in online learning as well as sourcing for online courses, so the later sections of the book could become dated in a short time frame.

Clarity rating: 5

I found this to be a clear and easy to read text. The format was standard throughout the book, even with multiple authors. Terminology was well defined and clear for a technical topic.

Consistency rating: 4

The book has a very consistent format throughout each of the sections. Despite having several authors within the text, each chapter utilizes a consistent format and the voices of the authors flow together well making the book seem unified. I did notice contradictory student profiles. In Chapter 1 there is a story of a 21-year-old who fails an OWI class and a discussion regarding reasons for the failure. In chapter 10, “older adults” had basically the same story line, but the failure was attributed to age and life experiences. The authors did a good job of consistency in format throughout the book; however, there was inconsistency in what makes the successful OWI student. Addressing students as under-prepared rather than by age would have made the book more consistent.

Modularity rating: 4

The book is designed to allow the chapters to be used individually or a comprehensive big picture of OWI; however, Part 3 Practicing Inclusivity, does not feel like it would be effective with the chapters in isolation from one another. Chapter 8 has critical information about physical and learning disabilities that should not be missed.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

I read the book cover to cover, with more interest in the sections that were relevant to my online teaching experiences. The book is well organized, and the chapters flow together nicely. The different voices of the authors do not disrupt the readability of the book. I think the book makes more sense in its entirety. The foundation for the grounding principles are found in the first section of the book. If a reader does not understand the grounding principles, even though they are mentioned in each chapter, the rational for their development is missing.

Interface rating: 5

The book is an easy read. The consistency of the organization makes it easy to follow as the different points development. Multiple authors can make a book feel disjointed, but that is not the case with this book.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Who would question writing instructors’ grammar?

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

My teaching experience, both online and in the traditional classroom involves transitioning non-traditional students to college. I found many comments in Chapter 10 to be very stereotypical and not representative of the population. It worries me that this chapter could be used in isolation from the rest of the book. Much of the research used in this chapter is old or based on personal conversations with noted contributors. It does not acknowledge many characteristics of successful adult learners and tends to focus on the most marginalized populations. I found this section to be very demeaning to a population of students who cannot be defined in such a narrow way. It’s offensive to say,” … they have adolescent-like needs” (page 322). In addition, the words “older” and “elderly” are not interchangeable. Many working adults are very successful at handling the multiple aspects of their lives while working full-time and going to college. However, they tend to pick colleges that have more flexible learning opportunities, and online opportunities that their employers may even pay for, taking that burden off their shoulders. The acknowledged schools for site visits and interviews, may not have had enough diversity to identify adult learners’ characteristics. Under-prepared students come in all age groups and backgrounds.

Comments

Overall, this book has great grounding principles for OWI. Chapter 8 on Physical and Learning Disabilities should be required reading for anyone teaching online/hybrid classes. However, there are other sections of the book seem like the authors were not in touch with the content areas they wrote about, and the research was dated. For example, talking about Smartphone data and research from 2008 or even 2012 is just too old. The acknowledgement of rural populations limited access to the Internet is an important topic, but again, the data seemed old. It would have been better to address topics that are rapidly changing in a different manner.

Reviewed by Nancyruth Leibold, Associate Professor, Southwest Minnesota State University on 6/19/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book Foundational Practices of Online Writing Instruction is comprehensive in areas of promoting the instruction of writing in learners. The intended audience is instructors involved with writing instruction online. It includes many topics pertinent to online writing instruction and is written by experts.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The chapters include scholarly evidence-based citations for information provided to support principles and points. There are also references which include credible and scholarly sources. As an educator who teaches online and writing within the courses, I found myself agreeing with the substance of the book.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The praxis of online writing instruction is relevant due to the number of online courses available today. The relevance of the book will remain for years, but as technology advances, it is difficult to know how the long-term application of the book will stay intact. Chapter 18 discusses the future of online writing instruction and the authors, Hewett and Warnock point out how writing has evolved over time and will continue to do so.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is clear and easy to read. The application examples improve clarity. The book focuses the reader on teaching practice and reflection.

Consistency rating: 5

The writing style is consistent throughout the book. The authors do not contradict themselves. A strong grounding in the book is the use of the principles of OWI.

Modularity rating: 5

The book includes 18 chapters. Although the book is 605 pages long, not all pages are content text. The book uses many sources, so the reference lists for each chapter are fairly long. Headings are used to break up the content sections within chapters. The chapters flow well from one topic to another and are grouped under five main sections.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Topics are presented in five sections and 18 chapters format that is well organized. Online writing instruction principles are the framework used to discuss the topics in the book. Commonly used abbreviations are included. The abbreviation legend was very helpful as many abbreviations are used in the book.

Interface rating: 5

No navigation or distortion interface issues were experienced while reading this book. I view the book in the PDF format and the epub version without any difficulties.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors are present.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The book includes information about linguistic and cultural diversity of multilingual students. The authors did not say anything explicitly offensive or insensitive.

Comments

The book includes information about linguistic and cultural diversity of multilingual students. The authors did not say anything explicitly offensive or insensitive.

Reviewed by Rebecca Babcock, William and Ordelle Watts Professor, University of Texas Permian Basin on 5/21/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book is the most comprehensive guide to online writing instruction to date. It contains 18 chapters covering every aspect of online writing instruction including teaching fully online and hybrid courses and online writing labs. The book does not contain an index or a glossary, but it does have a list of commonly used abbreviations.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book is based on research rather than opinion or anecdote. The chapter authors are top experts in the field.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

Online writing instruction is something that changes fairly rapidly. Technology will change, but this book is not overly reliant on reference to specific online programs or software. As technology progresses the book will likely have to be updated. This is a relevant topic and the book is still timely.

Clarity rating: 5

The various authors' prose is clear and straightforward. Key terms are defined as they are introduced.

Consistency rating: 5

The book is based on the work of the CCCC OWI Committee and the terminology and focus is maintained throughout. The chapters refer back to the OWI principles presented by the committee in its reports such as the Position Statement of Principles and Example Effective Practices for OWI .

Modularity rating: 5

The chapters are self-contained and can be assigned in any order.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The chapters are presented in five parts and within each part the chapters are logical and well-placed.

Interface rating: 4

The epub is extremely easy and quick to navigate. One can immediately jump to different parts using the bar at the bottom and the pages turn instantly by clicking without having to load. However, I do not see page numbers while reading it. The book can actually read to you aloud which may come in handy.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There are no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text is culturally relevant and appropriate.

Comments

This book could be used as the primary textbook in a course dedicated to online writing instruction. It will not take the place of training in learning management systems or theories of writing pedagogy. I would recommend that chapters on online writing labs and working with diverse populations be assigned to writing tutors training to work online. This book should be read by any and all instructors currently teaching online or those preparing to do so.

Reviewed by Stephen Rust, Writing Instructor, Linn-Benton Community College on 6/20/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

At 600 pages, Foundational Practices of Online Writing Instruction, is a comprehensive report prepared by members of the Online Writing Instruction committee created by the College Composition and Communication Conference (CCCC). As such the report presents research and best practices written by a collaborative team of faculty. Site visits from across the country were conducted and significant discussion was had in the preparation of this very important publication. All key aspects of online writing instruction are covered.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The reporting is accurate, peer reviewed, and unbiased.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

As Webster Newbold's preface reminds us, much has changed since the early 1990s when brave instructors began pioneering Online Writing using dial-up modems. The content of this book is up to date, but informed by the complete history of online writing instruction; thus as the technology changes moving ahead, this report will remain current for some years because the focus is on best practices of teaching and course design. There's a focus on principals and ethics that inform good practice. One point of note is that it is true that the financial aspects of online education are subject to sudden changes that could render that part of the book out of date soonest.

Clarity rating: 5

I found this to be an accessible and clear text. While written for a specific audience of online writing teachers and administrators the book is not filled with jargon. Any necessary technical vocabulary is defined and precise.

Consistency rating: 5

Though written by committee, the book speaks with a common voice and the internal organization framework is consistent and clear.

Modularity rating: 5

I choose this book primarily to share with a group of colleagues who will be collaborating to build online courses together rather than using for my own students. That said, the book is easily dividable into subsections that will focus different parts of our initial meetings and sections we can return to throughout the summer and fall as we are building and piloting our courses. In terms of this book's usefulness to our committee discussions, modularity is one of its strengths.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

At 600 pages the books content can feel overwhelming, but the sectional/ chapter based organization makes it very easy to navigate to key sections. One would likely not read this book cover to cover so that clear sense of organization makes it very user friendly.

Interface rating: 4

Not the most visually engaging book but it is definitely free of any interface issues or navigation problems. Images are clear.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Perfect.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I'm impress at how much effort was put into making OWI culturally relevant to a variety of student groups and concerns.

Comments

This book is going to be extremely useful to creating clear and consistent courses.

Reviewed by Carmela Mattza, Assistant Professor of Spanish, Louisiana State University on 4/11/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book addresses the foundations for Online Writing Instruction in a clear and comprehensive way. It covers the most important topics of the discussion and can be use as a manual or handbook for institutional discussion about the benefits of implementing OWI.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The book provides and discusses important policies and data about OWI in the introduction. Each chapter presents a bibliography.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The content and consistency of this book is strong.

Clarity rating: 5

Although this is not a book by a single author, the clarity through out the text is consistent.

Consistency rating: 5

It is a book with different authors yet the terminology and use of abbreviation are very consistent through it.

Modularity rating: 4

Chapters 1 and 11 are the largest ones and they have subheadings. I however think that they should also appeared in the index or table of contents of the books.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book is presented in a logical sequence. I missed an index of authors at the end.

Interface rating: 3

I read the PDF form of this book. I have not need to access the interface.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

The grammar and style make the content of this book accessible to the reader who has not previous knowledge of the subject.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This book is not cultural insensitive. Indeed the introduction addressed the need to recognize different cultural backgrounds when creating online writing activities.

Comments

I was attracted to read FOUNDATIONAL PRACTICES OF ONLINE WRITING INSTRUCTION because although I do not teach courses online, I do request at least four writing exercises during a semester that students need to complete and submit online through a platform administrator such as Moodle. After reading the book, I felt motivated to write this review because I found it engaging and helpful to my own teaching practice and the profession. The book provides an introduction to Online Writing Instruction (OWI), where the benefits, challenges and fears of such practice are addressed. I found particular useful the section “Hybrid and Fully-Online OWCS” because it provided me with a set of questions that allowed me to reflect and think of my own practice when I design online writing activities for my courses.