Better Practices: Exploring the Teaching of Writing in Online and Hybrid Spaces

Featuring a range of better practices related to online writing instruction (OWI) and assessment, this edited collection offers instructors and writing program administrators theoretically grounded approaches from teacher-scholars of online writing. First, the contributors highlight what instructors have been doing in online and hybrid writing classrooms, pointing to innovative theoretical trends in the scholarship of online writing studies and related position statements. Second, they provide access to instructional materials that can be immediately adapted for local contexts, offering a starting point for enacting better practices in OWI. Third, they offer writing program administrators useful perspectives on professional development and curriculum design. Better Practices expands the conversation about online learning and writing studies, providing an opening for educators to come together to explore what it means to teach writing in ways that involve online real-time, online anytime, and hybrid writing courses.

Amy Cicchino is Associate Director for the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. Her work has appeared in WPA: Writing Program Administration, Journal of Faculty Development, Writing Spaces, International Journal of ePortfolio, and a number of edited collections. She is passionate about educator professional development, high-impact practices, and digitally enhanced writing instruction.

Troy Hicks is Professor of English and Education at Central Michigan University, where he currently serves as Chair of the Department of Teacher and Special Education. He has won numerous awards and honors, including the Divergent Award for Excellence for Initiative for 21st Century Literacies Research, Teacher Educator of the Year from the Michigan Reading Association, and CMU’s Excellence in Teaching Award. His books on digital teaching and learning include Mindful Teaching with Technology (Guilford Press), Creating Confident Writers (W. W. Norton), and Ask, Explore, Write! (Routledge). His research is also available in journals such as Michigan Reading Journal, The Journal of Writing Teacher Education, and Journal of Language and Literacy Education as well as in a number of edited collections.