The course focuses on the pedagogy of writing and curriculum design. Topics to be covered include the history of writing instruction in the U.S., contemporary theories of invention and related pedagogies, learning theory and its implications for pedagogy, the theory and practice of curriculum and course design, and related research. Like all courses in the core curriculum, it will include a guide to resources for further work. This course introduces students to the theoretical debates and empirical research into how people construct meaning and write texts. Students produce a portfolio of reading notes building connections among readings and, for a final project, create a dialogue among multiple theories and data in a problem-driven analysis of a constructive process.
Historical context is provided by reading and critiquing key studies in composition research.