Special Issue: Writing Across the Curriculum at the Community Colleges: Beating the Odds

  • higher education, postsecondary institution, WAC, writing in the disciplines, faculty, TESL, technology

Published November 30, 2010

Guest editor: Clint Gardner, Salt Lake Community College

Writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines (WAC/WID) programs in community colleges have been the focus of only sporadic scholarship over the years. While there are a smattering of articles, a handful of doctoral dissertations, and a few books devoted to the subject (mostly from the late 80's and mid-90's), substantial research on WAC/WID from a community college perspective seems seriously lacking in comparison to research that has been conducted in other postsecondary settings. Given the pervasive teaching mission that all community colleges share, the collaborative drive that many experienced faculty from across the disciplines display, and the community college's specific commitment to general education, it seems certain that a great deal of WAC/WID work is taking place in community colleges, even if that work is not specifically referred to on campus as "WAC" or "WID." In this issue of Across the Disciplines, therefore, we focus the spotlight on community college WAC/WID initiatives and expand the range of scholarly work in this area, exploring the challenges that community college WAC programs face, the ways in which student demographics and goals shape their experience of writing in the disciplines, and what the future of WAC/WID might be at the community college level.

Contents:

Introduction
Clint Gardner
DOI: 10.37514/ATD-J.2010.7.2.01

Great Expectations: The Culture of WAC and the Community College Context
Mary McMullen-Light
DOI: 10.37514/ATD-J.2010.7.2.02

Overcoming Obstacles: How WID Benefits Community College Students and Faculty
Michelle Pacht
DOI: 10.37514/ATD-J.2010.7.2.03

From an ESL Perspective: Deciphering the Language of Academic Courses
Veronica Campos
DOI: 10.37514/ATD-J.2010.7.2.04

Re-Media-ting Remedial Education with Web 2.0: Implications for Community College Writing Across the Curriculum Programs
Renee Swensen Bangerter
DOI: 10.37514/ATD-J.2010.7.2.05