Writing Across Borders

A film written and directed by Wayne Robertson

Writing Across Borders is a 3-year documentary project funded by Oregon State University’s Center for Writing and Learning (now simply known as the Writing Center) and its Writing Intensive Curriculum Program. The documentary's purpose is to help faculty, writing assistants, and other professionals work more productively with international students in writing environments. The film’s goal is to address some of the most significant challenges international students face when writing for American colleges and universities. In addressing these challenges, it asks the following questions:

• How does culture play out in writing, and how are our expectations shaped by cultural preferences?
• How do we assess international student writing when we have to grade it alongside the writing of native speakers, and how can we think about surface error in a fair and constructive manner?
• What kinds of teaching and testing practices disadvantage international students and which help them improve as writers?

Acknowledgments

This film would never have been made without the following people:

To Vicki Tolar Burton, I owe not only the initial funding for the film but also the idea that this project was important and interesting. She saw in the original rough and gritty film reels, the potential for something worthwhile and then took the time to see the project through to the end. I also want to thank Lisa Ede. Her support, her influence, and her enthusiasm are a central reason the project exists. She offered funding when it was most needed and supported this project unconditionally.

A special acknowledgement has to be made to Susan Schwartz and Dawn Moyer at OSU's International Cultural Service Program (ICSP) for organizing nearly every student who appears in the film, for scheduling shoots at the last minute, and for doing more than I could have ever hoped. Without their generosity and unequalled sense of collegiality, this project never would have worked. And to the ICSP students themselves, I can only say they were bri lliant, dedicated, professional , and among the most talented students I have ever met. Special thanks must be also made to Stevon Roberts who has dedicated himself to this project almost as much as I have, and who knows more about film editing and all things technical than anyone else I know. He was able to solve every problem and make the work go smoothly even when machines seemed to plot against us. In the studio, Stevon was my second set of eyes and ears, and every second of this film pulses with his touch. Lastly, this project is for my wife Hitomi, who was the inspiration for the film, who worked late nights and designed all the packaging and advertising, and who inspired me every step of the way.

- Wayne Robertson 2005

Credits

The film, released in 2005, is presented here with the permission of Vicki Tolar Burton. It was produced and directed by Wayne Robertson. The descriptive text found at the top of this page is taken from the Oregon State University Writing Center website. The DVD was digitized and the closed captions edited by Mike Palmquist.