Writing in and across Disciplines
A TALE OF TWO CAMPUSES: EXPLORING WID, WAC AND WID IN DIFFERENT CONTEXT IN IRISH HIGHER EDUCATION
1, 2 3 Pauline McGlade Alison Farrell , Moira Maguire
1
Dundalk Institute of Technology, Dundalk, Ireland Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland 3 Dundalk Institute of Technology, Dundalk, Ireland 2
In this paper we discuss two approaches to working with academic colleagues in order to explore the ideas of writing across the curriculum (WAC), writing in the discipline (WID) and writing enriched curriculum (WEC). This paper aims to contribute to a growing body of research that explores the introduction of these concepts in contexts, like the Irish one, without a WAC, WID or WEC tradition. Our paper documents how these approaches worked across two distinct higher education settings, namely an Irish university and an Irish institute of technology. Differing institutional contexts and priorities dictated the form of initiative employed. In the institute of technology the focus was on WID and WEC, supporting the development of specific strategies. We delivered a series of onehour practical seminars where academic staff participated in short, low stakes, writing and reading activities. In the university setting, WAC, WID and WEC were explored through a series of academicled lunchtime conversations about writing in teaching and learning, master classes by visiting experts, a writing liaison pilot and an ‘assignment litmus test’ pilot. There was a high level of engagement in both settings and feedback has been very positive. This paper details the rationale for beginning this work in both institutions, contextualises the work in wider pedagogical concerns, outlines the approaches adopted, presents a preliminary evaluation of impact and proposes some plans for the future.