In this article, we investigate a new construct for conceptualizing learning transfer with writing knowledge: Transformative Experience (TE). With origins in educational psychology, TE has been effective for promoting transfer with scientific concepts in previous research, but not yet considered in relation to writing or other presumably…

Higher education research is a developing field internationally, attracting more and more researchers from a great variety of disciplinary backgrounds within and beyond higher education institutions. As such, it is an arena within which a wide range of theories, methods, and methodologies are being applied. As an expanding multidisciplinary area…

Discusses the importance of audience awareness in technical writing and offers suggestions to help students characterize the readers of their writing. (AEA)

Presents a case study focusing on a gifted student writer whose shyness and strong personal commitment to her writing is not well suited to the atmosphere of peer writing workshops. (MG)

Investigates the experiences of 17 "remedial" readers as they interpreted and performed texts through classroom theater. Discusses results of a study aimed at analyzing patterns of children's text interpretation. Details the students' evolving conception of themselves as actors and interpreters of texts. (HB)

Existing evidence suggests that students do less well in writing argument than they do in writing narrative reports, and the reasons for the poorer performance are complex and interactive. In some ways argument is more cognitively demanding than narrative, but lack of experience in persuasive writing, and the interrelated nature of the writing…

Argues that when the context supports sustained writing, both assigned and self-designed tasks can foster learning and commitment to writing. Reports on a case study of two graduate students in two universities. Finds that sustained writing, both of instructor- and self-designed tasks, can lead to positive intellectual and affective changes. (RS)

Compares the writing of two students--a competent writer and a weak one--in a technical communication course before and after discussion of design principles. Finds that a basic understanding of design principles helped them improve document macrostructure but had little effect on document microstructure. Suggests that integrating document design…

Examines progressively more competent writing samples from a third grader's journal to illustrate the possibilities for using journals "across the curriculum." (HTH)

Follows a six-year-old boy and his writing-revising experiences at school, demonstrating how his independence as a writer develops. Teacher and peers initiate interactions with the writer as he listens and responds and gradually learns how to discuss writing and learns a sense of the purpose of revision. (HTH)

Discusses how the active meaning-making process of 10 sixth-grade students was reflected in the written responses in literature journals. Analyzes the responses to determine response styles. Suggests how complex response to literature is for elementary and middle school students. (HB)

Discusses one teacher's gradual acceptance of poetry as a useful means for teaching many areas of the language arts. Includes a case study of one student's growth as a poet. (HTH)

Shows how the classroom environment provided by a second- grade teacher allowed one of her students to experience her own writing process and develop as a writer. (RL)

Discusses action research case studies of representative children and changes to classroom teaching. Notes that children were given the opportunity to: write about things that mattered to them; write as experts; hear their writing read aloud; and experience genuine response to this writing. Finds boys made most progress when given the opportunity…

Drawn from a larger study involving 16 children and 7 classrooms at a New Hampshire elementary school, this book presents a case study of one child's growth in writing during third and fourth grade. The first section of the book describes the inception of the writing workshop in one classroom, including the partnership between the researcher…