Blogging, an online fad of informal opinion posting, is popping up on Elon’s campus. But this time around, it’s not just for the professors.

The Writing Teaching and Learning blog began two years ago as a network created by Elon professors to help establish the function and teaching of writing throughout the campus.

Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning Peter Felten and Assistant Professor of English Paula Rosinski are responsible for the site’s creation, upkeep, management and publicity.

This year the blog was redesigned and its designers will begin encouraging student participation.

Standards for a Media Writing class will vary from those of a creative writing class, just as biology might vary from astronomy. Since writing techniques vary from subject to subject, learning the difference and when to use which method requires instruction and practice.

Through the use of this blog, staff members from any department can share their views on variations, as well as the best way to go about teaching them.

“We are trying to encourage professors to talk to each other about language, not just to their students,” said Michael Strickland, director of Writing Across the Curriculum. “We hope that those who do come across our site will come back asking for rubrics and criteria and guidelines for assignments.”

The team hopes that by opening up discussion about writing, it will create a more obvious flow in teaching styles, making transitions between subjects easier on those taking the classes.

“We want to encourage exercises based on writing to learn as opposed to writing to show a student has already learned,” said Jessie Moore, coordinator of the College Writing Program. “Writing can be used as a teaching tool, not just a reflection of the teaching itself.”

Two main sections were created to help viewers and posters communicate. Soapbox columns present a place for bloggers to bring up arguments of their own.

Past issues, such as the new SAT writing section, resulted in spirited debates.

There is also a reflections area available for publishing advice and personal expertise on topics of interest. Ashley Holmes, lecturer of the English, started off the year with suggestion on how to make fundamental links between writing and a course subject.

All professors encourage anyone interested in writing for the blog to contact Professor Strickland at mstrick1@elon.edu or to find information at http://idd.elon.edu/blogs/wtal/.

Reporter: Liz Palmer - 10/03/07