home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
- Path: sparky!uunet!paladin.american.edu!auvm!ASUACAD.BITNET!IACDES
- X-Envelope-to: MBU-L@TTUVM1.BITNET
- Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
- Message-ID: <01GSUMXYMP3696VMQ6@asu.edu>
- Newsgroups: bit.listserv.mbu-l
- Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 13:23:54 -0700
- Sender: "Megabyte University (Computers & Writing)" <MBU-L@TTUVM1.BITNET>
- From: "David E. Schwalm" <IACDES@ASUACAD.BITNET>
- Subject: RE: Standardizing Composition Classes
- In-Reply-To: note of 12/28/92 12:22
- Lines: 18
-
- We continue pursuing the bad answer mainly because no one will seriously
- entertain a better answer. Extensive reading and writing need to be pervasive
- in the K-16 curriculum. Reading and writing should be as much a part of a
- student's life as breathing. But that is not happening and does not seem
- likely to happen. So we fall back on focused instruction as a poor
- alternative. We could eliminate the comp requirement and still have enough
- work to support our graduate students and ourselves. Students who want writing
- courses could get them. But if we think that other disciplines would take up
- their responsibility for teaching reading and writing when faced with students
- who read and write poorly, let us not hold our breath. As class sizes grow at
- all levels and in all disciplines, I suspect that other strategies willbe
- tried first--eliminating required writing and making information available
- through media other than print. Interesting possibilities.
-
- -- David E. Schwalm, Assoc. Provost for Academic Programs
- ___Arizona State University West
- ___4701 West Thunderbird Rd.
- ___Phoenix, AZ 85069-7100___(602) 543-4500
-