Graduate Students, Professionals, Intellectuals

Professionalizing Multimodal Composition

“…A professional is someone who can carry out a certain activity with a higher level of skill and knowledge than an amateur and someone who is paid for it sufficiently to base their own livelihood on that activity" (26-27). However, as Richard Ohmann (1990) discusses in his College English article, the process and practices of professionalization are contentious in nature.…”

“…Wouldn't it be contentious if we started talking about a need for a degree in a particular subject area, let alone certification or credentialing to qualify as a faculty member to teach multimodal composition, or firstyear composition for that matter? We are not arguing here that we devise gatekeeping measures, as Ohmann (1990) describes above, but we must ensure our faculty have academic and professional preparation to teach multimodal composition competently and effectively.…”

Table of Contents

“…By setting admission practices, retention of students, mentoring, and sponsorship for employment, established professionals regulate which (and how many) new professionals will be brought into the field (Ohmann, 1990). By setting admission practices, retention of students, mentoring, and sponsorship for employment, established professionals regulate which (and how many) new professionals will be brought into the field (Ohmann, 1990).…”

“…They have a major responsibility for shaping a professional self-image that is presumably congruent with a student's total self (Ohmann, 1990). They have a major responsibility for shaping a professional self-image that is presumably congruent with a student's total self (Ohmann, 1990).…”

“…The select few who penetrate the private domain are permitted to share that life with increasing opportunity and support for participating in research, publication, and presentations at professional meetings (Ohmann, 1990). Once admitted to a graduate program, certain incumbents become privileged entrants into the private world of the scholar.…”