Working With Faculty Partners to Change Conceptions of Writing Beyond University Walls

Abstract

This article argues that writing across the curriculum (WAC) programs are well-positioned to change not only faculty (and student) conceptions around writing within the university, but also to collaborate with disciplinary faculty who have crossed conceptual thresholds about writing and work together with them to advocate for changed conceptions of writing beyond the university. Faculty can and do change their conceptions around writing when engaging in WAC programming that is intentionally designed around conceptual and systemic change. Similar methods for change-focused work can also be used beyond the university, and disciplinary faculty can become ambassadors and messengers in our efforts to help change public misconceptions of writing. This article argues for and demonstrates how to take advantage of the methods and heuristics used in WAC programming to reach the larger public through the example of the online Miami Writing Institute, designed around common myths about writing and alternative threshold concepts based in writing research.