writing Archives — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

The Forgotten Man We Need Now for College Writing Reform

Jun 1, 2018 · John Maguire · No Comments

Academia has a long history of ignoring original minds who push their fields forward. There was the monk Gregor Mendel, who experimented with cross-breeding peas in his monastery garden. His work was forgotten until it was rediscovered after his death and became the foundation of genetics. Austrian physician Ignaz Semmelweis had a similar fate. Semmelweis … Continue reading “The Forgotten Man We Need Now for College Writing Reform”

How Much of an Effect Do University Writing Programs Have?

May 14, 2018 · Anthony Hennen · No Comments

The list of top-rated college writing programs is dominated by private institutions. But North Carolina State University is one of only a few public universities to break through. It is well-respected for how it teaches writing. According to a 2017 U.S News & World Report poll, NC State’s writing program is #12 in the nation … Continue reading “How Much of an Effect Do University Writing Programs Have?”

Faculty in Denial about Own Role in Decline of Humanities Jun 20, 2018
If you want to see one example of why a new populism has emerged in American universities in the last 10 years, take a look at a statement issued last week by the Association of University Professors and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. The incapacity of the experts and professionals who wrote the … Continue reading “Faculty in Denial about Own Role in Decline of Humanities”
Are North Carolina Universities Biased? Look at What Students Are Reading Jun 18, 2018
North Carolina just added a new layer of meaning to its motto, First in Flight. This time the state is the first in the nation to get campus free speech off the runway. The North Carolina Campus Free Speech Act lofts the idea that college students and invited speakers have a right to express … Continue reading “Are North Carolina Universities Biased? Look at What Students Are Reading”
Teacher Training and the Construction of Illiteracy Jun 15, 2018
No cliché is more ubiquitous at teacher protests than signs that read, “if you can read this sign, thank a teacher.” That is, unless you disregard variations on the theme of “pay us more.” And yet, student performance on national and international tests suggest that the reading comprehension of most American students does not extend … Continue reading “Teacher Training and the Construction of Illiteracy”

Proposed Bills Could Improve Teacher Quality in the Tar Heel State Jun 11, 2018
Increasing teacher pay to improve teaching quality has grabbed media attention for months. But North Carolina’s General Assembly has been trying to figure out how to get better teachers into the classroom in other ways, too. Three proposed bills have a chance to make a difference. But what makes them stand out from other education … Continue reading “Proposed Bills Could Improve Teacher Quality in the Tar Heel State”
At This New College, Yes to Latin and Hiking but No to Cellphones and Federal Aid Jun 8, 2018
This spring, graduates throughout America will exit their institutions with diplomas that signify little about real learning. But Wyoming Catholic College, my institution, is immune to this disconnect. When 31 students graduated from Wyoming Catholic on May 12th, they held a weighty diploma. Why? Because the college’s core curriculum has sacrificed neither great books nor—and … Continue reading “At This New College, Yes to Latin and Hiking but No to Cellphones and Federal Aid”
The Forgotten Man We Need Now for College Writing Reform Jun 1, 2018
Academia has a long history of ignoring original minds who push their fields forward. There was the monk Gregor Mendel, who experimented with cross-breeding peas in his monastery garden. His work was forgotten until it was rediscovered after his death and became the foundation of genetics. Austrian physician Ignaz Semmelweis had a similar fate. Semmelweis … Continue reading “The Forgotten Man We Need Now for College Writing Reform”

Faculty in Denial about Own Role in Decline of Humanities Jun 20, 2018
If you want to see one example of why a new populism has emerged in American universities in the last 10 years, take a look at a statement issued last week by the Association of University Professors and the Association of American Colleges and Universities. The incapacity of the experts and professionals who wrote the … Continue reading “Faculty in Denial about Own Role in Decline of Humanities”
Are North Carolina Universities Biased? Look at What Students Are Reading Jun 18, 2018
North Carolina just added a new layer of meaning to its motto, First in Flight. This time the state is the first in the nation to get campus free speech off the runway. The North Carolina Campus Free Speech Act lofts the idea that college students and invited speakers have a right to express … Continue reading “Are North Carolina Universities Biased? Look at What Students Are Reading”
Teacher Training and the Construction of Illiteracy Jun 15, 2018
No cliché is more ubiquitous at teacher protests than signs that read, “if you can read this sign, thank a teacher.” That is, unless you disregard variations on the theme of “pay us more.” And yet, student performance on national and international tests suggest that the reading comprehension of most American students does not extend … Continue reading “Teacher Training and the Construction of Illiteracy”