Thesis (PH.D.) -- Syracuse University, 2004. / "Publication number AAT 3149055."

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Universität Bonn, 1983. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-224).

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Texas State University--San Marcos, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 62-65). Also available on microfilm.

While there has been a strong history of using personal electronic devices in education, more recent endeavors have worked to establish the place of contemporary mobile devices (smartphones and tablets) in post-secondary education. However, these devices do not seem fully realized and leveraged as a useful tool in many curricula, particularly in the field of composition. This work seeks to explore the potential for integrating mobile technologies in writing courses and writing centers in ways that value contemporary composition pedagogy and in ways people actually use smartphones. Such an approach consists primarily of unpacking the usage patterns, user experiences, and attendant attitudes of those who would be primary users of this technology, thereby better understanding how to more effectively craft meaningful, mobile learning applications for composition students. Towards those ends, a mobile web application was developed and tested in two scenes: first-year composition classrooms and an intensive summer bridge program for incoming freshmen.

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Public Management, 2017. / Different pedagogies, and writing styles have not only over the years transformed the face of academia, but have played a pivotal role in shaping diverse curricula and contributing to their development. In pursuit of attaining suitable models that have administrative and operational frameworks that address the ever-growing myriad multicultural world we live in today; different models and facilities have been developed to keep up with the development of academic literacies. The overall aim of this research was to investigate a model Writing Centre (WrC) and how its pedagogic, operational and administrative framework contributes to the growth of curricular in an institution of higher education. The study examined the power relations of the tutor and tutee relationship, as explained by the critical discourse analysis and how it adopts the customer contact theory to focus on the intangible assets of the student. The researcher used mixed methods analysis to be able to understand perceptions, views, expectations and experiences by students to explore the different ontologies and epistemologies associated with curriculum development. Finally, the research concluded that a positive contribution to growth for teaching is defined by the pedagogic, operational and administrative framework of a given WrC. It is however, imperative to note that the model can move away from what ought to be but still work, as the phenomenon of a WrC is informed by the institution in which it is birthed. Thus, the findings of this study are not disconfirmed by previous theories and research on similar efforts, but rather add to the already existent knowledge base on writing centres. / D

First Year Composition (FYC) instructors are often left to puzzle out the larger meaning of the most ubiquitous course in our field for themselves; consequently, goals for the course are frequently selected by the instructor, and are not always most effective for laying a groundwork of lifelong learning and education, or paideia. This lack of clear and unifying goals for the course is illustrated by a piece of 2005 scholarship that points to multiple focuses for FYC, each different in its values and aims. FYC is an important course for students, not only because it is one of only a few writing courses students must take, but also because it is often required as part of a general education core. Because it is such an important course, it is imperative that we identify a unified set of goals for FYC—a set of goals that work toward a larger goal of paideia, or preparation for lifelong learning and citizenship. Some well-received and recently popularized approaches to the course try and fail to meet this criteria of enhancing students' pursuit of paideia, namely goals of teaching course-specific genres and general writing skills. Rather than continuing in these problematic to FYC, we must adopt a rhetorical paideia focus and seek to achieve the goals of rhetorical paideia in our courses. We must help students gain insights, through their development as writers, into their world (phronesis) and themselves (self knowledge), and FYC is the vehicle through which we can accomplish these goals.