Travis Webster, University of Maryland, “Rethinking Professionalization: Assembling Disparate Ideas of What Counts”

Matthew Cox, East Carolina University, “Rethinking Technology as Foundation: Culture and Context as Core in Professional Writing”

WEBSTER
(This is only part of what Webster covered.)
Provides background: Presentation is about tracing relationships. He currently teaches an undergraduate digital writing course. He has taught and worked in writing centers. Webster noticed that his students were downplaying writing center (WC) experience. Webster noticed that rarely did consultants market their consulting experience as more than job experience. WC consulting could be resituated and connected or related to other industries: business, law, medicine, etc.

Webster draws on WC theory, experience teaching digital writing, and his own experience. Interviewed students and asked them to position their WC experience.

Interviewees recognized eventually that the WC skills they developed are used and marketed in many workplaces in many ways. They knew they were using their WC skills in the workplace, but it often took time for them to develop that awareness. An improved or broader awareness of WCs and WC work can help students position themselves more effectively when they graduate. This awareness could help students as well as faculty who work with students in WCs or students who are or have been WC consulatants.

COX

Cox asserts cultural conversations, approaches, and rhetorics as foundations for work in the professional writing classroom. Would like to encourage our students to consider how their "personal" class, race, gender, abilities, etc., interact with professional writing theories and practice. Acknowledges how sticky or difficult that can be.

Theoretical grounding: working against pervasive cultural belief where technology is always good or at least neutral. Links to Bourdieu and Althusser made. Cox sees technology as an ideological state apparatus.

Embodying this (personally) in the classroom: how do you come out in the classroom? Discuss news stories?

Sometimes the most uncomfortable conversations are the most valuable ones.

Hard to textually capture Cox's strong ethos and presence in his presentation. Moved fluidly through the discussion/presentation.

Examples of Cultural-centric Heuristics

Apparent Feminism: Erin Clark Frost

Working Closets: Matthew Cox

Critical Race Thoery, Dis/ability theory/rhetorics, and so on

Encourages contact to get a copy of his handout/pdf.

What did I miss?

What would you like to see more of next year?