Introduction

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusions

References

Introduction

This webtext's primary purpose is to describe the results of a multi-part study that sought answers to the following research questions:

• Which paths lead faculty to teach writing courses online?
• How do faculty prepare to teach writing online, or how are they prepared by their departments and institutions?
• In what sort of professional development opportunities do online writing instructors participate? What is being offered and by whom?
• How are institutions of higher learning and the various units within these institutions supporting online writing instructors?

The webtext also responds to a call to action issued by Beth Hewett and Christa Ehmann Powers. In "How Do You Ground Your Training?" (2005), Hewett and Ehmann Powers write, "the subject of preparing educators for online writing instruction is insufficiently discussed in published literature and only cursorily addressed at professional conferences and within relatively small professional listservs." This continues to be the case as Hewett and Ehmann Powers note in their (2007) guest editors' introduction to a special issue of Technical Communication Quarterly.

A variety of published resources cover eLearning-related faculty development in general, and a significant body of literature addresses principles of effective online instruction. A portion of the latter even addresses the teaching of writing in online environments. Yet, as Hewett and Ehmann point out, sufficient attention has not been paid to the preparation, development, and support of online writing instructors.

As online course offerings and, in some cases, incentives for teaching online increase in response to institutional pressures, student demand, or other mitigating factors, it behooves departments of English, writing programs, and other stakeholders to pay attention to what online writing instructors are saying about their experiences and needs. Staying informed increases the likelihood that stakeholders will be ready to participate in decision making and to negotiate for appropriate resources and support.

Methods >