arf writing circle ppt 12.12.14
TRANSCRIPT
From Literature Study Groups to Literature Circles to Writing Circles
Sherron Killingsworth Roberts Professor of Language Arts and LIteracyNorine Blanch Doctoral StudentNandita Gurjar Doctoral Student
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
Goals for today
bull To outline the history of writing circles
bull To describe the process products and perceptions of teacher candidates who participated in writing circles
bull To share a mixed method pilot study which qualitatively explored and quantitatively measured the self-reported perceptions of teacher candidates about authorship and writing collaboratively
The evolution of WRITING CIRCLES
bull Writing circles (Vopat 2009) are a recent innovation on the earlier beloved format of literature circles based on Social Learning Theory
bull Once known as literature study groups (Peterson amp Eeds 1990) literature circles are small collaborative reading groups that are populated by students who choose the same book to read discuss and celebrate (Daniels 2002) Research reports that literature circles raise the level of discourse even more than higher order teacher questioning and increase ownership and collaboration skills (Commeyras amp Sumner 1996 Galdaamp Beach 2001)
bull Evolving tohellip
WHAT ARE WRITING CIRCLES
Why were writing circles introduced to teacher candidates as a collaborative writing strategy
The state of writing in the US is a concern
NAEP writing (2002) only 22-26 of students (4812) scored at the proficient level 72 of 4th graders 69 of 8th graders and 77 of 12th graders did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals
NAEP writing (2011) reported 24 of 12th gradersrsquo scored at a proficient writing level 52 performed at the Basic level leaving 21 below the basic level an alarming 73 did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals at all (p8)
Through a meta analysis of research collaborative writing is among the 11 elements of current writing instruction found to be effective for helping adolescent students learn to write well and to use writing as a tool for learning (Graham amp Perin 2007) Effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16) ndash Recommendation for writing intervention
So creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging
teachers in authentic writing experiences (Graves 1983 1994 Murray 2003)
attempting to model the most recent pedagogical methods for teacher candidates
Purpose The purpose of this mixed method pilot
study is to qualitatively explore and
quantitatively measure the self-reported
perceptions of teacher candidates about
authorship and writing collaboratively
Research Questions for Pilot Study1 How do teacher candidates self-report their
perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
Methodological Design for Pilot StudyThis is a mixed method design utilizing a post-pre
retrospective survey with a phenomenological lens for the analysis of qualitative data and using
nonparametric ranked data for the quantitative component
WHAT
Pilot study sample of convenience
28 teacher candidates
Undergraduate elementary majors
Enrolled in language arts methods course
WHO
Survey Reflection for Writing Circle
After a semester of participating in a new pedagogical strategy entitled writing circles (Vopat 2009) would you mind if I pick your brain about your collaborative writing experience If you choose to volunteer to respond be assured that your individual answers will not be identified and only aggregate data will be reported Many thanks 1 How would you rank yourself as an author BEFORE this semester began Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak2 How would you rank yourself as an author at the END of the semester Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak3 Please comment on participating in writing circles at the BEGINNING of the semester What were your perceptions then Does anything stand out to you
4 Now looking back what was the best thing about joining a writing circle
5 What was the least favorite thing about being a member of a writing circle
6 How did the experience of writing collaboratively affect your attitude Your skillATTITUDE _____ Positively SKILL _____ Positively_____ Neutral _____ Neutral_____ Negatively _____ NegativelyPLEASE COMMENT
7 What have you learned from the process of writing circles
8 What will you take from this experience into your future classroom Or notDEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION What is your major ___ ELEM _____ EXEDCheck one ______ lt 25
______ 26-35______ 36-45
______ 46- 55______ 56+
Any prior experience as a writerauthor ____ In what ways________
To reveal the qualitative and quantitative
findings it is important to understand the story
of writing circles
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Goals for today
bull To outline the history of writing circles
bull To describe the process products and perceptions of teacher candidates who participated in writing circles
bull To share a mixed method pilot study which qualitatively explored and quantitatively measured the self-reported perceptions of teacher candidates about authorship and writing collaboratively
The evolution of WRITING CIRCLES
bull Writing circles (Vopat 2009) are a recent innovation on the earlier beloved format of literature circles based on Social Learning Theory
bull Once known as literature study groups (Peterson amp Eeds 1990) literature circles are small collaborative reading groups that are populated by students who choose the same book to read discuss and celebrate (Daniels 2002) Research reports that literature circles raise the level of discourse even more than higher order teacher questioning and increase ownership and collaboration skills (Commeyras amp Sumner 1996 Galdaamp Beach 2001)
bull Evolving tohellip
WHAT ARE WRITING CIRCLES
Why were writing circles introduced to teacher candidates as a collaborative writing strategy
The state of writing in the US is a concern
NAEP writing (2002) only 22-26 of students (4812) scored at the proficient level 72 of 4th graders 69 of 8th graders and 77 of 12th graders did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals
NAEP writing (2011) reported 24 of 12th gradersrsquo scored at a proficient writing level 52 performed at the Basic level leaving 21 below the basic level an alarming 73 did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals at all (p8)
Through a meta analysis of research collaborative writing is among the 11 elements of current writing instruction found to be effective for helping adolescent students learn to write well and to use writing as a tool for learning (Graham amp Perin 2007) Effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16) ndash Recommendation for writing intervention
So creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging
teachers in authentic writing experiences (Graves 1983 1994 Murray 2003)
attempting to model the most recent pedagogical methods for teacher candidates
Purpose The purpose of this mixed method pilot
study is to qualitatively explore and
quantitatively measure the self-reported
perceptions of teacher candidates about
authorship and writing collaboratively
Research Questions for Pilot Study1 How do teacher candidates self-report their
perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
Methodological Design for Pilot StudyThis is a mixed method design utilizing a post-pre
retrospective survey with a phenomenological lens for the analysis of qualitative data and using
nonparametric ranked data for the quantitative component
WHAT
Pilot study sample of convenience
28 teacher candidates
Undergraduate elementary majors
Enrolled in language arts methods course
WHO
Survey Reflection for Writing Circle
After a semester of participating in a new pedagogical strategy entitled writing circles (Vopat 2009) would you mind if I pick your brain about your collaborative writing experience If you choose to volunteer to respond be assured that your individual answers will not be identified and only aggregate data will be reported Many thanks 1 How would you rank yourself as an author BEFORE this semester began Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak2 How would you rank yourself as an author at the END of the semester Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak3 Please comment on participating in writing circles at the BEGINNING of the semester What were your perceptions then Does anything stand out to you
4 Now looking back what was the best thing about joining a writing circle
5 What was the least favorite thing about being a member of a writing circle
6 How did the experience of writing collaboratively affect your attitude Your skillATTITUDE _____ Positively SKILL _____ Positively_____ Neutral _____ Neutral_____ Negatively _____ NegativelyPLEASE COMMENT
7 What have you learned from the process of writing circles
8 What will you take from this experience into your future classroom Or notDEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION What is your major ___ ELEM _____ EXEDCheck one ______ lt 25
______ 26-35______ 36-45
______ 46- 55______ 56+
Any prior experience as a writerauthor ____ In what ways________
To reveal the qualitative and quantitative
findings it is important to understand the story
of writing circles
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
The evolution of WRITING CIRCLES
bull Writing circles (Vopat 2009) are a recent innovation on the earlier beloved format of literature circles based on Social Learning Theory
bull Once known as literature study groups (Peterson amp Eeds 1990) literature circles are small collaborative reading groups that are populated by students who choose the same book to read discuss and celebrate (Daniels 2002) Research reports that literature circles raise the level of discourse even more than higher order teacher questioning and increase ownership and collaboration skills (Commeyras amp Sumner 1996 Galdaamp Beach 2001)
bull Evolving tohellip
WHAT ARE WRITING CIRCLES
Why were writing circles introduced to teacher candidates as a collaborative writing strategy
The state of writing in the US is a concern
NAEP writing (2002) only 22-26 of students (4812) scored at the proficient level 72 of 4th graders 69 of 8th graders and 77 of 12th graders did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals
NAEP writing (2011) reported 24 of 12th gradersrsquo scored at a proficient writing level 52 performed at the Basic level leaving 21 below the basic level an alarming 73 did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals at all (p8)
Through a meta analysis of research collaborative writing is among the 11 elements of current writing instruction found to be effective for helping adolescent students learn to write well and to use writing as a tool for learning (Graham amp Perin 2007) Effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16) ndash Recommendation for writing intervention
So creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging
teachers in authentic writing experiences (Graves 1983 1994 Murray 2003)
attempting to model the most recent pedagogical methods for teacher candidates
Purpose The purpose of this mixed method pilot
study is to qualitatively explore and
quantitatively measure the self-reported
perceptions of teacher candidates about
authorship and writing collaboratively
Research Questions for Pilot Study1 How do teacher candidates self-report their
perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
Methodological Design for Pilot StudyThis is a mixed method design utilizing a post-pre
retrospective survey with a phenomenological lens for the analysis of qualitative data and using
nonparametric ranked data for the quantitative component
WHAT
Pilot study sample of convenience
28 teacher candidates
Undergraduate elementary majors
Enrolled in language arts methods course
WHO
Survey Reflection for Writing Circle
After a semester of participating in a new pedagogical strategy entitled writing circles (Vopat 2009) would you mind if I pick your brain about your collaborative writing experience If you choose to volunteer to respond be assured that your individual answers will not be identified and only aggregate data will be reported Many thanks 1 How would you rank yourself as an author BEFORE this semester began Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak2 How would you rank yourself as an author at the END of the semester Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak3 Please comment on participating in writing circles at the BEGINNING of the semester What were your perceptions then Does anything stand out to you
4 Now looking back what was the best thing about joining a writing circle
5 What was the least favorite thing about being a member of a writing circle
6 How did the experience of writing collaboratively affect your attitude Your skillATTITUDE _____ Positively SKILL _____ Positively_____ Neutral _____ Neutral_____ Negatively _____ NegativelyPLEASE COMMENT
7 What have you learned from the process of writing circles
8 What will you take from this experience into your future classroom Or notDEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION What is your major ___ ELEM _____ EXEDCheck one ______ lt 25
______ 26-35______ 36-45
______ 46- 55______ 56+
Any prior experience as a writerauthor ____ In what ways________
To reveal the qualitative and quantitative
findings it is important to understand the story
of writing circles
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
WHAT ARE WRITING CIRCLES
Why were writing circles introduced to teacher candidates as a collaborative writing strategy
The state of writing in the US is a concern
NAEP writing (2002) only 22-26 of students (4812) scored at the proficient level 72 of 4th graders 69 of 8th graders and 77 of 12th graders did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals
NAEP writing (2011) reported 24 of 12th gradersrsquo scored at a proficient writing level 52 performed at the Basic level leaving 21 below the basic level an alarming 73 did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals at all (p8)
Through a meta analysis of research collaborative writing is among the 11 elements of current writing instruction found to be effective for helping adolescent students learn to write well and to use writing as a tool for learning (Graham amp Perin 2007) Effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16) ndash Recommendation for writing intervention
So creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging
teachers in authentic writing experiences (Graves 1983 1994 Murray 2003)
attempting to model the most recent pedagogical methods for teacher candidates
Purpose The purpose of this mixed method pilot
study is to qualitatively explore and
quantitatively measure the self-reported
perceptions of teacher candidates about
authorship and writing collaboratively
Research Questions for Pilot Study1 How do teacher candidates self-report their
perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
Methodological Design for Pilot StudyThis is a mixed method design utilizing a post-pre
retrospective survey with a phenomenological lens for the analysis of qualitative data and using
nonparametric ranked data for the quantitative component
WHAT
Pilot study sample of convenience
28 teacher candidates
Undergraduate elementary majors
Enrolled in language arts methods course
WHO
Survey Reflection for Writing Circle
After a semester of participating in a new pedagogical strategy entitled writing circles (Vopat 2009) would you mind if I pick your brain about your collaborative writing experience If you choose to volunteer to respond be assured that your individual answers will not be identified and only aggregate data will be reported Many thanks 1 How would you rank yourself as an author BEFORE this semester began Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak2 How would you rank yourself as an author at the END of the semester Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak3 Please comment on participating in writing circles at the BEGINNING of the semester What were your perceptions then Does anything stand out to you
4 Now looking back what was the best thing about joining a writing circle
5 What was the least favorite thing about being a member of a writing circle
6 How did the experience of writing collaboratively affect your attitude Your skillATTITUDE _____ Positively SKILL _____ Positively_____ Neutral _____ Neutral_____ Negatively _____ NegativelyPLEASE COMMENT
7 What have you learned from the process of writing circles
8 What will you take from this experience into your future classroom Or notDEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION What is your major ___ ELEM _____ EXEDCheck one ______ lt 25
______ 26-35______ 36-45
______ 46- 55______ 56+
Any prior experience as a writerauthor ____ In what ways________
To reveal the qualitative and quantitative
findings it is important to understand the story
of writing circles
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Why were writing circles introduced to teacher candidates as a collaborative writing strategy
The state of writing in the US is a concern
NAEP writing (2002) only 22-26 of students (4812) scored at the proficient level 72 of 4th graders 69 of 8th graders and 77 of 12th graders did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals
NAEP writing (2011) reported 24 of 12th gradersrsquo scored at a proficient writing level 52 performed at the Basic level leaving 21 below the basic level an alarming 73 did not meet NAEP writing proficiency goals at all (p8)
Through a meta analysis of research collaborative writing is among the 11 elements of current writing instruction found to be effective for helping adolescent students learn to write well and to use writing as a tool for learning (Graham amp Perin 2007) Effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16) ndash Recommendation for writing intervention
So creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging
teachers in authentic writing experiences (Graves 1983 1994 Murray 2003)
attempting to model the most recent pedagogical methods for teacher candidates
Purpose The purpose of this mixed method pilot
study is to qualitatively explore and
quantitatively measure the self-reported
perceptions of teacher candidates about
authorship and writing collaboratively
Research Questions for Pilot Study1 How do teacher candidates self-report their
perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
Methodological Design for Pilot StudyThis is a mixed method design utilizing a post-pre
retrospective survey with a phenomenological lens for the analysis of qualitative data and using
nonparametric ranked data for the quantitative component
WHAT
Pilot study sample of convenience
28 teacher candidates
Undergraduate elementary majors
Enrolled in language arts methods course
WHO
Survey Reflection for Writing Circle
After a semester of participating in a new pedagogical strategy entitled writing circles (Vopat 2009) would you mind if I pick your brain about your collaborative writing experience If you choose to volunteer to respond be assured that your individual answers will not be identified and only aggregate data will be reported Many thanks 1 How would you rank yourself as an author BEFORE this semester began Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak2 How would you rank yourself as an author at the END of the semester Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak3 Please comment on participating in writing circles at the BEGINNING of the semester What were your perceptions then Does anything stand out to you
4 Now looking back what was the best thing about joining a writing circle
5 What was the least favorite thing about being a member of a writing circle
6 How did the experience of writing collaboratively affect your attitude Your skillATTITUDE _____ Positively SKILL _____ Positively_____ Neutral _____ Neutral_____ Negatively _____ NegativelyPLEASE COMMENT
7 What have you learned from the process of writing circles
8 What will you take from this experience into your future classroom Or notDEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION What is your major ___ ELEM _____ EXEDCheck one ______ lt 25
______ 26-35______ 36-45
______ 46- 55______ 56+
Any prior experience as a writerauthor ____ In what ways________
To reveal the qualitative and quantitative
findings it is important to understand the story
of writing circles
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Purpose The purpose of this mixed method pilot
study is to qualitatively explore and
quantitatively measure the self-reported
perceptions of teacher candidates about
authorship and writing collaboratively
Research Questions for Pilot Study1 How do teacher candidates self-report their
perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
Methodological Design for Pilot StudyThis is a mixed method design utilizing a post-pre
retrospective survey with a phenomenological lens for the analysis of qualitative data and using
nonparametric ranked data for the quantitative component
WHAT
Pilot study sample of convenience
28 teacher candidates
Undergraduate elementary majors
Enrolled in language arts methods course
WHO
Survey Reflection for Writing Circle
After a semester of participating in a new pedagogical strategy entitled writing circles (Vopat 2009) would you mind if I pick your brain about your collaborative writing experience If you choose to volunteer to respond be assured that your individual answers will not be identified and only aggregate data will be reported Many thanks 1 How would you rank yourself as an author BEFORE this semester began Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak2 How would you rank yourself as an author at the END of the semester Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak3 Please comment on participating in writing circles at the BEGINNING of the semester What were your perceptions then Does anything stand out to you
4 Now looking back what was the best thing about joining a writing circle
5 What was the least favorite thing about being a member of a writing circle
6 How did the experience of writing collaboratively affect your attitude Your skillATTITUDE _____ Positively SKILL _____ Positively_____ Neutral _____ Neutral_____ Negatively _____ NegativelyPLEASE COMMENT
7 What have you learned from the process of writing circles
8 What will you take from this experience into your future classroom Or notDEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION What is your major ___ ELEM _____ EXEDCheck one ______ lt 25
______ 26-35______ 36-45
______ 46- 55______ 56+
Any prior experience as a writerauthor ____ In what ways________
To reveal the qualitative and quantitative
findings it is important to understand the story
of writing circles
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Research Questions for Pilot Study1 How do teacher candidates self-report their
perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
Methodological Design for Pilot StudyThis is a mixed method design utilizing a post-pre
retrospective survey with a phenomenological lens for the analysis of qualitative data and using
nonparametric ranked data for the quantitative component
WHAT
Pilot study sample of convenience
28 teacher candidates
Undergraduate elementary majors
Enrolled in language arts methods course
WHO
Survey Reflection for Writing Circle
After a semester of participating in a new pedagogical strategy entitled writing circles (Vopat 2009) would you mind if I pick your brain about your collaborative writing experience If you choose to volunteer to respond be assured that your individual answers will not be identified and only aggregate data will be reported Many thanks 1 How would you rank yourself as an author BEFORE this semester began Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak2 How would you rank yourself as an author at the END of the semester Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak3 Please comment on participating in writing circles at the BEGINNING of the semester What were your perceptions then Does anything stand out to you
4 Now looking back what was the best thing about joining a writing circle
5 What was the least favorite thing about being a member of a writing circle
6 How did the experience of writing collaboratively affect your attitude Your skillATTITUDE _____ Positively SKILL _____ Positively_____ Neutral _____ Neutral_____ Negatively _____ NegativelyPLEASE COMMENT
7 What have you learned from the process of writing circles
8 What will you take from this experience into your future classroom Or notDEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION What is your major ___ ELEM _____ EXEDCheck one ______ lt 25
______ 26-35______ 36-45
______ 46- 55______ 56+
Any prior experience as a writerauthor ____ In what ways________
To reveal the qualitative and quantitative
findings it is important to understand the story
of writing circles
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Pilot study sample of convenience
28 teacher candidates
Undergraduate elementary majors
Enrolled in language arts methods course
WHO
Survey Reflection for Writing Circle
After a semester of participating in a new pedagogical strategy entitled writing circles (Vopat 2009) would you mind if I pick your brain about your collaborative writing experience If you choose to volunteer to respond be assured that your individual answers will not be identified and only aggregate data will be reported Many thanks 1 How would you rank yourself as an author BEFORE this semester began Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak2 How would you rank yourself as an author at the END of the semester Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak3 Please comment on participating in writing circles at the BEGINNING of the semester What were your perceptions then Does anything stand out to you
4 Now looking back what was the best thing about joining a writing circle
5 What was the least favorite thing about being a member of a writing circle
6 How did the experience of writing collaboratively affect your attitude Your skillATTITUDE _____ Positively SKILL _____ Positively_____ Neutral _____ Neutral_____ Negatively _____ NegativelyPLEASE COMMENT
7 What have you learned from the process of writing circles
8 What will you take from this experience into your future classroom Or notDEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION What is your major ___ ELEM _____ EXEDCheck one ______ lt 25
______ 26-35______ 36-45
______ 46- 55______ 56+
Any prior experience as a writerauthor ____ In what ways________
To reveal the qualitative and quantitative
findings it is important to understand the story
of writing circles
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Survey Reflection for Writing Circle
After a semester of participating in a new pedagogical strategy entitled writing circles (Vopat 2009) would you mind if I pick your brain about your collaborative writing experience If you choose to volunteer to respond be assured that your individual answers will not be identified and only aggregate data will be reported Many thanks 1 How would you rank yourself as an author BEFORE this semester began Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak2 How would you rank yourself as an author at the END of the semester Circle one
5-strong 3-avg 1-weak3 Please comment on participating in writing circles at the BEGINNING of the semester What were your perceptions then Does anything stand out to you
4 Now looking back what was the best thing about joining a writing circle
5 What was the least favorite thing about being a member of a writing circle
6 How did the experience of writing collaboratively affect your attitude Your skillATTITUDE _____ Positively SKILL _____ Positively_____ Neutral _____ Neutral_____ Negatively _____ NegativelyPLEASE COMMENT
7 What have you learned from the process of writing circles
8 What will you take from this experience into your future classroom Or notDEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION What is your major ___ ELEM _____ EXEDCheck one ______ lt 25
______ 26-35______ 36-45
______ 46- 55______ 56+
Any prior experience as a writerauthor ____ In what ways________
To reveal the qualitative and quantitative
findings it is important to understand the story
of writing circles
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Essential Elements of Writing Circles
Studentsteacher Candidates
Name the group
Choose a writing topic
Sharerespond
Reflect in WC notebook
Collaborate to reviseeditpublish
Teacherprofessor
Conducts minilessons + mentor texts
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Invigorating experimentation
bull My students faces grinned widely when they noticed literature circles on the syllabus
bull because they had been exposed to this format in earlier coursework
bull However when I explained the concept of collaborative writing through writing circles some faces looked a bit nervous One group even named themselves the Worry Warts
bull This presentation attempts to tell the story of teacher candidates evolving as writers through a new strategy called writing circles
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Generating ideas amp forming groups (Roberts) or
Forming groups amp generating ideas (Vopat 2009)
bull As a whole the class generated a list of 10-12 possible ideas amp volunteers who were passionate about one of the topics formed groups
bull Then we proceeded to see if we had enough people to form a viable group of about 5-7 members
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Getting started in Writing Circles
bull Vopat did however think of practical components that I would have overlooked
bull 1 We need a NAME
bull 2 We need a folder with pockets for each group
bull 3 Discuss why you chose this grouphellip
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Some helps along the wayhellip
bull Affinity exercise with post-its
bull Move to web mindmap bubblemap outline
bull Avoid intro amp concl at first
bull Launch in the body assigning parts
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
The Story of Writing Circles minilessons
bull Generating a stmt of the problemmdashFind the focusbull Writing-go-roundbull Transitions amp guiding sentencesbull Effectively using subtitlesbull Erradicating Empty Wordsbull Adding details that breath life into the topicbull Setting up googledocsbull Using accurate language aligned throughoutbull Titles echo echo echohellipbull Writing a compelling introbull Creating a strong finishbull Writing a cover letterbull APA style references
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Schedule for writing circles
bull 5-10 min of minilesson
bull 10-20 min of application amp planning
bull Teacher walking amp facilitating process
bull Itrsquos about the process
bull Itrsquos not about product yet
The following literature review reveals support for social learning and development writing process writing circles collaboration amp
collaborative writing workplace writing writing improvement and situated motivation
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Researched Support for Writing CirclesWhy ndash shed fear of blank page build fluency develop confidence learn content explore
text structures (Vopat p2)
Immediate response from an audience with no waiting for teacher comments affirm the social aspect of writing the human interaction and solitary inscription together (Gere1987)
Learners expect amp enjoy being listened to builds confidence fluency joy and delight takes writing to the next level is low
risk friendly and supportive (Vopat p6)
Writing circles help learners become better writers through a recurrent workshop structure that defines an ongoing supportive audience honors and develops writing voice encourages experimentation and collaboration and rehabilitates the writing
wounded through low risk writing experiences (p6)
Low risk writing is not necessarily low guilt It means the pressure is off each kid can be successful and take writing risks
without fear of penalty or failure (Vopat p69)Connect with one
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Historical GroundingResearch on Writing Process
Donald Murray (1982) 70 of the time should be devoted to prewriting including Choosing a topic (Graves 1976 Chandler-Olcott and
Mahar) jotting ideas in a notebook (Fletcher1996) considering purpose (Halliday 1975) audience and genre
(Langer1985 Hilyard 1983)
Graves (2003) calls these activities of generating gathering ideas to be ldquorehearsal activitiesrdquoGraves (1983 1984) Creating authors is best facilitated by participating in authentic writing experiences creating positive and effective writing teachers is best facilitated by engaging teachers in authentic writing experiences
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Theoretical Grounding in Social Learning
Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development
Bandura Learn new info and
behavior by watching
others
People are intrinsically
motivated to imitate when filled with personal pride satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment
An individualrsquos self-perception of writing ability is a decisive factor in their subsequent writing growth (Vopat 2009 p19)
Social interaction plays a role in the development of cognition and learning
When people interact with others they more naturally absorb and strengthen their knowledge than they otherwise might if they were learning on their own (Bailey 2014 p 18)
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Graham S amp Perin D (2007) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high schools
Graham and Perin (2007) posit that in order to motivate a mass of more proficient writers and communicators collaboration is a vital key reform idea to better prepare Americarsquos youth for the realities of a changing workplace If students are to learn they must write (p2)
National Commission on Writing If students are to learn they must write (p2)
Writing well is not just an option for young people it is a necessity (p3)
ldquoSilent majorityrdquo of students lack writing proficiency but donrsquot receive additional help (p3)
Defined as the use of instructional arrangements in which adolescents work together to plan draft revise and edit their compositions
Teaching adolescents strategies for planning revising and editing their compositions has shown a dramatic effect on the quality of studentsrsquo writing We must explicitly teach steps to prewrite revise and edit (Graham 2006)
The effect sizes for all studies comparing collaborative writing with independent writing were positive and large (p16)
When students help each other with one or more aspects of writing it has a strong positive impact on quality (p16)
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
NCTE (2004) NCTE beliefs about the teaching of writing Retrieved fromhttpwwwncteorgpositionsstatementswritingbeliefs
Everyone has the capacity to write writers can be taught and teacher can help students become better writers ndash what teachers do makes a difference in how much students are capable of achieving as writers lifetime professional development teachers of writing should be well-versed in composition theory and research
People learn to write by writing ndash practice ndash a lot Writers learn from each session with their hands on a keyboard or around a pencil as they draft rethink revise and draft again
Writing instruction must include ample in-class and out-of-class opportunities and should include writing for variety of purposes and audiences
Writing is a process ndash writing instruction must also take into account that a good deal of workplace writing and other writing takes place in collaborative situations Writers must learn to work effectively with one another
Writing is a tool for thinking ndash the act of writing generates ideas Writing grows out of many different purposes ndash developing social networks engaging in
civic discourse communicating professionally and academically building relationships with others engaging in aesthetic experiences ndash teachers create opportunities for students to be indifferent kinds of writing situations where the relationships and agendas are varied
Literate practices are embedded in complicated social relationships ndash in workplace and academic settings writers write because someone in authority tells them to ndash power relationships are built into the writing situation
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop
Provide a structure for a neglected part of what kids need to become better writers independent small group collaboration to motivate and support student-directed writing (p8)
Frees up the teacher to participate minilesson and conference-- students can write everyday but need specific supportive responses Teachers canrsquot conference one-on-one everyday but kids can with each other
Keys to successful writing circle collaboration kids feel comfortable writing sharing and discussing clear guidelines in place predictable structure kids understand responsibilities mechanisms and strategies to help kids reach consensus (p10)
Writing circles are seed beds where writing ideas germinate and quality writing grows (p18)
Writing circles welcome all kids at their level of writing ability celebrate that writing and help them take their skill to the next level
Writing circles build confidence and is really a reparative activity where students will succeed for the first time ever (p19)
Writing circles become publishing circles when their purpose shifts from generating drafts to preparing a more fully developed final piece agent illustrator reviewer editor and author
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Situated Motivation
Choice of topic permitted
The ideas and comments of peers that encourage the learner to explore ideas further
More willing to emulate peers
Obligation to meet the grouprsquos timelinesand collaborative goals
More persistent and sustained effort
Feedback that comes from within the group is typically more powerfully received than the teachermanagerrsquos suggestions for improving manuscripts
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Rachel Rimmershaw
Collaboration is a widely seen practice in the workplace ndash ldquocollaborative activities in pursuit of common goalsrdquo (p1)
Collaborative writing can be seen as a social process (p1)
The term collaborative writing does not define a commonly-accepted practice It could be two or more people working on one paper many authorsrsquo names on one piece of writing many individual pieces of writing with collaboration of ideas through the writing process
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What Do Co-authors Do Use and Like SYLVIE NOEumlL amp JEAN-MARC ROBERT
bull Writing is a long and complex task and many authors try to shorten the production time lighten their workload or improve the final result by pooling resources (p63)
bull Noel amp Robert found that respondents thought a grouprsquos effort resulted in a better document than when they worked individually (p64)
bull Ede amp Lundsford (1990) Group writing includes any writing done in collaboration with one or more persons with approx 87 of the documents produced had at least two authors (p64)
bull ADVANTAGES Getting several viewpoints using different expertise reducing errors and obtaining a better more accurate text (p65)
bull DISADVANTAGES Integrating everyonersquos writing into a single style longer time to accomplish dividing the tasks equitably and a diffusion of responsibility (p65)
bull Sharples et al (1991) longitudinal partitioning the work is divided into sequential stages and each stage is allocated to a different person or sub-group
bull In parallel partitioning the document is divided into sections and each person or sub-group works on a different section in parallel to the others
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Perkins-Gough D (2010) MetLife survey Collaboration improves job satisfaction Educational Leadership 67
Increased teacher collaboration has the potential to improve school climate and teacher career satisfaction ndash writing circles in teacher candidate training is beneficial for demonstrating the power of this innovation to improve writing and prepare teacher candidates for collaboration in the workplace setting
The new generation of teachers will expect even more collaboration ndash teachers with lt5 years of teaching experience are more likely than those with gt20 yrs of experience to say their success is linked to that of their colleagues (67 compared to 47)
67 of teachers believe that increased collaboration among teachers and school leaders would greatly improve student achievement
SOhellip If collaborationcollaborative writing is important for student writing improvement and collaboration in the workplace improves performance teacher candidates should experience collaborative writing so they understand the power of this innovation and the process of implementing writing circles in their own future classrooms The following qualitative findings help us to understand teacher perceptions of this collaborative writing practice
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Research Questions for Pilot Study
1 How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
2 What shifts in attitudes about authorship do teacher candidates self-report
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
EXPLORINGSelf-reported Growth as Authors
How do teacher candidates self-report their perceptions of themselves as authorswriters
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Qualitative Themes
RELATIONSHIPS
IDEAS
FEEDBACK
IMPROVEMENT
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Value of Collaboration Themes 1 amp 4
bull IdeasFeedbackldquoThe best thing about joining a writing circle was having other students to turn to for suggestions and ideas Having 4 heads to work is better than one I was introduced to suggestions I would have never come up with on my ownrdquo
The best thing was being able to bounce ideas off of other people and receive immediate feedback on my writing from my peersrdquo
ldquoYou get feedback on your own writing as well as have others build on your ideas to make one big oneldquo
ldquoThe best thing was definitely being able to share ideasrdquo
ldquoWe bounced ideas off each other and blended our ideas together to make it work- such as the titlerdquo
ldquohelliphellip opened my eyes to new ideas and different points of viewrdquo
I was able to come up with ideas to share with my group and receive positive feedback and working with these ideas to make them the best possiblerdquo
ldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquo
Getting other peoples insightsrdquo
ldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquo
ldquoOne thing I really enjoyed was how our poem started to come together Every class meeting we had some new ideas to add or deleterdquo
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Ideas improvingwritingfinal
product
Relationships Feedback
Perception of the value of collaboration
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Theme 2 Improving WritingFinal Product
bull The best thing was definitely being able to share ideas and work together as a group to improve our writingldquo
bull I think the best thing about joining a writing circle was seeing the final product put together after the efforts of all membersldquo
bull I think it has helped me a great deal to work with others Our project turned out greatldquo
bull Collaboration of ideas Together we produced a great productldquo
bull I loved working with my group and felt like my writing improved
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
The Value of Collaboration Theme 3bull RelationshipsI made a lot of new friendsldquoWorking with wonderful intelligent womenrdquoldquoI met new peoplehelliphelliphelliprdquoldquoWe got to really know our classmates and begin working with each otherldquoldquoHaving the opportunity to write with my peers and build upon our piece by sharing ideasrdquoldquoWorking together as a group and learning new strategiesrdquoldquoGetting to collaborate with others listening to ideas and sharingrdquoI loved working with my groupThe best thing about joining a writing circle was a positive outlook on group work and now I have a great appreciation for all my group members and all their hard workldquoBeing able to share your work and get feedback from a groupldquoldquo I liked interacting with people in the classrdquo
0
5
10
15
20
25
positive neutral negative
Collaboration experience
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Descriptive Statistics
N Mean Std Deviation Minimum Maximum
Percentiles
25th 50th (Median) 75th
Self perception
before wc28 311 1031 1 5 300 300 300
Self perception
after wc28 421 957 3 5 300 500 500
Ranks
N Mean Rank Sum of Ranks
Self perception after wc - Self perception before
wc
Negative Ranks 0a 00 00
Positive Ranks 17b 900 15300
Ties 11c
Total 28
a Self perception after wc lt Self perception before wc
b Self perception after wc gt Self perception before wc
c Self perception after wc = Self perception before wc
Test Statisticsa
Self perception after wc - Self
perception before wc
Z -3879b
Asymp Sig (2-tailed) 000
a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test
b Based on negative ranks
Quantitative Results ndash Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test
The results indicate that none of the teacher candidates had a higher score pre writing circle experience (ie pre-testgtpost-test) The majority (ie 17 teacher candidates) had a higher self-reported perception of authorship post writing circle experience and 11 of them saw no change in their score These changes in perception of authorship led to a statistically significant difference (plt05 z=388) an increase from pre writing circle perceptions of authorship (mean = 311 ) to post writing circle perception of authorship (mean = 421 ) Writing circles accounted for 25 of the variance in scores as calculated by the effect size of 52 which is a large effect
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Results Improvement in Self-Rank
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
weak average good strong
Self-reported rank as an author after writing circle
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Lessons Learned Writing Circles
bull Did teacher candidates report that they are likely to use writing circles in their future classrooms
bull I have learned more about the steps of the actual writing process through authentic hands on experience in the writing circles
bull I learned how beneficial it can be for my future students to have time set aside for them to write collaboratively in writing circles Through working with other students they are given the opportunity to share their ideas and examine new onesldquo
bull I will implement writing circles in my class to build writing ability and confidence in my students
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Looking back looking forwardbull Looking back at the historical
context of the writing process (Graves 1983) and of collaborative literacy experiences from literature study groups can bring educators to todayrsquos innovation known as writing circles
bull Considering that this is a new social learning format no qualitative or quantitative studies of implementation with either students or preservice teachers have yet to be published therefore the data while limited provides valuable insights into this new strategy for developing authors through collaborative writing around a particular interest and topic of the participantsrsquo choosing
bull Certainly Vopat (2009) relied on the historical forerunners of writing circles
bull His intentions in creating and implementing this timely innovative strategy of writing circles wasndash to enhance the writing
processndash spur writing growthndash utilize collaboration as
motivation and ndash rely on the authenticity and
stimulation of publishing in real venues
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
ANY QUESTIONS
Writing circles From literature study groups to literature circles to writing circleshellip
to authorship
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
References Bailey P J (2014) Veteran elementary teachers collaborating in professional learning
communities a phenomenological study Educational Doctoral Theses Paper 172 Retrieved from httphdlhandlenet2047d20004962
Bandura A (1977) Social learning theory Englewood Cliffs NJ Prentice HallBernhardson S (2011) We are currently preparing students for jobs that donrsquot yet
existhellip Retrieved from ctworkingmomscomBogardJM amp McMackin MC (2012) Combining traditional and new literacies in a
21st century writing workshop The Reading Teacher 65(5) pp 313-323 DOI 101002TRTR01048
Commeyras M amp Sumner G (1996) Literature discussions based on student-posed questions The Reading Teacher 50 262-265
Daniels H (2002) Literature circles Voice and choice in book clubs and reading groups Portland ME Stenhouse
Ede L S amp Lunsford A A (1990) Singular textsplural authors Perspectives on collaborative writing LA Arts amp Disciplines Carbondale IL SIU Press
Edmonds WA amp Kennedy TD (2013) An applied reference guide to research designs Quantitative qualitative and mixed methods Berleley CA Sage Publications
Galda L amp Beach R (2001) Response to literature as a cultural activity Reading Research Quarterly 36 64-73
Graham S amp PerinD (2006) Writing next Effective strategies to improve writing of adolescents in middle and high school Washington DC Alliance for Excellence in Education
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
IES (2012) Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers What Works Clearninghouse Retrieved from httpiesedgov
Kim H amp KS Eklundh (2001) Reviewing Practices in Collaborative Writing Computer Supported Cooperative Work New York NY Kluwer Academic Publishers 10 pp 247- 259
Lee A amp Boud D (2003) Writing groups change and academic identity Research development as a local practice Studies in Higher Education 28 187-200
Murray D (2003) A writer teaches writing 2nd ed BostonMA Wadsworth Publishing
Myhill D amp Jones S (2009) How talk becomes text Investigating the concept of oral rehearsal in early yearsrsquo classrooms British Journal of Educational Studies 57(3) 265-
284 Doi10111j1467-8527200900438xNational Commission on Writing (2002) Noel S amp Robert JM (2004) Empirical Study on Collaborative Writing What
Do Co- authors Do Use and Like Computer Supported Cooperative Work 13 63ndash89Paris SG amp Turner JC (2014) Situated motivation In Student motivation
cognition and learning Google Books Retrieved from booksgooglecaPeterson R amp Eeds M (19902007) Grand conversations Literature groups in
action Portsmouth NH Heinemann Pintrich P R Donald R Brown D R amp Weinstein C E (1994) Student
motivation cognition and learning Essays in honor of Wilbert J McKeachie pp 213- 228 Hillsdale NJ Lawrence Erlbaum
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom
Posner IR amp RM Baecker (1993) How People Write Together Readings in Groupware and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work Assisting Human-Human Collaboration San Mateo CA Morgan Kaufmann pp 239-250
Reed CJ McCarthy amp Briley B (2002) Sharing assumptions and negotiating boundaries College Teaching 50 22-26
Rimmershaw R (1992) Collaborative writing practices and writing support technologies Instructional Science Volume 21 (1-3) pp 15-28
Tompkins G (2012) Teaching writing Balancing process and products Fresno CA Pearson
Vopat J (2009) Writing circles Kids revolutionize workshop Portsmouth NH Heineman
U S Department of Education (2008)Zinsseer W (2010) The life changing message of On Writing Well is
Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity Retrieved from williamzinsseercom