PWPA Fall 2012 Conference CFP

Philadelphia Council for Writing Program Administrators (PWPA) Fall Meeting/Conference

Call for Proposals

September 21, 2012

Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA 19114

Conference Theme:  Metacognition:  Learning to Read/Write and Reading/Writing to Learn

Given recent research in neuroscience, metacognition, or thinking about thinking, has sparked renewed interest among literacy theorists, scholars, and practitioners.  As practitioners shift their emphasis from what they teach to what their students have learned and can apply, the need for heuristics, or tools, to help novice readers and writers construct meaning becomes more urgent.  Twenty-first century instructional intent, therefore, is to empower students to learn a repertoire of tools and apply appropriate ones so that they need their instructors less and less and, ultimately, not at all.

Proposals may be theoretical, practical, or scholarly and may address (but not be limited to) the following questions.  What can current brain research tell writing instructors about self-monitoring in composing processes?  How can that research be translated into specific heuristics to empower students to monitor their own processes and take control of their own learning?  What does recent research in metacognition reveal about its uses for student engagement and “deep learning”?  How can understanding of the brain and metacognition help students transfer knowledge to solve problems in new contexts? What is the relationship between metacognition and self-regulation?  How can those skills encourage higher-order thinking necessary for an informed citizenry in the 21st century?

Presenters may submit proposals by Friday, August 24, 2012 for the following:

Poster sessions:  Posters may summarize theoretical frameworks, practices, and/or research-in-progress.  Presenters of posters should be available to present posters before, after sessions as well as during breaks.

Individual Sessions of 10-15 minutes that will share information, questions, and/or ideas to facilitate discussion.  Consistent with previous Council of Writing Program Administrators institutes, these presentations could include: a discussion point, a question or two, an intriguing new direction; evidence for discussion point, and conversation starters for session attendees that will help them consider action based upon the conversation (10 minutes).  Or presenters can summarize work in progress (15 minutes).     Presenters will be grouped with others for a 75-minute panel (4-6 per panel) with 15 minutes for questions/discussion.

Workshops that translate metacognitive theory into practice.  Such sessions should include the theoretical background and then provide ample opportunity for participants to practice its application.  Such sessions will be 75 minutes in length.

Deadline for submission will be Friday, August 24, 2012.  Electronic submissions should be e-mailed to Janice R. Showler, Ph.D. at jshowler@holyfamily.edu.

Submission Form

Name:

Phone:

E-Mail:

College/University Affiliation:

Position:

Title of Proposal:

Type of Presentation:  ____ Poster  ____10-minute presentation  ____ 15-minute presentation        ____workshop (faculty development)

Abstract:  Provide an abstract (50-60 words) for your presentation. This will appear in the program. Send your proposal to Janice Showler jshowler@holyfamily.edu  and provide a filename that includes the following:  PWPA, your name, your institution.

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