[Teaching_Composition] Why study transfer?

[Kathy Fitch]

Interesting--I never suggested that a "critique-fest" would carry the day,
or even be a concern.  What I do wonder is how fully students are able to
speak to their approaches to writing classes, and their motivations therein.
Doug apparently thinks that he's been there, done that, but I don't share
that view.   Tiane nicely articulated something more like what concerns
me--being aware of the subtleties of questioning students about their
private approaches to writing, especially when we're comparing levels of
engagement.  I imagine if I were the teacher in your example, Elizabeth,
that I sure would hear the students' comments as pretty damning.  The
student cheated, essentially, on my assignment--the whole group
dissembled--and I didn't know?  I'm not thinking a passing nod to how
interesting my assignment was (or could have been) would mollify me much.  I
doubt we know much at all about the private learning lives of students.  I
suspect it would be an eye-opener to hear what they say when we're not
around.  Even course evaluations don't capture it.  The articles that your
research will generate will make for fantastic reading.

(On another, maybe related, note, I had much this same reaction to a recent
WPA discussion on autoethnography.  Subtle complications involved in
assigning students to write in a genre that is inherently non-assignable.  I
wouldn't argue that we should avoid it, but would say it's complicated
enough to be very, very careful about.)

I love the turn this has taken away from transfer more narrowly--and
probably far less usefully--understood.  Fascinating reading.  Thanks, all.

Kathy