Abstract

What is a fuzzy genre? In today’s Higher Education system, students are increasingly exposed to and expected to compose written assignments that do not sit comfortably within one established genre of academic writing (Hyland, 2012; Hyland 2018). At UAL, unit assignments such as blog posts, reflective journals and design reports are commonplace. But the lines between academic and non-academic rhetoric, visual and written communication, academic credibility and personal identity, can be blurry. This workshop offers the chance to explore approaches to the teaching of writing that enable students to navigate and get to grips with the complexities of ‘fuzzy genres.’ This is an interactive workshop co-led by students of MA Service Design at LCC. Students and staff will be encouraged to engage in discussions and activities to explore approaches to the teaching of writing that foreground inclusivity and flexibility with a focus on meeting learning outcomes for students.

Session and activities

In this interactive workshop, we will explore ways to ensure openness and inclusivity when guiding students, specifically for assignments that do not sit comfortably within established academic genres. This session will be co-led by myself, Sara Vaghefian, Language Development Tutor and students from the MA Service Design at LCC. The session will consist of sharing and exchange of teaching materials and teaching practice (with reference to English for Academic Purposes [EAP] and Academic Literacies theory), discussion of useful materials and how they can be adapted, and a student-led discussion and Q&A focused on the students\’ learning experience. A key area of discussion that has emerged with students on the MA Service Design, for example, is how to balance writing as a text within an academic community and writing as a social practice within a Design discipline (community of practice). Participants (staff and students alike) are encouraged to interact throughout and will have opportunities to use the session material as a springboard for discussions about unit assignments from their own courses.