Abstract

Writing retreats are development events for scholars and – usually graduate – students to immerse themselves in academic writing. But, less attention has been paid to the use of retreats amomg undergraduates. Based on data collected during LCC’s Media School evaluation project, this paper looks at the pedagogical value that retreats may have in the Year 3 Research Project unit. Findings show that the retreat may have a positive impact on productivity, student confidence and sense of community.

Session and activities

As a teaching and learning intervention, writing retreats are encountered more often in doctoral study, but less so in undergraduate study.
The session aims to present a case study on evaluating the writing retreat in the cross-programme Year 3 Research Project unit in the Communications and Media programme within LCC’s School of Media. Drawing on Engeström’s (1999) Activity Theory, the writing retreat is framed as a human activity that is goal-oriented, with the goal being either given or anticipated, while mediational means, such as research materials, laptops, session facilitators, etc. are an integral part of the wider social context of the activity (Winberg, Dippenaar, Engel-Hills and Phillips, 2023). The session will outline how the retreat was embedded in the Research Project unit of four undergraduate courses during academic year 2023-24.
The evaluation of the retreat is based on data (field observation, confidence dashboards, surveys) collected during a pilot evaluation project led by the School’s Teaching and Learning Innovation Lead, Frania Hall, whom the presenter, and Research Project unit leader across the programme, worked with.
Participants will learn about how students perceived the retreat within the context of their 13-week Research Project unit and assessment and what their aims, expectations and recommendations were. It is notable that students treated the retreat not only as as opportunity to advance their writing per se, but also as a way to form study communities and orientate themselves within the structural requirements of the assessment. In addition, the retreat functioned as an arena, in which to negotiate feelings of isolation and to network with peers and academic staff other than the students’ own supervisor.
The session will provide participants with a critical reflection on writing retreats and take-aways for further development and implementation in the teaching and support of academic writing practices of students.