Advance HE Teaching & Learning Conference 2018: Fostering agency in student writing

In this session Jonathan and Matthew both Americans will contrast their experiences of teaching academic writing at undergraduate institutions in the US with undergraduate institutions in Northern Ireland focusing upon the issue of student agency. While US pedagogy on writing has stressed the importance of creativity independence and making choices the test culture in the UK has discouraged students from venturing into these areas. An exploration how St Mary's students initially view themselves as writers is followed by an exemplification of the strategies used to encourage them to write with greater freedom and personal insight.