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Writing Program Assessment Committee (WPAC) is a faculty-led inquiry group that studies student learning related to writing.  

Recent projects have included assessment of learning goals related to source use and reflection. Other projects have included developing program learning goals and revision of the program course evaluation. The WPAC current project focuses on learning outcomes for multilingual writers.

Publications

Poe, M. & Zhang-Wu. (forthcoming). Super-diversity as a framework to promote social justice: Designing program assessment for multilingual writing outcomes. composition forum special issue on social justice and multilingualism

WPAC Grants

  • “Super-Diversity in Context: A Corpus-based Study of Multilingual Writing Outcomes with Attention to Disparate Impact,” CCCC Research Initiative grant, 2020. $5,920. PIs: Mya Poe, Cherice Escobar Jones, Cara Marta Messina, Northeastern University.
  • “Assessing Multilingual Writing: A Design for Outcomes and Opportunity.” College of Social Science and Humanities, Multi-generational Research Teams Pilot Program, PI: Mya Poe, 2019-2020.

WPAC Ongoing Assessment Research

Method Form Purpose People Responsible Timeframe
Student surveys/WC evaluationsIndirectGather and evaluate student perceptionsWPAC/WC administratorsOnce/year
Student interviewsIndirect Gather and evaluate student perceptionsWPACOnce/year
Instructor/tutor surveys and concepts mapsIndirectGather and evaluate teacher perceptionsWPACOnce /year
Guided self-placement processBothPlacementInstructors/program administratorsBeginning of FA and SP semesters
Course documents reviewIndirectEvaluate opportunities to learning/curriculum/ pedagogical practicesWPAC/program administratorsEach semester
End-of-term portfolio reviewDirectTraining/grading consistencyInstructors/program administratorsEnd of FA and SP semesters
Assessment of student artifactsDirectEvaluate student learning across programPaid raters (instructors)Collection and tool development throughout the year; scoring each summer

WPAC = Writing Program Assessment Committee (currently 15 volunteer members appointed by Director); WC=Writing Center