Frequently Asked Questions

WEC was developed in the 1990's and early 2000's in US universities. Through this model, departments develop, implement, assess, and revise their writing plan for integrating student writing and multi-modal communication in their curriculum.

WEC evolved from these models. WAC was a theory that was popularized in the 70's which focused on writing as a tool for learning based on students' work in freshman composition courses. An offshoot of this theory, WID emphasized student writing competencies in their respective disciplinary and professional genres. Closely associated with the aims of WID, to situate student writing within a disciplinary or professional context, WEC has provided a practical framework for faculty to integrate scaffolded, discipline-based writing assignments with their unique styles, genres, and approaches so that students are better prepared for academic and professional communication in their majors.

Departments begin the process by reaching out to the WEC program director for an initial meeting and department discussion.

The WEC program can support individual faculty or departments by providing practical resources, one-on-one sessions, and/or tailored workshops for faculty on designing assignments, developing rubrics, providing instruction, and assessing writing in the discipline.

The program can support departments by:

• Facilitating discussions with faculty about student writing needs and priorities
• Conducting surveys with faculty on writing priorities
• Providing help with curriculum mapping to identify key courses for the pilot
• Working with a department faculty liaison committee to create a writing plan and in revising the plan
• Developing tailored workshops for faculty on generating assignments, instruction, and assessment
• Coordinating with the Writing Center to provide support and instruction to student writers
• Coordinating final assessment of the plan