Through novel application of second-language theories to the online classroom, this interactive session advocates for a “third place” where students' learning in the online classroom transforms their community, and their first culture informs academic work, making identity formation for culturally diverse students a project of addition rather than subtraction.
The growth of non-traditional and culturally diverse student populations continues to transform the dynamic in college writing classrooms. Bartholomae (1985) argued that students emulate and copy elements of academic writing before appropriating the culture and language of academia. When non-traditional and culturally diverse students invent university discourse, they often remain immersed in their native discourse community, experiencing even greater social distance than described by Bartholomae in his classic essay. While traditional college experiences are comparable to studying abroad, living in the culture and immersed in the target language, non-traditional and culturally diverse students’ experiences are similar to learning a foreign language while immersed in their home culture.
This session employs theories from Applied Linguistics, including Norton’s (2013) Identify Formation and Intercultural Language Learning Theory (IcLL), in the novel context of the first-language online classroom. Application of these theories will include exploration of practices that support translation of academic writing into a living language for our students, building motivation as students transition to academic writing, and advocating for purposeful identity formation among culturally diverse students.
This interactive session presents a high-level overview of these theories and application to the online college classroom, followed by collaboration with participants to develop methods tailored to unique contexts of attendees. Rather than asking our students to give up their home culture, we can effectively advocate for a “third place” where what they learn in the online classroom transforms their community, and their experience in their home culture informs and deepens their understanding of academic work. Advocating for our students can make identity formation for culturally diverse students a project of addition rather than subtraction.
Bartholomae, D. (1985). Inventing the university. In Rose, M., Ed. When a writer can't write: Studies in writer's block and other composing-process problems (pp. 134-166). New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Norton, B. (2013). Identity and Language Learning: Extending the Conversation (2nd ed.). Bristol, England: Multilingual Matters.
Tharp, R. G. (2007). A perspective on unifying culture and psychology: Some philosophical and scientific issues. Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology, 27-28(2-1), 213-233. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/614483763?accountid=166133