Collaboration and conversation are familiar terms to writing teachers, usually connoting open, easy dialogue between parties working toward some common end. But if the ideal of pure communication is often expressed (and still greatly valued), it is not often realized. Indeed, much of the most interesting work in composition could be said to challenge teachers (and students) to recognize the limits of these central terms. In revising our understanding of these elusive terms, collaboration and conversation, we turn to metaphors such as constellation, network, bricolage, and composite to suggest something of the mixed quality of this exchange as it appears in writing. As we move ever further into a digital environment, this almost infinitely complex flow of voices and texts becomes even harder to describe within the discrete boundaries of collaboration and conversation. Nevertheless, these terms remain proudly at the center of many, even most writing courses. What is at stake when we feature collaboration and conversation in our writing courses? How might we best introduce these ideals without falling into idealism?

The University of Connecticut’s Freshman English Program is calling for presentation, panel, and roundtable proposals from instructors of writing (in all disciplines and programs) for our Eighth Annual Conference on the Teaching of Writing. We also invite proposals on related topics, such as:

• Instructor Writing in the Classroom
• Student Writing in the Classroom
• Writing as Inquiry
• Learning from Student Writing
• ESL/ELL/L2 Writing
• Global Englishes
• Individual & Small Group Conferences
• Otherness & Diversity
• Service Learning & Writing
• Writing as Conversation
• Collaborative Teaching
• Collaborative Writing
• Interdisciplinarity
• Living-English Work
• Mentoring
• Program Administration
• Writing Across Languages
• Assessment
• Contingent Labor
• Recognizing “Co-Labor” in Collaboration
• Teacher Training
• Writing Outside the Classroom

Proposals should be approximately 250-300 words and should include
1) names of all presenters
2) current contact information (email and postal mailing address)
3) academic institution(s) and program(s) in which presenter(s) study/teach/work
4) title of the proposal
5) description of presentation, panel, or roundtable and, when applicable
6) technical requirements of your presentation
You may submit proposals for more than one presentation.  Emailed submissions will only be accepted as Microsoft Word or PDF attachments; please indicate that your email contains a conference proposal by writing “Conference Proposal” in the subject line of the email.

Eligibility: All teachers of writing, regardless of discipline, status (adjunct/graduate student/staff/faculty), institution, campus or level of teaching experience may submit proposals.  Undergraduate and graduate students in any writing course are also encouraged to submit proposals.  The Freshman English Program also supports collaborative presentations, panels and/or roundtable discussions between/among any eligible presenters.

Deadline for submissions: Monday, 4 February 2013
E-mail Submissions to: teachingwriting2013@gmail.com
Mail (postal) or deliver submissions to:

University of Connecticut Freshman English Program
215 Glenbrook Road, U-4025
Storrs, CT 06269-4025