Humboldt Meets Bologna: Developments and Debates in Institutional Writing Support in Germany
his article outlines the coming of age of writing pedagogy in German institutions of higher education and explores the role of the ‘Hausarbeit’ in contemporary universities. Traditionally, the 6,000-12,000 word Hausarbeit was the mainstay of academic writing in all university courses in the social s...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Association for the Study of Discourse and Writing
2011-01-01
|
| Series: | Discourse and Writing/Rédactologie |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.sfu.ca/dwr/index.php/dwr/article/view/9 |
| _version_ | 1828201942561587200 |
|---|---|
| author | Felicitas Macgilchrist Katrin Girgensohn |
| author_facet | Felicitas Macgilchrist Katrin Girgensohn |
| author_sort | Felicitas Macgilchrist |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | his article outlines the coming of age of writing pedagogy in German institutions of higher education and explores the role of the ‘Hausarbeit’ in contemporary universities. Traditionally, the 6,000-12,000 word Hausarbeit was the mainstay of academic writing in all university courses in the social sciences and humanities in Germany. This assignment was tied into dominant discourse (‘Humboldt discourse’) in which the main point of higher education was to cultivate future independent scholars. Since 1999, the increasing predominance of ‘Bologna discourse’ has led to the radical restructuring of higher education across Europe. This discourse emphasizes internationalization, transferable skills and key competencies, i.e. the point of higher education is not primarily to cultivate independent scholars but flexible, creative and enterprising future professionals. With indications that the Hausarbeit could disappear in the Bologna process, we argue not only that it can be saved but also that it has a significant role to play in developing the new competencies. This will only happen, however, if students receive institutional writing support, and if writing curricula in Germany rise to the new challenges. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:40:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fbd857cc07ce47f1ab44a1b9f621dea3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2563-7320 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:40:20Z |
| publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
| publisher | Canadian Association for the Study of Discourse and Writing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Discourse and Writing/Rédactologie |
| spelling | doaj.art-fbd857cc07ce47f1ab44a1b9f621dea32022-12-22T03:34:43ZengCanadian Association for the Study of Discourse and WritingDiscourse and Writing/Rédactologie2563-73202011-01-01231119doi.org/10.31468/cjsdwr.9Humboldt Meets Bologna: Developments and Debates in Institutional Writing Support in GermanyFelicitas MacgilchristKatrin Girgensohnhis article outlines the coming of age of writing pedagogy in German institutions of higher education and explores the role of the ‘Hausarbeit’ in contemporary universities. Traditionally, the 6,000-12,000 word Hausarbeit was the mainstay of academic writing in all university courses in the social sciences and humanities in Germany. This assignment was tied into dominant discourse (‘Humboldt discourse’) in which the main point of higher education was to cultivate future independent scholars. Since 1999, the increasing predominance of ‘Bologna discourse’ has led to the radical restructuring of higher education across Europe. This discourse emphasizes internationalization, transferable skills and key competencies, i.e. the point of higher education is not primarily to cultivate independent scholars but flexible, creative and enterprising future professionals. With indications that the Hausarbeit could disappear in the Bologna process, we argue not only that it can be saved but also that it has a significant role to play in developing the new competencies. This will only happen, however, if students receive institutional writing support, and if writing curricula in Germany rise to the new challenges.https://journals.sfu.ca/dwr/index.php/dwr/article/view/9writing centresdiscoursebologna reformswriting pedagogyhausarbeit |
| spellingShingle | Felicitas Macgilchrist Katrin Girgensohn Humboldt Meets Bologna: Developments and Debates in Institutional Writing Support in Germany Discourse and Writing/Rédactologie writing centres discourse bologna reforms writing pedagogy hausarbeit |
| title | Humboldt Meets Bologna: Developments and Debates in Institutional Writing Support in Germany |
| title_full | Humboldt Meets Bologna: Developments and Debates in Institutional Writing Support in Germany |
| title_fullStr | Humboldt Meets Bologna: Developments and Debates in Institutional Writing Support in Germany |
| title_full_unstemmed | Humboldt Meets Bologna: Developments and Debates in Institutional Writing Support in Germany |
| title_short | Humboldt Meets Bologna: Developments and Debates in Institutional Writing Support in Germany |
| title_sort | humboldt meets bologna developments and debates in institutional writing support in germany |
| topic | writing centres discourse bologna reforms writing pedagogy hausarbeit |
| url | https://journals.sfu.ca/dwr/index.php/dwr/article/view/9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT felicitasmacgilchrist humboldtmeetsbolognadevelopmentsanddebatesininstitutionalwritingsupportingermany AT katringirgensohn humboldtmeetsbolognadevelopmentsanddebatesininstitutionalwritingsupportingermany |