As the foundation of the Writers' Studio, we relied on the Writing Program Administrators Outcomes Statement (WPA OS) (CWPA, 1999) and the Habits of Mind from the Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing (CWPA, NCTE, & NWP, 2011). Together, these documents served as the learning outcomes and curricular foundation not only to design writing assignments, but also as the basis for student digital portfolios. The WPA OS is a culmination of highly theoretical and pragmatic content, which was informed by practice and written for "well-prepared college writing teachers" (CWPA, 1999). The WPA OS provides common ground to help composition courses within a program, and courses across the nation, to pinpoint what students should be able to demonstrate by the end of first-year composition.
To further extend the conversation of the WPA Outcomes Statement to all disciplines and subjects, the Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing (CWPA, NCTE, & NWP, 2011) is not only for educators, but also stakeholders outside of classrooms; it's intended to "connect expectations across educational levels and institutions" (CWPA, NCTE, & NWP, 2011). The general premise of this disciplinary text is that writing well is essential to literate citizenry and must take place over time with many opportunities to practice. The Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing advocates for authentic audiences and purposes with rhetorical versatility.
The Writers' Studio redesign team focused on these outcomes when designing curriculum; however, we also had to consider the curricular design of the online course and how students could best learn the outcomes. We developed a video on the learning outcomes to provide foundational understanding for the students of the course learning outcomes and goals of the portfolio. Throughout the semester, students revised their self-assessment reflections in response to the learning outcomes while developing their digital portfolios.