Mascle featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education

Morehead State Instructor of English Dr. Deanna Mascle was featured in a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education discussing online platforms' potential to deliver humanities courses.  

The article, published July 9, discusses the importance of tapping into the full potential of online learning to deliver creative, transformative humanities courses. The author, Dr. Lee Skallerup Bessette, said, “(Mascle) gives students choice in their work, focuses on iteration and revision, and has them engage with one another through their writing."   

"It popped up in my mentions on Twitter, so it caught me by surprise. It was a pleasant surprise," Mascle said. "It is very gratifying to be recognized for work that I feel very passionate about."  

Mascle has been teaching online for more than 15 years and was responsible for proposing, designing, and piloting the first online version of Writing I/II in the mid-2000s. In addition to being a writing instructor, she is also the director of the Morehead Writing Project, part of the National Writing Project, a professional network of educators to improve writing education for students of all ages. Mascle was the first site director to lead an online Summer Institute and wrote a handbook to guide other site directors on how to do it.   

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic created a need for online courses, Mascle said she has been utilizing asynchronous teaching methods for several years, incorporating online and traditional teaching methods to enhance student learning while giving students greater flexibility on how and when they learn.   

"When I teach an in-person class at 9:30 in the morning, there are always some students who are not at their best or absent," she said. "When students have days or even a week to participate, then there is a much better chance that all students will be able to thoughtfully participate. Also, as you know, writing cannot be (or should not) be rushed. An online class gives students more time and space to think and draft." Mascle added online teaching also puts students on equal footing for class participation, encourages more robust participation and allows her to share a variety of resources with her students.   

The Chronicle of Higher Education is a national publication that specializes in journalism covering colleges and universities. It is read by more than two million people across the country each month.   

To read the article, visit www.chronicle.com/article/Can-You-Teach-a/249152.   

To read Mascle's blog, visit metawriting.deannamascle.com/.   

For more information about programs in MSU's Department of English, visit www.moreheadstate.edu/english, email english@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-9448.