Turnitin Hosts Writing X Tech -- The Writing Mindset April 18-22: Virtual Conference for Educators in K-12 and Higher Ed Covers Topics in Writing Instruction

OAKLAND, Calif. - April 7, 2016 -Turnitin Writing X Tech ( #writingxtech ) kicks off April 18 with a five-day virtual conference featuring webcasts on “The Writing Mindset” and how thinking differently about writing can engage students and set them up for success. K-12 educators, college instructors and students can pick from nine different webcasts offered for free April 18-22, 2016.

Turnitin hosts Writing X Tech each year to bring compelling, thought-provoking topics into the discourse about writing instruction. Speakers come from diverse backgrounds and often express refreshing and new ideas that teachers in K-12 and academic instructors from higher ed may not have considered before. These sessions and previous years are archived at Turnitin.com.

Topics for Writing X Tech 2016 | The Writing Mindset include:

• Connecting Great Reads to Great Writing - Acclaimed writer, journalist, and writing teacher, Roy Peter Clark, will share his “X-ray reading” approach to help teach writers at all levels how to read with an eye toward learning—and improving—their writing with the help of great literature.
• How to Reach More Readers While Still Looking Smart - Professor Helen Sword, author of Stylish Academic Writing and The Writer’s Diet, debunks the myth that “serious” academic writing must be wooden, wordy, and dull.
• Beyond Integrity: Why We Cite - Go beyond demanding compliance with rules to reframe the conversation around the merits of ethical action, both in proactive teaching and in taking a developmental approach to sanctioning misconduct. Bronx High School English teacher, Michael Goodwin leads the discussion.
• A Picture is Worth a MILLION Words! - Dr. Bernard Robin walks through how he created a digital story using just one picture: a family photograph taken in 1926. He shows how to use internet search tools to deepen explorations that enhance student engagement with topics and ideas in subject areas such as history, economics, advertising, immigration, entertainment, and culture.
• Mimicry & Plagiarism - Join Anita Lundberg of James Cook University for a discussion about the importance of mimicry and modeling for supporting students' move into unfamiliar discursive communities.
• Teaching the Writing Brain - Join Virginia Berninger and Todd Richards of the University of Washington for a session on how neurology and psychology can have a practical, and significant, impact on how we prepare students for writing, teach writing in the classroom, and work with students with exceptional needs.
• Beyond Thumb Typing – Beth Holland of Johns Hopkins University discusses how mobile devices are impacting tasks associated with writing, and learn about tools, apps, and approaches to transform what's possible when working with mobile students.
• What's the Story Behind Why We Write? – Bronx High School English teacher Adam Tramantano traces the ways in which writers sometimes include the story of the writing within the writing and the ways in which we can explore the story of the writing process with students.
• Original Insights. Better Writers. A sneak peek into what’s new at Turnitin. Hear directly from the Turnitin product team about new product developments and the vision for technology tools to assist writing instruction.

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