All of us at the Writing Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are delighted to share two new podcasts from our theory and research series, featuring Katrin Girgensohn, a faculty member and Director of the Writing Center at European University Viadrina in Germany and one of the leading writing center scholars in Europe. During 2011-12, Dr. Girgensohn is a visiting scholar at the Writing Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This presentation was taped during a meeting of the Madison Area Writing Center Colloquium on November 16, 2011.

1.Writing Instruction in German Universities
In this 40-minute podcast, Katrin Girgensohn outlines the context for student writing at universities in Germany. She explains the goals and structure of primary and secondary education as well as universities in Germany; she discusses the effects of the reforms in European higher education called the “Bologna Process”; and she explains how writing assignments typically work in German research universities.

2.A Brief History of Writing Centers in German Universities and a History of Autonomous Writing Groups and the Writing Center at European University Viadrina
In this 25-minute podcast, Katrin Girgensohn outlines the history of writing centers in German universities, starting with the writing lab established by Andrea Frank at Bielefeld University in 1993. She traces the subsequent introduction of peer tutoring and the successes in making writing centers more integral parts of German universities. Katrin then describes her own innovative work establishing autonomous writing groups at European University Viadrina, groups which she studied for her dissertation research. Katrin then goes on to tell the history of establishing the writing center at her own university, and describes some of its many groundbreaking programs, including the very successful “long night against procrastination,” which has drawn national media attention in Germany.

It’s easy to listen to these podcasts!  Just head to our Writing Center’s home page, click on New Media @ the Center,” and then click on “podcasts.”  These new podcasts are in the theory and research category.

You might also be interested in these posts on our blog written about or by Katrin–

• A Conversation with Katrin Girgensohn
• Worldwide Writing Against Procrastination: How Writing Centers Connect to Make Our Work Visible, Support Writers, and Have Fun
• Exciting Things Going on in Germany

And here’s a link to Katrin’s blog which she writes collaboratively (in German) with the writing tutors at her university–

• Schreiben im Zentrum

Thanks so much for your interest!

more later,

brad hughes
director, the writing center
director, writing across the curriculum