User-Centered Design as a Foundation for Effective Online Writing Instruction

The CCCC Position Statement of Principles and Example Effective Practices for Online Writing Instruction can be viewed as a set of principles for user-centered design in online writing classrooms. However, operationalizing the principles and practices can be overwhelming. Our article identifies a set of principles that we introduce to new online writing instructors. We describe how we build a user-experience mindset into the foundation of online writing instruction using the CCCC Position Statement as well as principles from UX and user-centered design; we draw on work by key figures in UX and usability, including Goodwin (2009), Klein (2016), and Buley (2013; see also Howard & Greer, 2011). Our article describes how we introduce basic principles of user-centered design to new instructors, apply those principles to core topics in online writing instruction, and model a process of student feedback to promote an iterative design philosophy for online courses.