Each year, CWRL staffers entering the job market are able to capitalize on their experience working, teaching, and doing research in the Lab. This is the first in a series of “Exit Interviews” of departing CWRL staffers. These interviews are intended to record the value of the lab to professional development. Tom Nelson is finally moving out of FAC 14 to take a teaching position in the Focused Inquiry Program at Virginia Commonwealth University.
How long did you teach/staff in the lab? What roles did you fill?
The longest time possible these days, I think—seven years. I did about all the jobs you can do—first as a proctor and then two years as a developer. One year I maintained the site and worked on accessibility, then was editor of Currents the following year. Then I was AD when we developed the work group model. Then I was a developer again, working on resources for people making the transition out of the CWRL, appropriately enough.
You’ve recently completed a successful academic job search. Did your CWRL experience play a large role in your job materials? Did you talk about teaching, service, or both?
The lab figures in both my teaching philosophy and service record. Over time, technology has become more and more important to not only how I teach but what I teach. I really think that the humanities should take the lead in teaching technology, since it’s a human creation used for communication among (other things). So naturally I talk about this in my letter, portfolio, and in response to appropriate interview questions. Working in so many roles in the lab has given me a chance to think about this. Given the extent of my involvement with the CWRL, lab activities contribute a lot to my service sections of my letter and vita. I was sure to include descriptions of my various jobs so that it didn’t seem that I was just watching an open lab, or strictly a tech-head, but working with colleagues and developing pedagogical resources.
Did interviewers ask about the CWRL? If so, what seemed to be the source of their interest?
They did ask about the lab. One interviewer accidentally handed me her copy of my application letter with some other papers she wanted me to have. The only marks on my letter were an illegible scribble in the corner and two underlined sentences: one regarding the length and breadth of my teaching experience and one about my service to the CWRL. I think that the pressure to integrate technology in the classroom, and also to create truly computer literate students, is being felt across academia and in all departments. There are few places that humanities scholars can get that training as well as the CWRL. That said, I don’t think that people necessarily get what we do, but thought that we are more technicians than teachers, though of course most of what we do is to cultivate innovative (and hopefully effective) teaching.
How did you describe the lab in your job materials or in interviews?
I repeatedly used the phrase “nationally recognized unit that supports the teaching of writing and literature with technology.” Not the most graceful phrase, but I mostly wanted to make sure that people understood what goes on here i.e., innovative teaching.
Is there a specific project, such as a work group or developer project that you talked about?
I can think of several. One thing that I talked about quite a bit was white papers I wrote. I co-authored four or five white papers, which looked like padding on my CV so I just mentioned them in describing my service. But in interviews I was asked about collegiality and working collaboratively, and I referred to these as evidence of working with colleagues (not to mention thinking about teaching and administrative experience).
Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for people just coming into the lab? Either in regard to teaching and/or staffing?
As far as teaching goes, don’t worship the technology, but don’t be afraid of it either. We aren’t here to serve the technology, but to use it and teach our students to use to communicate and to manage information. For staffing, you get back what you put in. The CWRL is open-source in a way: your input, whether its in influencing your work group to incorporate your interests or participating in admin decisions. I started getting involved with the lab as a developer because it seemed more interesting than proctoring. At the time, I didn’t even know of “service” as a category in the world of academia. While teaching and scholarship will play the leading roles in getting you an academic job, you can be sure that hiring committees will want to know that you can function constructively as part of a group too.