Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric Apr 2005 Open Access

Good Intentions Aren’t Enough: Insights from Activity Theory for Linking Service and Learning

Virginia Chappell

Abstract

Insights from activity theory—specifically, David Russell’s synthesis of activity theory with genre theory—suggest ways to understand and ease problems of clashing expectations encountered in professional writing classes that use a client-based assignment model for service-learning.

Journal
Reflections: A Journal of Community-Engaged Writing and Rhetoric
Published
2005-04-01
DOI
10.59236/rjv4i2pp34-53
CompPile
Search in CompPile ↗
Open Access
OA PDF Gold
Topics
genre theory writing pedagogy service learning professional writing
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (0)

No articles in this index cite this work.

References (12) · 5 in this index

  1. Brown (2001)
    Pulling it Together: A Method for Developing Service-Learning and Community Partnerships …
  2. Cushman (1999)
    The Public Intellectual, Service Learning, and Activist Research
    College English
  3. Cushman (2002)
    Sustainable Service Learning Programs
    College Composition and Communication
  4. Deans (2000)
    Writing Partnerships: Service-Learning in Composition
  5. Flower (2002)
    Intercultural Inquiry and the Transformation of Service
    College English
Show all 12 →
  1. Furco (1996)
    Service-Learning: A Balanced Approach to Experiential Education
  2. Herzberg (1994)
    Community Service and Critical Teaching
    College Composition and Communication
  3. HUCKIN (1997)
    Technical Writing and Community Service
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  4. Jacoby (2003)
    Building Partnerships for Service Learning
  5. Miller (1984)
    Genre as Social Action
    Quarterly Journal of Speech  ↗
  6. Rehling (2000)
    Doing Good While Doing Well: Service Learning Internships
    Business Communication Quarterly  ↗
  7. RUSSELL (1997)
    Rethinking Genre in School and Society: An Activity Theory Analysis
    Written Communication
CrossRef global citation count: 0 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related Articles

  1. Prompt: A Journal of Academic Writing Assignments Jan 2026
    A Murder Most Technical: Gamification, AI, and Rhetorical Genre Studies in the Technical Writing Classroom ↗
    Justin Cook
    genre theory writing pedagogy service learning teacher development argument collaborative writing technical communication professional writing
  2. Pedagogy Oct 2025
    Contributors ↗
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory cultural rhetorics first-year composition writing pedagogy advanced composition creative writing writing across the curriculum graduate education two-year college service learning teacher development technical communication professional writing labor and working conditions archival research multimodality artificial intelligence literacy studies race and writing gender and writing disability studies literary studies editorial matter
  3. Community Literacy Journal Feb 2021
    A Writing Retreat at the Intersection of WAC and Civic Engagement ↗
    Catherine Savini
    genre theory writing pedagogy writing across the curriculum service learning professional writing literacy studies race and writing
  4. Prompt: A Journal of Academic Writing Assignments Jan 2021
    Social Justice and Corporate Mission Statements: Analyzing Values in Business Writing ↗
    Brigitte Mussack
    rhetorical criticism genre theory writing pedagogy service learning argument collaborative writing professional writing race and writing
  5. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2015
    How Professional Writing Pedagogy and University–Workplace Partnerships Can Shape the Mentoring of Workplace Writing ↗
    Liberty Kohn
    genre theory discourse analysis writing pedagogy service learning professional writing