Review of Better Practices: Exploring the Teaching of Writing in Online and Hybrid Spaces

[1] Online writing instruction has moved from the edges of composition studies to a central and often primary space for literacy learning. Even with years of theory, best-practice lists, and position statements, instructors still ask a practical question: What does effective online writing pedagogy look like in real classrooms? Better Practices: Exploring the Teaching of Writing in Online and Hybrid Spaces (2024) takes on that question by sharing adaptable, context-aware approaches rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.

[2] Instead of promising “best practices,” the editors use the term better to signal flexibility and ongoing revision. The book includes 19 chapters written by pairs of experienced and first-time online instructors. These chapters offer strategies such as building teacher presence through scheduled communication, scaffolding multimodal collaboration, and rethinking assessment with grading contracts. The tone is practical and hands-on, aimed at instructors who want models and templates, not just theory.

[3] The book is organized into four major clusters, each addressing a core dimension of online writing pedagogy:

1. Designing Presence and Engagement: Chapters in this section explore how instructors can create a sense of presence and foster meaningful interaction in virtual spaces. Strategies include intentional communication design, scheduled announcements, and structured discussion formats that move beyond passive participation.
2. Scaffolding Collaboration and Multimodal Composition: This cluster focuses on designing collaborative tasks that work in asynchronous environments. Contributors provide models for distributed roles, milestone-based projects, and digital annotation practices that make textual analysis and multimodal composing teachable online.
3. Designing for Access and Inclusivity: Chapters here argue that accessibility should be embedded in course design from the outset. Topics include neurodivergent composing processes, culturally responsive pedagogy, and multimodal projects framed as social justice practices. Authors also show how features like alt-text and captions can function as rhetorical choices rather than compliance checkboxes.
4. Rethinking Assessment: The final cluster reimagines grading systems to align with equity and agency. Contributors discuss labor-based grading contracts, dialogic assessment agreements, and modality-based evaluation, positioning assessment as a collaborative and ethical practice rather than a neutral metric.

This structure allows readers to navigate the book by pedagogical concern, whether they are seeking strategies for engagement, collaboration, accessibility, or assessment, while also highlighting the editors’ commitment to practical, adaptable design logics rather than prescriptive formulas.

[4] One of the strongest themes is that teacher presence is something you design, not just a personality trait. Evans and Rivera (Chapter 1) show how predictable, human-voiced communication builds presence better than occasional announcements by using push notifications. Bowman and Westmacott (Chapter 8) add that engagement doesn’t just happen, it needs structure and ultimately builds community. Together, these chapters argue that presence and engagement come from intentional communication design, not charisma.

[5] Collaboration works online when instructors create the right conditions. Wimberly et al. (Chapter 4) stress that scaffolding turns group work from a hassle into a meaningful literacy practice. Campos and Moonshower (Chapter 2) show how templates can spark creativity rather than limit it. Tsygankova and Mesina (Chapter 6) use collaborative annotation to make textual analysis social and interactive. Across these chapters, scaffolding emerges as a core principle for teaching complex tasks online.

[6] The third cluster treats access as a starting point, not an afterthought. Chapters 9 through 14 argue that inclusive design should account for neurodivergent processes, cultural identities, and multimodal expression. Wood and Stewart (Chapter 11) frame multimodal composing as a social justice practice, while Orchard et al. (Chapter 13) show how accessibility features like alt text and captions can be rhetorical choices, not just compliance.

[7] The final cluster (Chapters 15 through 19) reimagines assessment as equity and shared authority. Mitchell and Rice encourage students to choose between synchronous and asynchronous modes and explain their choices. Stuckey and Wilson advocate for labor-based grading contracts, and Pantelides et al. introduce dialogic assessment agreements that invite students into co-authoring evaluation criteria. These chapters treat assessment as an ethical stance, not just a grading system.

[8] Better Practices delivers practical strategies without falling into rigid formulas often seen with this type of writing. Its biggest strength is its adaptability: the text is dynamic, reflective, and relational. The book could be even stronger with sample syllabi or assignment sheets, and a concluding chapter to tie everything together. Even so, this collection is a timely resource for instructors, program leaders, and writing center professionals. It encourages teachers to design for the students and tools they have, not for ideal conditions, and that makes it both pragmatic and principled. information to make their assignments matter.