Zucchini in Zero Gravity
A silly way to solid academic writing skills

To learn serious academic writing skills need not take serious study. A little silliness will work just fine, providing it's applied within the context of good pedagogy.

Zucchini in Zero Gravity is based on a best teaching practice: allowing students to practice an entire process. However, unless you read its subtitle, the name of this course could gives rise to some serious questions, couldn't it?

Here are some of the more frequently asked questions about Zucchini in Zero Gravity.

Who should attend?
What does the course cover?
Do students really write about zucchini?
How is instruction delivered?
What equipment do students need?
Do students have to buy any books?
How large are the classes?
How are students evaluated?
What does the course cost?
When do I pay?
What if I sign up and then can't attend?
Can you offer a course just for my school group or homeschool co-op?

Who should attend?

Homeschool and traditional school students 13-18 who have not written aresearch paper can profit from learning academic writing skills. The course is particularly effective with students who think writing is nothing but a lot of silly rules.

Students concentrate on a few steps of the research paper process and make up the rest. They will learn how to:

• Subdivide a topic into logical sections.
• Determine where to look for information.
• Recognize reliable information.
• Record the right information the first time around.
• Plan the paper.
• Present evidence in their body paragraphs.

Students will learn strategies that they can reuse repeatedly for other source papers. They also get experience writing collaboratively, a skill that's becoming increasingly important in college and career.

Do students really write about zucchini?

Students get a choice of topics. If they aren't interested in the behavior of zucchini in zero gravity, they can choose other topics as a means to learning academic writing skills. All the topics are silly, but each lends itself to discussion patterned after arguments offered for serious topics.

Classes consist of eight 50-minute instructor-led sessions I hold online at WizIQ.com. In addition, I drop in to the class forum at least once a day to answer questions and offer suggestions to students.

Is there homework?

Yes, silly as it may seem, Zucchini in Zero Gravity has homework. It is done collaboratively in the class forum, since team writing is becoming an important academic writing skill. Students may need to sign in to the forum more than once between live sessions to keep abreast of ideas their team and peers post.

When are the courses offered?

The calendar accessible from the left hand menu shows classes I have scheduled. Groups that wish to host a Zucchini in Zero Gravity class for their members may contact me about their needs.

What equipment do students need?

Students need:

• Computer with Internet access (preferably high speed, not dial-up) with enough computer memory to be able to use text editing software during online classes),
• Speakers and microphone
• Keyboard
• Printer
• Adobe Acrobat Reader or FoxIt™ Reader (both are free)
• Account at WizIQ.com (free)
• Text editing software (such as Notepad) which your computer probably has.

Note: Students must be 14 to sign up for their own WizIQ account. If they are 13, they can use a parent's account.

Do students need to buy any books?

No. All the materials about academic writing skills that students need will be available online.

Classes have eight to 15 students. With fewer than eight, there's is too much work for students to accomplish in the short time frame

If I have too many people signed up, the first 15 to register get the open slots.

Students in the course learn a process; they do not produce written products by themselves. For this reason, I'll grade their work as satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

If students show up in class on time, participate in the discussion, post homework on time, and work with their peers in the forums, that is satisfactory work.

What does the Zucchini in Zero Gravity course cost?

The course costs $65 (USD). Payment is through PayPal.

When do I pay?

If there are enough students to run a session, 24-36 hours before the first session, I'll invoice you and you'll pay before the class starts. If the class doesn't run, neither of us has to mess with refunds.

Let me know right away if you registered for a course but your student cannot attend. Here's my refund policy:

• If a student withdraws before any classes are held, I refund any fee you already paid.
• If a student withdraws after one session has been held (even if the student didn't attend), I keep $10 and refund the rest.
• If a student withdraws after two sessions have been held (even if the student didn't attend), I keep $25 and refund the rest.
• After the second session has been held, I keep the entire fee whether the student attended any sessions or not.

Can you offer a Zucchini in Zero Gravity course just for a school group or homeschool co-op?

Certainly. If you can guarantee eight or more students, we can arrange a session at our mutual convenience. Use my contact form to let me know about the group that wants to learn academic writing skills.