Greetings and welcome to DWR- Discussions on Writing and Rhetoric. Join your hosts, professors Meeghan Faulconer and Nikolas Gardiakos from the University of Central Florida, for some informal conversations around research and practice in the field at the university level. These discussions are a place inclusive for curious novices, blossoming scholars, and seasoned academics to consider and share their inquiries, experiences, and passions surrounding writing and rhetoric.
Episode 26: Dr. Amy Cicchino - University Writing Center / Global Society of Online Literacy Educators (GSOLE)
Joining us today is Dr. Amy Cicchino, an Associate Professor and Director of the University Writing Center here at UCF. Dr Cicchino’s research focuses on praxis and digital composition, experiential and high-impact learning experiences, and writing program administration and has appeared in journals such as WPA: Writing Program Administration, the International Journal of ePortfolio, and the Writing Center Journal, among others.Her 2024 publication with Troy Hicks titled Better Practices: Exploring the Teaching of Writing in Online and Hybrid Spaces, was the Winner of the 2024–2025 Computers & Composition Johndan Johnson-Eilola Distinguished Book Award and received an honorable mention for the 2025 CCCC Outstanding Book Award.
Dr Cicchino also serves on the Executive Board of the Global Society of Online Literacy Educators (GSOLE), where she collaborates with specialists in online literacy instruction to advance pedagogy and professional development tailored to digital and online learning contexts. She is also deeply engaged with the Association for Authentic, Experiential, Evidence-Based Learning (AAEEBL), where she was a founding co-chair and active member of the Digital Ethics Task Force. Lastly, Dr. Cicchino is a contributor to the field through editorial work, collaborating on a special issue of Across the Disciplines on ePortfolios across the disciplines and serving on the editorial board and as incoming editor for the Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (ELTHE) journal.
1 Sept 2026
Episode 25: 2026 CCCC Convention in Cleveland
The Conference on College Composition and Communication—often called “the Four Cs”—is the largest professional organization in the world dedicated to the teaching and study of writing, rhetoric, and composition. Founded in 1949 as part of the National Council of Teachers of English, it has grown into a central gathering point for scholars, teachers, and graduate students working in writing studies.
Each year, CCCC hosts a major national convention that typically draws over 3,000 attendees, with membership in the organization numbering in the thousands. These attendees represent a wide range of institutions—research universities, community colleges, and writing programs—and include everyone from first-year graduate students to senior scholars shaping the field.
What makes the conference particularly dynamic is its sheer range of sessions and formats. The program is built around dozens of concurrent panels running in 75-minute sessions, often with three or more presenters sharing research, pedagogy, or creative work. In addition to traditional panels, the conference includes:
Workshops (half-day or full-day, often hands-on and capped for smaller groups)
Roundtables and Research Network Forums, where scholars share works-in-progress and receive feedback
Poster sessions featuring emerging or experimental research
Special Interest Group and caucus meetings, reflecting more than 50 subcommunities within the field
28 Feb 2026
Episode 24: Hannah Benton - Fanfiction and Disability Studies
We are pleased to welcome Hannah Benton, a recent UCF graduate with a BA in Writing & Rhetoric, to the podcast. During her undergrad time at UCF, Hannah worked as a peer tutoring consultant in the University Writing Center and completed an Honors Undergraduate Thesis. Her project titled “Fanfiction as a Reflection of Available Representation: A Critique on Mass Media,” explores how and why fanfictions affirm or transform canonical depictions of disability in mass media.
This project was awarded both 1st place and the People's Choice at the Knights Write Showcase, and was presented the National Research Conference at UPenn and the Conference on College Composition and Communication. Hannah's other academic interests include how UCF students can get into research and the importance of humanities research in STEM-dominated spaces. Currently, Hannah is a graduate student at UCF in the Rhetoric & Composition Program.
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5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 19 / 100
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Quality
17
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
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