Our Conclusions
We recognize that no one of the documented narratives we have offered here, and certainly not even the collection of narratives, can be considered indicative or representative of any larger population. But, that in no way diminishes the value of these narratives in regard to the insights they offer into disciplinary writing, learning, and socialization.
In the following sections, we articulate the key conclusions we have drawn from these narratives regarding disciplinary development:
- Pathways of disciplinary development are heterogeneously situated and complexly mediated
- Pathways of disciplinary development are shaped by synergies and tensions among heterogeneous practices
- Pathways of disciplinary practice are also pathways of disciplinary identity
- Relationships among literate engagements are dialogic
- The linkings of practice reflect and contribute to the linkings of social worlds
- Representing the richness of disciplinary writing, learning, and socialization requires attention to a full range of representational media
In the sections that follow, we elaborate on each of these key conclusions in turn.