2021 Showcase theme – “Change”
AUDIO/VIDEO WORKS (alphabetical by institution)
Azusa Pacific University
Sarah Maria Wilson
Finding Comfort in a Changed Mindset Toward Tutoring Creative Writing
Abstract
This presentation is for tutors with limited experience in creative writing with the goal to change their outlook on coaching creative projects to one of confidence. The presentation will align academic essay and story characteristics alongside a mock session with a short story for the audience to work alongside the tutor asynchronously. By the end of this presentation, a changed mindset will give tutors confidence to assist students who bring creative writing to the Writing Center.
California Lutheran University
Isabella Breda
A Social Justice Approach to Tutoring
Abstract
Writers from all backgrounds approach Writing Centers for a similar purpose–to become more culturally sensitive and eloquent written communicators. Peer tutors are doing a disservice if they are not acknowledging a writers’ potentially harmful language and offering an equitable lens from which to describe the world. Using Nieto and Bode’s “tenets of social justice education” and Chapman, Hobbel and Alvarado’s “Affirmation, Solidarity, and Critique” approach, this presentation will explore how peer tutors can help writers learn to identify, change and confront stereotypes and untruths that lead to systemic racism.
MiraCosta College
Rachel Woodward, Jade MacEoghain, Lisa M Botuchis, Yasmine Shah
The Evolution of In-Class Tutors for Online Learning
Abstract
This podcast will describe the ways that embedded Writing Consultants have adapted to engaging with students through online learning environments. Even in the digital era of COVID-19, we have succeeded at fostering relationships with students by focusing on writing feedback and encouraging the use of our virtual Writing Center. Our direct personal and professional experiences, along with scholarly research on digital pedagogy, show that positive learning experiences with students are still possible in online classrooms and writing center spaces.
Moorpark College
Jasmine Betka
Using Writing Centers as a Hub for Social Justice Change
Abstract
Not only can writing centers utilize the power of the pen for social justice, but they can facilitate photovoice projects and digital storytelling pieces. This session provides insight on how to start a social justice project in a writing center, what formats can be utilized, and how a compilation piece can be the catalyst for campus-wide change.
Occidental College
Aanya Rampuria, Charlotte Harrington
Maintaining Community within the Writing Center Despite Zoom Room Doom: A Podcast
Abstract
This podcast investigates how our writing center’s recent changes have impacted peer tutors’ and students’ feelings of community. By interviewing members of our writing community, we demonstrate how our writing center community has adapted to an online atmosphere through working collaboratively in small groups on creating virtual workshops and events and participating in social media events, like Instagram-takeovers, as a way for advisors to get to know each other. In doing so, we uncover which methods have been valuable, and discover more effective approaches to build an overall stronger sense of community amongst advisors despite the distance learning model.
Occidental College
Matt Chopp, River Lisius, Esme Epstein
Writing Remotely: Strategies for Tutoring in Unfamiliar Disciplines
Abstract
Writing and tutoring across disciplines has long been a struggle for writers and tutors alike; and this challenge has been exacerbated by the switch to remote learning. This video addresses the aforementioned issue by highlighting first-hand accounts of advisers’ struggles to tutor in unfamiliar subject areas. Also, it will provide attendees with a few different strategies, including reverse outlining, and specific questions that have helped tutors overcome this difficulty.
Pasadena City College
Camille Ianne Marquez
The Theory of Work Adjustment and Coping with Change
Abstract
The psychological theory of work adjustment (TWA) refers to how a person (P) and their work environment (E) correspond to satisfy each other’s requirements, which are needs and tasks respectively, to create a successful workplace. TWA is applied to the pandemic-related change writing centers have experienced to explain how a balanced P and E correspondence can maintain a healthy work environment. Effective coping strategies, supported by stress and coping theory, are discussed to help tutors and staff members manage the work-related stress they have faced this year.
Pitzer College
Linda Huang
Affinity Groups and Writing Centers: A Study on Access During Remote Learning
Abstract
The Writing Center (WC) at Pitzer College–not unlike others–is under utilized by multilingual and international students; however, in addition to multilingual and international student underutilization, there is another, often overlooked population: students who belong to racial-based affinity groups and who identify as first generation college students. In order to address the gap between international students, first generation, and students in race-based affinity groups I will present findings from an ethnographic-based study to understand and create solutions to increase WC usage for students who identify as first generation and are affiliated with affinity groups.
Southern Utah University
Elliani Bailey
Decisions… Decisions: Changing the Way We Help International Students
Abstract
International students are plunged into an unfamiliar setting, and writing center tutors struggle to meet their needs. In a multimedia presentation, we present a way our writing center changed to address their challenges by sharing our writing center study that showed how pairing these students with consistent tutors led to improved writing skills and overall grades.
Southern Utah University
Jack Nielsen, Kylie Park
A Tale of Two Prose: a Comparison Between Scientific and Creative Writing
Abstract
We can change how we tutor scientific writing by employing many creative writing techniques. Doing so will create scientific writing that is more interesting, communicative, and memorable.
Southern Utah University
Sarah Penner
Speaking of Change: Writing Center and Speech/Presentation Center Collaborations
Abstract
Although change can be intimidating, it can also be an exciting process of growth and development. Collaboration between writing centers and speech/presentation centers allows for research to be conducted and encourages further change and development in each institution. As the centers change and become better through this mutually beneficial relationship, they develop a sense of community and an increased motivation to enhance their Writing Center’s resources.
University of Califoria, Irvine
Samuel Bannon, Adrianna Burton, Keely Blissmer, Jordyn O’Rourke
Writing Through Change: Bringing Tutors Together Using Creative Writing
Abstract
The remote environment of tutoring writing poses a number of challenges for peer tutors, not least of which is the ability to develop a supportive community and strong relationships among tutors. This project documents the founding of a peer tutor creative writing group, and encourages writing centers to foster internal engagement among tutors working remotely in order to encourage a sense of camaraderie and intellectual exchange.
INTERACTIVE WORKS (alphabetical by institution)
California State University, Long Beach
Benjamin Balazs, Vaishalee Chaudhary
Choose Your Own Adventure: Empowering Tutors to Build Professional Prospects Beyond the WC
Abstract
This presentation will explore the various career pathways available to tutors and demonstrate how a secondary tutor certification process can fundamentally change the way tutors approach and understand their practice as trained professionals.
Concordia University Irvine
Makenna Myers, Kaylee De La Motte, Kirstie Skogerboe, Seth Skogerboe
Change of Scenery: Examining At-Home Writing Spaces to Improve On-Campus Writing Centers
Abstract
This year, because of the global pandemic, writing consultations are now taking place digitally in bedrooms, offices, and backyards all across the country. Through a digital photo essay, we seek to learn from the individual environments writers have created for themselves how we might re-imagine the design of our own Writing Studio space.
MiraCosta College
Glenna Trone
Learning Without Boundaries
Abstract
Participants will explore their own learning preferences through kinesthetic, visual, and auditory activity videos. This will demonstrate the benefits of immersive multi-dimensional lecture styles. My project will utilize interactive video, audio, images, and written text to illustrate how we may change our classrooms to include students with any learning style.
MiraCosta College
Sarah Pultz, Anne Fleming, KD King, John Pappas, Jeff Schoneman
(Re)Creating Writing Center Community
Abstract
Our multimodal webtext will document and illustrate how the MiraCosta College Writing Center recreated community after transitioning to online services in March 2020. The document will include short videos, images, and creative writing samples. We will describe the changes we made from the perspective of both our professional writing coaches and our peer writing consultants.
Occidental College
Femke Teunissen, Dani Cooke, Radha Arora, Alika Williams
The Writing Center and the “Digital Divide” in the Age of Online Learning
Abstract
This website explores the experiences of students and peer writing advisers at Occidental College during the shift to technology-based remote learning. In this series of infographics, we focus on the changes our writing center has undergone during the COVID-19 pandemic, our personal experiences as remote advisers, and the incorporation of technology into one-on-one tutoring sessions. We then synthesize these perspectives to develop specific practices writing tutors can adopt to increase equity, accessibility, and engagement within the virtual writing center.
University of California, Irvine
Jennifer Siino, Adrianna Burton, Matthew Nelson
Embedded Change: Embedded Physics Tutorials in the Age of COVID-19
Abstract
Embedded tutoring has long served as a way for writing centers to increase engagement and outreach, as well as assist writing instructors in promoting effective writing pedagogy. This proposal recognizes the challenges and changes made necessary to embedded tutoring in a remote Physics course, particularly a need to engage with writers as people navigating complex and fraught situations. To communicate this experience, the collaborators propose a Twine (text-based) video game that allows players to explore the changes and challenges wrought by remote embedded tutoring.
TEXT-BASED WORKS (alphabetical by institution)
California Lutheran University
Olivia Becker, Nyle de Leon
Culturally Responsive Tutoring: eVALUEating Your Cultural Consciousness to Support International Students
Abstract
Although international students have changed the landscape of U.S. college campuses, most support provided is centered around assimilating them to the existing academic culture rather than understanding how their own culture affects their response to American writing instruction. This research showcases four cultural values (individualism vs. collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, assertiveness, and orientation to time) and applies previous literature to a writing center setting. After reading the photo essay, tutors will be more conscious of the cultural changes that international students encounter in writing instruction and therefore be better equipped to support international students’ growth as writers.
Pepperdine University
Elliot Palatnik
How to Tutor students during COVID
Abstract
The ability to assist students who don’t respond in the same way that you tutor other students is very common. I will show what is the best way to assist such students, particularly during the time of COVID where teaching styles need to change and adapt, to ensure that they walk away with essential tools to work more independent of tutors in the future.