Group items tagged

ABSTRACT: "This paper reports the results of a study comparing the interactional dynamics of face-to-face and on-line peer-tutoring in writing by university students in Hong Kong. Transcripts of face-to-face tutoring sessions, as well as logs of on-line sessions conducted by the same peer-tutors, were coded for speech functions using a system based on Halliday's functional-semantic view of dialogue.Results show considerable differences between the interactional dynamics in on-line and face-to-face tutoring sessions. In particular, face-to-face interactions involved more hierarchal encounters in which tutors took control of the discourse, whereas on-line interactions were more egalitarian, with clients controlling the discourse more. Differences were also found in the topics participants chose to focus on in the two modes, with issues of grammar, vocabulary, and style taking precedence in face-to-face sessions and more "global" writing concerns like content and process being discussed more in on-line sessions." "

This study examined the perspectives of both tutors at university writing centers and the Non-Native English Speaking (NNES) students who use the centers. Using qualitative methods, this study looked at perceptions of the academic writing needs of the NNES students, along with characteristics of tutoring sessions which made the sessions successful in the eyes of tutors and students. The study used interviews, observations, a survey, and artifacts to look at these topics and then compared the perceptions of tutors and students. Additionally, the study compared writing centers at two universities, one of which employs an ESL specialist, in order to learn if employing this specialist affects success for the tutors and NNES students. Results indicate that student and tutor perceptions of student needs were similar in that they expressed consistent need for grammar assistance and help with low-order concerns (LOCs). Sessions at both universities were successful, according to tutors and students, if sessions focused on these grammar and LOC needs. Employing an ESL specialist did not affect the perceptions of students or tutors nor did it seem to effect the success of sessions for either students or tutors.

discussion of and resources on setting boundaries regarding session length/end of session

discussing the methods and purposes of session documentation

"Post-secondary writing centers have struggled to produce substantial, credible, and sustainable evidence of their impact in the educational environment. The objective of this study was to develop a college-level writing self-efficacy scale that can be used across repeated sessions in a writing center, as self-efficacy has been identified as an important construct underlying successful writing and cognitive development. A 20-item instrument (PSWSES) was developed to evaluate writerly self-efficacy. 505 university students participated in the study. Results indicate that the PSWSES has high internal consistency and reliability across items and construct validity, which was supported through a correlation between tutor perceptions of client writerly self-efficacy and client self-ratings. Factor analysis revealed three factors: local and global writing process knowledge, physical reaction, and time/effort. Additionally, across repeated sessions, the clients' PSWSES scores appropriately showed an increase in overall writerly self-efficacy. Ultimately, this study offers a new paradigm for conceptualizing the daily work in which writing centers engage, and the PSWSES offers writing centers a meaningful quantitative program assessment avenue by (1) redirecting focus from actual competence indicators to perceived competence development and (2) allowing for replication, causality, and sustainability for program improvement. "

many discussions on the length of sessions see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=6568111 see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=6575122 see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=6617126 see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=11080125 see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=18668130 see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=19256382 see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=23778331 see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=24509346 (continues here: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=24509347)

discussion of limits on number of sessions per student per day or week see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=24524399

Session Times 

privacy issues related to sending session reports to students

"As student populations in colleges and universities continue to diversify, composition programs do not always meet students' varying needs. English as a Second Language (ESL) students appear to fail mainstream writing courses at higher rates than their traditional counterparts, yet mainstreaming continues to be mandated, often due to budgetary constraints. Many programs offer multicultural writing courses, but these, too, are often ineffective for many students. Meanwhile, as Paul Kei Matsuda shows, there is a decided split between the disciplines of composition and ESL. Since ESL scholars have a much stronger history of working with diverse student populations than composition scholars do, this study aims to look to ESL scholarship, specifically to contrastive rhetoric, to explore more effective methods of teaching writing to students with varying needs. This case study takes an in-depth look at one student's journey writing across cultures. Ming, a Chinese immigrant who has been in the United States for approximately ten years, is a junior at the University of Rhode Island who struggles with writing. Over the course of one semester, three of her projects were studied in depth. Data include transcripts of audiotaped tutorial sessions in the URI Writing Center, Ming's assignments and papers, and the researcher's notes from interviews with Ming following the tutorial sessions. ^ The new contrastive rhetoric (Connor, Kaplan, Purves) insists that external factors such as culture, education, and media influence the rhetorical patterns writers use. Through a lens of contrastive rhetoric, it becomes clear that most of Ming's difficulties when writing stem from a lack of familiarity with the conventions of U.S. academic discourse or of what her reader expects from her text. The source of much of this is cultural. While Ming's experiences are not generalizable, an in-depth look at her experiences foregrounds some of the issues that contrastive rhetoric addresses, making th

a discussion of limiting number of sessions per day

Allie Squires's "How to Get Off Topic and Still Save Your Essay in One Tutoring Session or Less" was published in the Fall 2014 issue of the student journal Tutors.

Jennifer L. Haden has been a writing mentor at the University of California at San Diego for three years. Haden provides three astute tips for writing tutors to help create a comfortable tutoring session.

a discussion of the methods of determining the percentage of students served/sessions filled; thinking about what makes a "good" level of service

crowdsourcing numbers of sessions held and numbers of unique visitors

Jennifer L. Haden's "Avoid the Awkward Silence: Tips for Creating Conversation and Getting Students Involved in Tutoring Sessions" was published in the Fall 2014 issue of the student journal Tutors.

website for Auburn U.'s writing center's WriteFest, sessions that provide help with grad students' writing. Lists topics to cover.

SUNY Plattsburgh's Allison Squires argues that it is alright to take a break during a tutoring sessions and to talk about AMC's The Walking Dead.

a discussion of how WCs define "enough" when it comes to usage (i.e. what is an adequate percentage of sessions filled?) see also: http://lyris.ttu.edu/read/messages?id=24100333