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Projects
in Progress
A number of consultants are working on research projects for conferences
and/or publication. Here are brief descriptions.
Perceptions of "The Writing Center"
Janine Carlock, Beth Newborg
Writing Centers are often seen merely as "fix-it" centers. In
order to define this problem in the hopes of solving it, we decided to
survey faculty in various departments to elicit their perceptions of the
Writing Center. We will present the results of this survey and invite
discussion on how to correct misperceptions and enhance the Writing Center
image in general.
Description : Every semester at staff meetings for the Writing Center,
there are complaints from tutors about professors sending students to
us to "fix" their papers. Of course, this assumption that we
provide "quick-fixes" for any writing problem creates difficulties
for most,if not all, writing centers. In administering a survey designed
to elicit faculty attitudes towards the Writing Center at the University
of Pittsburgh, we hope not only to generate information about faculty
perceptions of the Writing Center, but to also bring the Writing Center
and its true reason for existence more fully to the attention of all University
departments and schools and their faculties. Our presentation will have
two parts. In the first part, the Speakers will present the survey that
was given to faculty members in various disciplines at the University
of Pittsburgh and then we will present the results gathered from the survey.
Questions such as "What do you believe is the Writing Center's role
at the University?" and "How many times (if any)have you recommended
students to the Writing Center?" will be included on the survey.
We hope to effectively elicit attitudes of the faculty members surveyed.
In the second part of the presentation, we will articulate some of our
ideas for clearing up misperceptions that appear in faculty responses
to the survey. Then we will ask our guests to brainstorm with us to generate
methods for enhancing the Writing Center image at the University of Pittsburgh
and elsewhere.
Visual Disability and ESL: Culture, Personality, and Technology
Tom Aspell
Since October 2002 I have been tutoring an older visually impaired
ESL student from Liberia, who was recently accepted for graduate study
in the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh. This presentation
will examine the dynamics between student and tutor involving the double
challenge of visual disability and ESL concerns. Analyses and reflections
upon cultural differences, personality/behavior, and the blessings and
tribulations of technology will constitute the thesis.
I also plan to include commentary from Director Lynette Van Slyke and
Technology Specialist Wilma Palombo of the Office of Disability Resources
at the University of Pittsburgh, who have provided expert support and
encouragement. Most of all, the story revolves around the reciprocal learning
process between student and tutor, and the growing friendship we have
experienced.
Listening Back: Are We Hearing Students?
Pam O'Brien, Laurie Baker, Liz Cowan
Our project will address several key questions:
1. What is actually being communicated about the Writing Process during
tutoring sessions? Imbedded within this question is not only what students
take away from the tutoring process with respect to the writing process,
but also the role of active listening techniques that tutors might use
as they peel away the various layers of student communication. For example,
sometimes a student's need is merely to alleviate anxiety about the writing
process; sometimes students need to vent or just cry. Sometimes a student's
expressed need for a tutoring session is not consistent with the needs
of a paper; how do tutors negotiate the student's expressed needs with
the needs of the paper?
2. What are students hearing? Key question: are tutors in fact effectively
communicating the writing process through our tutoring sessions? How might
we assess the effectiveness of our communication techniques? This becomes
tricky and complex. If a student has an agenda that is not met through
his/her tutoring session, yet we have successfully communicated the writing
process to the student, then have we effectively communicated with respect
to the student's writing needs?
3. Are tutors effectively listening to students, their needs with respect
to the writing process? That is, are we listening in order to assess the
effectiveness of our communication with respect to student needs both
at their personal and writing needs?
4. How can we improve communication techniques?
Findings will be based on data collected through surveys and observation
of tutors and students.
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