Hi Readers,
Since our Writing Center is just getting started, the staff and I are finding time sharing stories about our writing center experiences and education. We're planning to incorporate the things we like from our previous writing center to help build the foundation for this Writing Center.
Colleague N worked at her Alma Maters' writing center, where she held 15 minute sessions. For her MA's degree, she opted for the creative dissertation option, where she created a chapbook full of short stories exploring "silence" ( physical, mental, emotional, et al ). Colleague R started liking the college environment more when she started her graduate program. She's exploring the application of writing center pedagogy in secondary education, which can be described as a "Traveling Writing Center" ( an idea where we take the writing center to the students, creating a more personal learning environment for the student ). She's also exploring the perception of self as writer ( ethos ).
It was great to hear about different approaches to the Writing Center, and it was also affirming to find the similarities. One similarity that we started to discuss was the importance of creating a welcoming and inviting space. If there were only a trading spaces type of show for academic spaces, maybe our Writing Center's space aesthetic problem could be solved at a wink. But there's none that we know of, so we have to make do with what we have.
At first sight, Colleague N commented on how the room looked like a high school classroom ( symmetrical with rows of table and chair ). So we grouped tables to make stations. We're in the process of dividing the room using implied boundaries ( the back area will be the workshopping/tutoring area, while the front area will be the waiting area where students can chill to write/read on their own while they wait for their session ). We also brought bowls full of candy, and a mini-boiler for teas and hot chocolate. We still have a long way to go, but we're glad that a little feng shui is making a big difference.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Writing Center: technology uprising
Hola Readers,
Did I tell you that I'm super excited for this job? So excited that I volunteered ( w/o pay ) to attend the Faculty and Staff Spring Conference last week. It was enlightening that I started wondering why professors would blow their brains out ( physically, intellectually, etc as a friend bluntly stated ). The experience overall was mind-blowing, and I learned about: the budget ( none ... same expenses but w/o last year's stimulus ), new projects ( new residence hall, etc. ), fundraising, and technology.
The push for technology seemed urgent and apocalyptic. It was introduced by a faculty sharing a story of the Red Balloon Project. He and other staff attended a conference last summer, where they solved the problem of finding 10 red ballons randomly placed all over the U.S. The solution: communicating with people using social networks.
Their findings concluded that current technology would save the University ( which is operating in the 11th century educational models/paradigm ), replace 19th century technology ( blackboard etc. ), and connect with 21st century students ( who are wired to the online world constantly ).
I know how helpful technology can be. When the videos mentioned that a super computer would be built in 2049, the first thing that came to mind is the Terminator movies. When they gave statistics about students "reading" more web pages than books, and writing millions of emails and text messages, I started doubting the information. How do the statisticians differentiate between reading and skimming? Can brief emails and 150 charater tweets pass off for well-crafted essays and literature?
During the reception I mulled over these questions and the meaning of life as I munched on Swedish meatballs, eavesdropped on the latest University gossip, and networked with faculty and staff.
Did I tell you that I'm super excited for this job? So excited that I volunteered ( w/o pay ) to attend the Faculty and Staff Spring Conference last week. It was enlightening that I started wondering why professors would blow their brains out ( physically, intellectually, etc as a friend bluntly stated ). The experience overall was mind-blowing, and I learned about: the budget ( none ... same expenses but w/o last year's stimulus ), new projects ( new residence hall, etc. ), fundraising, and technology.
The push for technology seemed urgent and apocalyptic. It was introduced by a faculty sharing a story of the Red Balloon Project. He and other staff attended a conference last summer, where they solved the problem of finding 10 red ballons randomly placed all over the U.S. The solution: communicating with people using social networks.
Their findings concluded that current technology would save the University ( which is operating in the 11th century educational models/paradigm ), replace 19th century technology ( blackboard etc. ), and connect with 21st century students ( who are wired to the online world constantly ).
I know how helpful technology can be. When the videos mentioned that a super computer would be built in 2049, the first thing that came to mind is the Terminator movies. When they gave statistics about students "reading" more web pages than books, and writing millions of emails and text messages, I started doubting the information. How do the statisticians differentiate between reading and skimming? Can brief emails and 150 charater tweets pass off for well-crafted essays and literature?
During the reception I mulled over these questions and the meaning of life as I munched on Swedish meatballs, eavesdropped on the latest University gossip, and networked with faculty and staff.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)