What’s new at the UWC?
A lot—we’ve been busy. With the W courses now in full swing in departments across campus, the University Writing Center (UWC) has found a variety of new ways to assist faculty members and bring more writing help to more students. While our dedication to our first mission—offering one-on-one advice to students on their writing—remains unchanged, we’re also finding innovative ways to create an atmosphere at Texas A&M where effective writing is a priority for faculty members and students alike.
Stand and Deliver’ faculty blog
Need to vent about teaching writing? Want to share a writing assignment that worked well? Looking for advice about handling the paper load in a W course? Maybe it’s time you blogged.
The faculty section of the UWC Web site is home to Texas A&M’s first faculty blog. Called Stand and Deliver, the blog (short for “Web log”) is a way for the faculty community to discuss teaching writing.
“Having seen W course proposals from departments all across campus, I know our faculty members have terrific ideas about how to make writing an integral and engaging part of our undergraduate curriculum,” explains UWC Executive Director Dr. Valerie M. Balester. “I hope the blog will be a place for instructors to share their knowledge. I hope they’ll also write about what puzzles or frustrates them about teaching writing, because those discussions are often productive.”
The UWC faculty blog is located at http://writingcenter.tamu.edu/stand-and-deliver.
Our logo, etc.
The UWC unveiled a new logo this summer after retiring the “Pencil Dude” mascot that had served since the UWC opened in 2001. The new logo is depicted at this site’s top.
Additionally, Writing Matters has undergone a minor redesign in this issue and the logo has been incorporated on the newsletter’s nameplate. Look for promotional materials bearing the new logo in the coming months.
Classroom workshops
This fall the UWC has unveiled a program to help both faculty members and students: classroom workshops on writing topics.
Instructors can sign up to have a UWC staff member conduct an in-class workshop for students on one of several topics, including mastering components of the writing process, understanding grammar and punctuation, avoiding plagiarism, and citing and documenting sources. The UWC also can conduct a peer response session with students as they help each other improve their drafts of an assignment.
“I’m really pleased that these workshops will bring the UWC services to more students across campus,” Balester says.
That’s not to say that UWC staffers can replace individual instructors when it comes to teaching writing.
“It’s vital that instructors teach students about the expectations for writing in their discipline,” Balester explains. “Our staff can cover basic points about grammar or avoiding plagiarism but aren’t subject matter experts. That’s where the instructors’ expertise comes into play, in teaching the techniques and formats appropriate to writing their in disciplines.”
Workshops on additional topics of the instructor’s choice can be arranged with at least three weeks’ notice. Instructors can also request a presentation informing students about UWC services via the UWC Web site.
A redesigned, upgraded Web site
The UWC overhauled its Web site this summer to improve content delivery, make resources more accessible and enhance the site’s aesthetics. The new site debuted in early August. Led by Communications Coordinator Brady Creel with the help of an undergraduate intern, Mark Wolfe, the project comprised a shift from static HTML pages to a dynamic content management system.
“My goal was a crisp, clean site that was easy to use,” Creel said. “I think we were successful, and our migration to Mambo allows us to bring more people to the content-generation process to build better resources.”
The new site design also shines a light on UWC services for students: usage of the Online Writing Lab, which contains myriad handouts about different writing topics, has risen dramatically. Faculty resources were reorganized to make materials easier to find, and all approved W course proposals have been published online.
Services to meet students’ needs
The UWC has three new ways to give students greater access to help.
Last spring, the UWC set up an instant messaging (IM) system. Students can contact the UWC via Yahoo! or AOL instant messaging to ask questions about their writing. UWC consultants will offer responses to students’ questions and, when needed, direct students to online handouts or Web sites for additional information. If they wish, clients can follow up their IM session with a face-to-face consultation in the UWC.
The UWC also is taking calls on its Write Line (845-2160). The line is answered whenever the UWC is open for business. It’s an ideal way for students to get answers to specific questions, such as grammar or citation problems.
The UWC also has expanded its hours of service: During fall and spring semesters, the center is open for appointments from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday; and 6 p.m. to 10 p. m. Sundays. The Sunday night hours seem particularly popular with students; those appointments book quickly with walk-in sessions also in demand.
Pedagogy workshops for faculty and graduate students
An ongoing program of workshops and lectures on the best practices in the teaching of writing is an important part of the UWC’s outreach to faculty members. The topic of this summer’s workshop was “Aiming High: Using Models of Good Writing to Spur Students to Excellence,” and it proved so popular that a second session had to be added.
This fall the UWC offered—for the first time—a session specifically aimed at graduate students. The topic was “Grading Student Papers: A Method to the Madness.” The information presented included a brief review of grammar and punctuation rules and a practice grading session to help instructors learn to assess student writing on a variety of levels.
This spring Mike Palmquist, a professor of English and a University Distinguished Teaching Scholar at Colorado State University, will come to the UWC to discuss the interplay of writing and technology. Keep an eye on the UWC Web site for further information.
