Student still "controls" the session by providing three areas of focus
WA should not edit but instead pose questions and offer suggestions and resources
WA will have one hour to work on the paper no matter the length
A session log will be completed after the session is completed
Online vs. Face-to-Face
Minimalist Tutoring
WA should still maintain minimalist tutoring style when possible
Pose open-ended questions
Point out a couple instances of the same type of error before noting that the student should review the remainder of the paper for similar issues
The student should keep ownership of the paper - meaning, do not purely edit or suggest exact sentences, etc.
MINIMALIST
Directive Tutoring
DIRECTIVE
Online appointments offer more ability to move between minimalist and directive tutoring when needed
Lower-order issues, like grammar and sentence structure, often need more directive tutoring
Provide explanation rather than just saying, "You need a comma here." Explain why and provide an example!
Provide links to relevant skill sheet(s) to encourage independent and further learning
EXAMPLES
Differences of OWS
Differences
Can often get through more pages of the paper during the 60-minute session
Can review all comments and feedback before submission
Puts emphasis on that particular paper
And the three specific areas of concern
Allows a "break" from the overwhelm of back-to-back appointments in person
Benefits & Challenges
Cannot depend on immediate responses from the student
Body language and other physical social cues are unavailable so WA must be extra careful about the tone of written comments, suggestions, and questions
Some students do not provide much information about the assignment, leaving the WA a bit less informed than the typical face-to-face session
How to Find Your OWS Appointment
Scheduling
Each morning, Sara will place an hour-long block in the WA's schedule, stating OWS/Name/folder
The WA can then choose to stay logged into her account on the computer or log into wctutor to have access to resource shortcuts (see handbook)
The WA will go to eCampus and log in as wctutor to find the folder and then the name associated with the online
After filling out the Writing Conference Record with the provided information, download and save the paper as Last Name Month-Day-Year on the desktop (if on wctutor)
Remember to log in the student at the kiosk at Sara's desk with the student ID number, course, and professor
Finding Your Online Appointment
EXAMPLE
Finishing and Submitting Your Online
Submitting
Completing Your Online Appointment
Review all comments before saving the paper one last time
On eCampus, click on the student's name to prompt an email
Create a subject line that relates to OWS
Attach the paper to the email before forgetting!
Write a short summary of the session, recognizing the areas of concern that were worked on and what issues the student should focus on during the revision process
Remind the student that he or she can contact Writing Services via email at any time or come in for a face-to-face appointment if there are any further concerns
If unable to get through the entire paper, note to what page was reviewed and remind the student that the paper can be resubmitted to review the rest if necessary AFTER applying the current suggestions from the first session
Create a session log that mentions that the appointment was online rather than face-to-face