Chapter 17. Providing a Hub for Writing Development: A Profile of the Centre for Academic Writing (CAW), Coventry University, England

Abstract

To introduce Writing Programs Worldwide, this essay describes and analyzes major reasons for this project to be undertaken and its primary goals. It also presents findings and analysis of the ongoing (since 2006) International WAC/WID Mapping Project, specifically of its "international survey" of writing programs and initiatives, which has received responses from more than 330 institutions on six continents. The essay describes how the survey results led to the choice of the universities invited to contribute profile chapters to this collection, as well as to the topics and emphases in the profiles themselves. The essay suggests reasons why teachers, program developers, administrators, and scholars might benefit from exploring the "many places" described and reflected on in the array of contributions to this ongoing project.We intend this book, in its print and online versions, to inform decisionmaking by teachers, program managers, and college/university administrators in regard to how writing is conceived of, managed, funded, and taught in higher education. We intend it, also, to contribute to the growing research literature in the shaping of writing programs.In our title, "Writing Programs Worldwide," and in our subtitle, "Profiles of Academic Writing in Many Places," we have tried to join three aims of scholarship. The first of these, embodied in the term "worldwide," is to further the effort to build a transnational community of writing scholars, teachers, and program administrators who can share for their mutual benefit the discoveries of individuals and small teams. This aim has been exemplified by the growth Carlino, P. (2005). Escribir, leer y aprender en la universidad. Una introducción a la afabetización académica. Buenos Aires: FCE. Carlino, P. (Ed.). ( 2006). Procesos y prácticas de escritura en la educación superior.

Understandings of the Role of the One-to-One Writing Tutor in a U.K. University Writing Centre: Multiple Perspectives

“…However, if most students have either not received or accepted the message regarding the writing centre’s anti-fix-it shop raison d’être despite efforts to disseminate this message, perhaps a different approach is required. That is, to expand the centre’s activity across the university, similar to the University of Coventry’s Centre for Academic Writing (see Deane & Ganobcsik-Williams, 2012). Rather than being associated exclusively by students as a place to come to “fix” their work shortly before it is due to be submitted, writing centres could set up credit-bearing modules which focus on writing as a process, and which feature writer-tutor interactions on drafts over an extended period.…”

“…Rather than being associated exclusively by students as a place to come to “fix” their work shortly before it is due to be submitted, writing centres could set up credit-bearing modules which focus on writing as a process, and which feature writer-tutor interactions on drafts over an extended period. In addition, and in line with Centre for Academic Writing, the centre could focus on training disciplinary faculty to incorporate explicit writing instruction into their subject modules, for instance, by helping lecturers “to introduce a formative assessment into a course to give students guided practice and feedback the students can implement in their summative assessment task” (Deane & Ganobcsik-Williams, 2012, p. 194). These initiatives could promote the association of the writing centre with long-term literacy development rather than short-term fixing.…”

“…Writing centre research has become increasingly important in the development of academic writing theory and practice (Ganobcsik- Williams, 2010). The one-to-one writing consultation is a core activity in writing centres (see Deane & Ganobcsik-Williams, 2012), often helping both L1 and L2 speakers of English with their texts, the tutor working with an individual student on a piece of writing she/he brings to the session, normally work to be assessed by content faculty.…”

Academic Writing in Times of Crisis: Refashioning Writing Tutor Development for Online Environments

“…Founded in 2004, CAW was the first UK university writing centre with a remit to serve students and staff across an HE institution. To fulfil this responsibility, from its inception, CAW has been composed of writing development staff including professional Academic Writing Tutors and Lecturing/Researching academics (Deane & Ganobcsik-Williams, 2012). Focusing on Academic Writing tutoring, profiles showcasing CAW's work detailed its practices aligned to the centre's role and purpose (Deane & Ganobcsik-Williams, 2012), and research highlighted its developments in online, asynchronous pedagogies (Angelov & Ganobcsik-Williams, 2015).…”

“…To fulfil this responsibility, from its inception, CAW has been composed of writing development staff including professional Academic Writing Tutors and Lecturing/Researching academics (Deane & Ganobcsik-Williams, 2012). Focusing on Academic Writing tutoring, profiles showcasing CAW's work detailed its practices aligned to the centre's role and purpose (Deane & Ganobcsik-Williams, 2012), and research highlighted its developments in online, asynchronous pedagogies (Angelov & Ganobcsik-Williams, 2015). At CAW, Academic Writing Tutors in particular, are responsible for delivering one-to-one writing tutorials (in person, by email, or live online), writing development workshops (general and faculty specific), and single-question drop-in sessions (including Faculty outreach drop-ins).…”