Re: Credit Centers

[Felicia Mitchell <fmitchel@ehc.edu>]

We have a system by which students do writing-center related work--mostly
via E-mail interaction, writing assignments sent via attachments, and
computer-assisted editing review--and get one hour pass/fail credit.  The
work with tutors is on drafts, if students want that, but all required
interaction is with me.  Before this lab course, students would be "sent" to
me and I (and tutors) would be working on various tutorials, non-credit for
students and for me (though sometimes the work would be to make up an
incomplete).  It did feel like punishment to some students ("spend four
hours with Dr. Mitchell going over Harbrace pape by page," is the example of
one professor's recommendation in the distant past--recommendations like
that led me to want to systematize and have more control over referrals).
The course has gone through several revisions since the beginning, and now
that it is "distance" it is being reviewed and revised for next semester as
I notice things that need to be changed.  As for the stigma?  Well, the
people in the course seem cheerful enough, once they get past the hurdle of
feeling "placed," and I work on the affective area as well in the early part
of the course.  I suspect that now that the course is self-paced, in a
sense, and students can come in at any time, they feel less highlighted and
more in control.  That may be one way to avoid the stigma, to let them blend
in. Another way is to individualize instruction so students feel special, in
a sense, and begin to find solutions to problems that may have been lost in
a regular course.  When a student begins to experience success, to feel less
"stupid," etc., the feeling of being placed diminishes, I sense, in light of
the excitement of learning that a type of success is possible.  

At 07:03 AM 11/6/97 -0600, you wrote:
>I have a quick question for those of you who work in credit-bearing 
>writing centers. How do you determine which students are required to 
>use the centers (or are they required), and still avoid the stigma 
>attached to a center which serves "remedial/developmental" students or 
>"poor writers?"
>
>If any of you can help quickly (before noon), I'd appreciate it. I 
>believe this subject may come up at a meeting today.
>
>Answer off the list if you like, and thanks.
>
>jennifer jordan-henley
>jordan_jj@a1.rscc.cc.tn.us
>

Felicia Mitchell
http://www.faculty.ehc.edu/users/fmitchel
English Department
Emory & Henry College
P.O. Box 947
Emory, VA 24327-0947