The Positive Effects of Requiring Writing Center Visits in Developmental Writing
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The Academic Development Division at Lackawanna College identified a need for modified supplemental instruction for students enrolled in our lowest level of writing – Basic Writing. The need for additional reinforcement of material outside of the classroom was twofold:
Students were not practicing the skills taught. They were leaving assignments until the last minute and forgetting both what they had learned and what was expected of them. As a result, some were plagiarizing while others were simply not handing in assignments.
Many students enrolled in Academic Development courses are unprepared for college and are still learning the basic skills for success. Therefore, many were not utilizing the Writing Center as a resource regardless of classroom visits, instructor recommendations, and YouTube tutorials. Others neglected the Center out of fear and a lack of confidence in their writing.
Our division implemented a course assignment that required students visit the Writing Center three times throughout the semester. These visits counted toward 10% of their overall grade. In order to receive credit, the students were required to complete each visit by a certain date. A completed draft was also required for each appointment. Each visit was geared toward a particular essay – process, compare and contrast, and research.
To ensure these appointments ran smoothly, we provided the Writing Center staff with instructor packets and essay prompts. The staff was instructed to ask for these materials at the beginning of each session encouraging responsibility and preparedness. However, if students were unprepared for their sessions, the tutors still had the necessary resources to facilitate the consultation. Tutors conducted the sessions as they typically would—hands off collaboration. At the close of each session, the tutors were responsible for completing client reports. Because this counted as a grade, the tutors included information on student preparedness, timeliness, and focus.
After a few semesters of piloting this requirement, we assessed student progress in the course as a result of the visits. In the fall of 2017, 68 students completed Basic Writing. In the spring of 2018, 31 students finished the course. In total, 99 students completed Basic Writing in the 2017-2018 academic year.
Grading data has been broken down according to the same parameters that are used to determine successful completion in the course. Students who earn below a C- must repeat Basic Writing. Students who earn a C-, C, or C+ must enroll in the bridge developmental course. Students who earn a B- or better enroll in the college-ready course.
The results indicate a correlation between course grades and Writing Center visits. It’s important to note that half of the students from the fall semester did not visit the Writing Center at all. They received a grade of less than a C- and had to repeat the course. All students visited the Center during the spring semester.
At the beginning of each semester, many students expressed disdain to the mandatory visits—mostly because they are an added requirement outside of class time. Some also admitted they were afraid and uncomfortable sharing their writing. By the end, however, the response was overwhelmingly positive.
During end-of-the-semester evaluations, students indicated their satisfaction with the Center:
“One thing that really worked for me was the writing center. The essays are overwhelming and the people in the writing center helped me to realize that I can actually write essays. They helped me find problems in my essay that I didn’t know existed. It was very useful to go to the writing center. I’m glad I can use it for all my writing classes.”
“I should have went to the writing center more than the times I was required. The writing center helped so much and I wouldn’t have passed this class if it wasn’t for them.”
The required Writing Center appointments introduced students to the Center’s location, familiarized them with the software, and helped them build rapport with the staff. The visits themselves helped the students learn necessary skills like time management, responsibility, preparedness, and collaboration. The end result is that the students performed better in the class and learned how to think about their writing, catch mistakes, and apply the necessary skills to plan, organize, develop, and produce better writing.
Author Bio:
Jenette Kiesendahl is an Assistant Professor and the Writing Center Director at Lackawanna College. Previous to her appointment at Lackawanna, she worked as a Graduate Writing Fellow at Hofstra University where she earned her MFA in Creative Nonfiction.
Keywords:
Academic Development, Developmental Writing, Writing Center, Required Writing Center Visits