September 27: Digital Technology and Administration

The agenda for our meting is in google.docs.

The focus of class discussion was on using technology as part of the administrative structure.  Although Chisholm's essay focused primarily on technology and Writing Center services - she identified principles for making technological decisions that are applicable to administration.

The overall point of her article was to aim for the cutting edge - but not the 'bleeding edge' => you don't need to adopt new technology for its own sake; make sure it works in terms of your needs, your expertise, and your users.  Her rule of thumb ws that it should be cheap, easy to use, and ubiquitous.

In light of these principles we had a discussion of what we want technology to DO in our administrative structure (what is its purpose); what our workers will easily be able to do; and what program that are out there and readily available are best suited to those purposes and abilities.

We came up with the following list of "needs" = what you want software to do for each of your areas of responsibility.

Training

Hiring

Orientation= training program

introduction to WC practices + policies= creating documents, communicating with coaches, templates that trainers can share to document training

Coordination of events

                checklist = to coordinate training offered by different trainers

Post documents & to a place where coaches can read

Publicity

software for flyers, brochures, & cards

outlet to contact coaches => list or feed

cougarlink other networking site

protocol for events = archive of procedures for yearly events

Scheduling

centralized place to post an editable schedule

archive of schedules

staff shortage notice

recordkeeping: tardies, absences, behavior issues

dedicated email account

Data Collection
make spreadsheets to display & analyze data
track attendance, coaches notes, demographics of students (tutortrac)
produce and archive reports
research documentation:  digital recorder?  video equipment?  transcription equipment?
online surveys

After we identified the needs for each GA assignment - we spent some time looking at "free" software that would accomplish these purposes - and shared discoveries.

For next week:
Each GA should come to class prepared to give a short presentation on the technology solutions you would propose for your administrative responsibsilites.
Read: the data sets + documents I sent to you by email, + the readings listed on the calendar.

September 20: Data Collection, Assessment, and Strategic Planning

We used this discussion as a process for developing a data collection plan for the Kean University Writing Center.  While this will be Simone's project for this term, WC administrators play a central role in planning data collection and assessment for their Centers.

Kean and assessment. To provide some background for the press for data collection and assessment here at Kean, we looked at the form and language set up in the assessment plan developed by the English Department.  This plan was in keeping with a template developed by the University which requested"

• the mission statement, 
• a description for the process for assessment, 
• the particular learning outcomes to be assessed (these should grow out of both the mission & the process); 
• a description of the location (a particular course activity/assignment) + the tool for the assessment (a rubric, scale, survey, set of codes + analytic plan, etc) 

Writing Center data collection & assessment. A writing center plan for data collection and self assessment will be different for a department plan, in that our mission rests on primarily on effectiveness of service rather than of teaching.  Though both are connected to student learning - our assessment might also take into account the availability of our services, staffs' preparation to meet demands, how/whether the Center's administrative structure, space, and resources match demands for services, and so on.  

While we did not discuss any of the readings in particular detail- we did draw heavily from the conceptual plan presented in Hawthorne's "Approaching Assessment as If It Matters" (237).

Hawthorne set forward a 5 point process for developing a data collection plan.
1. Identify the  purpose for the assessment (how the assessment will be used)
2. Decide what to assess in order to meet that purpose
3. Prioritize (phase in a series of data collection practices - you can't do everything at once)
4. Decide on a range of data collection methods, indirect & direct = how  assessment will be carried out
5. Analyze and apply data to determine what processes work/don't work & what to change so that you can  achieve your purposes

(This list is slightly different that the written copy I gave Simone - but I am hoping it is close).

Although the specifics of our planning are not appropriate for a blog post, we talked through these points and came up with a two-fold purpose, a list of aspects of writing center work to assess, several high priority assessments (two of which were continuations from last year, and a couple to set up as priorities for this year.  We were working on approaches/plans for actual data collection when we ran out of time.

For next week. We will focus on using technology to administer writing centers.  There is not much written on this topic, we will read and discuss Chisolm's essay - which I don't think is going to tell you much that you don't know.  I am hoping each of you will come to class prepared to talk briefly about administrative technologies for:

• PR & outreach: social networking, videos (Tim & Josh)
• Training: digital training modules, videos, forums & lists, "Webinars" etc Joe
• Scheduling & payroll: Josh
• Data collection: Simone

The rest of the class will be spent on a conceptual discussion about how to use/expand the use of programs/technologies we already use.  Specifically - we agreed to talk about re-organizing how we use google.docs, making better use of google.sites, re-thinking the email accounts, and perhaps tutortrac, and anything else you want to put on the agenda.

 

September 13: Politics and issues

Agenda: on-going issues at Center
We discussed the following - see minutes for details.

•  food in the writing center except bottled water
•  protocol for logging in students
•  College Comp presentatiions (to begin 9/19) => video almost complete
• New staff - Ryan will be covering as Academic Specialist
• Discussion of de-briefing practices
• Issues with staff

We spent the rest of the class reviewing case studies describing a range of different writing centers.  These essays described the usual "struggles" writing centers face - and they resonated with the story of our center in many important ways.  We will use these readings to document (as citations) the administrative, staffing, and programatic needs of writing centers in the introduction of our strategic plan.  By referring to issues in light of how they occur and resolve in writing centers in general - we can validate and contextualize the plans and requests that we develop in our report. 

Sally reported on Remedial / Developmental Centers (Paoli, 165)
We used Paoli's discussion (and an analysis of our Writing Program as described in the course outline for College Composition - and the requirements for the porfolio) to establish that Kean's Writing Program has an emphasis on process (course outline) and academic genres (portfolio) and that while there may be variation in the way the course is taught, the overall program has more of a student-centered, developmental approach - as opposed to a remediation approach.


Because of the focus on process and genre, writing issues that may come to the writing center (because students need more "time" & practice than is provided in class to catch up) include:

• voice -how to step into academic discourse -style
• low order concerns
• ownership - motivation - how to get into the student role
• multilingual issues

We also though that students may need more support for:

• decision making skills
• critical analysis

We may refer to this analysis in the introduction to the strategic plan  - to outline connections between our GE writing program & the role of the writing center.

Tim's discussion of Abels drew our attention to  the status of the director, staffing considerations = as well as questions listed on 394.  

This discussion led us to reflect on the importance of connecting the strategic plan to the University's Mission + the Administration's priorities for achieving that mission.  Fortunately, our student-centered support for retention and graduation of our diverse students is a good match.  We may need to develop more meaningful connections to community out-reach and programs/events that publicize the University.  An analysis of the University's vision (as set forth in the opening day talk, University Planning Documents, the Middle States self assessment, the Mission Statement, and Academic Programming) will be essential for development of an effective strategic plan.


Simone discussed the two different experiences Childers had with secondary writing centers - and pointed out connections to issues in the Kean University Writing Center.  She pointed out the multiple possibilities for staffing (and ongoing issues with funding  - or lack of it - and staffing).  We discussed the importance of grant-seeking => something current staff is not in a position to do but which should be planned for in the strategic plan.


We (briefly) considered the chart at the end of the article as a "brainstorming list" of areas for development.


Joe discusseed Community College writing centers - and re-capped the Gardner & Rousculp's points (advantages & disadvantages) about two-year students & staffing - and extended the discussion to Kean.  

Discussion at the end became a little rushed - as we were running out of time - but overall I believe we covered the important points - and now have these articles "under our belts" as references for how writing centers are run.


North.  At the end of class we (briefly) re-capped North's declaration of integrity  in "The idea of a writing center" - and his re-capitulation on 4 of the points from that essay.  Joe pointed out that he doesn't want to give up on point 4 - the wish to remain as a place where real knowledge is made - a place that can somehow reach through the focus on grades and meeting academic demands to the pleasure of learning and the power (and satisfaction) in learning through writing = and I think that is awesome.  Me too.  Though I respect North's point that the Center needs to respond to what students want - it is about their work and their agenda - and sometimes that agenda is getting the grade. Period.  But that doesn't mean we can't point out the dynamics that make that the goal.


So GOOD class.


For next week:

Read:. data collection, record-keeping, and strategic planning:

·         “Approaching Assessment as if It Matters” by Joan Hawthorne (p. 237-247)

·         “Research Podcast: New Directions in Writing Center Assessment; A Conversation with Lori Salem and Harry Denny” (located at http://writing.wisc.edu/podcasts/index.html)

·         “Two Experts Talk Writing Center Assessment: A Conversation with Neal Lerner and Jason Mayland” (located at http://writing.wisc.edu/podcasts/index.html)  http://writing.wisc.edu/podcasts/index.html

tutortrac,


And I will be posting another essay or two recommended by Simone on data collection


We will discuss these readings in light of practical issues associated with your work for this fall.

• To support Simone in brainstorming and designing her data collection plan (and report).
• To determine the kind of data we need to collect  to lay the groundwork for the strategic plan (and begin to design the collection instruments)
• To plan how we will use data in the strategic plan

 See you next week. 

September 6 Class

It took me a while to get time to write this.  In general, I hope to post "what we did in class" by 9:00 am the morning after class, but the WC Admin class is late - so I am thinking I may need until later in the day.  We'll see.


For the first half of class, Angela and Eric led us in a staff meeting.  We discussed the "chain of command" in terms of GA authority = who you need to "keep in the loop" during your work in the name of the writing cneter - and when (and who) you need to ask.  One point we didn't get to that we should have - is that if ever their is overt aggression, either verbal or physical, call in the appropriate authority (Dr. Kubow, Security, some other official staff) IMMEDIATELY.  Do not try to "fix" heated dynamics - you do not have the appropriate authority to do so.


 And we had some talk about how to handle instances when you are in charge - issues that may arise in terms of needing to support inexperienced coaches on WC practice, behavioral and caring for WC space issues, timliness (and missing work); and doing a professional job on recordkeeping.  The WC has policies in all of these areas, and as discussed, staff meetings and everyday culture are used to re-introduce (and revise) them so that they "work" in terms of making quiet space so the Center accomplish its goals.

The discussion of WC coaching philosophy hit the basics:

• individuals talk about where they are in their writing process
• coaches provide support if writers are stuck
• coaches talk with writers - don't write on their papers
• physical set up of the session = back and forth, student in control
• talking WITH people, back and forth => value what students have to say
• ask questions

You then took some time to set some short and longterm goals - which I am not going to reproduce here.


During the second half of class we revised the syllabus to reflect the fact that we are going to use class as a combination staff meeting & class.  Your "project" will be a written, professional version of your project for first semester, and our group project will be a 5-year strategic plan for the center - given points as listed on the [revised] syllabus posted to the right.


We also re-ordered the calendar to reflect your immediate administrative needs.  I have posted a "draft" and we will go from there.

For next week:
Staff meeting:  During next class, we will begin with another staff meeting (perhaps shorter? - but then I guess that depends what happens this week).  During the staff meeting you should raise any issues that you feel you would like to talk over as a group - with me as a consultant.  Angela and Eric will create the agenda - and you should submit your topics to them prior to class.


Read + prepare to discuss:  During the second half of class we will read through 4 case studies of how particular writing centers operate (their social, political, and economic positioning) and think about these WC theory & politics in light of Stephen North's "Idea of a WC" and "Idea of a WC revisited" (in the opening section of the Longman handbook on WCs = in the GA office.  


Each of us will take the "lead" for one part of the discussion = though we will all read all the essays.
Tim: Abels, 393; Joe: Gardener & Rousculp, 135; Simone:  Childers, 379; Sally: Paoli, 165
 Josh - we will miss you and have a good time.