In an effort to spread its footprint across campus, the Langston University Writing Center has introduced a new embedded program that places its tutors directly in the classroom, offering immediate writing guidance to the university’s students.
The Writing Center’s tutors are joining classes on campus this semester to generate more interactions and connections between the tutors and the students. Students can now receive academic, in-person, feedback as they write in class. Tutors have been assigned to different professors across campus so they can attempt to help students with the writing process as it is being done. The Writing Center has over 30 student tutors that are accepting appointments and going into classrooms each week.
This new program offers alternative learning experiences for students seeking help with writing in any subject, not just English courses.
Students can make an account on langston.mywconline.com, where they are able to set appointments with a tutor based on their professor. The site displays the schedules of tutors with the professor that they are assigned to, giving students time slots to choose from. Appointments can be online, face-to-face, and in the classroom.
Writing Center director, Dr. Mick Howard, hopes that the new program will build trust between the tutors and the students, making them feel more comfortable coming to the Writing Center.
Located on the second floor of the G. Lamar Harrison Library, the Writing Center offers help to students in any stage of their writing process, for any assignment, in any course on campus. The Writing Center fosters a collaborative, accepting environment that is focused on relationship-based tutoring.
Student turnout at the Writing Center has decreased over the last few years due to strains associated with COVID-19. In previous years, students have used their spare time to set up appointments and meet with the Writing Center’s tutors. As a result of the pandemic, fewer students were signing up and tutors had less appointments throughout the year. The Writing Center wants to remind students on campus that they are here to help.
Dr. Howard said, “We want to provide the one-on-one attention that they may have never had in their entire academic career.”
Since the implementation of the embedded program, the tutors have noticed an increase in appointments as they are making more connections with students across campus. The students have been submitting positive feedback through discussion boards and the tutors seem to enjoy it as well.
Student tutor, Janel Andrews, said “It was really fun, I really enjoyed it,” in regard to tutoring a freshman biology class. “I think the Writing Center is very important, I feel very needed with my skills here.”
The Writing Center hopes that the embedded program will show an improvement in grades and writing skills of students on campus and build their trust with the tutors.
Dr. Howard said, “We are here for you. We are not going to judge you. We are here to help.”
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