English Writing Center
2002-2004
Description
The English Writing Center (EWC) functions as a place for students to compose essays and reports, work on grammar programs, and receive English tutoring; it also functions as the place where ESL students must complete their required "lab work." In addition, the EWC is the classroom for English 90, English 51, and English 52.
Room 571, which now houses the EWC, is too small to accommodate the growing student demand. The inadequate space of the EWC has been acknowledged by the college and was part of the justification for the Proposition R bond measure which recently passed. The logical step is to relocate in the proposed Tech Center. Expansion into room 570 is no longer an option.
Presently, the computers in the multi-use EWC are three years old. The English Department assumes the computers will be on schedule for roll over in summer 2003.
In reference to on-line tutoring, the student demand for it has been consistently low each semester (14 on-line tutoring sessions out of over 3,600 total sessions for spring 02). Therefore, plans are being made to phase it out. Low student demand of on-line tutoring is in line with experiences of other community colleges.
Curriculum Impact
Students are well supported and helped by all EWC services provided. These students depend on the EWC as a classroom for three English courses, for English Skills peer tutoring, for completion of required lab time, and for word processing and grammar practice.
When the 2002–03 and 2003–04 objectives (outlined below) are implemented, the EWC will provide access to instructional means to increase student skills in writing. Specifically the EWC will:
1. Provide qualified computer-based access to learning programs.
2. Facilitate the efficient operation and lab time of English 90, English 51, and English 52 (the three classes now offered in the EWC); and facilitate access to the lab as required by ESL writing courses.
3. Provide English skills tutoring from well-qualified and trained peer tutors.
4. Allow students across campus to function in the EWC at the highest technological level available and thereby increase student learning for today's and tomorrow's world.
Approximate Number of Students Served
Based on the average of 00-01 and 01-02 data, 1,634 students, who completed 25,137 student contact hours, are served each semester in the EWC. This number includes students who use the EWC for supervised tutoring, for ESL lab time, or for one of the classes taught in the EWC.
Support Impact
The EWC currently is staffed by approximately sixteen English Skills Peer Tutors, two Computer Tutors, and one classified Learning Center Specialist. Previous plans called for another classified technical position. However, with the current organization of the Instructional Computing and Technology Department, the English Department does not feel there is a need for the technical position and will look to IC to continue the technical support now provided by IC.
When the college's student enrollment increases, the student usage of the EWC increases proportionately. For instance, for fall 2002 when the enrollment rose to over 18,000 students, the student demand for tutoring rose 30% over fall 2001. For future semesters, in addition to the classified position, the EWC will require an increased number of English Skills basic tutors and several intermediate tutors (lead tutors) to accommodate the escalating demand for tutoring. Specific needs will vary semester to semester.
The current English 51/52 instructors teach classes assigned in the EWC as a function of their normal load. This need is filled with adjunct or full-time faculty. Because of the demand for English 51/52 by ESL students, the English Department will continue to hire ESL trained instructors as part of the pool of hourly English 51/52 adjuncts.
Year 1 (2002-2003)
Objective
1. Anticipate moving to the new Tech Center because expansion into Room 570 is not an option.
2. Provide supervised tutoring during all open hours.
3. Offer English 51/52 on an hourly basis in room 571.
4. Schedule classroom use of room 571 so the EWC is available for "open lab" the maximum hours as the budget allows.
Action to Meet Objective
1. Continue to communicate with the Associate Dean of Instructional and Technological Resources relative to anticipated move to Tech Center.
2. Continue to staff the EWC with basic and intermediate tutors. Use the current facilities (room 571 and the faculty hallway area) and the computers provided through the current roll over plan.
3. Continue with present operation of the English 51/52 program using existing plan of hourly instructors and using computer technology and resources in place.
4. Continue to offer in the EWC lecture and lab portions of some English 090 sections and offer in the EWC only lab portion for remaining English 090 sections.
Year 2 (2003-2004)
Objective
In addition to continuing the objectives for 2002-2003, the EWC will:
1. Maintain currency of computer upgrades in the EWC.
2. Formulate plans for conversion of a regular classroom (such as room 570, 584, or 340) to a computer-assisted classroom to accommodate English 090 classes thereby increasing access to computers in Room 571 for Supervised Tutoring as the demand for tutoring and small group instruction increases.
3. Formulate plans for the eventual move of the EWC to the Tech Center.
4. Formulate plans for room 571 to be converted to a computerized classroom once the EWC moves to the Tech Center.
Action to Meet Objective
In addition to continuing the actions to meet objectives for 2002-2003, the EWC will:
1. Continue with the upgrade/replacement plan established in 99/00 for EWC computers specifically plan for a summer 2003 roll over of EWC computers.
2. Develop concrete plans to equip room 570 or another such classroom with computers and other technological equipment to have a fully computerized classroom by having either table top computers or wiring to permit use of a portable computer cart of laptops.
3. Make plans to equip the EWC in the Tech Center with new computers for the EWC. There may be a need for new furniture such as chairs, tables, or desks.
4. Make plans to convert room 571 to a computer-assisted classroom with sufficient computers and other technological equipment to meet instructional needs. In the conversion of room 571 to a computerized classroom, there will be a need for new furniture such as chairs or tables.