English Writing Center and
English/ESL Independent Studies
Description
To meet the growing student demand for tutoring and basic skills instructional
help and to relieve the overcrowded conditions in room 571’s English Writing
Center (EWC), the EWC will move from room 571 in June 2004. Instead of one room
(571) and a faculty hallway for tutoring, the EWC will expand into 2 rooms in
the new Technology Center. English skills peer tutoring and English 51 and
English 52 course instruction will take place in 1 room with 10 support
computers while ESL required lab time and the lecture and lab portion of English
090 will take place in the other room supported by 31 computers.
For the 2004-2005 academic year, the 2 rooms will use the software previously
used on room 571’s computers. Some of this software will become obsolete in the
near future. There will be the continual need to update licenses, upgrade
software, and add new software licenses to the array of programs offered in the
2 rooms. No new hardware will be needed at this time other than the computers
and other hardware that has been provided through the campus-wide rollover of
computers.
Curriculum Impact
Students have been well supported and helped by EWC services provided by the EWC
in room 571. As the EWC moves into the Technology Center, students will depend
on the EWC’s 2 rooms as classrooms for 3 English courses, for English skills
peer tutoring, for completion of required lab time, and for word processing and
grammar practice.
When the objectives outlined below are implemented, the EWC will provide access
to instructional means to increase student skills in writing. Specifically the
EWC will:
- Provide qualified computer-based access to learning programs.
- Facilitate the efficient operation and lab time of English 90, English
51, and English 52 (the 3 classes that will be offered in the EWC or in the
English/ESL Independent Studies after the move to the Tech Center); and
facilitate access to the lab as required by ESL writing courses.
- Provide English skills tutoring from well-qualified and trained peer
tutors.
- 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.
- If demand exists, look for reinstatement of online tutoring using
available and, hopefully, more advanced technology so that online tutoring
can be conducted more like face-to-face tutoring. Possible solutions would
be the use of a mini cam and audio and visual real time tutoring.
Approximate Number of Students Served
Based on fall 2003 data, 1,635 individual students used the EWC for a total of
22,221 contact hours.
Support Impact
The EWC currently is staffed by approximately 16–19 English Skills Peer Tutors,
8 Computer Tutors, and 1 classified Learning Assistance Center Specialist. The
Learning Skills Coordinator, an English Department full-time instructor, directs
the EWC. Previous plans called for another classified technical position.
However, with the move to the Tech Center and the current organization of the
Instructional Computing and Resources 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, the EWC will require an increased number of English
skills basic tutors and several intermediate tutors (lead tutors) to accommodate
the anticipated increase in tutoring.
The current English 51 and English 52 instructors teach classes assigned in the
EWC as a function of their normal load. Currently, adjunct or full-time faculty
fill this need. If the demand for English 51 and English 52 increases, the
English Department will need to hire additional faculty especially ESL trained
instructors as part of the pool of hourly English 51 and English 52 instructors.
Currently, the Learning Skills Coordinator has multiple responsibilities that
include oversight of the EWC. In addition, expansion of EWC services may require
the hiring of 1 full-time certificated instructor whose sole responsibility
would be to administer and coordinate the academic programs and courses offered
in the EWC and English/ESL Independent.
Year 1 (2004-2005)
Objective
- To become familiar with, occupy, and adjust to the new Tech Center
environment.
- Once settled in, to evaluate and reassess the goals and objectives of
the EWC looking at the efficient use of the new facilities.
- To consider and investigate the possibility of using the English/ ESL
Independent Studies room to facilitate the addition of a one-hour lab, which
may be required as the English Department seeks to align with Cuyamaca. This
type of lab may be required by all composition courses including English
101, English 110, and English 120.
- To update software provided in the EWC and English/ESL Independent
Studies. For instance, the EWC staff and faculty might evaluate the use of
classroom instructor-based computer software to broadcast a specific
Internet site or other instructor files to all student computers.
- To evaluate the use of streaming video for online tutoring.
Action to Meet Objective
- Investigate writing software if English 101, English 110, and English
120 lab time were to be required as a part of course work.
- Purchase updated grammar or instructor software as needed.
- Investigate streaming video to support online tutoring.
Year 2 (2005-2006)
Objective
Based on the evaluation of year 1, evaluate the need for additional tutors for
tutoring and evaluate the need for additional faculty to teach courses offered
in the 2 rooms. Reevaluate the software for content and compatibility with
present computer system.
Action to Meet Objective
- Procure writing software and update and replace grammar and ESL
software.
- Hire additional tutors to support tutoring; hire additional faculty to
support the courses or labs offered in the 2 rooms.
- Complete a study of the services offered in the EWC and the English/ESL
Independent Studies room as well as look at each objective of this plan.
Year 3 (2006-2007)
Objective
Based on the evaluation of year 2, evaluate the need for additional tutors and
evaluate the need for additional faculty to teach courses offered in the 2
rooms. Reevaluate the software for content and compatibility with present
computer system.
Action to Meet Objective
- Procure writing software and update and replace grammar and ESL
software.
- Hire additional tutors to support tutoring; hire additional faculty to
support the courses or labs offered in the two rooms.
- Complete a study of the services offered in the EWC and the English/ESL
Independent Studies room as well as look at each objective of this plan.
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