Rethinking Dependency: Promoting Motivation, Rapport, and Solidarity in Online Consultations during Times of Crisis (2021)

Keywords:

program assessment, reporting, data collection, research study, training

Abstract

Writing centers have been recognized as sites for dependency-related behaviors where some writers seek support beyond the perceived scope of the consultants’ responsibilities. Studies of dependency and writing centers have suggested that there is a fine line between fostering motivation and encouraging dependent or attachment behaviors from writers. Of late, theories of motivation have changed our estimations of the roles of emotion, identification, and solidarity as our ideas about the collaborative and social nature of writing have taken shape. In this individual presentation, I argue that the conditions of the pandemic combined with this new knowledge of supportive and motivating techniques necessitate a shift in our thinking about the development of working relationships and how we identify and meet the needs of our writers. More specifically, I investigate how writing center consultants at the University of Georgia are developing rapport and establishing solidarity with the populations they support online.

Presentation Materials

Recording

Citation Information

Type of Source: Conference Presentation

Presenters:  Annelise Norman

Year of Presentation: 2021

Title of Presentation: Rethinking Dependency: Promoting Motivation, Rapport, and Solidarity in Online Consultations during Times of Crisis

Conference: Online Writing Centers Association (OWCA)

Location of Conference: Virtual