The Development of an ESL OWL, or Learning How to Tutor Writing Online (2005)

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  • Post published:January 1, 2005
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This essay describes the development of an ESL OWL by grounding practices in language and literacy pedagogy theory. An initial discussion explores OWLs emulating physical writing center spaces. Two areas of concern are then addressed in meeting the needs of second language writers as they relate to practices and training for online tutoring: error correction—an area of frequent concern to second language writers—and increased interactivity—meeting second language writer expectations and creating autonomous learners.

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Linking Technology to Pedagogy in an Online Writing Center (2004)

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  • Post published:January 1, 2004
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Many law school Legal Writing programs are now using web-sites containing program descriptions, syllabi, course materials, discussion boards, and links to online research and writing re-sources. Several of these websites have links to online university writing labs (OWLs), which provide students with easy access to information about grammar, punctuation, and style.

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Learning to Chat: Tutor Participation in Synchronous Online Chat (2003)

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Given that the tutor is reduced to an onscreen presence in online chat, there is a need to create frameworks to help define effective tutor behaviour in this medium. Here, tutor moves are categorised according to function and analysed in relation to their perceived effect on students' contributions.

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A Brief History of Computer Support for Writing Centers and Writing-Across-the-Curriculum Programs (2003)

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I trace the evolution of computer support for writing centers and writing-across-the-curriculum (WAC) programs. Calling attention to differences in the rate of adoption and in the type of technology favored by scholars in each area, I discuss their adoption of technology within the context of their varying instructional goals.

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A Genre of Its Own: Training Tutors for Asynchronous Online Conferencing (2002)

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  • Post published:January 1, 2002
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Tutors provide students with an audience, readers who respond to and describe what has been communicated in the students’ writing, and then tutors help identify ways to communicate in writing more effectively. To do this, tutors offer a wide variety of feedback, knowing that all strategies will not appeal to all students, therefore using presentation methods that will appeal to, and not alienate, a variety of students.

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