Why Do This and What Do I Need?: A Workshop for Preparing SWCA Certification Proposals
Southeastern Writing Center Association Conference
21 February 2019
Myrtle Beach, SC
Scott Whiddon, Russell Carpenter, Courtnie Morin, Kevin Dvorak, & Joy Bracewell
Presentation Link: goo.gl/XfkRGc
Resources Link: goo.gl/DMUf6a
Why do this?
In contrast with other organizations, SWCA certification is the only opportunity written for writing centers by writing centers.
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SWCA Certification Planning Recommendations: Vision
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Document | Recommendations for Planning | Suggestions for Writing and Reviewing |
1a. Vision | Establish a small committee with representation from across writing center stakeholders (administrators, tutors, faculty) Discuss long-term aspirations for writing center: Where will the writing center be in three, five, or ten years Explore motivational concepts and goals with key stakeholders Draft concepts Share with key groups for recommendations to encourage buy-in and support Analyze feedback and incorporate revisions* | A writing center’s vision is usually one sentence. The vision should reflect the values of the institution, including college, unit, or division affiliation. The vision might include terms, ideals, or values stated by the larger institution. In addition, it should display the ways in which the writing center aligns and supports the larger institution. |
SWCA Certification Planning Recommendations: Mission
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Document | Recommendations for Planning | Suggestions for Writing and Reviewing |
Mission | Establish a small committee with representation from across writing center stakeholders (administrators, tutors, faculty) Discuss long-term aspirations for writing center: Where will the writing center be in three, five, or ten years Explore motivational concepts and goals with key stakeholders Draft concepts Share with key groups for recommendations to encourage buy-in and support Analyze feedback and incorporate revisions* | A writing center’s mission statement is usually three to four sentences. The mission should also reflect the values of the institution, including college, unit, or division affiliation while providing more detail on how the vision is accomplished. |
SWCA Certification Planning Recommendations: Values
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Document | Recommendations for Planning | Suggestions for Writing and Reviewing |
Values | Brainstorm the significant activities of your writing center Identify core values promoted by institution; consider possible alignment Discuss outcomes your writing center staff achieve (likely with tutors) Discuss what your writing center will instill in students, faculty, staff, or collaborators | The values are terms that guide the work of tutors and staff members. It is often a list of terms. |
SWCA Certification Planning Recommendations: Strategic Plan
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Document | Recommendations for Planning | Suggestions for Writing and Reviewing |
Strategic plan | Often consists of several tiers: Goals, Strategic Directions, Key Performance Indicators, Measure(s) Discuss the goals your writing center will achieve Explore options and needs for assessment Examine ways you will determine meaningful change (see Meaningful change) | The strategic plan is a long-term document that guides assessment and evaluation purposes. It should be meaningful for the tutors and staff members. |
SWCA Certification Planning Recommendations: Tutor Education Plan
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Document | Recommendations for Planning | Suggestions for Writing and Reviewing |
Tutor education plan | Discuss current trends, goals, needs, or assessment in your writing center (with tutors, faculty, visitors) Explore strengths or weaknesses of weekly (or regular) educational opportunities for tutors Outline weekly learning outcomes to guide tutor education | The tutor education plan provides a semester or annual planning guide for training. It includes any semester projects or assignments, along with detailed descriptions and learning outcomes (often using language from the Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy) |
SWCA Certification Planning Recommendations: Meaningful Change
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Document | Recommendations for Planning | Suggestions for Writing and Reviewing |
Meaningful change | Establish a systematic and regular process for reflection Focus on meaningful change you need to create in your center focused on long-term areas of planning | This reflective writing documents the change necessary to facilitate improvement. Documentation and evidence of changes should be included from year to year. |
Brainstorm I
Spend two minutes to consider (1) What is your vision for your writing center? (2) What are programs or initiatives that you are trying to enact?
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SWCA Certification Planning Guide: Letter of Application
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FIELD | DOCUMENT(S) | DESCRIPTION | RECOMMENDATION OF BEST PRACTICES | RATIONALE for WC PRACTICE |
Letter of Application | Brief Cover Letter of Application | The letter should state the intent and contents of the submission portfolio. It should give a brief overview of the writing center contexts (i.e. number of students at the school, number of writing center staff, etc.). It should also give a brief explanation of the supporting materials packet (see below). | A one-page maximum is recommended for the letter. It is important to be concise and offer a brief preview. The rest of the submission will go more in-depth. Think of this document as a title page or cover letter for the submission as a whole. | The document should help the committee understand and communicate the work the writing center does. |
SWCA Certification Planning Guide: Memorandum
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FIELD | DOCUMENT(S) | DESCRIPTION | RECOMMENDATION OF BEST PRACTICES | RATIONALE for WC PRACTICE |
Memorandum explaining institutional and writing center contexts | A Memorandum | The memorandum should contain an in-depth explanation of the writing center and institutional contexts and any relevant information pertaining to the relationship between the institution and writing center educational practices. | A two-page maximum is recommended for this memorandum. Make sure to be thorough and include both institutional and writing center contexts. | The document should explain the relationship between institutional goals and writing center practice. In addition, it should link writing center initiatives, programming, and goals with larger institutional strategic planning. |
SWCA Certification Planning Guide: Materials Preview
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FIELD | DOCUMENT(S) | DESCRIPTION | RECOMMENDATION OF BEST PRACTICES | RATIONALE for WC PRACTICE |
Brief preview of supporting materials | A brief preview of supporting materials | The preview should outline and synthesize the contents of the supporting materials packet. It should also give a brief explanation of each of the documents in the packet and their significance. | A two-page length suggestion is recommended for this document. The preview should not only support the packet but be a stand-alone document for future reference. | Demonstrate how writing center documents function individually and complement one another as a collective whole. |
SWCA Certification Planning Guide: Supporting Materials
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FIELD | DOCUMENT(S) | DESCRIPTION | RECOMMENDATION OF BEST PRACTICES | RATIONALE for WC PRACTICE |
Supporting Material Packet | A series of submissions that must include writing center tutor education documents (eg, sample modules, syllabi, lists of readings, samples, prompts, videos, or other supporting texts) | The packet should discuss briefly the sufficient evidence that the writing center meets the guidelines put forth by the SWCA Research & Development committee. | The documents suggested by the SWCA Research & Development committee are: proposals, staff training exercises, consultant and consultation related documents, staff education outcomes, sample writing center workshops, etc. Inclusion is recommended for anything that you deem as helpful to your submission. | Design writing center materials to support and guide day-to-day and long-term work. Establish clear and replicable tutor education goals, needs, and directions. Communicate the link between tutor education and writing values. |
SWCA Certification Planning Guide: Recommendation Letters
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FIELD | DOCUMENT(S) | DESCRIPTION | RECOMMENDATION OF BEST PRACTICES | RATIONALE for WC PRACTICE |
Letters from Two Separate Campus Community Members | Two letters written from campus community members | These letters should be written by two separate campus community leaders that engaged in writing center facilitated events (i.e. workshops). | A one-page maximum is recommended for each of the letters. The letters should show how the writing center adds value to campus life. It should express specific examples of what the writing center did and how it helped improve campus life. | This document should explain the writing center’s engagement of the institutional community in shared value, communicate approaches to the development of a shared mission and vision, discuss shared values, and show institutional commitment. |
SWCA Certification Planning Guide: Tutoring Approach
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FIELD | DOCUMENT(S) | DESCRIPTION | RECOMMENDATION OF BEST PRACTICES | RATIONALE for WC PRACTICE |
Description of the center’s approach to tutoring and supporting writing | A one-page document | This description should be an in-depth discussion of the writing center’s approach to tutoring and supporting writing for the institution in which it is based. | A one-page maximum is recommended for the document. It is also recommended that the document includes preliminary expectations and consequential outcomes for the writing center’s approach. | This document should provide an overview rationale for approach to tutoring and examine writing center programming related to tutoring (such as outreach in various forms.) |
Brainstorm II
Spend two minutes to consider (1) Which of these materials do you already have? (2) What rhetorical function do these documents serve?
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SWCA Certification Rubric
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MATERIAL SUBMISSION | UNACCEPTABLE | DEVELOPING | ACCEPTABLE | EXEMPLAR |
Letter of Application | No letter was submitted. | Some attempt was made, but the letter did not adequately explain the writing center. | The letter adequately explained the writing center. | The letter exceeded expectations in explaining the writing center. |
Memorandum explaining institutional and writing center contexts | No memorandum submitted. Did not give any explanation of writing center contexts. | Some attempt was made, but the memorandum did not sufficiently explain the writing center contexts. | The memorandum adequately explained the institutional and writing center contexts. | The memorandum exceeded the requirements in explaining writing center contexts. |
SWCA Certification Rubric
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MATERIAL SUBMISSION | UNACCEPTABLE | DEVELOPING | ACCEPTABLE | EXEMPLAR |
Brief preview of Supporting Materials & Supporting Material Packet | No packet or preview was submitted. | Some attempt was made, but the preview was insufficient in explaining the supporting materials packet AND/OR insufficient materials were included in the packet. (i.e. materials specified on the planning guide were not included in the packet). | The brief preview contained a sufficient overview of the supporting material packet. The supporting material packet included all of the required documents and they showed sufficient evidence that the writing center meets the guidelines put forth by the SWCA Research & Development committee. | The brief preview perfectly explained what was included in the supporting materials packet AND all of the documents required were included with additional supporting materials attached. |
SWCA Certification Rubric
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MATERIAL SUBMISSION | UNACCEPTABLE | DEVELOPING | ACCEPTABLE | EXEMPLAR |
Letters from Two Separate Campus Community Members | No letters submitted. No evidence to show that writing center adds value to campus life. | Some attempt was made, but letters either did not meet requirements (i.e. two letter were not submitted) OR were insufficient in showing evidence that the writing center adds value to campus life. | Two letters were submitted and they adequately showcase that the writing center adds to the value of campus life. | Two letters were submitted that showed the writing center exceeded expectation in terms of adding value to campus life. |
Description of the center’s approach to tutoring and supporting writing | No description submitted. | Some attempt was made, but the description did not adequately explain the writing center’s approach to tutoring and supporting writing. | The description adequately explained the writing center’s approach to tutoring and supporting writing. | The description showed that the writing center’s approach to tutoring and supporting writing exceeded expectations. |
Brainstorm III
Spend two minutes imagining your writing center’s CV: What are some things that you are most proud of in your writing center?
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How to Write a…
Letter of Application
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How to Write a…
Memorandum explaining context
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How to Write a…
Preview of Supporting Materials
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How to Write a…
Tutoring Approach
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Certification Sample Review
Review the documents in front of you as a small group.
Consider: In our experience, no two successful applications have looked example alike.
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Certification Resources
The Research & Development team has developed several resources that are available to you on the SWCA website.
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Further Certification Readings
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Carpenter, Russell, Scott Whiddon, and Courtnie Morin. “‘For Writing Centers, By Writing Centers’: A New Model for Certification via Regional Organizations.” WLN: A Journal of Writing Center Scholarship. 42.1-2 (2017). 2-9.
Carpenter, Russell, Scott Whiddon, and Courtnie Morin. “Understanding What Certifications Mean for Writing Centers: Analyzing a Pilot Program via a Regional Organization.” How We Teach Writing Tutors: A WLN Digital Edited Collection. Eds. Karen Johnson and Ted Roggenbuck, 2019. <https://wlnjournal.org/digitaleditedcollection1/Carpenteretal.html>.
Credit for Slide Template: SlideCarnival
Thanks!
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Scott Whiddon
swhiddon@transy.edu
Russell Carpenter
russell.carpenter@eku.edu
Courtnie Morin
courtnie.morin@eku.edu
Kevin Dvorak
kdvorak@nova.edu
Joy Bracewell
joy.bracewell@gmail.com