Print

Print


Hi Margaret
It might be worth your while to propose a longitudinal, qualitative and
quantitative study, in which you compare the experiences of students who use
the centres versus those who don't.  I can see for example interesting
statistical studies tracking the history over several years of the
traditional "B" or "C" students.  A well designed study might give you more
answers. Interviews with such students might also prove interesting.

-----Original Message-----
From: Margaret Procter <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: October 14, 2002 9:30 PM
Subject: Measuring the worth of writing centres


>Colleagues:
>
>Can you help me find established benchmarks and other measures of best
>practice for writing centres and writing courses? I'm being asked to come
>up with these for the Arts and Science component in the new U of T planning
>and budget cycle. This recurrent exercise could be a good opportunity for
>the 14 or so writing centres here and the increasing number of writing
>courses to show administrators how important and successful we are. But in
>budget-cutting Ontario we also have to see it as one more challenge to
>defend our existence.
>
>I am aware of Jim Bell's methods for program evaluation (he outlines them
>in Inkshed 14.7, available at
>http://www.stthomasu.ca/inkshed/dec96.htm#subtitle3), which depend on
>intensive interviewing of students. Has anyone found other ways of
>gathering "hard" data -- maybe about retention rates? Are there other
>measures of student success related to writing-centre use that are both
>valid and vivid? We will certainly provide testimonials from students and
>fellow faculty, but hope we can also speak some of the administrative
>language of numbers.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Margaret.
>
>--
>(Dr.) Margaret Procter
>University of Toronto
>Coordinator, Writing Support
>15 King's College Circle
>Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H7
>
>(416) 978-8109; FAX (416) 971-2027
>http://www.utoronto.ca/writing
>
>                -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>  To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
>  [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
>         write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]
>
>For the list archives and information about the organization,
>    its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
>              http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
>                 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

                -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
  To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
  [log in to unmask] or, if you experience difficulties,
         write to Russ Hunt at [log in to unmask]

For the list archives and information about the organization,
    its newsletter, and the annual conference, go to
              http://www.stu.ca/inkshed/
                 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-