The Best Laid Plan is a Strategic One: Experiential Learning @ UPEI’s Writing Centre

Robin Sutherland, PhD CWCA annual conference May 23, 2014 Brock University

Current challenges: •  Contractual appointment •  Shifts in management/administration •  Funding •  Undergraduate tutor base (13:1 MA) •  AI/plagiarism climate; anti-intellectual/

negative

My Plan: Time for a Strategic Retreat

Focus on positives & what I can control: WC staff

Training & Mentoring

Fulfilling Job Experience

Celebrate Good Writing

On & Off Campus Partnerships

Perfect Timing: UPEI’s Strategic Plan

•  Initiated by new President (2011) •  Engaged campus in discussions of

place and purpose of university

•  Involves campus & community

The Plan: UPEI’s Vision Statement

“[ to] be a leader in de l iver ing outstanding experiential learning opportunities that encourage our students to develop to their full potential in both the classroom and the community. . . .”

Strategic Plan Values:

#4 - Shared Responsibility:

“Through shared responsibility of faculty, staff, and students, we are called to a duty o f c rea t ing an enr i ched l ea r n ing environment that fosters student success through engagement and experience.”

Key terms:

1) Vision Statement: “experiential learning opportunities in both the classroom and the community” 2) Value: “shared responsibility of faculty, staff, and students” “engagement and experience”

Experiential Learning: “Learning by doing, with a reflexive component”

•  D.A. Kolb (1996): EL models by Lewin, Dewey,

and Piaget.

•  “Knowing is a process, not a product” (Bruner, 1996, p. 72).

Experiential Learning: Student Affairs Commitment

1.  Encourage students and faculty to identify EL in Student Affairs;

2.  Identify and support EL for our own student employees and volunteers;

3.  Develop means of measuring the impact of such experiences.

•  Volunteer Appreciation Certificate for SA student employees (no co-curricular record)

Experiential Learning for WC student employees

•  Writing or teaching opportunities for student tutors

•  On-campus: increase visibility of writing support & good writing

•  Off-campus: increase visibility of student ability; increase learning opportunities for student tutors; demystify academy

Perceived Benefits:

•  Test/translate skills (writing, editing, teaching) in other situations

•  Learning opportunities = possible training

•  Increased job satisfaction

•  Additional responsibilities = lines on resume; raise in $

So what happened?

The Unfortunate (“Ugly”): WC Workshop Series

•  APA (0 response): B.Ed tutor

•  Poetry (cancelled): Creative writing tutors

•  Presentations (cancelled): Drama tutor

Aboriginal Writing Circle (with Mawi’Omi and Westisle high)

- 6 students submitted entries in 2013; 0 students in 2014

The “Bad”: Promising Beginnings

“This experience was what I needed to get me back on track with my academic life, and I can say that I feel my passion again. I know that my thesis matters, even in a small way, when I hear stories from those kids, and I get excited helping them open up about their culture and express themselves” (Sara Tennant, MAIS candidate & Writing Tutor)

Finally . . . The Good!

“Resumania 2014”

What it was:

•  On-campus partnership with Career Counsellor & Experiential Learning Facilitator

•  7 tutors attended training session: expanded knowledge & experience

•  20 UPEI students came for help; 5 tutors worked

Good tutor feedback. Unfortunately, no data collected.

Saving the best for last: Heart & Stroke Foundation Fundraiser

www.heartandstroke.pe.ca

AT THE DELTA PRINCE EDWARDSaturday, February 15, 2014

RED’14

12

VO LU N T E E R O R G A N I Z I N G CO M M I T T E EKate Zarins - ChairRoch Beazley Cathy GarrettLaura-Lee Lewis Damien Packwood

E V E N T VO L U N T E E R SAdam BrimacombeKaitlynn BroughtonBell Aliant AmbassadorsTammy Carragher-GallantJenilyn DeLongShawn DeLongMarla DrakeGillian Doherty Samantha DuguayLogan HughesDanny JenkinsPatti KibengeWinnie McGowanNicole Mills

FOUNDATION STAFFWill Chandler, Events CoordinatorSarah Crozier, Health Promotions ManagerSharon Hollingsworth, Communications O!cerLynda MacDonald, Accounting ServicesSusanne MacDonald, Events Development and Coordination O!cer

Creative text for this year’s Nortons Razzle Dazzle Red auction was written and edited by the tutors at UPEI’s Writing Centre. Their initials appear after the items they authored. Writers include:

Damon Ansems [DA]Mark Currie [MC]Dani MacDonald [DM]Emily MacIsaac [ERM]Keri McCa"rey [KNM]

This unruly crew was fueled, unleashed, and overseen by Bill Chalmers and Robin Sutherland, UPEI Student A"airs (BC & RS, respectively). It was our pleasure to be part of the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s annual fundraising event!

Betty Praught Kate Proude Kimberly Rashed Emma Rockett

Judy MisenerJean MyersRobert NoonanJune NoonanLyndsay PaynterAmanda RedmondJackie RedmondKaitlin ReherEileen RobertsonAmanda SmitLorraine StevensonKaren WaltonKatelyn Young

Jess Reynolds [JR]Chris Thompson [CT]Toni Timmins [TT]Ruby Madigan, Editrix-in-Chief [RM]

What it was: •  Off-campus partnership with community organization

•  Write engaging text for approx. 120 auction items

•  Writing credit in lieu of payment ($500)

•  9 tutors involved; 1 as editor

•  2 “Writing Sweatshops” on weekends

The Final Product:

Silent Auction #S4

DEERE DECORATOR

Muddy up your mantle with these John Deere tractor miniatures when you proudly display our Island’s favorite brand of tractors in your home. Farmer’s tan not included. [CT, RM,

BC]

Donated by:

Reddin Equipment

Value: $49

Silent Auction #S80

THE RED ISLAND ROASTER

A Staub ceramic roasting dish so inviting the pigs will line up to get into it! Peel some

potatoes, slice some carrots, and then use the included Gravity Peppermill to sprinkle the

seasoning. Dinner is served. Dishes can wait. [MC]

Donated by:

The Kitchen Store

Value: $110

Silent Auction #S77

U-NIQUE THIS TEAK

Put your food on centre stage with this unique teak tray, and watch as its visible tree rings, organic feel, and distinctive shape steal the dinner show. Not only is it functional, its

style means it can also be used as a decorative showpiece. [JR]

Donated by:

The Dunes Studio Gallery

Value: $65

From literary scholar to social scientist: Evaluating the experience

•  Questions designed & given to tutors.

•  What to measure? Value of a different, “professional” writing experience.

Questions: 1) What was your initial reaction to seeing the various items you were to write about?   2) What were some of the challenges you had? How did you get around them?   3) What were the rewards?   4) Only one tutor was involved in a final edit of the text. Compare the text you originally submitted, and the final text that Heart & Stroke received. To what extent was your text altered? What did you think of the changes? Would you like to be involved in the editing process next year?   5) Was this writing different than writing you have done to-date? How?   6) Did this experience help you learn anything new about yourself ? Your writing style?     7) Do you feel that this experience helped develop skills that you wouldn’t have developed otherwise? What skills?   8) How did this experience compare to your classroom learning or Writing Centre experiences?

   

Feedback: •  “It was awesome to see my name printed in the auction booklet, and know

that people saw my writing.” (EM)

•  “It was somewhat difficult to know how to represent [jewelry] in text without some knowledge about clasps, styles/cuts of gems . . . I went to the websites of some online retailers . . . to get a grasp of the vocabulary they were using to describe cuts, sizes, and styles.” (RM)

•  “I found this project very rewarding because heart disease has greatly affected my family: I’ve lost one grandfather to heart disease, an my other grandfather has suffered several heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues. . . . when we were told that the auction had set a new record for money raised, I felt like I had directly contributed to the cause.” (CT)

Feedback (con’t):

•  “While I believe all writing has to involve some creativity to be effective, the auction descriptions required a completely different type. Instead of the subtle, nuanced creativity in academic writing, these pieces required in-your-face, flashy, pun-tastic creativity.” (DM)

•  “I am so happy I did this because there have been many opportunities to tell people about my work and even put it on my resume. I have been able to apply for more writing jobs because I have this experience and can give evidence of my work. I get asked about it at job interviews, and I am proud to have been part of the project.” (JR)

Hoped-for Outcomes of All Experiential Learning

Opportunities:

•  Increased skills (leadership, writing, editing) •  Experience with collaborative writing

•  Trickle-down effect with other students

•  Community presence

•  Campus presence (administration)

Future Directions:

•  Build sustainable partnerships and opportunities.

•  Extend “reflexive” component (experience-reflection-form new concepts-test new concepts; Lewin)

•  Promote successes; learn from failures.

Questions & Comments?