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| Click here to accesses sled.alaska.edu, then click the LiveHomework Help link on the left side column |
This is a free online tutoring service for any student in the state of Alaska and is a resource that UAA's reading and writing center utilizes to aid students when the center is busy or unavailable for student needs. Students can submit papers and have a live, one-on-one tutoring experience as tutor and student together work through a paper to make appropriate changes.
This site interests me since I have worked as a tutor before and have brought students to this site for help. It's been especially useful for students who cannot go to the writing center because they don't live in Anchorage as well as for students who need late night help. Tutor.com is available for one-on-one tutoring from 1 pm to 12 am every day of the week, and also provides other resources for students like worksheets, study guides, test prep, and career resources.
Having worked as a tutor, I really believe in an idea of a "third space" in which students can go to improve their writing and receive help outside of the classroom. For some, places like the reading and writing center provide that; for others, a digital space may be more appropriate due to distance courses or time restraints. Whatever the reason, websites and services like Tutor.com can serve as a valuable resource for students and instructors alike.
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| These are some of the resources offered to students that utilize Tutor.com |
As far as this site is concerned, I believe I am both an insider and an outsider. I can categorize myself as an insider because I am familiar with the tutoring process. Tutoring is not just correcting mistakes and editing papers; it's about teaching students to write better, to understand writing conventions and improve on their own writing as they work through drafts of their papers. Since the learning center I worked in refers students to this particular site, I would assume that the site has the same standards for tutoring. At the same time, I would also consider myself an outsider since I have never used the site personally. From that standpoint, I have yet to see how the online tutoring process really works and plays out. Each of these perspectives, however, will allow me to analyze the effectiveness of a digital tutoring experience since I have the "live" experience to draw from. From tutoring training, I know what a one-on-one tutor session should feel like, but I'll also be able to acknowledge how this experience is different in a digital space.
The site also offers a "to go" version for iPads and iPhones, which would be another interesting aspect to explore.
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| Click here to view site |
This writing forum is a free online community supporting creative writing. Writers post parts of their work and can receive feedback on their writing, including critique, praise, and helpful tips. The forums welcome all genres, from poetry and fiction to non-fiction and free writing. The forum has 25 members and has had 263 users post as a guest. It seems people are posting daily so there should be plenty of data to use for inquiry.
As a writer, this forum appeals to me greatly. Not everyone can attend workshops in person or take classes to improve their writing. It's sometimes difficult to find or create a circle of peers to help you evaluate, critique, and improve your writing. This online space seems to have found the answer to that. But how helpful is it? Are the discussions useful and beneficial to writers, and is the participation equally distributed so everyone is receiving feedback? In an online space it can be difficult to moderate such things.
I would consider myself an outsider here because I have never used the forum before. While I have taken workshops and solicited some feedback on my own writing online, I've never participated in something like this website. I think having familiarity with creative writing workshops but having never participated in an online one will help me see the similarities and differences between the two, and will provide an interesting point of discussion.
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| These are the different forums writers can submit their writing to, ranging from prompts to free writing |
Test comment!
ReplyDelete1. What is interesting about this research site from the standpoint of digital literacies? What key concepts from our readings/discussions could be fruitful for analyzing the site?
ReplyDeleteI like how this site transforms the environment of personal tutoring and transfers it to an online environment, and still manage a degree of efficacy. It addresses the changing dynamics of the learning environment, that is no longer restricted to the brick-and-mortar walls of a physical building. Ask quoted by Eshet-Alkalai in Bawden's article, this sort of online learning module is definitely a “survival skill in a digital era.” Tutoring/learning/teaching has adapted to fit within the context of digital literacies. It has created itself a place in a world where most of the world is familiar with, or learning how to navigate, digital environments. Concepts Bawden talks about are likely applicable to studying this site.
2. Does the blog entry introduce the author's research site in a clear manner? What questions do you still have about the site? What details could be left out?
I feel that you've accurately identified the site and its purpose. You have a very good overview of the site, as well as insight in detecting good tutoring methods (based on your experience of being a tutor.)
3. How could the author narrow his/her focus?
I think you've a good idea here, in attending the forums to glean information from users. I think your focus is specific and clarified, but I wonder how difficult it may be for you to collect accurate and consistent information. Do you plan to survey the area in general, or will you be focusing on a few select participants?
Teresa, thanks for the comments! I was a little late in getting the second post up but it's there now if you have a moment to take a look. It has some specific information in regards to how I'm going to collect evidence and the questions that might be raised in doing that. Any other comments or ideas will be greatly appreciated!
ReplyDelete