Writing Centre Development
RAPID IMPLEMENTATION OF ACADEMIC WRITING SERVICES
Brigitte RömmerNossek¹, Eva Kuntschner², Charlotte Zwiauer³
1. Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Vienna, Austria 2. Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Vienna, Austria 3. Center for Teaching and Learning, University of Vienna, Austria
In this paper we want to present the case of the University of Vienna’s Center for Teaching and Learning implementing academic writing services and discuss our experiences from an organizational point of view. In May 2013 the University of Vienna Center for Teaching and Learning started to implement first academic writing services: Writing workshops to coach diploma students who are already teaching in schools, over a period of 810 months towards finishing their theses. A writing mentors programme aimed at supporting students with their first writing assignments at university. In this program students are being educated to foster small regular writing groups in two BA program. Currently we are in the process of piloting a Writing Fellows Program and expanding the writing mentoring program as to accommodate for the particular needs of students with German as a second/foreign language. We want to discuss our case of a rapid implementation of academic writing services by an already existing organizational unit under three aspects: Firstly, within an expert organization like a university, any organizational unit needs credibility as well as experience in working with partners rooted in diverse academic cultures. Having already established a network facilitates rapid implementation. Secondly, academic writing is a central academic competency, but it is worthwhile to view it in the context of research led teaching and learning and curriculum development. Thirdly, in working with decision makers in the disciplines, it is constructive to complement the “working on the writer ethos” with an evidence based quality development view.