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Home » Archives » Spring 2005 (Volume 2 Issue 2) - Technology in the Writing Center
Technology Review Spring 2005 / Columns
by Elisa Benson Elisa Benson reviews Accutrack appointment-making software.
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Submissions Submit an article to Praxis Elisa Benson Every writing center deals with the perpetually defensive writer, the appointment-hungry visitor, and the shy first-year who just needs a pep talk. To prepare consultants for these students on repeat visits, every writing center needs software that allows consultants to easily record appointment case notes. With Accutrack software, consultants can quickly access this feedback by using the session log “search” feature. By reading another consultant's view of a previous appointment, we can streamline our interactions to focus on concerns unique to a writer. Accutrack also prevents potential writing center abuse by limiting a visitor’s per-week log-ins. The automatic survey that pops up when visitors sign out generates valuable feedback for consultants. This customizable mini-evaluation can feature multiple choice or open answer questions. At the end of every semester, we love perusing the list of anonymous ratings and comments. Although the appointment wizard prevents us from overloading time slots, it can be difficult to navigate. Because users must click through several screens to set an appointment, and because we can schedule appointments only for writers already entered into the computer database, we often access several screens only to discover a caller is a first time visitor. Appointments also default to the first consultant in alphabetical order, so if a staffer does not consciously select someone else, the consultants at the beginning of the alphabet may end up with busier schedules. Despite the learned art of appointment-making, perhaps the most appreciated feature of Accutrack software is the automatic appointment confirmation e-mailed to both writer and consultant. Like any software program, Accutrack will pose some difficulties to new users. Once learned, however, the features simplify appointment-making and increase
access to session feedback among consultants. ____________________
Elisa Benson is a junior Art & Art History concentrator at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. She serves as the student coordinator for the Colgate Writing Center and also works at the Office of Communications, where she writes press releases for the university website. This summer she co-wrote her first book, Colgate University: Off the Record. ‚ Spring 2005 / The Merciless Grammarian
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