Working together, writing together : the effects of in-class tutors on basic writers

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Authors
Krasienko, Laura B.
Advisor
Newbold, William Webster, 1950-
Issue Date
1994
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (M.A.)
Department
Department of English
Other Identifiers
Abstract

For years, basic writers have been identified and labeled as remedial. Several alternative approaches have had limited success in terms of developing basic writers' skills. My study explores the potential of in-class tutoring to serve as an educational alternative to working with basic writers. Once Ball State's in-class tutoring was in place, I was faced with evaluating and justifying in-class tutoring in terms of department pedagogies, Writing Center goals, and effect on basic writers. However, in order to understand the Writing Center's role in basic writing programs, I had to design a study which would incorporate the most important factors of evaluation: assessment data and observation. My study identified key factors of in-class tutoring, to justify the continued existence and development of in-class tutoring at Ball State and possibly beyond. By breaking my analysis down into two areas, assessment data and observation, I isolated the individual aspects which affected the program. Although this data does not offer conclusive evidence about the program itself, the assessment data offers some interesting patterns of growth, and the observational data proved to be useful in terms of evaluating the program from an administrative perspective. My analysis of the issues and data lead me to conclude that in-class tutoring is worth evaluating and researching.

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