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WriteAway Update 
Fall 2015

  
WriteAway: Off to a Roaring Start this Fall

WriteAway has seen enormous growth this term with four new institutions joining the ranks. The service opened for the Fall term on September 21st and students seeking feedback on their writing began uploading papers immediately, keeping our new and returning tutors very busy. You'll see from this latest WriteAway Update that the service continues to develop, with new institutions joining, awards being given, and governance being streamlined. If you have any questions about WriteAway, please email waoffice@eln.bc.ca 

Welcome to Four New Institutions!

 

Langara College, North Island College, University of the Fraser Valley, and Vancouver Community College are the four newest institutions to join WriteAway for September 2015. This brings the current number of participating institutions to fifteen, almost half of the public post-secondary institutions in BC!

 

WriteAway brings multiple benefits  to institutions. If your institutions is interested in joining, of if you simply want more information, please see the WriteAway Participating Institution Requirements or contact the WriteAway Administrative Centre at waoffice@eln.bc.ca.
An Award Winning Service

 

This year WriteAway was awarded the Merit Award for Program or Service by the British Columbia Library Association (BCLA). This award recognizes outstanding achievement during the preceding year in a new or an on-going service.  

   

WriteAway is a great example of cross-departmental collaboration. Combining the work of post-secondary libraries and writing/learning centres across BC, WriteAway augments institutions' own learning centres by providing an additional support point for students who struggle with writing. As an online service available 24/7, WriteAway ensures that students who are unable to reach a campus learning centre can quickly and easily receive feedback on a draft writing assignment by a qualified WriteAway tutor.

 

Congratulations to WriteAway, and many thanks to the BC eTutoring Concept Committee and WriteAway Advisory Committee, institutional coordinators, tutors, and service partners BCcampus and BC ELN. WriteAway is a success thanks to the highly collaborative spirit all parties bring to the service!
A merge sign with a rainbow in the background
Rainbow Merge photo by Transguyjay CC BY-NC 2.0
Streamlining Governance

 

This fall, two WriteAway governance groups will combine into one: the WriteAway Advisory Group and the BC eTutoring Concept Committee will merge into a single BC eTutoring Steering Committee. Given the size and the current one-subject focus of WriteAway, a single oversight group is appropriate. In addition, streamlining governance will reduce administration costs.

 

The BC eTutoring Steering Committee will be made up of representatives from participating institutions, including individuals with backgrounds in composition and rhetoric, writing pedagogy, and/or online learning. The WriteAway Administrative Centre has been sending out messages inviting folks to come forward for this important committee. If you have questions in the meantime, please contact the WriteAway Administrative Centre at waoffice@eln.bc.ca.   

Funding Received for 2015/16

 

WriteAway has received funding for the 2015/16 year from BCcampus and the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. As WriteAway moves towards becoming a self-sustaining service through partner institution support, this funding is essential to ensure the service runs without interruption.

 

Funding and support for this initiative is provided by BCcampus,
the BC Electronic Library Network, and the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, UBC.
If you would like to learn more about WriteAway, please visit writeaway.ca or contact the WriteAway Administrative Centre
778.782.9573