The London Metropolitan University Writing Centre:

An overview of teaching and research

Savita BakhshiSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Life Sciences,

London Metropolitan University

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Overview

Write Now CETL London Metropolitan University Writing Centre Overview of research Future work

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Write Now CETL

Write Now Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL)

“Write Now aims to enrich students' learning experiences through the development of innovative, evidence-based provision focused on writing for assessment. It celebrates and promotes student writing in the disciplines, enabling students to develop academic and disciplinary identities as empowered, confident writers” (http://www.writenow.ac.uk)

Partner institutions: Liverpool Hope University and Aston University

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Student Writing Mentor Scheme

A major initiative of the Write Now CETL is running a Student Writing Mentor Scheme at each of the three partner institutions

Undergraduate and postgraduate students provide writing support for other students

Support is provided through one-to-one tutorial sessions, with each session lasting up to an hour (this varies across institutions)

Collaborative and non-directive

Aim to enable students to take responsibility for their work

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LMU Writing Centre

Opened in October 2006

Writing Centre staff:

14 Student Writing Mentors (11 undergraduate and 3 postgraduate) from a range of different disciplines including Psychology, Business, Film Studies, and Media and Communications

Mentors see students from their own and other disciplines

Since its opening, the Centre has held over 2000 tutorials and around 20% of the users have been psychology students

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LMU Writing Centre

Mentors attend two days of intensive training at the start of each semester: Tutorial delivery (e.g. collaborating with the

student) Writing Centre ethics and virtues (e.g.

confidentiality) The writing process (e.g. how to draft, revise and

edit) Academic requirements (e.g. referencing) Writing Centre administrative procedures

Mentors and students required to provide written feedback after each session

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Overview of research

Stage 1: To analyse mentors’ experiences of Scheme (Year 1) Qualitative study

Mentors’ written feedback of 1300 hour-long tutorials (i.e. ‘How do you feel you were able to help the student?’)

Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) (Smith & Osborn, 2003)

Findings: Theme 1:Interpersonal relationship between student and

mentor Theme 2: Student’s relationship to own writing Theme 3: Student and mentor working together Theme 4: Mentor self-reflections

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Overview of research

Findings (cont…)

Used findings to develop Year 2 Training programme for Mentors

Year 2 reflections also analysed Same themes emerged More importance placed on working collaboratively

and non-directiveness

Further information: Harrington, K., O’Neill, P., and Bakhshi, S. (2007). Writing Mentors and the Writing Centre: Producing integrated disciplinary writers. Investigations in University Teaching and Learning, 4 (2), 26-32.

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Overview of research

Stage 2: To investigate students’ views of Scheme (Years 1 and 2)

6 focus groups (n=34) informed questions for survey (n=99)

Survey questions focused on: Motivations for coming to the Centre Students’ specific writing concerns Nature of relationships with Mentors Students’ attitudes to own writing before and

after tutorials

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Overview of research

Findings

Students came to the Centre to talk to someone about their assignments and wanting assurance that they were on the right track

Writing concerns: structuring a piece of writing (40% of respondents) and writing in an academic style (40%)

Psychology students wanted a mentor from the same discipline

95% of psychology participants (n = 24) found the Centre very or fairly helpful for developing their writing

High levels of student satisfaction with tutorials and the Centre overall

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Overview of research

Findings (cont…)

Evaluation suggests that peer mentoring schemes that focus on writing can be a useful aid in supporting students’ development as academic writers

Further research needed in the different ways in which the Centre is helping students with their academic writing

Further information: Bakhshi, S., Harrington, K., and O'Neill, P. (2009). Psychology students’ experiences of academic peer mentoring at the London Metropolitan University Writing Centre. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 8 (1), 6-13.

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Future work

Research shows peer mentoring can be an effective way of providing writing support for undergraduate and postgraduate students

Stage 3 (in preparation):

Investigate the effectiveness of peer academic writing tutorials on student learning, achievement and retention

Intervention study

Only a snapshot of research being conducted at LMU. For information about research conducted across the three universities, see: http://www.writenow.ac.uk

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References

Bakhshi, S., Harrington, K., and O'Neill, P. (2009). Psychology students’ experiences of academic peer mentoring at the London Metropolitan University Writing Centre. Psychology Learning and Teaching, 8 (1), 6-13.

Harrington, K., O’Neill, P., & Bakhshi, S. (2007). Writing Mentors and the Writing Centre: Producing integrated disciplinary writers. Investigations in University Teaching and Learning, 4 (2), 26-32.

Harrington, K., O’Neill, P., & Bakhshi, S. (forthcoming). Student experiences of peer mentoring in writing at the London Metropolitan University Writing Centre. Manuscript in preparation/submitted for publication.

O'Neill, P., Harrington, K., & Bakhshi, S. (forthcoming). Training peer tutors in writing: A pragmatic approach. Manuscript in preparation/submitted for publication.

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http://www.writenow.ac.uk

Savita Bakhshis.bakhshi@londonmet.ac.uk