Reimagining a peer-to-peer writing center space

This proposal involves a pilot project centered around working with trained writing tutors to offer digitally-enhanced writing workshops to undergraduate students at the American University in Kosovo. The project focused on improving writing strategies using innovative methods of delivery; it could be expanded to include more academic fields and institutions.

This initiative began - and continues to be situated - within the context of a blended, multicultural, and digital instruction environment, enhanced through offering a peer-to-peer spin on nurturing autonomous learning approaches in writing-intensive courses. Trained and experienced undergraduate writing center tutors, simultaneously using remote and on-site venues (e.g. with the assistance of various software and hardware solutions), created spaces with learner-centric foci that emphasized improving various critical thinking, researching, and writing strategies for students.

A recent pilot project where such innovative tutoring methods were employed focused on targeted writing courses for primarily first- and second-year undergraduates at the American University of Kosovo; currently plans are in the works to expand this initiative to include other courses across the campus.

Such endeavors cultivate multidisciplinary collaboration in contemporary Academic Support Centers, e.g. in terms of strengthening the skills of learners in multiple academic and professional fields, ranging from math to scientific investigations. An array of faculty, information literacy specialists, instructional technologists, technology task forces, and work study students are encouraged to collaborate to re-envision constructive and productive on/off/across/virtual campus spaces. Another phase of the project could also involve collaborating with other AMICAL campuses to expand the global focus of initiative.