Presentation/Proposal Title
Access and Usability: Exploring Online Writing Center Consultations
Type of Presentation/Proposal
Individual Presentation or Paper
Start Date
5-4-2019 8:30 AM
End Date
5-4-2019 9:30 AM
Keywords
Writing Centers, Online Consultations, User Experience, Access, Usability
Description
The online writing center is a tool that offers the opportunity to hold consultations remotely, eliminating the need to physically travel to a writing center. This can be beneficial for clients and consultants alike due to the convenience of an online space for consultations. Faculty and students that feel unable to receive in-person consultations due to their potentially busy or unpredictable lives, or to extraneous and often unseen factors, can be reached by online writing center spaces (Gardner, 1997). During the last few years, The Writing Center has responded to student use by offering more online consultations and assigning a graduate student as an online writing center coordinator; additionally, these online consultations have a nearly 100% usage, higher than most other satellite locations.This presentation examines the online writing center location at the Michigan State University Writing Center, more specifically, focusing on the experience of the client. Specifically, How Writing Center clients perceive, experience, use, and value the online writing center location is at the core of this research
Previously, there has been emphasis on studying how the online writing center functions from the perspective of the consultant; however, this project will examine the online space from the perspective of the client. Our research studies the experience of the client, both positive and negative aspects. Aside from the online platform being easy and efficient to use, the user experience of an online writing center must be able to be accessible to all potential clients. While there are sure benefits to an online writing center location, there has not been ample research to ensure the user experience of these online spaces are accessible and easy to use. Thus, our research includes an examination of the differences between an online consultation and an in-person consultations; how in-person consultations can translate to an online consultation; as well as why and where students use the online writing center. We will also be looking into the accessibility (defined by the ARIA standards that cover areas of color contrast, compatibility with screen readers, and navigations through tabs) of an online platform. This project should improve The Writing Center’s online consultation offerings while contributing to a growing body of research about online consultations in the field of writing center studies.
Access and Usability: Exploring Online Writing Center Consultations
Alumni Boardroom
The online writing center is a tool that offers the opportunity to hold consultations remotely, eliminating the need to physically travel to a writing center. This can be beneficial for clients and consultants alike due to the convenience of an online space for consultations. Faculty and students that feel unable to receive in-person consultations due to their potentially busy or unpredictable lives, or to extraneous and often unseen factors, can be reached by online writing center spaces (Gardner, 1997). During the last few years, The Writing Center has responded to student use by offering more online consultations and assigning a graduate student as an online writing center coordinator; additionally, these online consultations have a nearly 100% usage, higher than most other satellite locations.This presentation examines the online writing center location at the Michigan State University Writing Center, more specifically, focusing on the experience of the client. Specifically, How Writing Center clients perceive, experience, use, and value the online writing center location is at the core of this research
Previously, there has been emphasis on studying how the online writing center functions from the perspective of the consultant; however, this project will examine the online space from the perspective of the client. Our research studies the experience of the client, both positive and negative aspects. Aside from the online platform being easy and efficient to use, the user experience of an online writing center must be able to be accessible to all potential clients. While there are sure benefits to an online writing center location, there has not been ample research to ensure the user experience of these online spaces are accessible and easy to use. Thus, our research includes an examination of the differences between an online consultation and an in-person consultations; how in-person consultations can translate to an online consultation; as well as why and where students use the online writing center. We will also be looking into the accessibility (defined by the ARIA standards that cover areas of color contrast, compatibility with screen readers, and navigations through tabs) of an online platform. This project should improve The Writing Center’s online consultation offerings while contributing to a growing body of research about online consultations in the field of writing center studies.
