Innovating Writing Centers and Online Writing Labs outside North America

| June 20, 2011
Title
Innovating Writing Centers and Online Writing Labs outside North America

Keywords: Writing Center, Online Writing Lab, Innovation, Writing, EFL

Authors
Bee-Hoon Tan
Putra University, Malaysia

Bio Data
Dr. Bee-Hoon Tan is an associate Professor at the Putra University, Malaysia. She obtained her PhD from Massey University, New Zealand. Her research interest is language learning technology. Her recent publication includes an edited collection titled Theoretical and Practical Orientations in Language and Literature Studies. She is the chief editor of The English Teacher from 2008.

Abstract
This study highlights the writing difficulty of tertiary students in ESL or EFL contexts. It describes two successful innovations, writing center and online writing lab, initiated by North American institutions of higher learning to intervene in the writing crisis. Enquiries on initiative efforts by a few Asian and European universities in innovating writing centers and online writing labs are conducted through their websites, practitioners reports, and e-mail interviews. The purpose is to learn from their common and differing practices to inform faculties who are interested in setting up their own institutional writing centers and online writing labs. Based on the Asian and European writing centers investigated, several generalizations can be drawn that may provide some insights for innovating writing centers and online writing labs in Asia.
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Category: Main Editions, Volume 13 Issue 2