Centro de Escritura y Oratoria, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez: The Challenge of Training Tutors in a Project under Development
The Centro de Escritura y Oratoria (Center for Writing and Public Speaking, CEO) at the Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez in Chile is an excellent reflection of the pillar that characterizes this university: general education in transversal competencies as the basis for any professional specialization. Note: This piece is available in both English and Spanish.
WLN Commentary: “When a Measure Becomes a Target: The Dangers of Using Grades in Writing Center Assessments”
In Bruce Bowles’ article titled “When a Measure Becomes a Target: The Dangers of Using Grades in Writing Center Assessments”, a very important issue was brought up, which concerned whether the use of students’ grades and/or GPAs is a proper way of assessing the effectiveness of a University Writing Center (UWC). Bowles held a negative stance and emphasized that if this form of assessment is embraced, it will lead to an array of negative consequences especially the significant risks of prioritizing grades over learning as well as twisting writing centre pedagogy.
WLN Commentary: Does the Context Define the Measure?
How should we assess writing centers and what type of information should we focus on? In his article, “When a measure becomes a target,” Bruce Bowles pinpoints the inadequacy of reliance on numbers for assessing writing centers and explores the possibility of using a different approach (Bowles, 2025). Despite the proliferation of writing centers worldwide, assessment remains a challenge to centers globally and in the Middle Eastern North Africa (MENA) region. Writing centers assessment is a complex issue.
Rewind & Reset: Writing Center Assessment
For this month's rewind and reset, we are reflecting on this issue through Bruce Bowles Jr's article When a Measure Becomes a Target: The Dangers of Using Grades in Writing Center Assessment from volume 49, issue 2 of WLN: A Journal of Writing Center Scholarship. Bowles details the fraught relationship between writing center scholarship and quantitative assessment data, the consequences of using quantitative data, and the problem with using grades to prove writing centers' impact. And stay tuned for a regional editor's commentary on Bowles' article, coming soon!
Baltimore City College High School Writing Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
When I founded the writing center ten years ago, I did not have any writing center experience, but what I did have was a strong and urgent desire to create an inclusive, welcoming space for students, one where they could take control of their own learning. I knew that our kids needed it, and I knew that they would thrive in leadership positions if given the opportunity.
AI – Artificial Intelligence versus Authorial Identity
From a philosophical perspective, we are convinced that you cannot outsource your intellectual engagement, and that AI cannot replace the writing and learning process.
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Tutor’s Perspectives
Over time, I learned that, as tutors, our role is not to perfect every paper or provide the ‘right’ answers. Rather, it’s to foster the tutee’s ability to think independently and develop their voice. By framing my advice in a way that gave them the freedom to interpret and apply it as they saw fit, I empowered them to take ownership of their learning process.
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