Daytona State College Writing Center

Just a few weeks ago, Billie Jo Dunaway and John Markham attended the Florida Association for Student Success’s 43rd conference: Stepping Up for Student Success. They learned more about how to address the problems facing college students while also delivering presentations of their own. John discussed self-compassion in regard to frontline college staff, while Billie Jo presented on the importance of positive workplaces. Also, as the current FASS President-Elect, Billie Jo is continuing to drive student achievement through the organization (From left to right: Dr. Elaina Lommason; DSC Writing Center Associate Director, Billie Jo Dunaway; Dr. Youlanda Henry; Dr. Lynne O'Dell; Jean Marshall; and Tiffany Lewis).

Imposter syndrome is defined by Oxford Languages as “the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one's own efforts or skills.” It is a common issue for #college students as they write increasingly complex texts for courses, spending too much time and energy judging themselves instead of improving their skills.?For those #students who struggle with this problem, Writing Center staff help them through encouraging #self-compassion, or patience with oneself. Having this, especially in a high-stress situation, like college, can disrupt imposter syndrome. Check out the DSC Writing Center website for more communication ideas! #education

Our DSC Writing Center Specialist, John Markham, just earned a Master of Science Degree in Higher Education Administration from Florida International University. His words of wisdom for anyone earning a degree while working a full-time job are: ‘Always keep an eye on the future when you’re lost at work.’ Remember that some things can be put on hold or delayed without issue and others MUST be done. Finding the difference between the two is key to establishing balance in stressful situations.” For now, John will remain imparting knowledge at our Writing Center but, starting next year, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Higher Education. Congratulations on this impressive accomplishment, John! ???? #writing #dsc #daytonastate #writingcenter

Active listening can be a powerful tool for assisting students. It can help clarify a student’s understanding of a particular topic while also increasing rapport. One easy way to apply it is to paraphrase what the #student has said so far. Another uncomplicated method is asking open-ended questions. This also has personal benefits for #tutors, as doing this can advance their growth in the ever-relevant skill of #empathy. Check out the DSC Writing Center website for more communication ideas! #education

The Writing Center has been applying the popular concept that it is better to be interested than interesting. Regardless of whether the #client or #student is meeting you at your physical location or a virtual one, showing sincere interest in their concerns is a simple, but effective #communication elevating strategy. It also can alleviate #employee stress because it is more helpful to show interest than to expend effort trying to be interesting! Check out the DSC Writing Center website for more ideas! #education

DSC Faculty and Administrators attended the Spring 2024 WAC/WID Graduation to celebrate their success completing the Professional Development program co-chaired by Writing Center Associate Director, Billie Jo Dunaway, and Professor Jessica Lipsey, PhD! (Pictured left to right at the DSC News-Journal Center: Joelma Sambdman, Billie Jo Dunaway, Joshua Johnson, Michelle Swint, Christopher Smith, Rita Haman, Jessica Lipsey, Erin Chavez, April Brunning, and Cheryl Kohen)

Many say that there’s a large gap between #physical and #virtual settings, especially for traditionally in-person tasks like tutoring. However, there are common elements for both: building rapport, communicating clearly, and orienting the session. Focusing on improving one of these elements across both settings can be a helpful and efficient way to improve #communication towards #clients and/or #students.? You can also check out the DSC Writing Center website for more ideas! #education

When working with #clients and #students, it’s best to make sure that they have access to what they need for what they’re working on. At the Writing Center, we provide computers so that students can use their OneDrive while we assist them, ensuring their #access to files wherever they can sign-in. Additionally, with professors offering more options with assignments, including podcast-style submissions, we’ve set up a room with appropriate equipment called “The Pod” for recording audio (pictured below!). Providing means can improve rapport and quality of interactions with those who interact with your organization. You can also check out the DSC Writing Center website for more ideas! #education

Adapting to rising #trends is important in any organization. Find things that are related to your organization’s goals and become familiar with them. As of late, one of the trends we’ve addressed in the Writing Center is #AI. Our staff have become adept with generative AI and can not only assist students with it but also provide options for using it ethically and effectively. We’ve also given several workshops and presentations on the topic across our college. This has fostered cross-department collaboration in addition to informing students, staff, and faculty. What are the rising trends that you can use to grow your department and assist your organization? #education

Setting up resources that can be used to assist students off-campus and outside of hours that supports, like the Writing Center, are open can be helpful. This can increase awareness of these services, driving students towards graduation and workplace readiness. Look at our APA InfoGuide for an example: https://lnkd.in/ezTa_U6i You can also check out our DSC Writing Center website for more ideas! #education #motivation