Am I Writing When I'm Not Writing? Gathering Ideas to Bring Back Home

On the blog, we usually discuss tips and strategies for students to succeed in their writing and develop their writing skills. That makes sense, right, we’re a writing center! Sometimes, though, lessons learned while not writing can be just as useful in helping us when we get back to our desks.    
Last month I had the good fortune to attend the Online Learning Consortium’s (OLC) Innovate conference in New Orleans, along with my colleagues from Walden’s Center for Faculty Excellence, Laurie Bedford and Laurel Walsh. We were invited to present at the conference because Walden University won two OLC’s Effective Practice awards, one for the Center for Faculty Excellence’s faculty development Juntos and one for the Writing Center’s self-paced writing modules. In addition to accepting the two OLC Effective Practice awards, we also presented at the conference, talking with our fellow attendees about our work at Walden. (follow this link to view our OLC presentation if you’re interested).

L to R: The conference program; Beth accepts the award; Beignets in NOLA :)

We at the Writing Center are excited to be recognized by a national organization like the OLC for our ability to effectively help students with their writing. However, the award was just a small part of what made this a positive experience for me. Throughout the OLC Innovate conference, I was continually reminded of how important it can be to step away from our writing and actually engage with others in our field. During the conference, I attended panel presentations, focus groups, and round robin discussions by my peers in higher education, all working to support and teach students online. The discussion in these sessions and engagement with ideas was invaluable. This discussion and engagement with my professional community renewed my enthusiasm, gave me ideas to bring home to the Writing Center after the conference, and reaffirmed my sense of professional purpose.

So, to all of the Walden students out there, my advice today isn’t about writing. Instead, it’s about not writing. Take a break, get out there in the world, eat a delicious French pastry, and engage with others in your field whether at a conference, at work, or in your community. Talk about big ideas, compare experiences, and ask questions. You’ll come back to Walden and your writing with renewed energy and enthusiasm.

Oh yeah, and check out our award-winning writing modules. ;) 

Beth Nastachowski is the Manager of Multimedia Writing Instruction in the Walden Writing Center. 

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