Mentoring Resources

[traci_gardner]

This week, I want to share the resources I developed, with help from some colleagues, for mentoring new attendees at the 2015 Computers and Writing Conference in Menomonie, Wisconsin this weekend. Even if you are not going to the conference, I think you’ll find resources that could be helpful to you or someone you know.

We built a website, Computers & Writing Conference Mentoring, which features a collection of resources for first-timers and mentors. The site includes tips and advice, first-timer stories, and suggestions for documenting participation at the conference. The information covers a variety of areas, such as basic writing, professional communication, writing centers, writing across the curriculum, and writing about writing pedagogy.

The pages for online resources and social media links have pointers to professional organization websites, journals, Facebook and Twitter accounts, and related materials. The definitions & acronyms page explains all those terms, current and historical, that may be unfamiliar to someone new to the field. When you visit the site, if you have suggestions for resources we can add or link to, please use the Contact Us form to send your suggestion.

We are also matching first-time attendees with experienced conference-goers. If you will be at the conference, please fill out the C&W 2015 Mentoring Sign-Up if you are a first-timer or would like to be a mentor.

Mentoring is such an important part of what we do as teachers. Even if all we do is point a new colleague in the right direction, we can make an important difference. How do you mentor colleagues and students at your school or online? If you have ideas for improving the resources we have collected or just want to share a success story, please leave me a comment below, or drop by my page on Facebook or Google+. And if you will be at Computers and Writing this weekend, be sure we find each other.