Blog 14: Research Plan

My purpose is to investigate how the process of setting the agenda for the writing session impacts the perception of success by both the tutor and the student.

Question: How are agendas established during a writer session? Does the process by which agendas are establish affect tutor/student satisfaction with the session?



Sub Questions: What causes a student to feel confident enough to set the agenda (knowledge of subject, knowledge of the assignment, confidence in writing abilities, confort with the tutor)? What clues exist about where the student's confidence is coming from? What clues exist that the student is confident/ not confident? What cues exist that the student has set the agenda?

How does a tutor respond to the cues? What approaches do tutors apply? When do coaches apply direct/indirect approaches? What seems to be their motivation?

How do coaches negotiate aligning student agendas with student needs (which may be unexpressed by the student)?

What clues exist that the agenda has been set? What does the shift between "setting up" and "doing the work" look like? What are the verbal/nonverbal cues?

To begin to investigate, I think I need to note:

1. If students come in with an assignment sheet.

2. If the student is able to articulate the expectations of the assignment and if their articulation is in line with the acutal assignment

3. The student's body language ( head position, tone of voice, eye contact, body position, proximity to tutor and to his/her assignment)

4. The student's verbal cues: self-effacing comments: "I don't really understand", etc. Whether or not the student uses questions or declarative statements.

5. Tutor reactions to student confidence or lack of confidence.

6. The posture (direct/indirect) that a tutor assumes based on her reading of student's confidence level. This can be indicated by use imperative statements, leading questions, length of talking by the tutor (direct) or use of open-questions, silences (indirect).

7. Tutor comfort level when establishing the agenda.

8. At the end, I will observe student body language (smiling, open posture, head nodding, relaxed face, open eyes etc.)

Verbal-student can state what happened in the session. Student can ask news questions and can articulate strengths and areas for improvement.

I will give students a check list evaluation when appropriate.

I will note tutor body language and will speak to tutor about his satisfaction level with the session.