Welcome back, faculty and staff!
Welcome back to campus! We extend a warm welcome to all new staff and faculty members who have joined us as part of the USF community. In this newsletter, the Learning Center is excited to give a special welcome to our new Speaking Center director, along with valuable information about our academic support services that will commence on Monday, Jan. 29. Additionally, we will provide you with excellent resources and opportunities to share with students this semester.
| |
Welcome to the Writing Center!
With the start of the spring semester, we're thrilled to introduce the new director of the Speaking Center, Philip Choong. His inspiring words are sure to motivate and guide us through the semester ahead.
"Hello all, and welcome to the spring semester! I'm excited to be starting as the Speaking Center director. I've taught rhetoric and public speaking for nearly a decade, including the last year and a half at USF. And just like I tell my students, whether public speaking is something that comes naturally for you or whether it's something you dread, the Speaking Center is here to support you! The coaches and I look forward to meeting and working with you."
| |
As a faculty or staff member, you have a unique opportunity to recognize exceptional students who have demonstrated their potential as peer tutors. By nominating them, you will not only be providing them with a chance to hone their skills and knowledge but also contribute to the growth and success of their fellow students. Visit our Faculty Information web page and complete the nomination form.
| |
Week of Welcome Workshops
During the Weeks of Welcome (WOW), students can attend programs, events, and services centered around helping new students get involved, find community, and learn more about the opportunities and resources at USF.
The Learning Center is dedicated to enhancing student persistence and self-regulation through academic skills workshops, which include a wide range of topics, such as structured study time, academic mindsets, test-taking and exam preparation strategies, and more. We invite students to check out our uploaded videos on our Academic Skills Development (ASD) web page for our WOW workshops.
| |
At the Learning Center, we offer specialized academic assistance for various courses through programs like Peer Tutoring, Supplemental Instruction (also known as "SI" for some biology and nursing courses), and Peer-Led Team Learning (or "PLTL" for Chemistry I, II, and Organic Chemistry courses).
Our Peer Tutoring services are available for both individual and small-group sessions, which can be conducted through Zoom or in person. Meanwhile, our SI and PLTL programs provide weekly small-group study sessions, but only PLTL enrollment can aid students in earning course credits. For more details about our course-specific academic support services, visit the Learning Center web page.
For the spring semester, our services will begin Monday, Jan. 29. Please book your first appointment for the semester by Saturday, Jan. 27.
| |
The Learning Center provides online resources, workshops, and one-on-one academic skills coaching to help students maximize their efforts. Visit the Study Skills and Resources web page for tools and downloadable worksheets.
Additionally, a coach is available for all international students at USF (undergraduate and graduate) who desire assistance in cultural adjustment and developing strategies related to effective communication, collaborative learning, active studying, and time management.
International students can follow the "How to Schedule an Academic Skills Coaching (ASC) Appointment" instructions, and at step #6, select "Academic English Support" from the drop-down menu of programs.
| |
The primary goal of the Writing Center is to empower students as writers by fostering their knowledge and skills in development, organization, style, and structure. Through one-on-one interactive conferences, faculty consultants support student writers working in different disciplines and rhetorical contexts.
Writing consultants engage in a conversation with students about how to conceptualize and develop an idea, how to write persuasively and with sophistication, and how to correct their errors at the level demanded by college courses. The consultants do not edit or copyedit the work of students, but instead, they work with students so that they can learn to edit for themselves.
For more information, visit the Writing Center web page.
| |
The Speaking Center is available to help students prepare for public speaking — including speeches, oral presentations, team presentations, and visual aid demonstrations.
Coaches are trained peer tutors, skilled teachers, and experienced public speakers, who can assist with a variety of aspects of public speaking, including effective oral communication skills, researching and writing speech content, developing well-organized, concise, and informative main points, crafting introductions and conclusions, and more.
For more information, visit the Speaking Center web page.
| |
Get Connected. Stay Connected.
If you're interested in learning more about the academic support services provided by the Learning Center and would like to schedule a one-on-one informational meeting, please submit a request form.
| |
|
