Use of the Online Tutor

Student use of the online tutor system:

The student signs into the online tutor, using his/her university-assigned onyen (username) and password.
The student reviews the weather symbol to gauge the likelihood of a timely response.
After reviewing policies, the student completes a form with required questions that probe for information about the student's writing history and self-assessment, the demands of the current assignment, and the draft at hand.
The student attaches his/her draft and submits the form.
The student receives an email acknowledging the submission.
As soon as the tutor finishes commenting on the draft, the student receives an email indicating that comments are available for review on the website
The student accesses his/her space in the Online Tutor via onyen and password.
The student reads the tutor's comments and completes an evaluation.

When assigned, the tutor accesses the tutor work center to view pending papers
The tutor chooses the first unclaimed paper at the top of the queue (which is the earliest submitted).
After confirming that the due date for the paper has not passed, the tutor claims the paper.
The tutor reviews the student's answers to the form and develops an understanding of the student's current needs and dilemmas.
The tutor opens the attached draft in a different window.
After reading the draft and preparing comments based on the student's concerns, the tutor opens a different window and writes comments.
The tutor then saves the comments.
The tutor completes a conference summary to be sent to the instructor.
The tutor's completion of the process triggers an email to the student which notifies him/her that tutor comments are available on the website.
During the semester, tutors can review evaluations of their comments for training purposes.
During the semester, tutors discuss online pedagogy in staff meetings, peer review, and staff development activities.

At the beginning of the semester, the director adds new tutors to give them access to the tutor work center.
At the beginning of the semester, the director changes the banner on the entry page to indicate that the Online Tutor is open.
During the semester, the director monitors the queue of pending papers for any problems (e.g. attached drafts that will not open).
During the semester, the director monitors the number of papers in the queue and updates the "weather sign" on the entry page to indicate the likelihood that a student's draft will receive a timely response.
During the semester, the director reviews individual tutor comments, creates staff development activities to support online pedagogy, sets up tutor peer review exchanges of online work, and reviews students' online evaluations of tutors' work.