English

Second Life Writing Center

 

Your gateway to better writing!

In an effort to provide support for our online students, UMSL's Second Life Writing Center, or SLWC, opened its virtual doors in the fall of 2011. Like the innovative Mathematics and Writing Academic Center that also opened this fall semester on UMSL's campus, the SLWC is a great sGate of SLWCpace for you to get help with your writing.

The SLWC uses Second Life, a multi-user virtual environment, to allow students and Consultants to meet online, talk through voice or text, and work on their writing--all in real time and from any place in the world. Whether students are learning off-campus, wanting some extra privacy, or just wanting to have a little fun, the SLWC is a great option to get the help they deserve.

Avatars make the interactions possible. After students download the free Second Life program to their desktops or laptops, they can choose from a convenient list of pre-made UMSL avatars, or create their own avatars, then link, or "teleport," to the front gates of the SLWC. For students who make appointments ahead of time, trained Writing Consultants will meet them at the gate and guide them to the tutoring stations, where they can discuss the papers or presentations they post to white boards in front of them. Student at White Board at the SLWC

The SLWC provides a range of services. In addition to tutorial help with papers and presentations, the SLWC is open to groups for online brainstorming or organizational meetings. Small meeting rooms are available 24/7. An auditorium is also available for professors to bring students together in a larger classroom environment. A resource room is available for those who just want to learn more about punctuation or citing sources. At the SLWC, students can learn while relaxing in a hammock, attend virtual campus events from the comfort of their own homes, and literally fly around the island, exploring everything it has to offer.

To learn more, please visit the Writing Academic Center website.