OWLs and the Re-Theorizing of the Writing Center

Hobson, Eric. “Straddling the Virtual Fence.” Wiring the Writing Center. Ed. Erci H. Hobson. Logan: Utah State Univ. P., 1998. Rpt. in The Longman Guide to Writing Center Theory and Practice. Eds. Robert W. Barnett and Jacob S. Blumner. New York: Longman, 2008.

Hobson explores the complexities involved in writing centers’ use of computer mediated technology to enhance writing center activity. He reviews the literature on this subject and notes that those who support the creation of OWLs claim that they democratize writing centers, encourage collaboration, remove authority, enhance tutor training and are indicative of the future of writing centers. They advocate the use of OWLs based on the view that they support social constructivist practices which underpin the ideology of writing centers. Hobson cautions that enthusiasm for technological innovations may promote a hierarchy between writing centers on the basis of those that are technologically savvy and those that are not. This may give rise to exclusionary practices that run counter to the goals of the writing center community which aims to celebrate diversity. Writing centers may also come to be seen as redundant. Although not often posed, this is perhaps the most important question writing centers face as they “[wrestle] with the task of if and how it is possible to take the writing center online with its services and guiding philosophies and value systems intact” (482).
Some OWLs reinforce current-traditional pedagogy that writing centers worked hard to distance themselves from for they function merely as resource mediums that provide access to skills and mechanistic activities that reinforce the idea that OWLs are grammar centers. Hobson argues that this is misplaced energy in that there is no need for writing centers to create such sites for themselves when they can provide links to such sites. This also reinforces the view of writing as an individual as opposed to social activity. The reason for the instrumental approach to technology may stem from the difficulty of updating and maintaining web pages and websites. It may be relatively easy to format a static web page but up keeping them proves to be time-consuming. OWLs may need to re-theorize their mission to reflect the influence of technology. Hobson focuses not only on the implications of technology for writing center practices in terms of pedagogy, he also extends this examination to look at the overall implications of technology. He looks at the way in which technology may influence the relationship that writing centers have with each other and with the larger academic community of which they are a part. He also explores the challenges of dynamic publishing.