Services for Open Learning Students

Undergraduate Open Learning Students (They want Collapsable tab)

Open Learning students taking undergraduate-level courses can access email (asynchronous) tutoring through two platforms:

Platform 1: WriteAway

WriteAway is British Columbia's collaborative online asynchronous writing support service. Learners at participating academic institutions receive feedback and strategies to improve their writing from qualified tutors. WriteAway tutors provide feedback on course-based academic writing assignments keeping in mind the objective of developing the academic writing skills of the author.

WriteAway is open for service mid-September to mid-December, mid-January to mid-April, and mid-May to beginning of August. When WriteAway is closed, OL students can use platform 2 to access email (asynchronous) tutoring support. For specific dates, please visit the WriteAway link below or contact the TRU Writing Centre.

How WriteAway Assignment Submission Works:

• When WriteAway is open, undergraduate course-based assignments may be submitted 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
• Normal response time for tutor feedback is 24-48 hours.
• Please note: periods of high usage may result in longer turnaround times—please submit assignments well ahead of deadlines.
• Assignments are responded to in the order of submission.
• After a tutor has completed a submission, the student will be notified via email with the tutor’s feedback attached.
• Students can reply to that feedback email with their assignment revisions for further tutor feedback up to 2 times per submission.
• Please note: responding to WriteAway’s confirmation email or following up on submissions prior to receiving feedback from a tutor can delay receiving the tutor’s feedback response as the software tracks submissions according to the last interaction.
• Students can upload two different assignments at a time; however, they must be uploaded as separate submissions.
• WriteAway also allows students to ask short questions about writing or use AskAway to live chat with a librarian regarding research, references, or citations.

Go to WriteAway

If you have questions about your submission, you can email the WriteAway Admin Centre for support at writeaway@bceln.ca.

Platform 2: WCOnline’s Open Learning Email Tutoring Schedule

When WriteAway is closed, Open Learning students can receive written feedback from a tutor through

• WCOnline on the Open Learning Email Tutoring schedule. On this schedule:

• Students can make one email feedback (asynchronous) appointment per day, up to two per week.
• Tutors review a student’s draft for 1 hour, provide written feedback, and upload it to the appointment.
• Students will receive their feedback sometime between 11 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. (PDT) on the day of their appointment.
• Appointments must be cancelled by 8 a.m. (PDT) on the day of the appointment.

How to use WCOnline:

1. Log in to WCOnline and go to the “Open Learning Email Tutoring Schedule”.
2. To make an appointment, click on a white box, fill out the pop-up form, and click CREATE APPOINTMENT.
3. By 10 a.m. PDT on the date of the appointment, upload two files:
• A draft of your assignment (as a .docx file).
• Your assignment instructions
• To attach files to an already existing appointment, click on your appointment (should appear as a yellow block), scroll to the bottom of the pop-up, and select the yellow “Attach File” button.
4. When the tutor has reviewed your assignment, they will upload their feedback file to your appointment; students should receive an email notification with the file attached or can download the tutor’s feedback file directly from their appointment on WCOnline.

Graduate Open Learning Students (They want this to be a tab too)

Open Learning students taking graduate (5000 or 6000) level courses can book appointments through WCOnline on our Writing Centre Tutors schedule to access in-person tutoring and online tutoring via video call (synchronous) or email (asynchronous) appointments.

Visit our Meet the Tutors page to view our current graduate tutors and explore our graduate resources.