Anne Arundel Community College now has a Virtual Writing Center available for its students.

The fact that Anne Arundel Community College has provided a form of tutoring that does not require a student to be physically on campus is so unique that it won the 2014 Innovation Award from the League for Innovation in the Community College.

Unlike Anne Arundel Community College’s original Writing Center, which is still a viable option, the Virtual Writing Center is appointment-based instead of walk-in. “The great thing about the Virtual Writing Center is that it allows flexibility. Most students are commuters with jobs and kids. Students can be tutored online from as early as eight a.m. to as late ten as p.m. They no longer have to worry about Anne Arundel Community College’s library hours. It can all be accustomed to students’ schedules,” says Dr. Jessica Rabin, Professor of English and Director of Writing Tutoring.

It’s different from online tutoring sites, such as Smart Thinking, in that it is live. Students do not have to wait for days for a response. It is not a national service. Sites like Smart Thinking often employ tutors from all over the world who give students generic writing tips because they are not familiar with Anne Arundel Community College’s curriculum. “The Virtual Writing Center is specific to our students’ needs because all of our tutors are actually professors that teach here, so they often times can ask students who exactly they have as a professor to better help align their writing skills to the professor’s expectations,” explains Rabin.

Through the Virtual Writing Center, students also have access to librarians who are currently employedby The Andrew G. Truxal Library. Rabin explains, “The great thing about our reference library being a part of the Virtual Writing Center is that they know exactly what is in our library. They know what and where to direct students to.”

Signing up to the Virtual Writing Center is made simple with the four-step process that includes written instructions as well as a voice interactive module. With the Virtual Writing Center being completely free with no additives, Rabin hopes that students will, “take full advantage of this new online tutoring center and learn something that they can then apply to other papers.” For more information, please visit: www.aacc.edu/writingcenter/vwc.cfm.