Academic Support Resources for Online Learners The Learning Resource Center offers on-campus and online academic support for Accelerated Learning and Online students. The LRC provides face-to-face peer tutoring and writing consultations for students at the Mequon campus. The Writing Center staff welcomes writers from all academic backgrounds, and consultants are trained to work with students at any stage of the writing process (brainstorming, researching, polishing a final draft, etc.). Off-campus students are encouraged to explore Smarthinking online tutoring and Concordia’s Online Writing Lab (OWL).

Smarthinking Online Tutoring What is Smarthinking? Smarthinking online tutoring is staffed by trained e-structors who tutor students in the general undergraduate subject areas of Mathematics (Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus), Science (General and Organic Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and Anatomy & Physiology), Business (Intro to Accounting, Economics, Statistics, and Finance), and Spanish. Please visit www.smarthinking.com to view the disciplines for which Smarthinking offers academic support. What features are available to students using Smarthinking? After setting up a Smarthinking account, students may access the following tutoring options:

Real-time chat with e-structors who specialize in specific disciplines Pre-arranged chat appointments offered for a variety of subject areas Submission of coursework-related questions to Smarthinking e-structors Access to an electronic library of academic resources

How do I access Smarthinking? Students wishing to register for Smarthinking should contact the Learning Resource Center at 262-243-4216. You will be provided with a generic username/password needed to create your own login for the service. The Learning Resource Center associate will give you the generic login information, and you then will be able to create your own free account.

The Online Writing Lab (OWL) What is the Online Writing Lab? The staff of Concordia University Wisconsin's Online Writing Lab (OWL) consults written work by off-site students (those enrolled in accelerated learning, graduate and online programs). Consultants pose questions and model revision strategies in order to promote the development of ideas and argumentation, enhance clarity, and improve proficiency in grammar and citation. How does the OWL work, and what can I expect from this service? The OWL is maintained by trained Concordia Writing Center staff, and writing consultants offer constructive comments about students’ projects. The OWL consultants review essays and focus on higher order writing concerns (strength of your argument, organization, evidence usage, and flow). Consultants also can assist with citation and grammar, but the OWL staff strives to give students holistic feedback on assignments beyond simply proofreading drafts. Your returned essay will contain sentence-level comments, a discussion of error patterns, and an overall summary of the consultant’s suggestions for revision. As articulated on the OWL web page, writers are asked to upload their papers, provide a description of the assignment guidelines, and pose questions about their work. The consultants work with you asynchronously. The staff receives essays electronically, reads through the work and makes comments/ask questions, and returns the essay to you within 3-5 working days. How can I access the OWL? To submit an essay to the OWL, visit the Student Services tab on the Portal (my.cuw.edu). We ask that only off-site accelerated learning and online students use the OWL because Concordia’s in-house Writing Center staff is available to help on-campus students with their work. Please contact the Learning Resource Center at 262-243-4216 with questions about this service.