Synchronous Online Appointments Overview
The Writing Studio will continue offering in-person consultations at various locations across campus in addition to continuing to offer synchronous online consultations using our WCOnline platform as described below. Think of our online appointments as yet another convenient location to connect with us!
Below you will find a guide to scheduling and accessing our online writing consultation appointments.
For those about to work with the Writing Studio for the first time, we recommend you also read this general overview about our appointments and our Appointments FAQ and Policies.
Quick Start: Scheduling and Accessing Appointments (WCOnline)
Step 1: On the Writing Studio homepage, click “Schedule an Appointment.” You will be prompted to enter your VUnetID and password. You will then be connected to the Writing Studio’s WCOnline scheduling platform to set up your appointment. You will then be able to find and reserve an appointment using the fields under “Find an Appointment”.
Please be sure to select the correct location by checking the parentheses next to each consultant’s name; e.g. Joe Smith (Online), Mary Smith (1801 Edgehill).
Step 2 (In-Person): We do ask that you be at least 5 minutes early to your appointment at any of our physical locations (1801 Edgehill, Commons 217, the BCC, the KC Potter Center, or the Zeppos Great Room). This will allow you to check-in and begin your appointment at the top of the hour.
Step 2 (Online): Approximately five to ten minutes before the start of your appointment, log-in to the Writing Studio scheduler. Find and click your scheduled appointment (which should appear under “Future Appointments”). Click “Open Appointment. Then, click on the red text “Start or Join Online Consultation.”
Questions? Please contact the Writing Studio at writing.studio@vanderbilt.edu.
Scheduling and Beginning an Online Appointment: Detailed Overview
Step 1: Schedule an Appointment
On the Writing Studio homepage, click “Schedule an Appointment.” You will be prompted to enter your VUnetID and password. You will then be connected to the Writing Studio’s WCOnline scheduling platform (pictured left) to set up your appointment.
On your first visit, you will also need to go through the quick and easy process of registering a new account in the WCOnline scheduler.
Once you are logged in, you will be on a page displaying all of our appointments for the current week. Using the navigation links at the top of the page, you can also access the following week, as well. Note that our setting allows you to make appointments up to seven days in advance.
WCOnline Color Legend
Reserving an appointment: Open appointments appear as white blocks on the calendar, whereas blue or red blocks are already claimed or otherwise unavailable.
To schedule a new appointment, click on a white “open” block to make an appointment, which will open a new window or tab for the Appointment form.
Complete the Appointment form, including the opportunity to indicate the writing task you would like to discuss and the goals on which you would like to focus.
Once the form is filled out, simply hit “Save Appointment.” Your reserved appointment time will appear in either red (for online appointments) or yellow (designated for “my appointments”).
Step 2: Begin your Synchronous Online Appointment
As you get ready for your appointment, do note that to use WCOnline’s online consultation module, it is recommended that you plan to use either the Chrome or Firefox web browser. Updating your browser is updated to the latest version may also eliminate some audio/visual connectivity issues.
Accessing your online appointment
Approximately 5-10 minutes before the start of your appointment, log back into the Writing Studio scheduler and follow these steps:
- Find and click on the red or yellow block at the time of your appointment.
- Within the pop-up Appointment window, select the red text “Start or Join Online Consultation.” This will open the online consultation module.
- You will be prompted to give your browser access to your camera and microphone. Please do so.
The Online Consultation Module
Within the online consultation module, you’ll find a shared “document collaboration whiteboard” in the middle between the video display (on the left) and the chat pane (on the right).
The whiteboard contains a default text explaining the features of the module including how to import or paste a document to the whiteboard. Changes made to text in this window are seen immediately by both individuals participating in the online consultation.
After your session, you can easily export the contents of the whiteboard on a variety of formats by selecting the Import/Export tool (look for icon featuring two arrows) at the top of the screen.
Moreover, your chat and document will be saved in this online meeting. You can come back by viewing your appointment and clicking the ‘start or join online consultation’ link.
For more detailed guidance, refer to our guide to the tools in the online consultation module.
Additional resources in support of our online appointments:
- The Welcome Videos page includes two short videos introducing the Writing Studio’s WCOnline system.
- Troubleshooting Guidance for the Most Commonly Encountered technology issues with our online appointments.
We look forward to talking with you about your writing! We also request your patience as both we navigate this technology and the occasional technical difficulty with you.
Questions? Problems? E-mail us at writing.studio@vanderbilt.edu.