Chapter 9. Multiplying Impact: Combining Third and Fourthspaces to Holistically Engage Basic Writers

Abstract

Early in the spring semester, Cassie’s1 familiar face peeked around my office door. She was beaming with excitement, anxious to share her good news: She had just been offered a fulltime summer position in a nonprofit organization that would begin as soon as finals were over. As a writing center director who supervises studio programs, having a student visit three years later to share employment news is a bit unusual, and what makes Cassie’s situation unique is that she began working for this nonprofit as part of a service-learning requirement in our basic writing course supported by Studio. Her connection to the organization was so strong that she continued to work for it even after her service learning course concluded, ultimately taking on an administrative role. Of course, not all basic writers who enter a fourthspace, the place where students go to fulfill service, will connect so strongly with community partners, but Cassie’s experience suggests deeper connections to university, community, classmates, and instructors can result when students reflect on service experiences in Studio. During studio sessions, Cassie and her classmates learned to link academic writing to their individual interests and experiences. Studio groups offer spaces for rich communication exchanges, and the addition of a fourthspace in the form of a service-learning site creates even greater opportunities for empowering writers to explore tangible, complex issues present in nearby communities while developing a network of relationships within and nearby the academy. Extending learning conversations to a fourthspace enriches thirdspace writing opportunities, further enhancing the learning atmosphere in the writing classroom. The synergy between thirdspace