November 3, 2010 OnLine Tutoring On a Shoe String Budget Our Online Tutors Tutor David Taylor also Works in Academic Support Online tutoring continues to grow, especially in the area of English and writing. Math and science tutoring online is rather sporadic with fewer students using the service for those subjects. We are marketing the service by ing both students and instructors at the beginning of and then again near the mid-term of the semester. We have posters around campus that advertise both on campus and online tutoring services. Instructors announce the services in class and/or through Bb. When students come into Academic Support we are emphasizing the fact that tutoring extends beyond these walls. Much of the business is word of mouth as students become familiar with online tutoring, they are telling their friends and classmates. We still offer biology and A&P tutoring online. David Taylor is tutoring those subjects as well as helping Brooks Pace with math tutoring. Since David is working for us both on campus and online, he is the bridge between the two services. We would like to offer more official chemistry tutoring online, although Lisa Bass our on-campus chemistry tutor has been working with students through . Both Lisa and David are working with students both on-campus and online and use their time for both. In order for the online tutoring to be completely on par with the on- campus services, we would need more resources - another tutor to help out with chemistry and some equipment such as a writing tablet for math and science. The English and writing assistance is much needed, so we hired someone to help out particularly with proof reading literature essays. Many schools are using outside platforms and tutoring services, but we have kept our homegrown approach as it keeps the community connected. Although slow to develop, CCC ‘s online tutoring service is providing meaningful assistance to students in a variety or courses, from math and algebra to English, psychology and sociology and science courses. Here is a comment from a distance learning student this semester who was having difficulty accessing a computer CD that accompanied her textbook: “I am amazed at how wonderful you and Mr. Brooks Pace are to us. Thank you for being here for us at anytime we need help. It can be stressful here at home sometimes by ourselves when we need help. You guys are our release thanks!” One of the best things about the service is that students who have been helped one semester are returning for help with their other course work, and they are referring other students. A few instructors are also directing their students to the Online Tutoring Service for assistance which serves both the students and instructors. Whether responding to s or Blackboard Discussion Board postings, we try to be prompt in our responses and to provide meaningful feedback to enhance the student’s understanding of the material they are learning, and that seems to be working as evidenced by this student’s comment: I just wanted to thank you again for your help with my essay. I got a 97! I learned a lot from your tips too, so thank you again. We as online tutors want to facilitate learning, not do their work for them. We also make ourselves available by phone, if necessary, and have even met with a few students face-to- face. In addition to the tutoring, the Blackboard site offers resources and links that help some students self-serve. When necessary we will instructors to be sure we are clear on what their expectations are for their classes or a particular assignment. We would like to have even more collaboration with CCC faculty, whether it be to help their students fine-tune their work or spend some extra time with those who need some remedial help. We all know that many CCC students are juggling, school work and families, so online learning is the best option for their education. It does, however, limit their face-to-face access to instructors during their office hours or to campus academic support. As more and more classes are being offered online and more and more students are taking online courses, the benefits and use of online tutoring is likely to grow. We’re blazing into a new realm of student support here at Carteret Community College. The power of distance learning at our College is dramatic, and undeniable. As our DL program turns 12 this semester, we have reached some dramatic milestones: * 169 online (web-based, hybrid, and full) courses are being taught this semester;* 72% of students enrolled this semester are taking at least one online course;* 47% of courses offered are being taught online. With this backdrop, it is critical to understand that we MUST provide all of our support services online. We currently have advising online and we have recently implemented an online tutoring service. After reviewing the field of proprietary online tutoring services, we determined that, at this time, it may be more cost-effective (and more effective overall) to develop our own in-house tutoring service. Our Timeline Smart Thinking Considered (Aug ‘07) Decision to do it in-house (Oct ‘07) Write proposal for Pilot Program (Oct ‘07) Determine high needs courses (Dec ‘07) Math, English, & Science (Bio / A&P) Timeline cont. Design the program (Nov - Dec ‘07) Recruit and train tutors (Dec - Jan ‘07) Promote the program (early March ‘08) Roll out tutoring (mid-March ‘08) Fall ‘08: Market and Offer Services on BB Fall ‘09: Academic Support Takes Over Discussion Board for Connecting and Communicating