Timeline cont.
Our Timeline---------• Smart Thinking Considered (Aug ‘07)
• Design the program (Nov - Dec ‘07)
• Decision to do it in-house
• Recruit and train tutors (Dec - Jan ‘07)
(Oct ‘07)
• Write proposal for Pilot Program (Oct ‘07)
• Determine high needs courses (Dec ‘07)
•Math, English, & Science (Bio / A&P)
Our Online Tutors
November 3, 2010
OnLine Tutoring
On a Shoe String Budget
• 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
Tutor David Taylor also Works in
Academic Support
Discussion Board for Connecting and Communicating
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.
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!”
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
e-mail 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.
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 e-mails 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.
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 e-mailing 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 e-mail. 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 oncampus 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.