Tutoring
Like advising, tutoring services are often overlooked with web-based students. Many colleges and universities provide some type of campus-based tutoring services. These may be supplied via a teaching and learning center, through the library, or through special university services. Often tutors are advanced students or graduate students being paid as campus resources. If you provide tutoring services to your campus-based students, you must also provide those same services to your distance students. Again, these services are best provided via the web.
In addition to e-mail message boards for questions and answers, tutoring services may also use all the tools afforded professors and instructors. It is possible that tutors or departments would build entire “courses” for tutoring. For example, you might use your CMS system and have an open login for all pre-algebra math courses. Within this tutoring course, several tutors may be available -each with individual links, examples of problem sets, and e-mail contacts. Alternatively, individual tutors may wish to create their own Web presence that fits their specific tutoring needs.
Because tutoring can be so individualized, it is important to allow tutors to have use of all the tools of a CMS system - e-mail, message board, web pages, white board, chat rooms, and shared student work spaces. Of particular use to the tutoring sitting next to a student with a piece of paper and being able to draw diagrams, work problems, and circle important elements of an assignment.
As with advising services, it is important for the tutor not only to provide one-to-one asynchronous services, such as e-mail, but also to offer real-time services via chat office hours or whiteboard problem-solving sessions. Also, it is important to train tutors in the same communication skills regarding writing and misinterpretation. Both language and cultural differences, in addition to the already stressful environment of tutoring, can play a significant role in these written communications. Therefore, it is wise to provide some anticipatory training prior to implementing any full-scale tutoring program.
