Saturday, April 14, 2012
Staff report
Columbus
The Ohio Board of Regents has announced expanded access to free online tutoring for students enrolled in Ohio’s university system.
While eTutoring has been offered on 21 college campuses in Ohio, beginning this year, all public and private institutions of higher learning in the state will be invited to join the Ohio eTutoring Collaborative, free of charge to the university and to students.
“We have in Ohio, one of the strongest collaborative teams of higher education institutions in the country – all working together to help students complete their degrees,” said Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Jim Petro.
Students enrolled in Ohio’s university system access free online tutoring in subjects including accounting, anatomy and physiology, biology, calculus, chemistry, math and statistics. There is also an online writing lab.
Additional academic disciplines will be implemented as the program expands. Students can access the eTutoring site through their college website and some universities offer their own online tutoring.
Throughout the week, students can receive real-time online tutoring sessions. Using a camera, microphone and whiteboard, tutors from participating institutions assist students as they work through their mathematical or science concepts, for example. Students also can post questions that do not require immediate answers.
Writing students use the eTutoring platform by uploading papers for review. Papers, written for any undergraduate course, may be reviewed by trained tutors from any of the participating schools.
Participating higher education institutions provide eTutoring tutors who make suggestions to writers, pointing out areas for improvement. Grammar questions also can be posted.
A clearinghouse of electronic academic resources is available when students access the eTutoring website via the student’s home-university page.
Participating public and private universities screen and provide the qualified tutors. Approximately 2,400 students took advantage of free eTutoring in the fall.
The number of students is expected to grow as more universities take part. Hours of availability vary but generally tutors are available from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m., seven days a week.
Participating schools pay an annual fee for the eTutoring service. Under the new arrangement, eStudent Services, a consortium of OH-Tech, will underwrite the annual fee for interested public and private institutions.