A: Have you ever wished you could do something over, knowing what you know now? That’s impossible, but you can come close with a tutor. Embedded Tutors (ET) are students themselves and are prepared to share with you what they have learned over the years about how to study. They know the course content and are eager to help guide you through it. They’ll be in class with you every week, hearing what you hear and reading what you read. What they won’t do is lecture; their job is to help you think about the lectures you hear and the books you read, and then put it all together during tutoring review sessions so you can learn it more efficiently and also helping you solve the problems you may not completely understand.
A: The best way to answer this question is to first explain what not to expect: do not expect another lecture. The tutors are not teaching assistants or graduate assistants and are not employed by the professor. Do not expect to get “all the answers” or have the tutors do your thinking for you.
Tutors will not give you their class notes, nor will they do your homework for you. Most importantly, tutors will not encourage last-minute cramming for an exam.
What you can expect is that your tutor will facilitate either a group study filled with activities and projects or a one-to-one session allowing you to get in-depth answers to your questions and get you actively involved with the course content outside of class. You can expect to work with course material and resources to help you study and learn.
Think of tutoring as guaranteed study time. Since each tutoring session is led by a peer student who has already taken the targeted course and knows what to expect, you can expect your tutor to share the strategies he/she used to be successful in the course. Your tutor will help you make effective use of your study time.
Look at it this way: you have to study anyway. You might as well do it with friends—your classmates—along with an tutor who will guide your study efforts. You can expect a lot of personal interaction.
A: Because of all the personal interaction during tutoring sessions, you are expected to come prepared to study. This means you should always bring your textbook, lecture notes, and any questions or problems you may have. Doing so guarantees the best use of your time during tutoring.
Of course, you are expected to attend class meeting and lectures. Embedded Tutoring is an academic support for the course; it is not an opportunity for you to skip class. Lastly, you should be prepared to attend sessions on a weekly basis. National research indicates that students who regularly attend tutoring perform better on exams and earn higher final course grades.
A: No. Embedded Tutoring is not remedial for the following reasons:
• Embedded Tutoring targets high-risk courses rather than high-risk students.
• All students enrolled in ET-supported courses are invited and encouraged to attend – not just those who are struggling.
• ET starts with the first day of classes and continues to the end of the term.
• Studies show that students of all academic and learning abilities and levels benefit from participating in tutoring sessions, and earn on average a half to full grade higher than those who do not participate.
A: Embedded Tutors have already taken the targeted courses and are chosen based on their demonstrated competency (earning an A or B in the course) as well as faculty recommendations.
Starting with the second week of classes, Embedded Tutors offer two or more regularly scheduled sessions that are held in the Center for Student Success. Sessions meet throughout the semester on the same day, at the same time and in the same location.
Sessions may combines key course content and study skill strategies specific to the course that highlight not only what to learn, but also how to learn. While we encourage students to supplement their independent study with a weekly hour of tutoring, you are free to attend as often as you like. As sessions follow lectures, each session might covers different material.
A: If you attend sessions regularly, chances are you’ll earn a better grade. Research shows that those students who attend sessions regularly average on half to one full letter grade higher than their classmates who choose not to attend. When you attend, you’ll develop a better understanding of course content as well as more effective ways of studying. You’ll even make new friends too!
A: Sessions always start during the second week of classes. Your tutor will announce and distribute information regarding the days, times and location of upcoming study sessions.
Remember: the secret of college success is to study proactively. Do not wait until the night before a test to study. Attend sessions early and often throughout the semester. Since you have to study anyway, why not come to sessions and make effective, efficient use of your study time?
A: ET sessions are part of your WNMU student fees. Our goal is to provide this support to as many students as possible. Come as often as you like, but keep in mind that statistics show the more you attend, the better your grade.
A: Absolutely! Better late than never. But remember: tutoring is here to help you study proactively, on a regular basis. Each session follows the lecture content, so never assume you can cram weeks of study into one or two sessions. Tutoring is here for you when you need it, but it works best when you use it as continual review to maximize your study potential.
There are two options available to you.
One – You can contact a tutor for the subject you’d like assistance with to setup a video call session through Zoom. The tutor will be able to lead you through the process.
Two – You can use our online tutoring service, Smarthinking. It is available 24/7 and has tutors available for a vast amount of subjects. You may look at the catalog of courses here, set up an appointment or see what tutors are available now.
