Tutoring in the Academy
Thanks to Ron Weisberger of Bristol Community College for the following post which describes the evolving role of tutoring as a key element in student success:
Over the last 30 years, most colleges and universities have instituted tutoring programs. Some institutions provide tutoring on an informal basis while others take a more structured approach. Over 30 years ago Frank Christ argued for the creation of an academic support or learning assistance center. He pioneered the model and many others have followed. These centers have as their foundation peer tutoring programs but also offer audio-visual and computer material that support student academic programs, as well as learning skills. The centers generally operate on a full-time basis and emphasize the development of effective study skills.
Tutors are usually provided with a comprehensive training program. In an atmosphere that emphasizes academic credentials, tutoring has been one of the few places in the academy where paraprofessionals can become directly involved with the instructional process. The emphasis on helping students acquire effective learning skills means that tutors compliment the work of instructors who generally deal with the content of their discipline. Those of us working in this area have become convinced that one important key to retention is the need for students to overcome a lack of adequate strategies for coping with the cognitive and affective demands of college. Instructors often do not have the training nor do they have the time to deal with such skills. Consequently, the assistance that tutors can provide become crucial if students are to succeed
If tutors are to be effective they need to have an organized training program. In recent years the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) has provided a certification program that emphasizes tutor certification on three levels. This program provides both a framework as well as motivation for tutors to acquire the requisite skills to help students. The National Association of Developmental Education (NADE) has also developed standards for learning center professionals. These standards have helped centers become more professional and also are helpful in the development of effective training programs.
Clearly, the existence of the resources and programs mentioned reflect the fact that tutoring has come of age in the academy. While often considered peripheral to the mission of the schools they, in fact, are becoming more integral in the fight to retain students. There is the need, however, to do more extensive research to substantiate this argument. There is a need for center professionals as well as graduate students to conduct ongoing research in this area. While tutoring has come some distance in the last 30 years, it is a continuing struggle to gain the necessary funding to maintain and even expand the programs. Both quantitative and qualitative research will clearly help in this endeavor.
--Ron Weisberger, LAANE President