The Learning Center and Math Department are committed to helping students reach their educational goals.
“All of what we do is free to students,” says Jennifer Fasy, Learning Center Coordinator. “They might as well take advantage of the resources that are available to them. That’s what we’re all here for, to help them get through school.”
As courses in mathematics are a general education requirement, all students seeking an associate or transfer degree must demonstrate a certain level of proficiency.
According to Fasy, math and writing are the highest in demand subjects for tutoring services. Yet, many students do not take advantage or are unaware of the free tutoring services available at SLCC.
“If you have time to study, you have time to get a tutor,” said Fasy. “If you’re going to study anyway, let us help you study.”
About the Learning Center
The Learning Center offers one-on-one or small-group tutoring and workshops for all mathematics courses offered at SLCC. Midterm and final review sessions for Math 0920 through Math 1210 are held to ensure students have additional assistance if needed before these exams. Tutors will go over past final exams as well as important concepts from each chapter to best prepare students during these reviews.
Many resources are also accessible for students who may not have calculators or computers. A variety of software designed to help students understand concepts are installed on Learning Center computers. Current textbooks, answer books and solutions manuals for most courses are also free for use in the Learning Center.
Learning Centers are available at four locations, including the Taylorsville Redwood, South City, Jordan and Miller campuses.
Variety of tutoring options
All enrolled students are allowed 16 free, half-hour appointments each semester. Scheduling an appointment with a tutor can be accomplished in All Access by selecting the TutorTrac icon. TutorTrac allows students to search dates and times as well as manage their appointments with tutors. The ability to choose a specific tutor is also an option should students wish to continue working with the same tutor.
Students who find themselves struggling during the semester or retaking a course may qualify for one-hour tutoring sessions known as Focused Tutoring. Approval from a faculty member is required to schedule a Focused Tutoring appointment in the Learning Center. Focused Tutoring is available twice a week for qualifying students. With the additional time, tutors work closely with students and help them get back on track.
Access to tutoring is also made available to students who are not enrolled in a mathematics course as long as they provide their own material. Students looking to prepare for the Accuplacer (College Placement Test) or a GED are also welcome to visit the drop-in center without being enrolled in a course. This allows students to prepare for future semesters and classes. Drop-ins are free to all students as a tutoring service. Appointments are not required and they are available at any Learning Center location.
“Last spring we had 848 students visiting with tutors in our Learning Center. That’s 10,600 visits at this campus (Taylorsville-Redwood) alone. Of course, that’s with the students coming back and forth,” says Fasy.
Emergence of online tutoring
For students who are unable to visit a campus, online math tutoring has recently become accessible through StudyRoom. StudyRoom allows tutors to assist students in new and familiar ways, covering courses from developmental math through Math 1210. Hours vary from the Learning Center but are similarly based on the availability of tutors.
The goal is to create a workspace that functions similar to the on-site Learning Centers. Services offered only online include The Board, which is a virtual bulletin board that allows students to leave a question for a tutor at any time if they become stuck on a problem or concept. Significant information for a question is requested in order to allow a tutor to respond with a detailed answer.
“Take math your first semester and every semester until you’re done,” is the advice Fasy offers to current and future math students, “It’s a subject that requires practice and if you take too much time off, you’ll forget the material quickly.”
