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Help with homework just a few mouse clicks away

The Springfield News Sun
By SHUVA RAHIM, News-Sun Staff Writer
8/18/03

Students at Clark State Community College will be able to get help with homework whenever they want, even during late-night cram sessions.

The college is offering free, online tutoring through Smarthinking.com, based in Washington, D.C.

The service, which students can access when classes start Sept. 15, will provide help online in subjects including math, chemistry, accounting, economics, statistics, writing and Spanish.

"I think (online tutoring) is going to be very helpful for people who work late into the night," said Bonnie Young, coordinator of Clark State's Success Center. "By the time they see me the next day, they're not in a good mood. They haven't got homework done. If we can help alleviate that, we can help people."

The center, which opened in 2001, offers students one-on-one, walk-in tutoring. Students can do homework there or work on one of the 20 computers.

Housed in Rhodes Hall, the center has tutors available from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, even though it stays open until 10 p.m. The center will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays when classes start next month.

Young said that during the 2002-03 school year 240 students visited the center each week. But the online tutoring, she said, is another way students with busy schedules can get help.

Smarthinking.com allows students to get tutoring in three ways, said Kaitlin Greenglass, account manager for the company.

Students can get live tutoring sessions from any Internet connection. Tutoring in math is available 24 hours a day, Greenglass said, while tutors in other subjects are available from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and from noon to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

A student also can schedule a 30-minute, one-on-one session with an online tutor.

Finally, a student can submit a question to a tutor and get an answer within 24 hours, much like sending an e-mail.

Young said she talked to officials at Sinclair Community College, which was using Smarthinking.com, after she learned about the site. She tried it herself and was impressed by the program.

"We have peer tutors primarily here (at the Success Center). But it's hard to get people in chemistry and higher math."

Clark State is one of about 11 Ohio higher education institutions that have contracts with Smarthinking.com, Greenglass said.

Training in use of the service will be provided to faculty members on Sept. 8, Young said. Even though the online service is for students, she said it's important for faculty and staff to see what the program is about so they can tell their classes.

"Anytime you have tutoring, you need faculty support," Young said. "If faculty don't think of it as beneficial, students aren't going to hear much about it. But if teachers say it's out there, the students are more likely to utilize it."

"I think they're going to be excited," Young said of students. "They can say, 'Oh gee, I can do do my math homework at 1 a.m. and still get help.' Students have other commitments and this will give them the flexibility to get the help they need when they're doing homework."

(Copyright 2003. 2003 Cox Newspapers, Inc.)