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Area Improvements as a result of Assessment Day data:
** Updated from Assessment Day 2007
Tutoring Services
Assessment Day 2006
Concerns:
On Assessment Day 2006 WSU Students gave tutoring services a 93% (687
out of 739 respondents) satisfaction rating. The 7% that were dissatisfied
cited tutor competency/effectiveness and availability of services as
their main concerns.
Improvements:
The Advising Department, which houses Tutoring Services,
has recently added two part time staff persons to assist in the coordination
of tutor services. Tutoring capacity has increased dramatically over
the last two years, as we have increased the number of student/tutor
contacts by over 200%. We have also added supplemental instruction in
addition to our walk-in and by-appointment tutoring services. These
increases have been made possible with additional L21 funding, which
we first received in 2005-2006 and have received again for the current
academic year.
As we add to our staff of peer tutors, tutor training becomes even more
important. We are developing new tutor training programs and techniques
and are placing more emphasis on the training of our peer tutors.
Recently we were able to move the main home of peer tutoring, the Academic
Assistance Center, into a larger room in Krueger Library. The new home
of the AAC is Krueger Library 206. Tutoring also takes place in the
residence halls and in our offices in Phelps and Howell Halls.
Assessment Day 2005
Concerns:
On Assessment Day 2005, 95 out of 860 (10%)students rated tutoring
services as unsatisfactory. Almost half (49%)of those who were dissatisfied
indicated that the reason for their dissatisfaction was "tutor
competency and effectiveness." This was up from previous years.
In contrast, fewer students found fault with "availability of services"
and "range of services," most likely due to the fact that
tutoring services have been enhanced in those areas in the last year.
Improvements:
In order to increase tutoring services capacity, we have used a larger
number and variety of tutors. To ensure that these tutors are adequately
prepared, we are instituting a new tutor training program. Beginning
Spring Semester 2006, tutors and academic assistants will be taking
a newly designed tutor training course. This was made possible with
funding received as part of a Learning for the 21st Century Initiative
grant.
Assessment Day 2004
Concerns:
On Assessment Day 2004 WSU students gave tutoring services a 92% satisfaction
rating. The 8% that were dissatisfied (87 out of 1081 respondants) were
most concerned with availability of services (38%), followed by tutor
competency and effectiveness (34%).
Improvements:
The Advising Department has implemented a number of changes
in tutoring services after receiving input from students on Assessment
Day. One of our staff has been assigned additional duties as the Tutor
Coordinator. The purpose of creating this position is to have someone
oversee all the tutoring offered by the Advising Department
and serve as a liaison with tutoring supervisors in other departments.
Consequently, we now have a better picture of the overall breadth of
tutoring offered at WSU and can hire tutors for just a few hours a semester
to meet any unmet needs (within budget limitations). Another major change
is that both appointment and walk-in tutoring is now being offered in
the AAC (Library 202). Students who wish to have a one-on-one appointment
with a tutor may now contact the tutor in person or by e-mail to request
an appointment. This has allowed us to better use the tutor resources
and to increase tutor availability. This also allows students to meet
with tutors in a location other than the AAC, which is admittedly a
crowded space. Finally, the Tutor Coordinator is implementing ongoing
tutor training which all peer tutors will participate in.
We would like to expand our services even more, but are limited by the
resources available. So, our mission is to utilize the resources we
do have to give students the best tutoring services possible.
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