Press Releases
Media Release
University System of Ohio Offers Online eTutoring Services to Distance Learning and Traditional Students
Ohio eTutorial Collaborative adds online component to existing tutoring options
For Immediate Release | January 21, 2010
COLUMBUS – All traditional and distance learning students taking University System of Ohio courses may soon get the chance to sign up for free online eTutoring services via a newly-created offering of the Ohio eTutoring Collaborative. The collaborative offers students at participating institutions tutoring services over the Internet in the areas of mathematics, calculus, statistics, and writing. The eTutoring is available in a variety of formats, including real-time video chats with math tutors and modules that provide writing students with the capability to upload papers into an Online Writing Lab and access a grammar question and answer database. As more institutions join the group, additional subjects will be included in the eTutoring portfolio. The online component supplements existing tutoring services already provided on-site at college and university campuses.
"In order to use the best available technology to meet the needs of students, Ohio's public colleges and universities are working with one another to put tutoring and academic resources at students' fingertips," said Eric D. Fingerhut, Ohio Board of Regents' chancellor. "The collaboration presents traditional on-campus students with additional flexible, convenient options for getting help, and also provides valuable resources to more and more students enrolled in the University System's distance learning courses."
Through the program, math, calculus, and statistics students can meet in live sessions with tutors at various times during the week. Using cameras, microphones, and whiteboards, tutors from participating schools help students work through course concepts. Alternately, students can log on and post questions at any time for answer later.
Writing students utilize the platform by uploading papers to an Online Writing Lab for review, whereby eTutoring tutors make suggestions to these writers, pointing out areas that need improvement or further development. Much like the question and answer format for math students, writers can also post grammar questions for clarification.
All electronic resources are included in a clearinghouse students see when they access their individual college and university pages via the eTutoring website at http://eTutoring.org. For information on the different eServices provided, go to the site, click on "Student Log In Now” button, choose "Ohio eTutoring Collaborative," and then choose one of the 15 listed Ohio colleges and universities.
The Ohio eTutoring Collaborative formed as a pilot program in fall 2009 for five University System of Ohio colleges and universities interested in adding an eServices component to their existing tutorial programs for students. Working together through the University System of Ohio's Ohio Learning Network, the institutions leveraged the System to launch its eTutoring platform much more economically than they would have had each institution acted alone.
The pilot added 10 additional institutions to the collaborative in January 2010, and once the pilot period is over, will invite all University System of Ohio institutions (universities, regional branch campuses, and community colleges) interested in adding eTutoring options to their eServices platforms in the 2009-2010 academic year to evaluate the benefits of joining the collaborative. Currently, eTutoring is available to more than 100,000 students at 15 University System of Ohio institutions, including The University of Toledo*; Central Ohio Technical College-The Ohio State University at Newark*; Lorain County Community College*; Owens Community College*; Sinclair Community College*; The University of Akron; Cleveland State University; Kent State University; Belmont Technical College; Edison Community College; North Central State College; Rhodes State Community College; Sinclair Community College; Southern State Community College; and Washington State Community College.
*founding members that joined in fall 2009; the remaining 10 joined the pilot in January 2010.
Contact: Michael Chaney, Chief Communications Officer, Ohio Board of Regents
Office: (614) 752-9480 Cell: (614) 633-5909
E-mail: mchaney@regents.state.oh.us
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