Tutoring is something we tend to think of as a resource to use only when you’re struggling in school. However, any student, regardless of how they’re doing class, can benefit from taking advantage of services to enhance their educational experience so they can excel.
Here, Jason Schoen, M.A.T., Learning Specialist at The College of Westchester Learning Center as well as an Assistant Professor, and Director of Student Learning Outcomes Assessment, discusses what The Learning Center at CW has to offer and how it can help all students.
What services does The Learning Center provide?
The Learning Center (TLC) provides resources to help students be more successful in their classes. The main service that we offer is tutoring (in-person and online), but we also provide students with a quiet workspace, school laptops, and an alternate testing location. Additionally, our office provides in-class workshops on topics such as time management, note-taking, study tips, and stress and anxiety relief.
How can these services benefit students?
The key word is “reinforcement.” Most people can’t just hear something once and have it stay in their heads. The simple act of meeting with a tutor or a study group and discussing the subject matter can have an incredible effect on a student’s ability to both retain and understand new information.
Are these services just for students who are struggling, or can all students benefit?
Anyone can benefit from using The Learning Center. We’ve got students with a pretty wide range of GPAs we see regularly. Some students come to us for weekly help in a class that they find challenging. Other students come in for just one tutoring session (and that’s all that they need). Still others come to The Learning Center just because it’s a quiet place to do their work.
What advice would you give to a student who is having difficulty in a class?
Remember, for every hour a student spends in a classroom, they need to spend about two hours studying in order to fully absorb new information. When a student leaves this building, there are so many distractions that can keep them from putting in that time. An hour spent in The Learning Center helps to fulfill the time commitment that students need to be successful learners.
What's something you wish everyone knew about the Learning Center?
I would like every student to use the Brainfuse Writing Lab for their papers (accessed through a link in their Moodle courses). While taking the English Composition classes, students get instruction in the process of writing and research—and this service is helpful during this critical time. However, students still have access to the Brainfuse tutors in their later classes (many of which also require papers) who can continue to help them improve their writing skills.
Students should also be aware of Hoonuit, an online library of web tutorials on a wide variety of subjects, many of which correspond to classes here. If a student wants to get a refresher (or get ahead) on topics like Microsoft Office products, avoiding plagiarism, budgeting, nutrition, and more, they have access and can even watch them from their phones. They just need to go to https://www.atomiclearning.com/highed/login/cw and enter their CW log-in and password.