What is Academic Success Center Tutoring?
Academic Success Center Tutoring (ASC Tutoring) provides services for Brockport students who wish to receive help with meeting their academic goals. A comprehensive peer tutoring program, study skills workshops, computer access, and ample reference materials make the ASC Tutoring a place that promotes student success. Open 45 hours a week, ASC Tutoring services are available to all Brockport students free of charge—no application is necessary.
What specific services does ASC Tutoring offer?
ASC Tutoring offers tutoring in math, writing, and in many courses as well as individual study skills consultation. Faculty may also refer individuals to the ASC Tutoring professional staff to assess students’ academic support needs. In addition, the ASC Tutoring houses a computer lab that is open to all students who wish to write papers, connect to the library databases, or access e-reserves. Extensive reference materials, including textbooks, study skills and writing handbooks, DVDs, and software, conveniently provide students with information that can help them in achieving academic success.
Who uses ASC Tutoring?
Both undergraduate and graduate students from many different disciplines use the tutoring services at the ASC Tutoring. During the 2020-2021 academic year, the ASC Tutoring provided assistance to 1,858 students, which is about 25% of the entire student body! Tutoring in math and writing is open to all students. Tutoring for specific courses is designed for students enrolled in those courses.
Who are the tutors?
The ASC Tutoring tutors are undergraduate or graduate students who are selected based upon faculty recommendations, academic excellence, and a willingness to help others. In addition, six graduate assistants from the Departments of Mathematics and English tutor for 15 hours per week each semester. The ASC Tutoring employs approximately 180 Brockport students each year. We also have a few professional math tutors and one professional writing tutor on staff.
What can I tell my students to do to prepare for tutoring?
Tutoring provides students with the opportunity to work with peers on problem-solving, study strategies, writing strategies, and content clarification in an informal setting. To make the most of the tutoring experience, we recommend that students complete all reading assignments, attend classes, attempt to solve homework problems or understand assignments, and have specific questions in mind to discuss with the tutors. Finally, students should always bring their textbook(s), assignment sheet(s), class notes, paper, software, and course syllabi for reference as needed.
What happens in a tutorial?
While no two tutoring sessions are alike, we provide our tutors with a template for facilitating discussion and problem solving that includes the following components:
- Identification of issues or concerns
- Goal-setting for the session
- Discussion of the material and the assignment
- Explanation or demonstration of problem solving, study strategies, writing strategies
- Closure
In addition, the tutors are trained to ask clarifying questions, to determine what students know and what they do not know. The tutors expect students to actively participate in the tutoring process by arriving prepared and asking questions.
Do tutors help with take-home examinations?
No, tutors are instructed not to assist students with take-home exams without the instructor’s permission. Our experience has shown that some instructors welcome the assistance, while others do not, so we remind our tutors to be aware of these issues. It is a best practice for instructors to send a copy of the take-home exam to an ASC Tutoring staff member. From here, we can share the exam with the tutors so that they can recognize the exam problems and thus not provide any inappropriate assistance.
What is the best way for me to encourage my students to use the ASC Tutoring?
Some faculty members make a general announcement about the ASC Tutoring services; others make recommendations to specific students who are struggling with course material; and others require students to come, particularly for writing issues. Many faculty members find it beneficial to include a brief section in their syllabus about ASC Tutoring. It is helpful to remind students that ASC Tutoring is a free service that utilizes mostly peer tutors.
Does the ASC Tutoring keep records of student visits?
Yes. Students need to make an appointment through EagleSUCCESS or if here for drop-in math tutoring, sign in at the kiosk. Faculty members who wish to know which of their students used our services may contact Program Director Mike Dentino at mdentino@brockport.edu .
How do you assess the programs?
Student and tutor feedback and quantitative analyses of usage and retention rates are among the many ways we measure the success of our program.
- Tutor Success Survey
- Student Success Survey
- Usage Reports
- Retention Study
- Student Opinion Survey
How can you help our students improve their writing?
We have an extensive writing tutoring program staffed with tutors selected by faculty, including three graduate assistants from the department of English. These tutors are trained to help students across the disciplines develop the writing strategies they need to be successful. Faculty who wish to have their students receive more specialized writing tutoring may contact the ASC Tutoring to discuss discipline or class-specific writing tutoring. The ASC Tutoring will hire tutors recommended by faculty to provide writing support to students in specific disciplines or classes. Please contact Elisabeth Gonzalez to discuss your needs. Students who are not able to physically get to the ASC Tutoring may ask for remote writing tutoring services.
How do I add the tutor to my Blackboard course page?
Watch a quick 1-minute video and see how simple it is!
For more information, please contact Michael Dentino, Director.