Embedded Tutoring

(Submitted by Tyson Huffman)

Community college instructors support students in their classrooms in a variety of ways: supplemental study materials, student-contact hours, links to learning support services on campus, or by directing students to the college website in hopes that they will seek out resources as they are needed. Students often struggle to utilize the resources their college offers for fear of being viewed as a struggling student, or accessing the service takes more time than they have, or it is challenging to complete a web form by phone in between classes. The goal of the embedded tutoring program is to simplify the connection by providing students with an easily accessible, direct contact to learning support services in their classroom. 

The embedded tutor is a professor-selected student who is hired and trained as a peer tutor and receives additional guidance for interacting in the classroom in their new role. I like to think of embedded tutors as a guide or companion for courses, someone who can provide remediation where it is necessary, direct students to the aspects of their work that demand the most attention, and assist students in utilizing resources they otherwise might not have.

Why do we need tutors in the classroom? The word "tutor" carries a stigma - students often perceive those who utilize tutoring services to be sub-par or struggling students. This couldn't be further from the truth - at most schools, learning support services are reported as being utilized by those who do not necessarily need the services and not accessed by those who do. By positioning a peer tutor in the classroom (online or traditional), the tutor is able to connect on a personal level with many more students of varying levels, washing away the stigma. On average, the Learning Assistance Center connects with a handful of students from an English or math section throughout a semester; however, in courses with an embedded tutor, the tutor has connected with over 50% of the students outside of class in most sections. With excellent communication tools (Pronto and Zoom) in our Canvas course shells, tutors have a direct connection to students and can provide guidance from their preferred device without exchanging email addresses or personal phone numbers. Tutors in the classroom can check in with students they haven't heard from in a while and host workshop sessions that are easily accessible to all students, ensuring everyone has access to support that is intended to help students reach their potential.

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Spotlight on Embedded Librarian: Scaffolding Research Skills in an Online Child Development Capstone Course

(Submitted by Julie Cornett)

In Lisa Fuller’s CHDV C203 Capstone class, students are required to develop, implement, and evaluate an Action Research Project in the preschool centers where they are interns. To complete this high-stakes project, students must develop manageable topics, research extensively, and build an APA annotated bibliography. For several years, Lisa has had Julie Cornett join her class as an Embedded Librarian to provide support to students as they embark on this time-intensive project. Julie works with students in several weekly forums to scaffold research activities that lead up to the final project. In reflecting on the collaboration, Lisa had this to say: 

“When I first assigned the Action Research Project, students did not seem to understand the research component of the assignment and often saved the project until the last few weeks of the course, which meant they did not have the time to complete a thoughtful, reflective project over time. Now that the research forums are built into the course structure starting in week 5, everyone who completes the final assignment has been successful. I attribute this to the embedded librarian who helps students develop a research question, find appropriate resources, and develop the annotated bibliography.” 

Julie finds that students are very appreciative of the support, especially as they learn to differentiate between various information formats and to search our vast yet complex databases for valuable articles. She has been able to more intentionally curate collections specific to the course topics as a result of her deep exposure to the course content. The newly acquired SAGE Encyclopedia of Contemporary Childhood Education and the Handbook of Play and Learning in Early Childhood are two new purchases that have been highly utilized.  

According to Fuller, the embedded librarian support that Julie provides has been crucial and she is in discussion with her department about incorporating the Embedded Librarian program in courses students take earlier in the program.  

If you’re interested in having a librarian join your online class, contact Julie Cornett (jcornett@cerrocoso.edu) or Sharlene Paxton (sharlene.paxton@cerrocoso.edu)! 

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