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I feel the earlier email expresses a unusual position from a learning assistance point of view. Of course our primary goal is to encourage and help students develop responsibility and ownership for their learning and improve their skills, but to suggest that we're also to compensate for "lack of instructional expertise" is pretty outrageous. How has that determination of the instructional inadequacies been assessed? All institutions hopefully support ongoing instructional evaluation and provide opportunities for professional development. Student learning results from complex and very individual internal and external circumstances. The relative "quality" of the instruction (however that's defined)is but one, albeit important, variable. Learning assistance is a central complement and enhancement to classroom instruction, best designed through a collaborative and mutually supportive process between students, faculty, and learning professionals. Hopefully this assistance provides alternative reinforcements and opportunities for practice that supplement the classroom experience, regardless of its "quality". Learning is a unique experience for each individual, and our students are best served with a variety of learning options, both in and out of the classroom. The logical conclusion of the scenario expressed in Mr. Hackworth's email would result in no need for learning supports at all. While our students would certainly benefit from the best possible classroom experiences, that alone cannot assure equitable achievement and maximum individual development. John Whitman Stay hungry. Stay foolish - Stewart Brand John S. Whitman Director Tutoring Center & TRIO/SSS Program Santa Fe Community College 6401 Richards Ave. Santa Fe, NM 87508 (505) 428-1834 -----Original Message----- From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kitcey, Barbara Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 8:16 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: funding for tutoring I agree with you 100%. I see too many students in my own math class who take no notes, do no homework, and then blame me for not being able to take the time for one-on-one instruction. Students need to take some responsibility for their own education. Barbara Kitcey Remediation Specialist The Art Institute of Pittsburgh 420 Boulevard of the Allies Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Tel: (412) 291-6207 Fax: (412) 263-3715 Email: [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Karyn Schulz Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 9:53 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: funding for tutoring Good morning everyone I am sorry but I have to respond to this email...I take offense, in the name of every math instructor I have ever worked with, to place blame on instruction as a reason for the need for tutoring. In nearly every case, this is not the where the "blame" lies. Today's students are either coming to college without the minimal math skills expected to achieve in college level math due to lack of exposure (adults who were not required to take algebra in high school), lack of foundation of skills from their previous educational experience, "sleeping" in high school math, lack of time management and assorted study skills to really put the effort into learning this discipline and finally the possibility of undiagnosed disabilities (small population). For tutoring to be directly connected to poor instruction is an insult to the many instructors who do whatever it takes to teach their students the material but don't have that effort reciprocated by the students. I cannot tell you how many times I have had tutors tell me that their tutees admit they don't do their homework and rely on the tutor to teach them the materials. They skip classes and expect the tutor to be a substitute. Tutors are told to not provide tutoring for students who readily admit this or demonstrate that they did not do any prep work...the "I don't get it" student who has no display of trying to get it. Accountability needs to be across the boards, and that includes the students too. IF they are really putting forth the effort to learn the material and still don't understand then tutoring is a support system that can be beneficial. If they are not putting forth the effort then they need to be responsible for their poor grades. Instructors do need to be held accountable for their instruction but they cannot be held accountable because students need tutoring! What happens outside of the classroom has a greater affect on our students today than ever before... To place the budget in the hands of the instructional department will not decrease the need for tutoring. There is no correlation that can be construed from that since once again, the students need to either voice their opinion that they are not receiving good instruction or in most cases, not doing their part! Thank you for letting me stand on my soapbox! Karyn Schulz Coordinator of Tutoring University of Baltimore [log in to unmask] -----Original Message----- From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robert Hackworth Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 9:27 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: funding for tutoring I think tutoring funds should come from the departments served as part of their instructional budgets. For me it is a form of accountability. In some instances most of the tutoring that is needed is for lack of instructional expertise in the classroom. Maybe if it cost the math department something every time a student goes to tutoring there would be more effort to improve instruction. Bob > From: Susan Henderson <[log in to unmask]> > Reply-To: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals > <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2006 15:01:47 -0700 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: name of your center? organization? funding? > > As my department undergoes reorganization, it would be helpful if you > could share with me: > 1) The name of your center. (Learning center? Academic support center? > Etc.) > 2) Where you housed organizationally. (Student affairs, academic > department? Etc.) > 3) If you have identified any external funding sources to finance > tutoring services. > > THANK YOU!!!! > > Sue Henderson > > Assistant Director, University College at the Polytechnic Campus > 7001 East Williams Field Road > Academic Center Building room 80, Mail Code 0180 Mesa, AZ 85212 > (480)727-1457 * fax (480)727-1714 > http://uc.asu.edu * http://east.asu.edu/learningcenter > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Wickham, Susan M. > Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 10:00 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: College Reading Course Syllabi > > Hello, Lois-- > > The Study Mate software was just purchased by our college. It allows us > to input information in three formats: one-part (simple concept cards), > two-part (suitable for flash cards), and multiple choice. We need to > enter the information only once. It is then automatically transformed > into as many of the review formats as we choose. Pretty nifty! > > A similar online service is available through Quia, costing about $45 > per year for an individual subscription. See http://www.quia.com/ for > information on that program. > > Sue > > -----Original Message----- > From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lois Martin > Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 9:45 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: College Reading Course Syllabi > > Thank you, Sue!!! > You have some excellent resources associated with this and with your > study skills course. I am very interested in the Study Mate software. > > > Lois Martin, M.S. > Director, Academic Support Center > Goshen College > 1700 South Main Street > Goshen, IN 46526 > 574-535-7576 > [log in to unmask] > > > At 04:19 PM 3/2/2006 -0600, you wrote: >> The syllabus from my Speed Reading course can be accessed at >> http://www.dmacc.edu/instructors/smwickham/spdrding.htm >> >> This course focuses on vocabulary, comprehension, and flexibility in >> rate. >> >> Sue Wickham >> Academic Achievement Center >> Des Moines Area Community College >> 2006 S. Ankeny Blvd. >> Ankeny, IA 50021 >> Office: 515-965-7000 >> FAX: 515-965-7080 >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Open Forum for Learning Assistance Professionals >> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ramage, Travis >> Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2006 3:32 PM >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: College Reading Course Syllabi >> >> Dear all, >> >> >> >> I forwarded the article, "What the ACT Reveals About College Readiness >> in Reading/blurb/pdf link to 63 page report", that was posted to the >> LISTSERV yesterday, to our faculty and staff with the following >> comments: >> >> >> >> "I thought this data was interesting and worth sharing. The article >> provides strategies for what high schools can do to improve readiness >> for reading. Unfortunately, I didn't see any suggestions in the > article >> on what we can do for students who are not ready to read college > texts." >> >> >> >> My e-mail resulted in a meeting today with our Campus Dean, Associate >> Campus Dean, Assistant Dean for Student Services, Developmental >> Writing/Reading Instructor and myself to offer a course from our > catalog >> called LEA 101: Speed Reading and Efficiency in Reading. The course >> description reads, "The aim of this course is to help the student >> develop the vocabulary and comprehension skills needed for studying >> college material. The student learns to analyze challenging materials >> for immediate understanding and interpret it for long-term memory." >> >> >> >> Since we have never offered the course before on our campus (we are one >> of 13 UW Colleges Freshman/Sophomore campuses in Wisconsin), I am >> soliciting your help to provide examples for textbooks and syllabi that >> you have used on your respective campuses for courses that match our >> course description. I posed a similar question back in May asking in >> general about reading courses you offer and found that several campuses >> teach a similar course. However, now that we are going to teach a >> course, I am look for specifics rather than having to start from ground >> zero in the course development process. >> >> >> >> Our plan is to offer two sections of LEA 101 as a one-credit, > non-degree >> course this fall. The course will be offered the first five weeks of >> the semester, twice a week for 75 min (i.e., T Th from 2:00 pm - 3:15 >> pm). The target population will be our conditional admit students who >> scored less than a 17 on their ACT and/or students who place into our >> ENG 098: Basic Composition course based on the University of WI English >> Placement Test scores. >> >> >> >> I would appreciate any guidance you could provide. >> >> >> >> Thanks in advance for your help! >> >> >> >> Travis Ramage >> >> Coordinator of Adult Student Services/ >> >> Academic Assistance Advisor >> >> UW-Barron County >> >> 1800 College Drive >> >> Rice Lake, WI 54868 >> >> Phone: (715) 234-8176 #5438 >> >> Fax: (715) 234-8024 >> >> E-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> >> >> Website: www.barron.uwc.edu <http://www.barron.uwc.edu> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> To access the LRNASST-L archives or User Guide, or to change your >> subscription options (including subscribe/unsubscribe), point your web >> browser to >> http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html >> >> To contact the LRNASST-L owner, email [log in to unmask] >> >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> To access the LRNASST-L archives or User Guide, or to change your >> subscription options (including subscribe/unsubscribe), point your web >> browser to >> http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html >> >> To contact the LRNASST-L owner, email [log in to unmask] > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > To access the LRNASST-L archives or User Guide, or to change your > subscription options (including subscribe/unsubscribe), point your web > browser to http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html > > To contact the LRNASST-L owner, email [log in to unmask] > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > To access the LRNASST-L archives or User Guide, or to change your > subscription options (including subscribe/unsubscribe), point your web > browser to http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html > > To contact the LRNASST-L owner, email [log in to unmask] > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > To access the LRNASST-L archives or User Guide, or to change your > subscription options (including subscribe/unsubscribe), point your web browser > to > http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html > > To contact the LRNASST-L owner, email [log in to unmask] > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To access the LRNASST-L archives or User Guide, or to change your subscription options (including subscribe/unsubscribe), point your web browser to http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html To contact the LRNASST-L owner, email [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To access the LRNASST-L archives or User Guide, or to change your subscription options (including subscribe/unsubscribe), point your web browser to http://www.lists.ufl.edu/archives/lrnasst-l.html To contact the LRNASST-L owner, email [log in to unmask] ======================================================================= =========== CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which they are addressed. 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