Tutorial Services
Tutorial support for a wide variety of courses – from developmental Math to Physics, from Organic Chemistry to Engineering – are also available in the Success Center. Tutors who support students are trained in AVID methodology. They use a student-centered philosophy to facilitate education from the learner's point of need. Most tutorials are available as either appointments or walk-in arrangements. Both group and individual tutorials are available.
Group tutorials are an essential learning tool for more challenging courses, and Supplemental Instruction (SI) and Peer Led Teams Learning (PLTL) are supplied for them. SI and PLTL are located in the Success Center, and faculty and SI and PLTL team members set the schedule and location for study sessions based on the needs of a particular course. The Supplemental Instructor or Peer Leader for most courses are hand-picked by the course instructor, and like the Success Center tutors, they have been trained in AVID to provide the most effective academic support possible.
Writing tutors are also housed in the Success Center. They offer both walk-in and appointment sessions for individuals and groups. These tutors are trained to help all writers improve the quality of their work, whether the writer is a student or a member of the faculty. Based on the simple philosophy that if the writer improves, the writing will follow, these tutors are skilled in facilitating improvements in critical thinking that are essential to intellectual and academic growth. Writing tutors facilitate graduate writing groups, in-class workshops, and campus-wide workshops on topics as varied as how to use style guides to avoiding common grammar errors. They can and do supply custom workshops for instructors who need to be absent but who do not want to lose valuable class time; the tutors cover areas of need associated with writing and research not typically covered in the course. These tutors are certified through AVID.