The primary purpose of this paper is to emphasize and reiterate the centrality of the faculty role in tutoring and learning centers, where peer-to-peer, discipline-specific collaborative learning is the primary objective. This paper provides a breadth of content for practitioners in the field and also assists those seeking to understand the unique…

In the past two decades, tutoring services have become an integral part of nearly every program at California's community colleges. The purposes of tutoring services are to provide individual attention to students in academic difficulty, training and assistance in developing effective study skills, assistance and support to special groups of…

Through awareness of the needs of non-traditional students and careful tutor training, the staff of Virginia's New River Community College's (NRCC's) writing center assist students with both writing-related tasks and integration into academic life. Describes how NRCC's writing center aids its students and suggests techniques that should be used to…

Examines reasons for community colleges' return to mandatory testing and placement in courses/programs where students have a reasonable expectation of success. Looks at the use and success of other retention strategies, including orientation programs, tutors, and integrated support services. (DMM)

Argues for the academic performance and retention benefits of Supplemental Instruction (SI). Among other things, SI increases retention, increases final course grade averages, increases overall GPAs, improves thinking and study skills, and increases graduation rates. Compares a list of Chickering's 7 Principles to the practices of SI programs.…

Until recently, the model of student support operating at Sheffield City Polytechnic (SCP) in England involved pairing each student with a tutor, defining an entitlement of time for the student, specifying a minimum time commitment for which the tutor is required to be available, and leaving it up to the tutor and student to get together as best…

Since its foundation in 1968, the Adult Literacy League of Orlando, Florida, has dedicated itself to eradicating the educational handicaps of more than 2,575 local residents. The League, which in 1975 became part of the Open Campus of Valencia Community College (VCC), offers two courses: (1) a Literacy Tutor Training Workshop, a 10-hour program to…

Designed as a forum for the exchange and dissemination of ideas and viewpoints of California community college faculty, this journal offers six brief articles on various aspects of 2-year college education. In "Academic Standards and the Open Door," Leon Baradat asserts that community colleges must reverse the trend toward decreased…

Argues that demandingness, responsiveness, and self-regulation could be used to organize, explain, and predict useful techniques for developmental education practitioners. Also contends that student self-regulation is developed in demanding and supportive environments. Stresses the need for a training initiative in developmental education.…

An overview is provided of the benefits and problems associated with using faculty members with classroom teaching duties as volunteers in college-sponsored writing centers outside the classroom environment. First, benefits for the school administration, the students, and the volunteer faculty tutors are outlined. These benefits include the…

With focus on improving the effectiveness of the Mathematics Laboratory at Somerset County College, this paper provides background information on individualized instruction programs and learning centers, assesses the current status of the Math Lab, and offers a series of recommendations for immediate implementation. The first sections set forth a…

Discusses the importance of academic support services in ensuring the effectiveness of developmental programs. Describes the Learning Assistance Support System developed in Washington's community college system and Luzerne County Community College's Institute for Developmental Educational Activities. (DMM)

Advocates grounding a tutor training program in research-based theoretical models, such as student development and metacognitive theories. Recommends that tutor training cover student development philosophy, effective communication skills, campus resources, instructional support materials, learning theory/learning styles, metacognitive approaches…

In the Student Development Tutoring Model (SDTM), tutors engage students with content in such a way as to both increase their understanding of content as well as their ability to use learning strategies independently in the future. To develop and evaluate a procedure for preparing tutors to use behaviors consistent with the SDTM, New York's Bronx…

Argues that tutoring programs are essential adjuncts to community college writing programs. Suggests ways that writing labs might combat the economic problems they face by combining personal tutoring with computers, limiting the skills the lab proposes to handle, and using professional staff to teach workshops. Stresses the importance of tutor…