In a society where most young people are tech savvy, ASU has launched online tutoring as a convenient way for students to get help from home.

After a successful pilot run of the program last semester, ASU’s writing center is kicking off its official launch of online writing tutoring.

Andrea Lewis, coordinator of the Tempe writing centers, has been with the program since the beginning.
“The program is very successful this year,” she said, adding that it is also a lot more comprehensive than the previous system.

Available on all four campuses, the program is open to all students and uses a Web site system that acts like a chat room.

Megan Fisk, a communications and political science senior and Katie Langr, an English and linguistics senior, both work as tutors for the writing center in Hassayampa Academic Village on the Tempe campus.

“I really like that students don’t have to come to campus,” Fisk said. “I know there’s a lot of off-campus students who have a lot of online classes, I think it’s more convenient that way.”

The tutoring sessions have screen-sharing capabilities, so the student and tutor can look at the document at the same time, as if it were face-to-face.

It’s just more convenient, Langr said.

Chatting is available, and if students have the right equipment, audio and video can be used to chat, she said.

“It’s an interactive platform for students,” Lewis said. “Each student gets an online room once they book an appointment.”

To start the tutoring session, a link is sent to the student, sending him or her to the private room. It’s secure, so only the tutor and writer have access, Lewis said.

“It’s very important to keep the student’s confidentiality,” she said.

As with any new technology, glitches and problems sometimes occur.

“Sometimes sessions are perfect and the paper uploads right away. Other times, you can spend 20 minutes just figuring out the text,” Fisk said.

Each tutoring session lasts 45 minutes. The tutors are all the best and experienced students, hand-picked from all campuses, Lewis said.

The tutor and the writer share a screen to make the tutoring process more like a face-to-face interaction, which is the primary goal, she said.

“It really is the best student service that ASU offers in my opinion,” Fisk said. “I think it’s really important to the ASU community at large.”

Online tutoring is available once a week, and in person tutoring can be used twice a week, she said.

With so few slots right now, the writing center has to make sure everyone can make an appointment, Langr said.

“Make use of the program. Seek out all the resources the school offers. The tutors do a wonderful job, and we’ve gotten great feedback from students,” Lewis said.

Reach the reporter at mmbarke1@asu.edu