So You Wanna Be an So You Wanna Be an Online TutorOnline Tutor

Deborah Hardwick, Interim DirectorDeborah Hardwick, Interim Director

Houston Community CollegeHouston Community College

Online Tutoring ProgramOnline Tutoring Program

Contact InformationContact Information

Deborah Hardwick, Interim ManagerDeborah Hardwick, Interim Manager Houston Community College Online Houston Community College Online

TutoringTutoring Deborah.hardwick@hccs.edu 713-718-5340713-718-5340

Online Tutors are SpecialOnline Tutors are Special

Online tutors are in the forefront of a Online tutors are in the forefront of a new method of academic support. new method of academic support. We are inventing the rules as we go, We are inventing the rules as we go, and re-inventing them even more and re-inventing them even more often.often.

In many ways, online tutors do In many ways, online tutors do exactly the same thing as face-to-exactly the same thing as face-to-face tutors, but in a different way. face tutors, but in a different way. – We must listen carefully to what We must listen carefully to what

students need.students need.– We must encourage students to We must encourage students to

achieve.achieve.– We must lead students to answers, not We must lead students to answers, not

give them answers.give them answers.

We must exhibit professionalism in We must exhibit professionalism in all we do.all we do.

We must be role models for students.We must be role models for students.

And we must do all of these without And we must do all of these without ever seeing the students we tutor!ever seeing the students we tutor!

Online Working EnvironmentOnline Working Environment To many of us, online tutoring provides an To many of us, online tutoring provides an

ideal work environment – home!ideal work environment – home!

We can work in our underwear if we We can work in our underwear if we want.want.

We can smoke, drink coffee, pet the cat, We can smoke, drink coffee, pet the cat, nurse the baby, and munch snacks as we nurse the baby, and munch snacks as we work. work.

We never have to worry about fighting We never have to worry about fighting traffic or finding a parking spot.traffic or finding a parking spot.

We don’t have to shave, put on make up, We don’t have to shave, put on make up, or fix our hair.or fix our hair.

We don’t have to worry about lines of We don’t have to worry about lines of students waiting to see us.students waiting to see us.

The only phone calls that interrupt us The only phone calls that interrupt us are our own.are our own.

We can work at 3 in the morning or We can work at 3 in the morning or 11 at night.11 at night.

We can go to the bathroom We can go to the bathroom whenever we want. whenever we want.

We can work from Starbuck’s, a We can work from Starbuck’s, a cruise ship, the beach, or a hospital cruise ship, the beach, or a hospital waiting room.waiting room.

We can see what other tutors have We can see what other tutors have done.done.

But ...But ...

We work alone, lacking contact with We work alone, lacking contact with others.others.

We have limited access to materials.We have limited access to materials. We have to make many more judgment We have to make many more judgment

calls ourselves.calls ourselves. We have to be self-motivated and self-We have to be self-motivated and self-

disciplined.disciplined. We have to accept fluctuations in We have to accept fluctuations in

income.income.

Realities of the Online Life:Realities of the Online Life:Self-motivationSelf-motivation

Online tutors must be self-motivated. Online tutors must be self-motivated. Just as Distance Learning isn’t right Just as Distance Learning isn’t right for all students, online tutoring isn’t for all students, online tutoring isn’t right for all tutors. right for all tutors.

Those with a tendency to Those with a tendency to procrastinate may find that other procrastinate may find that other tutors have grabbed all the work.tutors have grabbed all the work.

Procrastination lowers the paycheck.Procrastination lowers the paycheck.

Realities of the Online Life:Realities of the Online Life:Self-disciplineSelf-discipline

Online tutors are typically assigned days of the Online tutors are typically assigned days of the week rather than hours of the day to work. week rather than hours of the day to work.

It is the tutor’s responsibility to check online It is the tutor’s responsibility to check online frequently to see whether or not there is work. frequently to see whether or not there is work. No one is around to remind her.No one is around to remind her.

It is the tutor’s responsibility to schedule the It is the tutor’s responsibility to schedule the rest of his activities to leave time for tutoring. rest of his activities to leave time for tutoring.

It is the tutor’s responsibility to keep track of It is the tutor’s responsibility to keep track of hours spent working.hours spent working.

Those working in a synchronous Those working in a synchronous environment (chat rooms) must keep environment (chat rooms) must keep the posted schedule. If students log the posted schedule. If students log in, they expect a tutor to be there in, they expect a tutor to be there waiting. waiting.

How It WorksHow It Works

In our system, tutors can choose to be In our system, tutors can choose to be notified by e-mail when students submit notified by e-mail when students submit work. Alternatively, tutors can check work. Alternatively, tutors can check our web site throughout the day.our web site throughout the day.

When there is work, tutors work. When When there is work, tutors work. When there is none, tutors can do whatever there is none, tutors can do whatever else they have to do.else they have to do.

Our system tracks time online. Tutors Our system tracks time online. Tutors keep duplicate records to double-check.keep duplicate records to double-check.

Tutors can access archived work Tutors can access archived work from all tutors to see if a student’s from all tutors to see if a student’s question has already been answered.question has already been answered.

Tutors can e-mail me (the supervisor) Tutors can e-mail me (the supervisor) or call me at reasonable hours if or call me at reasonable hours if there are problems.there are problems.

I check tutors’ work frequently, so I check tutors’ work frequently, so there is more oversight than in most there is more oversight than in most traditional face-to-face settings.traditional face-to-face settings.

Dealing with PlagiarismDealing with Plagiarism

It may come as a great surprise to you, It may come as a great surprise to you, but students sometimes plagiarize. *but students sometimes plagiarize. *

As a face-to-face tutor, you can point out As a face-to-face tutor, you can point out the problems and ask for more information the problems and ask for more information or for the definition of words you are quite or for the definition of words you are quite sure the student doesn’t know. Adeptly sure the student doesn’t know. Adeptly done, the student will usually admit to the done, the student will usually admit to the copying, and you can do a quick lesson on copying, and you can do a quick lesson on attribution and citation.attribution and citation.

PlagiarismPlagiarism

In the online environment, it isn’t as easy. In the online environment, it isn’t as easy. If you suspect plagiarism, you can take a If you suspect plagiarism, you can take a few minutes to Google a particularly few minutes to Google a particularly distinctive sentence and send the link to distinctive sentence and send the link to the student. the student.

If you If you know know it’s plagiarized because of it’s plagiarized because of stylistic or vocabulary differences, but you stylistic or vocabulary differences, but you can’t find the source, you can tactfully can’t find the source, you can tactfully suggest that the student has “forgotten” suggest that the student has “forgotten” the citation.the citation.

Stuff I Shouldn’t Have to Stuff I Shouldn’t Have to Mention!Mention!

All the following insanities have All the following insanities have happened during our year and half of happened during our year and half of online tutoring. It’s sad.online tutoring. It’s sad.

It’s a Job!It’s a Job!

Just because you are working at Just because you are working at home in your robe and fuzzy slippers, home in your robe and fuzzy slippers, you can’t let your standards slide:you can’t let your standards slide:– Coffee or a soft drink is OK; a six-pack of Coffee or a soft drink is OK; a six-pack of

Budweiser or a bottle of Merlot isn’t.Budweiser or a bottle of Merlot isn’t.– Marlboros are OK; marijuana isn’t.Marlboros are OK; marijuana isn’t.– Aspirin are OK; Demerol isn’t.Aspirin are OK; Demerol isn’t.

Don’t work if your judgment is Don’t work if your judgment is impaired.impaired.

You Are a ProfessionalYou Are a Professional

Jokes that you can explain your way Jokes that you can explain your way out of in person don’t work online.out of in person don’t work online.

Work the question whether or not Work the question whether or not you agree with the student’s point of you agree with the student’s point of view.view.

Keep your personal opinions to Keep your personal opinions to yourself.yourself.

You Are Not AloneYou Are Not Alone

Supervisors watch what you do much Supervisors watch what you do much more frequently than is usually the more frequently than is usually the case in face-to-face tutoring. Lying case in face-to-face tutoring. Lying about what you said or did will be about what you said or did will be found out.found out.

Your time is tracked by the system. Your time is tracked by the system. Lying about how much you work Lying about how much you work (padding your time sheet) will be (padding your time sheet) will be found out quickly.found out quickly.

You Need a ComputerYou Need a Computer

Working online, using library Working online, using library computers until you can afford your computers until you can afford your own, probably won’t work. Your own, probably won’t work. Your availability to tutor is limited to the availability to tutor is limited to the library’s hours. library’s hours.

A 386 won’t work, and neither will a A 386 won’t work, and neither will a slow dial-up modem.slow dial-up modem.

You need Microsoft Word because You need Microsoft Word because that is what most students use.that is what most students use.

You Need to Be Computer You Need to Be Computer LiterateLiterate

One applicant told me that she hates One applicant told me that she hates computers, but would learn to use computers, but would learn to use “those darned things” if she got the “those darned things” if she got the job. She didn’t.job. She didn’t.

Another asked if I could teach him Another asked if I could teach him how to turn on his school-supplied how to turn on his school-supplied laptop because he couldn’t figure it laptop because he couldn’t figure it out. He didn’t get the job, either.out. He didn’t get the job, either.

You Need to Write English You Need to Write English WellWell

Even if you are tutoring math or Even if you are tutoring math or science, you need to be able to explain science, you need to be able to explain processes. Terrible English is processes. Terrible English is impossible for students to understand.impossible for students to understand.

Likewise, we are part of the educational Likewise, we are part of the educational process. IM and texting abbreviations process. IM and texting abbreviations are inappropriate in communication are inappropriate in communication with students b/c imho u r rol mdls. with students b/c imho u r rol mdls.

You Need to Type WellYou Need to Type Well

Messages to students that are Messages to students that are riddled with careless typing errors riddled with careless typing errors send a terrible message. If we don’t send a terrible message. If we don’t care how we are perceived, why care how we are perceived, why should students care?should students care?

Use spell-check, for heaven’s sake! Use spell-check, for heaven’s sake! But also check for those words spell-But also check for those words spell-czech doesn’t ketch.czech doesn’t ketch.

You Need to Understand How You Need to Understand How Your System WorksYour System Works

Take time to learn the ins and outs of Take time to learn the ins and outs of the system you use before you the system you use before you actually start working with students.actually start working with students.

If you haven’t had sufficient training, If you haven’t had sufficient training, ask for more.ask for more.

Know who to contact if there are Know who to contact if there are system problems.system problems.

The Joys of Online TutoringThe Joys of Online Tutoring

Online tutors have much more flexibility Online tutors have much more flexibility than face-to-face tutors in scheduling and than face-to-face tutors in scheduling and choosing a comfortable work environment.choosing a comfortable work environment.

For those to whom tutoring provides For those to whom tutoring provides supplemental income rather than is the supplemental income rather than is the mainstay of the budget, it is a chance to mainstay of the budget, it is a chance to earn extra money.earn extra money.

For those who love a challenge, being at For those who love a challenge, being at the forefront of a new movement is the forefront of a new movement is exciting. exciting.

You Can Make a DifferenceYou Can Make a Difference

Students who may never come Students who may never come through the door of a tutoring center through the door of a tutoring center because of time limitations or because of time limitations or embarrassment use online tutoring in embarrassment use online tutoring in droves. We help students who would droves. We help students who would otherwise flail around in the otherwise flail around in the academic sea.academic sea.