September 29, 2009

Virtual tutoring now offered in high school

by Pat Lee, Staff Reporter, Nova Scotia News – the chroniclehearald.ca, originally published on 9/3/09

African-N.S. students helped with science, math

A program designed to help Nova Scotia students of African descent do better in math and science has a new way to reach out to them.

Imhotep’s Legacy Academy has launched a virtual tutoring program that will allow science and math tutors at Dalhousie University help high school students across the province without having to leave the Halifax campus.

Program director Emmanuel Nfonoyim said the pilot project is being launched at Citadel High in Halifax, Cole Harbour High and Prince Andrew High in Dartmouth, Sydney Academy, Cobequid Educational Centre in Truro and Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High. He said the program will help about 15 students per school. "I’ve been all across the province and everyone’s really looking forward to having this support for their kids," Mr. Nfonoyim said.

A learning centre has been set up at Dalhousie and computers with a webcam and video conferencing software will be in the schools or in students’ homes. Lt.-Gov. Mayanne Francis is scheduled to launch the learning centre at a luncheon today at Dalhousie University. This is the first time the four-year-old program has offered help to high school students.

Up until now, the project has offered support to about 90 junior high students across the province in after-school programs. Mr. Nfonoyim said it was time to extend that help to the higher grades, especially where students are taking more difficult college-track courses in math and science. "We’re very eager to continue our support right through Grade 12, thereby increasing the chances for a better outcome for the students," he said. The virtual tutoring program is for high school students only.

Click here to read more.

Filed under: Distance Learning,Pedagogy

January 14, 2009

National Tutoring Association (NTA) 17th Annual Conference

April 4 – 8, 2009
Marriott City Center Hotel, Salt Lake City, UT

The National Tutoring Association (NTA) is a group of over 6500 individuals and organizations that are devoted to supporting students achieve success through tutoring.  Members include peer tutors, paraprofessional tutors, professional tutors, literacy volunteers, tutor trainers and administrators, and private tutors.  NTA has members from elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities, community programs, faith based programs, and NCLB providers.

This years theme is "Busy as Bees with Innovations."  Concurrent sessions will cover recruiting, training, and retaining tutors; current trends in practice and research; use of technology; understanding the law; tutoring special populations; online tutoring; grant writing; learning preferences; improving tutorial leadership for directors and coordinators; conflict management; building and marketing private or community programs; basic nuts and bolts of tutoring; and motivating students and other topics.

The Keynote speaker lineup includes Dr. Sandi Ayaz, Dr. Scarlette Spears Studdard and and special guest speaker, Dr. Crystal Kaukendall.  Dr. Crystal Arlene Kuykendall is considered one of the most dynamic individuals of our time. A critical thinker, analyst, motivator, and mentor. Dr. Kuykendall is a highly sought after and savvy speaking sensation, an engaging educator, human relations expert, legal analyst/litigator, endearing author and loving mother.

Full conference details at www.ntatutor.org, or contact ntatutor@aol.com

Filed under: Academic Learning Centers,Associations,Business Practices,Leadership,Pedagogy,Peer-Tutoring,Research,Technology,Training/Education,Tutoring Practices

January 1, 2009

Spring 2009 Professional Development Events

The primary source for this list of events is the Journal of Developmental Education (JDE), reprinted here with permission. 
For more information visit http://www.ncde.appstate.edu/jde.htm

January 4-6, 2009, The International Center for Supplemental Instruction offers a Supplemental Instruction Workshop at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. For more information visit http://www.umkc.edu/cad/si/

February 11-13, 2009, Pennsylvania Association for Adult Continuing Education (PAACE) Midwinter Conference on Adult Education, "PAACE Yourself: Keeping Up with Adult Education," to be held at the Hershey Lodge, Hershey, PA.  For more information visit http://www.paacesite.org

February 12-13, 2009, National ACademic ADvising Association (NACADA), Advising 2.0: Utilizing Technology Effectively for Campus-wide Advising, Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort, Clearwater, FL. For more information visit http://www.nacada.ksu.edu

February 25-March 1, 2009, National Association for Developmental Education (NADE) 33rd Annual Conference, "Where Excellence Blooms," to be held at the Sheraton Four Seasons in Greensboro, NC. For more information visit http://www.nade.net

March 8-11, 2009, 20th annual Teaching Academic Survival Skills Conference (TASS), sponsored by Northern Essex Community College (NECC) to be held at Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm, Florida. For more information visit http://tassconference.org/

March 26-27, 2009, Pennsylvania Association for Developmental Education (PADE) State Conference, "Increasing the Odds of Student Success," to be held at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg-Hershey, Grantville, PA. For more information visit http://www.pade-pa.org/conference-info.html

March 29-31, 2009, New York College Learning Skills Association’s (NYCLSA) 32nd Annual Symposium on Developmental Education "Retention: Students – Stories – Successes" to be held at the Radisson Hotel Corning, Corning, NY. For more information visit http://nyclsa.org/annual_conf_current.htm

April 4-8, 2009, National Tutoring Association (NTA) 17th NTA Annual Conference "Tutors" Busy as Bees with Innovation" to be held at the Marriott City Center Hotel.  For more information visit http://www.ntatutor.com/conferences.htm

April 5-8, 2009, Association for the Tutoring Profession (ATP) Annual Conference to be held at Hyatt Regency in Albuquerque, NM. For more information visit http://www.myatp.org

Filed under: Associations,Leadership,Pedagogy,Research,Training/Education

November 19, 2008

Thinking Critically About Teaching Critical Thinking

by Zaid Ali Alsagoff, in Zaid Learn under the original title Coaching Critical Thinking to Think Creatively!

ONCE UPON A TIME ….

A long time ago (early 2007) in a galaxy far away (Malaysia), there was a little boy (34 years old) who happened to be me. This little boy was suddenly entrusted to transform a dying course at the University entitled ‘Critical Thinking’. Here I was leading a Learning and Teaching Unit (in the Quality Assurance department) facilitating change and improvements to our e-learning approach, and managing a University wide ‘Thinking Skills Infusion Programme’ (TSIP). Although, I had trained many lecturers, senior lecturers and professors in using technology to facilitate learning, I had ironically never had any real experience in managing an actual course at the University.

Now, one of the leaders from our academic world figured rightly out that perhaps I needed some real experience to understand what it is like to be a lecturer, before having the right to lecture to lecturers on how to teach and facilitate effective learning (which makes perfect sense!). Also, since I had been managing the TSIP programme for over six (6) months, the “Critical Thinking’ course would be the perfect challenge and opportunity to test all my untested theories and suggestions on effective learning.

In a nutshell, I was asked to lead and transform the ‘Critical Thinking’ course, which is a requirement for all undergraduate students.

Click on the following link to read more of Coaching Critical Thinking to Think Creatively!

Filed under: Coaching,Pedagogy,Training/Education

September 22, 2008

The Tutor’s Primer: Comparing Pedagogical and Andragogical Learning

By Loydene F. Hill, originally published in the AuthorsDen.com

This article compares the pedagogical and andragogical learning models when dealing with adults and children.

When one seeks to compare the pedagogical and andragogical learning models, one must understand what the basic difference is between the two. The pedagogical learning model has been the prevailing learning model in the education of children since the 19th century. It resides, and flourishes, in the belief that if a child does not learn, then the teacher has failed as a transmitter of knowledge, and provides no recourse against the child for his lack of interest or participation in the learning process. As children, young adults, and undergraduate students, we promote this theory, by learning only what is needed to receive a passing marks and move forward to the next level in our education. Educators and students remain passive as to their roles in the learning process, and rely on the student’s total intellectual dependency on the teacher for any acquired learning that he receives, much the same way an addict relies on the actions of his enabler, for continued support.

With the pedagogical learning model, students do not take the initiative to acquire new knowledge, rather they wait until the educator believes that they are ready to absorb new ideas, subjects and practices. In this model, the learning orientation of a student is centered around the subjects studied, content of the instructional materials, and teacher experiences that are required to reach their academic goal, and any learning motivation that they possess usually comes from an external source, i.e., grades, favorable or unfavorable rewards from parents or teachers, and family duress.

When we examine the andragogical learning model, the opposite is true. The andragogical model was theorized by Malcolm Knowles in 1990, and specifically oriented toward the adult learner. Adults learn differently, and for different reasons, than do children and young adults, and their style is completely antithetic to that of the pedagogical learner.

Click on the following link to read more of the original article Pedagogical and Andragogical Learning

Filed under: Academic Learning Centers,Pedagogy,Tutoring Practices

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