The spread of COVID-19 has caused many institutions to close their doors. Businesses, stores and schools have had to close for the sake of public safety. The writing and speaking centers at NCC, along with other classes and programs this year, have had to close their doors as well. But they are still available in the form of online tutoring.
“College, and more accurately papers, are a stressful experience for many if not all of us, and the Writing Center is there to help with that,” said Tim Stiner, ’20, a writing center tutor. “With the sudden shift to online classes, both college and papers have become even more stressful and uncertain for many people.”
With students no longer allowed to be on campus, and the lack of resources that they may find at home, these online tutors will be highly beneficial to those who need it.
“Students can reach tutors using Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. Online, you can have a conversation with a tutor about your assignment or project, share drafts and get real-time advice on writing,” said Matthias Regan, director of the writing center.
The first step for gaining access to online tutorship is to go to Blackboard.
Once Blackboard is accessed, enter “Tutoring” in the Course Search option. Select writing center tutoring, click on the course and select “Enroll.” Then click on “Submit.” After entering the course, find the “Course Tools” and select Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. When you open this tool, you will see a list of sessions. Click on the active session and choose “Enter session.”
If a computer is unavailable, the option exists to use your phone instead. For that, choose the “Dial-in” option. You will be given a phone number and a pin to use to call into the session. Anyone who wishes to partake in tutoring in a different fashion has this option.
Likewise, the speaking center is available on Blackboard via the same platform. For consultations, students will have to set up appointments online on the NCC website under “speaking center.”
The speaking center remains open to aid students in the preparation and practice of their presentations. They will also advise on visual aids, interviewing and creation of elevator pitches. Help is even available for final presentations, should students need it.
“I am looking forward to this change in tutoring. It will be interesting for us to try new methods,” said Hannah Vestal, ’21, a writing center tutor.
Despite the unexpected events taking place in the world, students can still expect to find help with writing and speaking assignments.
