Dr. John Stuppy, president of the online tutoring service TutorVista, said his company offers an option to students who seek academic assistance. According to Stuppy, TutorVista provides an opportunity for students to receive attention they may not have access to in group-tutoring sessions, such as the ones offered by the university's Academic Enrichment Center.
TutorVista's service, used by approximately 10,000 students in the United States, offers three ways a student and tutor can interact via computer.
First, the student must download the site's free application, Stuppy said. Once students are set up with the program, they can talk to their tutor using voice-over-Internet-protocol, which allows people to make phone calls using a broadband Internet connection. They can also communicate using an interactive "white board" which both parties can write on and view simultaneously and a service, similar to AOL Instant Messenger, in which student and teacher can converse electronically.
"I think we've definitely seen an increase starting about last summer," Stuppy said. "College students are comfortable with technology. It's a natural way of using the computer and sharing these resources."
William Kardine, a physics and math tutor at the AEC since Fall 2006, said he has not heard of students using services such as TutorVista, but suspects the system might be faulty.
"Sometimes you need to see someone work a problem in front of you and I don't think you can do it over the phone," Kardine said. "It's hard enough that students have someone in front of them who can barely speak English."
Amber Brooks, a graduate student and a Spanish tutor, said she prefers teaching in person.
"It's easier when they're face-to-face because they can show me what they've been working on," Brooks said.
Michael McClay, assistant director of the AEC, said tutors are required to have at least a 3.0 grade point average as well as a B-plus or higher in the subject they plan to tutor, a written recommendation, a second reference and a copy of their transcript. There is also an interview.
McClay said he prefers the traditional face-to-face approach to tutoring.
"It's the interactions, the dynamics between the tutor and tutee. It really adds a lot to it," he said. "If you can't see them, or even ideally sitting right next to them pointing things out, you lose some that."
To set up a group tutorial, a class needs five to six names, exam said. Individual tutoring, on the other hand, is available until the day before the final. Individual tutoring costs the student $10.50 per hour if the tutor is an undergraduate and $13.50 per hour if the tutor is a graduate student.
Stuppy said the general payment plan for TutorVista is $99 per month for unlimited tutoring, including scheduled sessions and last-minute drop-in sessions for $19.99 per hour.
Eighty-five percent of TutorVista tutors have a master's or doctorate degrees, Stuppy said, while the remainder have dual bachelor's degrees.
More than 600 of the company's tutors live in India, he said. Other tutors come from countries such as the Philippines, Singapore and Hong Kong. Stuppy said the company's tutors are paid twice the amount a teacher receives in India, with a paycheck of $300 to $400 per month.
"The cost of living there is low," he said, admitting the pay may not sound like a substantial amount. "Groceries for a week are $20 for a couple."
Lynn Mahaffy, an ecology professor at the university, said money is an issue across the board, and is surprised more students do not sign up for group tutoring at the AEC. She said she tells students about the center during the first week of class.
"I tell them where it is, that if you get six people in the class to sign up, they will arrange free group tutoring," Mahaffy said. "There aren't a whole lot of things around this place that you get for free."
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