World of English

Internet Tutoring: Computer or Person?

A recent article outlined the innovative approach a school in Pennsylvania is taking--letting a computer teach the students.  It is a tutoring program using computer guided lessons.  This particular program is for mathematics.

These have been around for a while; now there are even computerized automated tutorial programs for writing.  However, the key question is how well can a computer address student misunderstandings, and how effective is a standard explanation for when different students click the "help" button.  While some computerized programs have gone as far as providing audio and text explanations, and a few even some animations, what they are unable to do is address the subtleties of misunderstandings or "get" what the student is trying to communicate.  I don't know about you, but I've yet to find a computer program that "gets" me.

I think it is important to understand where the value of such automated programs stand.  Yes, they do provide guided practice.  So do textbooks.  Yes, they can identify skill gaps--so do tests.  They do have value as a supplement to instruction, but for instruction, you need an instructor, not a computer program.

It is fantastic these students are getting additional help and practice.  However, a computer can't take the place of a person.  Using a program like this coupled with not only classroom instruction, but individual or small group tutoring sessions, is what would be most effective.  Students need the individual attention of an educator who doesn't provide them with a standard "help button response" but can take the time to understand the problem they are having and use multiple approaches to help the student overcome the difficulty or misunderstanding.

We can't pass off our children's education to a computer program; however, we can use such programs to enhance and better our children's education.

Statement of Purpose

Your statement of purpose is something like an academic job interview, or at least that is one way to think about it.  Your SOP should sell you to the university.  Remember you are vying with others not only for admissions, but also important funding.  Therefore, it is necessary to present yourself in the best light possible.  It is also important to clearly illustrate why you are choosing this particular program and how it fits in with your larger life goals.

For an admissions essay, it should not dwell on how your interests developed, but it should outline your qualifications, the contributions you could make to the university's program, and especially areas of possible research you would like to pursue.  A little background on how you “discovered” your field of study is nice, but that doesn't pack the same punch as illustrating how you've pursued and contributed to it since you “found it.”

Cite particulars about the university that attracted you to it in particular; admissions officers are not likely to be moved by the idea you chose the university because of its well-organized Web site or you've always been a big fan of the basketball team.  It would be better to mention particular programs or research initiatives or even particular members of the teaching faculty whose research you are familiar with that attracted you to this university.  Statements like you "want to help mankind" is unlikely to differentiate you from other applicants and set you apart. Give reasons for choosing this university over another.  What graduate (and undergraduate) admissions counselors are looking for is someone with clear, definable goals and a good reason to be seeking admission into this particular university.  Then they are much more likely to feel the student is a "good fit" and consider them for admission.

A particularly nice site for this is www.statementofpurpose.com.  Be careful about this site though--it is a front for an essay review service, but it still provides some helpful information to get you started. 

The SQ3R Method: The Final "R"

REVIEW!!

Those notes you took--reread them, and not just the day before your exam.  Instead, set aside 10-15 minutes each night to review past chapters or sections in addition to the time you spend reading new materials.  This will prove to be an incredible advantage, and while it may be an effort, it is going to pay off in terms of retention and performance.  Go through your previous chapters and make sure you pay attention to any margin notes or underlining you did, and be sure you know the definitions of important terms by heart.

Try to summarize information without going back and reading it.  For example, a few days after reading a chapter, see if you can still orally explain the main points and concepts of that chapter.  If you can, you KNOW IT! If you can't, maybe you should use your 10 minutes to review it until you do.

And about that time you're spending reviewing--don't let it get you down, because Sunday evening when everyone else is cramming before the test, you can spend 20 minutes reviewing once more to ensure you have everything down pat and then spend a leisurely Sunday evening and not be frazzled and stressed out come the test Monday.  So, you won't have to cram and you'll probably do a lot better than your classmates who were up until 3:00 AM trying to make sense of stuff they read but didn't learn or retain.  That can be pretty hard to do at three in the morning! 

Remember, the real goal is not a test score or a piece of paper--the real goal is learning.  Using the SQ3R Method of Reading is a great way to maximize your learning.

SQ3R Method--The Second"R:" RECITE

Recitation is mainly an oral practice, but an important one.  I suggest you orally summarize the information you encounter in the text you are reading.  I suggest that you summarize each paragraph aloud as you read particularly dense or difficult text, and for more straightforward reading, summarize at the end of each section.  This has a couple of advantages:  First, if you can't recite the information cogently, it means you didn't really understand what you just read; this makes an excellent "self-check."  Furthermore, you are more likely to retain this information by orally summarizing it, and you are more likely to see the "big picture" when you've completed reading.

Of course, oral recitation should be accompanied by note taking.  This doubly enforces what you've just read, and representing the information yourself in multiple forms is more likely to increase your retention levels.  The very act of writing out your notes, transferring that information from your eyes, through your brain, and out through your hand can increase your mastery of the information and concepts.  Compound this with oral summations of information and you are really taking your reading methods to a higher level.  Make sure that you are always paraphrasing information--that is, putting it into your own words.  That is another self-check method; if you can't put what you just read into your own words, then you likely did not understand it very well.  If you find you can't paraphrase, go back and read the paragraph or section more carefully and try paraphrasing each sentence as you read it.  This might make your reading take a little longer, but if you aren't going to retain the information you just read, what is the use of reading at all?

Joseph Frank Landsberger, who maintains a Web site of study guides as a fantastic public education service (check it out here), says of the SQ3R Method (specifically of the first "R"):

TRIPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing, saying, hearing-

QUADRUPLE STRENGTH LEARNING: Seeing, saying, hearing, writing!!!

The SQ3R Reading Method: The First "R"

This one is easy enough:

READ!!!

First, look for the answers for the questions you raised in the "Q" step.  Carefully read for the answers you framed.

If you have a study guide, like SparkNotes, try to relate what you read in the study guide to the actual textbook you are using.  So, for example, if you're using a SparkNotes guide to literature, make sure you recognize the main points it notes in the texts.  If you're teacher or the textbook has provided study questions, make sure to answer those as or after you read.

Make sure you reread definition sentences; often times, a boldfaced word in a text is followed by a definition.  Be sure to note any defined terms, boldfaced or not, since these will likely be critical vocabulary to understanding the texts and you might just see them again on quizzes or tests. 

Make sure you reading carefully, including any section summaries or captions you encounter.  After that, the next step is the second "R," recite . . . .