As the banner above proclaims, We are Students Helping Students! The Peer Tutoring Center is staffed by current and former NCVirtual students who have successfully completed at least one NCVirtual course, have great content knowledge, and the desire and ability to impart that knowledge to others. Our volunteers have all been highly recommended by an NCVirtual instructor and have been trained on ethical peer tutoring via Upswing.
Below, you will find a list of the services the Peer Tutoring Center offers. Detailed information about each of these services and helpful videos can be found by clicking on the Peer Tutoring Center button in your course.
Peer Tutoring is content support to meet students’ specific needs. This service will be available via a new web-based program, Upswing. During the Peer Tutor orientation, Peer Tutors will set up their Upswing profiles including their availability schedule. Tutors may set their own hours but are expected to be available according to their schedule. Students will be able to view these schedules and book time with the tutors. A message will be sent to notify the Peer Tutor when a session is scheduled and a reminder will also be sent when the session time approaches. Upon
completion of the session each party, Peer Tutor and student, will complete an evaluation of the session. Tutor evaluations will accumulate as “star” ratings that will boost them to the top of the tutor lists!!
Watch this video to hear what a Peer Tutor has to say about what Peer Tutoring is.
Virtual Buddies will be available to select students who have agreed to work with a Virtual Buddy in order to be more successful in their online classes. Some volunteers may indicate an interest in only this program and will not be expected to tutor unless they desire to participate as a Peer Tutor as well. The purpose of this service is to be a Virtual Buddy to assist students with time management, motivation, and encouragement. Virtual Buddies contact an assigned student at least two times a week and will hopefully be the student’s inspiration to be engaged and to attempt all work in the course they are taking. Virtual Buddies will not be expected to work with more than 3-5 students at one time. For a better idea of what it means to be a Virtual Buddy, watch this video from our very first Virtual Buddy, Felecia.
Writing Center allows students to receive peer editing and suggestions on writing projects. Check out the infographic below to see how to sign up for a live session in Upswing with a Writing Center editor.
English Language Learner Center is specialized support for ELL students. Students may come directly to Upswing for these services or be referred by their NCVirtual instructor or school personnel. The ELL Tutor will work one on one with the student to assist them in achieving success in all of their courses. ELL Tutors may be asked to assist with translating between student, teacher, and parent. ELL Tutors may also be asked to provide support and information to ELL parents. Training will be provided. Learn more about the program for the program’s lead, Sheila. ELL Center
TutorTalk is a tutor written blog. Each of our volunteers will be encouraged to contribute one or more articles that might help students be successful in an online class. Tutors don’t have to be great writers because we have a fabulous student editor that will help you polish article before it is published in our Blog. This is a great item to include on a resume, a published writer. You can see some of the published articles at: http://ncvpspeertutor.blogspot.com/ In this video, Amy, a former TutorTalk Editor, talks about her experiences with TutorTalk.
Tech Support is our developing service which will provide asynchronous support for troubleshooting hardware and software issues as well as tutorials on Web 2.0 tools. Eventually, this service will also have a synchronous element as a live tech help desk within Upswing.
College Readiness Services is dedicated to helping students prepare for college, excel in high school, and expand their horizons by providing them resources and information that enables them to go the extra mile in their extracurriculars and academics.
We also help students with the college application process and provide resources for every grade level.
If you have ever had any question about preparing for college or how to get an edge in high school, look no further than the College Readiness Service for guidance.
NCVirtual Cafe is joining the PTC! We are looking for students who can work behind the scenes to create promotional graphics and facilitate live sessions.
Other volunteers are also needed to support the Peer Tutoring Center. Students with organizational and time management skills are needed to help streamline processes. Students with multimedia and graphic design experience are needed to support our marketing efforts. We welcome all volunteers with initiative and a desire to help others succeed in the online learning environment.