Group Tutoring
The Academic Tutoring Program (ATP)’s overarching goal is to foster inclusive peer-to-peer teaching and learning practices that create confidence and develop a deeper understanding of course content that encourages and empowers all students to succeed in their scholarly work at Brown and beyond. In effort to support research based learning practices and student achievement, the Tutoring Program has moved away from, and no longer supports, a one-on-one tutoring model. The transition away from individual tutoring to a robust active-learning peer-led small group tutoring model (~3-6 students) supports, “a growing body of evidence that suggests small-group learning (SGL) benefits undergraduate science student achievement" (Gaudet, Ramer, Nakonechny, Cragg, & Ramer, 2006).[1]
In order to achieve this goal and to provide the growing number of students (1566 students participated in group tutoring during AY `16-17) equitable access to group tutoring, Academic Tutoring modified the process by which students request tutoring at the beginning of a semester.
- Students can request placement in group tutoring during the “Open Access” period, September 17-19, meaning students can sign-in to the Tutoring portal at any time during the predefined access period and submit group tutoring requests.
- Students will receive an email outlining the details of their tutoring assignment on September 20.
- Once the open access period ends and registered students receive group and/or waitlist assignment(s), the tutoring portal will switch to a first-come first-served approach for all students.
Group tutoring is offered Sundays 2-10 pm and Mondays-Thursdays 6-10 pm. Tutors have either taken the course or proven competency, and have been trained by experienced Tutor Leaders. We do our best to offer various group sessions, but students might need to alter their schedule to accommodate the available tutoring sessions.
Important Dates
Open Access Period
8:30 am on Monday, September 17, through 11:59 pm on Wednesday, September 19.
Seat and Wait List Notifications
Thursday, September 20
Group Sessions Begin
Sunday, September 23
Request tutoring through the online portal, or visit: https://apps.college.brown.edu/tutoring
Language Tutoring
Small group tutoring is available for introductory and intermediate language courses for Arabic, Chinese, French, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish.
Students in other language courses are encouraged to meet with their instructors for extra assistance.
If you have questions, please contact Janet Peters, Assistant Director of Academic Tutoring.
Please note: The Academic Tutoring Program does not support all courses. Tutoring is a weekly commitment and tutees are expected to attend group sessions every week.
[1]Gaudet, A. D., Ramer, L. M., Nakonechny, J., Cragg, J. J., & Ramer, M. S. (2010). Small-Group Learning in an Upper-Level University Biology Class Enhances Academic Performance and Student Attitudes Toward Group Work. PLoS ONE, 5(12), e15821. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0015821