As part of its ongoing effort to improve peer tutoring and student performance, the University’s Learning Commons has been developing and improving tutor training, according to Learning Commons director Jeffrey White. The national College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) recently approved the Learning Commons’ application for Stage Two of the International Tutor Training Program Certification (ITTPC) – Level 1. This approval represents the next step in certifying the Learning Commons’ tutor training program and follows an initial one-year certification. To receive approval for certification, the Learning Commons’ application was peer-reviewed by professionals in the field who are selected and trained by the CRLA.
Research indicates that students benefit more from programs with strong tutor training compared to students who utilize programs with untrained or minimally trained tutors. “Our work with tutors helps to develop them as facilitators of active and self-regulated learning,” said White. All tutors in the Learning Commons receive at least 11 hours of training that is standards-based, outcomes-oriented, and assessment-driven. “The rationale for training is strong. Programs that don’t train, observe, and assess their tutors tend to devolve into homework help that tends to encourage the illusion of learning among students,” added White.
The ITTPC Stage Two certification will last for three years, during which Learning Commons staff will continuously assess and improve the training in preparation for Stage Three and added levels of training.
For more information on the Learning Commons, tutor training, and how the Learning Commons can support students in your program, contact White at white@up.edu or visit the Learning Commons website. The Learning Commons is a program of the Shepard Academic Resource Center.