Coming Back To Technology: Assistance and Help by CAE

Yajira, a woman in her late forties who appeared nervous and frustrated came at the door of Center Of Academic Excellence (CAE) and asked "I came back to college after 17 years away. I know physics, but my professor wants our assignments to be done somewhere online. Can anyone help me with it?" Her voice was trembling while she was patting on the front desk with a pen in her hand.

A tutor in an orange tutor vest approached her with a smile on his face and calmed her saying he would be helping her today. After assisting Yajira in accessing Pearson, an online homework database, then showed her how to interact and use the software, the tutor saved the day for Yajira. She was able to get back on track with daily life with one stress decreased. Such events happen as a daily encounter at the Center for Academic Excellence where tutors help returning students in different ways to familiarize them to the technology.

WHY IS CAE FOR YOU?
Everyday people, including returning students, come to visit CAE for a variety of issues. Be it help in sending an email, learning how to use keyboard shortcuts, operating a third party software or anything related to academic success the CAE is there for them. This also includes assistance in using Brightspace. While the place features a tremendous amount of resources and services, the focus of this blog is how the CAE helps returning students who just need helping hand in getting a handle on the technology required to succeed academically.

John Cattani, a returning student who came back to school after twenty-three years, needed help. One of the tutors approached him and all he needed help was to know how to copy and paste articles from one file to another. The tutor taught him the keyboard shortcuts of copy and pasting. A small help provided by the tutor but a lifesaver for John’s academic journey. Eventually, people who have never used or do not like technology, struggle at different places. Indeed, sometimes people who need help do not come early enough and as they come most probably they have already passed the deadline for their project. But helping and assisting people in any sort of academic challenge is what CAE does, so even after the deadline, tutors assist students in helping what they already missed.

HOW CAE HELPS?
The place assists numerous people in different factors at multiple locations.  From having some bilingual tutors to providing assistance in using software, tutors are present all the time at different locations. Each location depicts a different environment and students come respectively where they like.

The Science Building also has tutors who work for CAE and are able to assist people from science, technology, engineering, and math field. A numerous returning students (especially the nursing major students) need help which includes essay editing, finding resources and articles as well as making a presentation. The room 112 at the corner is a favorite for every student group as it provides bigger space, as well as the wall which is a full drawing board. The board can be used for brainstorming ideas in the group or to practice the diagram and work collectively in groups.

Tutors assist them in different ways so that they get the best they want. The basic goal of tutoring is that any sort of assistance needed by the student is an assistance to be provided by the tutor. Needless, if it is a help in sending e-mail or help in revising a formula sheet, assistance is provided by the tutors regardless of how big or small the issue is for the student. “There is no big or small problem.”

 Other help in technology also comes in providing assistance in using WebAdvisor for making a schedule for classes, checking grades or looking at degree plan. Assistance in using different software which includes the Microsoft and Google platform and related applications remains a priority in returning students which are always helped with enough time provided.

 The tutors are students most often, who provide a better window for the returning students in order of communication. This creates a relationship of better understanding amongst the two which eventually result in the returning students to come back and ask for any further assistance without any obligation.

Technology changes every day and many can’t get a hold on it and have that cultural gap which CAE tries to minimize up to an extent that favors the people in need.

CONCLUSION

Understanding their problem and situation and calming them with support and assistance as they need is what makes Center for Academic Excellence stand for, a place where anyone can get help. No one is too old to learn something new, which remains an important reason for a wide demographic of an audience to come seek help at the location throughout the years.

Ken Walker, who holds the position of coordinator for the department, states “ Patience and going above and beyond have been key factors for tutors to provide help to the tutees.” Hence, extending the platform and making people comfortable with a motivational and easy to ask environment helps people including the ones who came after long to succeed in their academic expedition.

Till this day, people like Yajira and John come with their new problems which are solved with the assistance and help provided by the tutors. So, when do you plan to visit for your academic success?