Upward Bound Online Tutoring Program

Overview

In 2015, I redesigned CSU Chico Upward Bound’s in-person tutoring program into an online tutoring program that saved tens of thousands of dollars.

Problem

The CSU Chico Upward Bound Projects serves more than 300 students across 18 schools and have to provide all students with weekly tutoring. For years, Upward Bound’s model was to have tutors carpool out to each school. Tutors would be set up in the library and would send call slips to pull students out of class to provide them with tutoring. Not only was this expensive (Upward Bound covered gas), but tutors were limited in the subjects they could cover and pulling students out of class was interruptive for some students who were in advanced classes or who were struggling.

Solution

Develop an online tutoring program to cut costs, offer evening and weekend tutoring, and provide students with access to different subject tutors.

Design

Students signed up for tutoring using an online calendar (Setmore.com). They chose which subject they wanted tutoring in, and spots were taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who did not need tutoring could sign up for personal development, career, and study skills workshops. Sessions took place on Google Meet. To maintain interactive sessions, tutors were trained in tutoring pedagogy and used a collaborative whiteboard on an iPad.

Project Attributes

• Google Meet

• Collaborative whiteboards

• Setmore.com

• iBooks

• iPads