Tutor programs help students study, graduate
By: Elliot Wardlow
Issue date: 10/15/09 Section: News
Researchers at The University of Memphis Institute for Intelligent Systems received two grants totaling $1.3 million last month to create a tutoring program for high school students which mimics the dialogue and teaching strategies of expert teachers.
"Writing Pal" is a program designed to help students write essays, while "Guru" will help students study biology.
About 25 people are developing "Writing Pal," including Tanner Jackson, a post doctoral fellow at The U of M. Jackson said the main goal of the program was to "improve student writing, specifically on the SAT."
"Writing Pal" does this, he said, by teaching students how to write more structured and cohesive essays.
"Writing is a difficult thing to do," Tanner said. "You have to hone that skill. This program will be able to help people on a large scale."
"Writing Pal" will use a game-based system to tutor students, he said. Games like "Bridge Builder" will allow students to earn points and unlock bonuses by connecting words to form coherent ideas and sentences.
Bruce McDaniel, junior information business major, said a game-based format could be a good idea, depending on the student.
"It's good for students who prefer a hands-on approach," McDaniel said. "It could be a great benefit for both student and teacher."
Souleymane Sall, sophomore management information systems major, said the program would've helped him because writing essays was especially difficult for someone who has learned English as a second language.
"I'm having problems in my English class right now," said Sall, who is from Senegal. "Trying to get your introduction right, your conclusion right, your body right - it's a lot of work."
Jackson said "Writing Pal" should not be considered a teacher replacement but a design to help the teacher instruct students.
The program requires research from many disciplines, Jackson said. English professors, computer scientists and psychologists have been consulted for the project. Because the program is designed to help students pass the SAT, trained experts on how the SAT is graded have also been consulted.
"Writing Pal" is a program designed to help students write essays, while "Guru" will help students study biology.
About 25 people are developing "Writing Pal," including Tanner Jackson, a post doctoral fellow at The U of M. Jackson said the main goal of the program was to "improve student writing, specifically on the SAT."
"Writing Pal" does this, he said, by teaching students how to write more structured and cohesive essays.
"Writing is a difficult thing to do," Tanner said. "You have to hone that skill. This program will be able to help people on a large scale."
"Writing Pal" will use a game-based system to tutor students, he said. Games like "Bridge Builder" will allow students to earn points and unlock bonuses by connecting words to form coherent ideas and sentences.
Bruce McDaniel, junior information business major, said a game-based format could be a good idea, depending on the student.
"It's good for students who prefer a hands-on approach," McDaniel said. "It could be a great benefit for both student and teacher."
Souleymane Sall, sophomore management information systems major, said the program would've helped him because writing essays was especially difficult for someone who has learned English as a second language.
"I'm having problems in my English class right now," said Sall, who is from Senegal. "Trying to get your introduction right, your conclusion right, your body right - it's a lot of work."
Jackson said "Writing Pal" should not be considered a teacher replacement but a design to help the teacher instruct students.
The program requires research from many disciplines, Jackson said. English professors, computer scientists and psychologists have been consulted for the project. Because the program is designed to help students pass the SAT, trained experts on how the SAT is graded have also been consulted.