FINDLAY, Ohio — Concerns over the COVID-19 slide and its impact on high school seniors who are stepping foot onto college campuses as freshmen have one university giving them extra attention this year.
Officials at the University of Findlay said they started connecting with students over the summer because they knew students may be facing a learning gap.
“So, we are adding staff that aren’t necessarily faculty, but people that are experts in student support,” said Sandra Earle, associate Dean of Assessment.
They were already working with students through their Prime the Pump program, but they knew more support would be needed. It’s a switch from the traditional hands-off approach, where oftentimes college students are left to grow up and figure things out as they become adults.
However, taking the time to identify trouble spots students may have early on not only helps the students but the professors as well.
Earle said this gives professors greater insight, so they know how they can better serve students when the semester starts.
“Some of them are very concerned and I’ve even had students say, well, I already took that class, but I want to take it again, because it was virtual and I didn’t really feel like I got it,” Earle said.
She also shared that due to some deficits, more students are signed up for foundational classes than in the past.
Other campus staff said they’re preparing because they know there will be an increased need for tutors.
So they’re hiring more, but it’s not clear if they’ll have enough, especially for those in chemistry or veterinary programs, which are tougher.
For those tutors they hire, they’ll get the chance to use a new interactive tool to help students.
“It captures anything that the tutor is writing on the dry erase board during that tutoring session, allowing the student to become more interactive.
“Then at the end of the session, ‘the tutor has the ability to email all of or just some of the captured dry erase boards that Kaptivo took during the session to the students so, in essence, the student is able to take the tutoring session with them,” said Deanna Brown, Academic Support Center coordinator.
Regardless of the supports, university staff said, the earlier they can help students the better.
