鈥淭his certification means that tutors who complete our training program become CRLA Level 1 certified tutors,鈥� said Brandon Sollars, co-director of the Learning Commons. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the culmination of two years of work and ensures that our tutors are trained according to best practices in tutoring and student support.鈥�

CRLA has been a leader in academic support for more than 30 years, with nearly 1,300 members and over 2,000 certified training programs worldwide. Achieving this certification demonstrates that the Learning Commons meets CRLA鈥檚 high standards for tutor selection, training, direct service, and evaluation.

To achieve CRLA certification, Sollars attended the CRLA Summer Institute in St. Louis, where he worked alongside other tutoring programs of similar size. From there, he began the extensive application process, which involved documenting the entire training program, ensuring a required number of training hours, and aligning the program with CRLA standards.

JB Hill, dean of Ottenheimer Library, emphasized the importance of this achievement for the university鈥檚 academic support services.

鈥淭he CRLA accreditation supports the Learning Commons in its commitment to offer high-quality service and, just as importantly, provides the tutors with credentials that highlight their skill attainment,鈥� said JB Hill, dean of Ottenheimer Library. 鈥淥ne of the great things about peer tutoring is that it is a win-win, as not only do the students receiving the tutoring gain benefits, but the tutors also gain skills as well. The tutors increase their understanding of the subjects and concepts while developing their skills in problem-solving, critical-thinking, communication, and teaching.鈥�

The Learning Commons鈥� tutor training program consists of 15 one-hour sessions, with 10 hours of in-person training and five hours of asynchronous learning modules. To complete Level 1 certification, tutors must also log 25 hours of documented tutoring sessions.

Currently, three Trojan Tutoring tutors will meet all the criteria for certification by the end of the spring semester. The Learning Commons plans to offer an accelerated training institute over the summer to expand certification opportunities for tutors.

鈥淔or Trojan Tutoring, I have 14 tutors, and across all tutoring centers, we have about 50 tutors,鈥� Sollars said. 鈥淲e focus on subject-specific tutoring, primarily in introductory-level courses, though we do offer support for more advanced courses when tutors feel comfortable.鈥�

Benefits of Tutoring at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock

The Learning Commons, which opened in 2023, serves as a vital resource for students seeking academic support. In an average fall semester, the center records between 1,000 and 1,200 visits, assisting approximately 450 students.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a stigma that tutoring is only for students who are struggling,鈥� Sollars said. 鈥淏ut even if you don鈥檛 think you need help, meeting with a tutor can reinforce your understanding, introduce new study strategies, and provide an opportunity to engage with peers about the content you鈥檙e learning.鈥�

Matthew McElhanon, a senior chemistry major and Trojan Tutor, has seen firsthand how the training has helped him both as a tutor and a student.

鈥淚 wanted to improve my communication skills, and that was something tackled pretty quickly,鈥� McElhanon said. 鈥淭he training has also helped me streamline my own learning process. I intend to get my certification because I see the value in it.鈥�

The Learning Commons consists of Trojan Tutoring, the Communication Skills Center, Mathematics Assistance Center, and the University Writing Center. It offers tutoring in various subjects, primarily focusing on introductory-level courses. Walk-in sessions are welcome, but appointments are preferred and can be scheduled online at ualr.edu/learningcommons.

Sollars expressed his excitement for the Learning Commons’ future and gratitude for those who supported the certification process. With CRLA certification, the Learning Commons is poised to enhance academic success at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock by providing well-trained tutors and a supportive learning environment for students seeking to reach their full potential.

鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful to the library and to JB Hill for helping me pursue this,鈥� Sollars said. 鈥淗aving a standardized tutor training program means we can provide the best possible support to our students, and I鈥檓 excited to continue building on this achievement.鈥�

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Brandon Sollars, director of the Learning Commons, had been looking for a way to recruit tech tutors that could assist students when he saw an email looking for service-learning projects for computer science students.

鈥淚t seemed serendipitous to me, and it has been smooth sailing ever since Ahmet Yaman and Will Moore reached out to me about working in the Learning Commons for their project,鈥� Sollars said.

Yaman, a double major in computer science and cybersecurity from Turkey, and Moore, a web design and development major from North Little Rock, are both freshmen who took the first-year experience (FYE) course for students in the Department of Computer Science during the fall semester. Students in the course complete a service-learning project at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

鈥淚 work as a part-time tutor teaching reading and math at Gideon Math and Reading Center, so when my FYE wanted me to prepare a project, my first thought was finding ways to tutor computer technology,鈥� Yaman said. 鈥淚 saw the Learning Commons on the list of project sponsors, and I immediately thought that would be the best place to tutor people.鈥�

Yaman and Moore hosted technology tutoring hours on Mondays and Wednesdays during the fall semester as well as worked with the Disability Resource Center to host a technology workshop in October in honor of Disability Awareness Month.

During the Basics of Technology: Accessibility Edition Workshop, Moore and Yaman introduced and demonstrated Texthelp, an accessibility tool that is offered through the Disability Resource Center. Texthelp tools provide literacy and translation support.

鈥淚 have gained so much from this experience,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淚 had gotten familiar with Texthelp earlier in the semester, and I particularly like the narration feature where it reads text to you so you can listen to text on the go. We got to help so many people this semester, from students who weren鈥檛 familiar with Blackboard to students in web design class to those that just needed general technology tutoring sessions.鈥�

鈥淚 enjoyed everything about the service-learning project,鈥� Yaman agreed. 鈥淚 loved working on the workshop with Will and working with the Communications Skills Center to practice our presentation. It was a collaborative experience that I enjoyed. As a tutor, I got to help many students, including a lot of my friends, with any computer question they had. It was generally a very fun experience.鈥�

The Learning Commons has continued the project with tech tutoring hours and Basics of Technology workshops during the spring semester. The tech tutors assist students with basic computer skills, internet and web browsing, email use, mobile device assistance, digital communication tools like videoconferencing and message apps, basic file management, and basic troubleshooting.

鈥淲ill Moore has come on board as our primary tech tutor and will take other tutors and students from the FYE course under his wing,鈥� Sollars said. 鈥淲e鈥檇 like to keep this momentum going by continuing to collaborate with on-campus partners like the Department of Computer Science and continue to have technology workshops in collaboration with partners like the Disability Resource Center.鈥�

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The event was hosted by the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Academic Affairs Retention Office and the Learning Commons in the lobby of Ottenheimer Library. The aim of the annual event is to connect students to the many resources available to them if they are struggling, encouraging them to take advantage of these opportunities if they need help.

“First-Generation Celebration is incredibly meaningful to me, both as a first-generation graduate and as a staff member,鈥� said Tyler Harrison, associate director of the Academic Affairs Retention Office. 鈥淪eeing students break barriers as the first in their families to pursue higher education brings me immense joy. Our office closely supports these students, understanding the challenges they face. This event is more than just a celebration; it’s a tribute to their determination and an acknowledgment of their inspiring journey.”

Students were invited to take away school supplies, snacks, and information about all of the university鈥檚 resources for academic success.

鈥淏eing a first-generation student makes me feel proud of myself,鈥� said Shekinah Jones, a freshman first-generation criminal justice major. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud of myself for graduating at 16, and I was able to start college early. I feel like I鈥檓 breaking generational curses and making my family proud.鈥�

Students appreciate the flexibility that 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock provides, as well as the financial and academic assistance and the supportive faculty.

Trula, a first-generation student majoring in elementary education K-6, mentioned her appreciation for the flexibility that students can have at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

鈥淚t is really exciting to have this opportunity,鈥� Trula said. 鈥淢y kids went to school, and I decided to come to college. I chose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock because it was a campus where I felt like I could do this at my age; I鈥檓 35. It’s been exciting to be able to come here and learn.鈥�

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