Serving the High Plains

Mesalands offers online tutoring service

Staff Report

Mesalands Community College is offering free online tutoring services through its Math-Science Learning Center.

This new service was provided by the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Department.

According to Mesalands, the goal of the STEM Department is to improve capacity and quality in STEM education, increase access and improve opportunities for success in obtaining baccalaureate degrees in STEM fields, and provide professional development opportunities to assist faculty members in integrating useful technologies for teaching face-to-face and electronically delivered STEM education.

“It's our goal to provide various online student support services that are intended to improve the online student's journey through their courses, and to ultimately increase learning outcomes, persistence, and completion,” said Natalie Gillard, vice president of academic affairs.

Davina Montano-McDaniel, STEM Math Success specialist at Mesalands, oversees the Math-Science Learning Center.

Montano-McDaniel said online tutoring is open to all students at Mesalands and is not limited to students taking online classes. She said she hopes this new service will encourage students to take more classes.

“Our main goal is student success and allowing more students to gain access to these types of services, without having to come on our campus. We want to be able to make it more convenient for them,” said Montano-McDaniel. “With technology today, students don't have to physically be here at the college to get help. We can also help students with just about any subject, but the majority of our students request help with their math courses.”

For the summer, online tutoring will be offered Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 4: p.m., via Skype.

Hours will be extended starting in the fall semester.

For more information, contact Davina Montano-McDaniel, STEM Math Success Specialist at (575) 461-4413, ext. 113.