Free online tutoring for Elans

By Hector Araiza

An online tutoring service designed to help East Los Angeles College students obtain free and convenient tutoring is now a reality due to collaboration between Tutorcast and ELAC.

Tutorcast, a company created three months ago by Nhon Ma and Alex Lee is offering free STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math education) tutoring.

In the recent weeks, Tutorcast has partnered with ELAC and other various institutions to provide tutoring for students. The service is being funded by ELAC’s MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) program.

In a recent study done by Peter A. Cohen of Dartmouth College and James A. Kulik and Chen-Lin C. Kulik of the University of Michigan, they found “A meta-analysis of findings from 65 independent evaluations of school tutoring programs showed that these programs have positive effects on the academic performance and attitudes of those who receive tutoring.

“Tutored students outperformed controlled students on examinations and they also developed positive attitudes toward the subject matter covered in the tutorial programs.”

Ma and Lee’s main goal when they created Tutorcast was to “make tutoring accessible and effective for all,” Nhon said.

Tutorcast offers help from qualified tutors, many of whom are ELAC alumni.

They have a state-the-of-art online lesson space, equipped with collaborative whiteboard, video chat, group lessons, lesson tools such as document and image upload and an equation editor.

These tools help increase lesson effectiveness with recordings and clips. For example, a tutor can record their lessons. This allows students to pinpoint and review the areas they’re struggling with.

Tutoring for organic chemistry, physics and calculus are the most popular but there are many more subjects to choose from. Since there are tutors who are ELAC alumni they are available to help with the transfer process.

All this is available in the comfort of your own home at any time.

At the moment this program is only able to operate on the Google Chrome browser, but when asked about increasing the selection of browsers Ma replied, “Hopefully soon we will include various other browsers compatible with our tutoring program.”

As finals are just around the corner Tutorcast can help in the preparation for exams. To register with Tutorcast, sign up as a student at tutorcast.tv, visit the ELAC portal at tutorcast.tv/elac and select the tutor best suitable on their profile page schedule. Tutorcast is looking for interns. Anyone who is interested in joining the program can email Nhon at nhon@tutorcast.tv.