Are you struggling to grasp a particular concept in one of your classes this semester? Or maybe you have test anxiety and don’t quite know how to deal with it. Let the Learning Center help.

There’s a Tutoring Session for That

“We have course-based tutoring in lots of different classes, and we also have study skills sessions for students who might need help with test taking, reading comprehension, or test anxiety,” explains Jennifer Haley, director of the Learning Center.

Both are accessible to make appointments via Navigate—in the same way students make appointments with their advisors, they can make an appointment with a tutor. Students can just log on to Navigate and make an appointment, with every single tutor accessible either in person or virtually via Zoom. Students don’t need to feel pressured to be on camera, though. If audio is more your speed, you can turn your camera off, or just use Zoom’s chat feature. It’s up to you!

The Learning Center also offers supplemental instruction and testing accommodations for students with disabilities.

Workshops On Demand

Recently, the Learning Center moved its workshops to an on-demand structure.

Here’s how it works: let’s say a faculty member or president of a student group wants to have the Learning Center do a presentation. All they have to do is fill out a form on the Learning Center website. The Learning Center then makes sure there’s someone to present that workshop, and bada-bing, bada-boom, you’ve got yourself a workshop.  Haley says that this modality works a lot better for the Learning Center—it helps to ensure an engaged, interested audience for the workshop.

Best Kept Secret

One of the Learning Center’s best-kept secrets, says Haley, is their database of video tutorials. Over 600 videos were created by Learning Center staff during the height of the pandemic, and are available on virtually any subject, should students want to use them. These are particularly useful, says Haley, for students who are exclusively online, and may not have the schedule necessary for a tutoring session, but can spend some time watching a helpful video.

There for You

In general, Haley notes, online students either may not realize or feel they may not have the time to utilize the resources available to them.  The Learning Center is there for all of Ball State’s students and is willing to meet you wherever you are in your learning process.

“The most successful students are the ones who are proactive about seeking out resources,” says Haley. “Being able to recognize when you need help and being motivated enough to seek it out is a sign of academic and social growth and maturity.  Connecting with actual people—live—even if it is over Zoom, can be uncomfortable, but the students and staff who are here to help you are used to this, and will help you to feel at ease.  So, remember to reach out!”

Take an active role in the learning process and reach out if you need help, because, from writing a thesis to Punnett Squares or Chebyshev’s Theorem, the Learning Center has you covered.

You can also follow the Learning Center on its socials: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more study tips and motivation.