For students who have hardships catching up with their major courses, the Institute for Teaching & Learning (ITL) has been promoting the Ewha Tutoring Program since the spring of 2008.
The program promotes mutual learning between a tutor and a tutee and lets students have better understanding of their majors. It is a system where qualified senior tutors, with grade of A or higher in certain major courses, help tuteese studying the same major.
"The program is necessary form difficult classes, even for professors," said Professor Kim Kyung-hwa (Mathematics) who has been recommending the program to her students since its beginning.
The tutor who took previous courses are recommended during the course registration period by the professor to the ITL. Depending on the professor, groups of tutees from three to five can be formed through the ITL by professor's recommendation at the beginning or after the mid-term exams. Students who are interested in becoming tutees can inform their professors.
A total of 64 teams have been formed this semester. Sessions must take place at least one hour a week and add up to 10 to 12 sessions for one semester. The ITL provides the tutoring room for the session and scholarships to tutors.
Surveys were conducted by the ITLbefore the program was initiated in spring 2008. The program covers subjects which record high student demand in surveys; mostly courses in the College of Natural Sciences, the College of Engineering, the College of Law, the College of Pharmacy and Department of Economics.
Both tutors and tutees say the program was successful.
"I help freshman prepare for the next class and review previous classes twice a week. I learn responsibilities as a tutor," said Kim Soo-jin (Chemistry & Nano Science, 4).
"I was amazed when one student who had struggled to get even a C, gained a B minus after participating in the program," said Professor Kim.
Through the program, tutors and tutees have tight relationships. Professor Kim says one student, unable to continue tutoring, recorded video of herself for the tutees.
"The relationship between a tutor and tutees is strong. We share our opinions beyong the study," said Kim Soo-jin.