Month: September 2020

This week we have a special guest blog post from Patrick Arevalo, the Peer Tutoring Coordinator for the University of Manitoba’s Student Union. Patrick was responsible for launching the campus-wide tutoring service for UMSU and not only set up the program and hired the tutors, but also marketed it to the student body.

Patrick found that the most effective advertisement strategy for the tutoring program was sending email blasts to the student listserv during midterm and final exam season, rather than relying on posters, TV spots, or social media advertisements.

Patrick also used Nimbus’s booking and payment system to hit the ground running, and made a few tweaks to the system to allow a more personalized, hands-on management style.

I held the position as UMSU’s Peer Tutoring Coordinator from October 2018 until May 2020. Before I took on this role, the University of Manitoba did not have any tutoring services that offered campus-wide courses; certain faculties only ran volunteer-based peer tutoring for courses in that same faculty. The UMSU Peer Tutoring Program, therefore, was envisioned to be a campus-wide, course-specific tutoring service that allows peer tutors to be incentivized for providing top-quality tutoring while remaining relatively affordable for students that benefit from the program.

Establishing a system that meets these requirements was not going to be an easy task in the administrative level. With Nimbus’ help, we had a head start in how the payment and booking system works – students can search up the course they need help on in the app, and if they see a tutor they want to book, they can do it themselves. This process relieved much of the stress I would have when it comes to peer tutor and student pairing, allowing myself to focus on other administrative tasks.

However, a few things still needed tweaking in order for Nimbus to fit UMSU’s needs. One particular feature is the tutor application process. The app originally allows tutors to apply directly to the program using the app, but I asked this to be removed so that tutors can apply by e-mailing me directly. This is because I wanted to have a more hands-on approach when it came to tutor application and interviews just so that I get to meet them in person, as well as vet them in the standard that I expect them to uphold when they become approved tutors in the program. This also allows them an opportunity to clear up any questions they may have about the Peer Tutoring Program.

When the program launched in Winter 2019, the next biggest hurdle we faced was trying to promote this service to a campus of 25,000 students in different buildings and campuses. Posters, social media advertisements, and campus TV advertisements only resulted to limited awareness. The most effective advertisement strategy that we found was utilizing the student union’s e-mail blasts to students as long as we properly time it around midterm and finals season. The first month of launch also revolved largely around bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements when using the app, but we started to see the potential of the program under the Nimbus App.

The second year of my term focused on program awareness and building user trust, and with the help of the VP Student Life and my Services Manager at the time, we saw significant improvements from the first year in terms of awareness, usage and trust. Working as the Peer Tutoring Coordinator ultimately made me see the importance of a tutoring service that not only exists as a service that students can use, but also one that strives to integrate itself in the campus community as something that students can repeatedly rely on throughout their undergraduate career, and perhaps one day give back to by becoming a tutor.

Keeping up with the demand for your tutoring program can be difficult – Nimbus can help. With our help, program administrators reduce their workload by 52%, which has allowed 60% of our partners to expand current or add new student success programs. Our dedicated team can help inform you (and your student interns) on where to focus your marketing efforts, and can even provide custom materials and strategies to ensure your program success.

Get in touch with us to learn how we can help!

Education A-Z is a tutoring company offering a variety of educational services to students of all ages in the greater Montreal area, from elementary school through university level. They offer one-on-one, private tutoring, specifically tailored to each student’s unique learning style and needs.

Their goal is not only to improve school grades, but to foster confidence, independence and life skills to better the lives of their students.

This week, we spoke to Alysha Zackon, the co-founder of Education A-Z and a tutoring savant about the importance of pairing the right tutor to students in need and her goals for this year.

What is your role in this company?

I am the co-founder of Education A-Z, as well as one of its tutors. My main job is finding, introducing potential instructors into our philosophy and approach to tutoring and learning, and ultimately matching the right tutor for each student. We are looking for tutors who have the right blend of domain knowledge, social skills, reliability, adaptability and love of teaching.

Why were you interested in working with us?

When I first heard about Nimbus, I immediately recognized its potential to benefit our clients and our business. Nimbus offers an outstanding platform that provides a much-needed service in Montreal. It is especially important today for teachers to be able to give students the full range of available sources for help in learning. This includes access to the best extra help that many students need. Nimbus is an excellent platform for the type of partnership needed between Education A-Z, our clients and our tutors.

What are your program’s goals for this school year?

We aim at matching students with the best educators to help them learn content in an enjoyable and relatable manner. We also help them prepare for tests and examinations by teaching both context and test-taking strategies that minimize test stress. We want our students to gain a strong grasp of content that will carry over to their more advanced classes and different contexts. Most importantly, we believe that we can teach our students effective learning strategies that they can adapt and use their entire life.

While these goals have not changed, the current pandemic has educational and social impact on the way students learn, and the ways we can assist their learning; Education A-Z has adapted to this new challenge.

What role do you hope Nimbus can play in helping you reach your goals?

The importance of matching the student with the right tutor cannot be underestimated.

Nimbus will make it easier for students to find the specialized educational services they need. It will help us pair students with their most suitable tutor based on a variety of factors.

Nimbus also facilitates the scheduling process; both the client and the tutor can spend less time scheduling and more time on education.

Have you changed your approach to tutoring/teaching due to COVID?

While our teaching philosophy and goals have not changed, we will be leveraging technology more than ever to adapt to these unprecedented times. As many of our students are opting for online learning, environment, we will be strategically using various features of video calling platforms. We will also be adapting our methods to make the tutor/student interaction as engaging on-line as it would be face-to-face. This way, we will be able to provide a safe solution without compromising the quality of teaching and learning.

What advice do you have for tutors as they navigate the pandemic?

Tutors should avail themselves of the latest technological solutions and online learning tools. They should also be aware of, and adapt to, the particular limitations of not learning in face-to-face interactions. If they are tutoring students in person, they should adhere to social distancing guidelines.

What advice do you have for students as they begin school with COVID in mind?

First and foremost, follow your school’s safety regulations closely. This is your time be super-heroes and heroines and protect those around you. Take pride in the fact that your actions will contribute to our society’s success.

Keeping up with the demand for your tutoring program can be difficult – Nimbus can help. With our help, program administrators reduce their workload by 52%, which has allowed 60% of our partners to expand current or add new student success programs. Our dedicated team can help inform you (and your student interns) on where to focus your marketing efforts, and can even provide custom materials and strategies to ensure your program success.

Get in touch with us to learn how we can help!