Online Tutoring: A New Retention and Remediation Solution for Colleges

This new whitepaper from Cherie Mazer, Ed.M., Harvard University Graduate School of Education, investigates the extent of the remediation and retention crisis in our higher education system and the role online tutoring can serve in addressing the issue.

The report highlights research studies specifically focusing on the effects online tutoring has on:

• Content knowledge
• Attitudes about seeking help
• Retention rates

The report also discussed potential reasons why individualized online tutoring is an effective means to address retention and remediation, including:

• Online platforms allow distance learners – whose retention rates can be very low – with the flexibility they need to fit in the tutoring they need;
• Low-performing students are less threatened or embarrassed to seek help using an electronic system, rather than work directly with a face-to-face tutor;
• The scalable nature of online tutoring allows institutes of higher education to serve more students