Online Tutoring Service Smarthinking: Worth the Cost?

Online Writing Labs, or OWLs, have been available practically since the beginning of the internet for public use. These sites are often put into place by universities and can host a wealth of helpful information for students seeking help in writing. Such activity led to the appearance of larger tutoring sites that provide even more services. One of the biggest on the internet today is Smarthinking. As its client base continues to grow, many wonder how effective it can actually be.

Smarthinking does have the manuals students can read through like the OWLs, but there are other types of services they also offer. Students can submit an essay to the center and have a tutor read through and make constructive comments. These comments include both content-based points such as development as well as grammar issues. The turn-around time is only 24 hours.

If students have shorter questions, such as "why is this sentence a fragment" or "is this a good thesis statement," and they can't sit around and wait for an answer, they can post the issues on a question board. A tutor usually is able to send a response within an hour. The question and response are easily accessible through the student's Smarthinking home page.

If they are able to stay at the computer, they can actually have a conversation with a tutor. Tutor and student communicate directly on a white board that is archived after the session so the student can refer to it later. These boards can be used for more than single questions; brainstorming, conversations about literature, and short paragraph critiques all take place on the live white board.

What is even better about these services from Smarthinking is they are not limited to writing. They also offer tutoring in math (basic to trigonometry to statistics), science (biology, chemistry and physics), accounting, economics, and Spanish. They also have tutors for higher level courses such as advanced statistics and organic chemistry. Working with a tutor on a live white board for an accounting or chemistry problem is like having the tutor and student sitting together.

Instructors often worry about tutoring services, concerned that students will be getting the answers given to them rather than learning the concepts. Smarthinking strives to achieve a real learning experience for students. Tutors are professionals, for one thing. Smarthinking has announced they have over 800 professional staff members, and over 90% of the writing tutors have master's level or higher degrees. Training is required for all new hires, and tutors are evaluated regularly to be sure there is consistency and proper technique in delivery.

Learning institutions including everything from universities to middle schools to alternative high schools have signed up to partner with Smarthinking. Some textbooks include the service with the cost of their books, such as Pearson publishing. Students can sign up individually, as well, or even in addition to what they are already offered if they want additional time or services their package doesn't offer. The variety of packages allows students to choose what will be most helpful to them with the kinds of courses they will be taking each semester. Different packages have different costs, but most of them work out to be about $35/hour.

Can such expense be justified? According to Smarthinking, they have agreements set up with over 1,000 educational institutions. They also claim that 93% of the students who use the service say it is helpful and they would recommend Smarthinking to others.

Although other online tutoring services are available, Smarthinking continues to grow amid such glowing reviews. It seems pretty clear that Smarthinking must be doing something right.