Need Math Help? Problem Solved!

Drahmann Center creates space for students to practice math; offers group study sessions and tutoringGrant PustelnikAssociate ReporterOctober 5, 2017Math can be a challenging subject to grasp, and luckily for Santa Clara students, there is now have a place to receive extra assistance in various math classes.The Mathematics Learning Center (MLC) was established this quarter and seeks to help students in lower-division math classes through individual and group tutoring sessions.“What we’re trying to create with the Math Learning Center is a community where we’re all learning math together,” Linda Burks said, Director of the MLC and an adjunct faculty member.While the concept for the MLC was developed last year, it was not implemented until fall of this year. Previously, the Drahmann Tutoring Center offered basic tutoring services in lower-division math courses.The MLC has since expanded this operation to a wider variety of courses, yet remains housed in Drahmann. Some of these new courses include MATH 30 (Business Calculus) and MATH 51 (Discrete Mathematics).While the MLC is intended to work as a place for first-year students to strengthen their mathematics skills alongside a tutor and fellow classmates, the MLC is open to any students that require assistance in any classes that are offered support through study groups and individual tutoring sessions.Each class has a study group associated with it with a scheduled time slot for students to partake in a group tutoring session.“In this study group, experienced tutors will help [students] establish good study skills and problem solving strategies and also deepen understanding of the class material,” said Burks in an email.The MLC also offers individual tutoring sessions, where students can either meet up with a tutor one-on-one during their scheduled work hours or make an appointment for a different time. Future plans for the MLC include review sessions, which Burks says will work as study sessions for specific instructors’ midterms and finals, and tutoring for more classes.Even though the MLC is fairly new to campus, feedback has already been positive according to surveys conducted by the MLC. Burks says that students find their tutors helpful and friendly.“Students seem to find both the collaborative group study sessions and individual appointments to be extremely helpful,” Vishanth Iyer said, a tutor for the MLC.According to Burks, any interested students are welcome to visit the MLC and set up an appointment to meet with a tutor.Contact Grant Pustelnik at gpustelnik@scu.edu or call (408) 554- 4852.