Blog #12

Reading Response

Proper MLA Citation
This source is classified as an Online Article. The proper citation is:
Cofer, Sarah. “Homework Help Is a Click Away.” Young Adult Library Sources Winter 2007: 17-20. EBSCOhost. University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg. 18 Apr. 2007
Summary
This article is about the advantages of online homework help for children in grades four through twelve. In February of 2006 St. Paul Public Library set up an online program on Tutor.com known as Live Homework Help. This program allows kids from grades four through twelve to receive help from an online tutor in various subjects including math, science, English, and social studies. Not only is this service offered seven days a week in English, but it is also offered five days a week in Spanish. Because of this, more children from different ethnicities are able to get help. Furthermore, because this service provides a safe environment for kids to get help and also allows them to communicate with their tutor via instant messages and interactive chat rooms. Also, because the children don’t have to see their tutors face to face, they feel less threatened and embarrassed and are more like to go back and ask for help again. This in return will help the student to advance and become more proficient in their studies.
Importance
This article is important because it makes people aware of an online service known as Live Homework Help. Where as children who have to meet with tutors in person are normally, shy, embarrassed, or intimidated, kids who use tutor.com now find it easier and more fitting to their lifestyle to get help from the tutors provided online. In addition, this article is important because not only does it explain the program and how it is useful to kids, but it also goes into detail about how the tutors are well-trained and certified to actually be a tutor for this program. This is essential for parents to know because then they can feel assured that their kids are getting help from people who actually know what they are talking about rather than just random, uneducated people.
Connections
This article is similar to some of the topics we have talked about in class before such as online education and online homework. Although I have never actually experienced the help of an online tutor, I have had to meet with a tutor in person before. Although the tutor greatly helped me, I never liked having to leave my home or wherever I was to go and meet with the tutor; in a sense, it was a burden for me. So, I can see how this program would be quite useful for children and more conducive to their lifestyles and habits.
Supporting Source
This article could be used for support in my evaluation of online homework and online tutors. The article provides many advantages and examples of how online tutors can help children to do better in their studies. In addition, it also explains that not only kids, can use this program, but also adults who are returning to school. I can use all of these examples to help support my topic that online tutors are just as good, if not better than normal tutors.
Argumentative Source
I thought this article was very informative and interesting. The author explained in great detail how the Live Homework Help program works and how it can benefit children. In addition, the author also included comments and opinions from students who had used the program, which really helped to support the facts. However, I think the author also should have got some opinions from older adults who have gone back to school and have used the program. I think it would be interesting to he their opinions and how they like the program too.