Since free math tutoring has recently become harder to obtain at Colorado State University-Pueblo, some professors are exploring the possibility of using YouTube to assist with teaching math problems.
One of CSU-Pueblo’s general education requirements is that students pass at least one math and science class. In the past, the school has provided free general education math and science tutoring for students, but the general education’s math and science tutoring center has recently shut down due to budget cuts from the university.
Being that the tutoring center shut down, the only place for students to find math help is the math center in the Life Sciences building, and the Propel Center located in the biology department. Finding available tutors in the center may be difficult due to many people needing help, and tutors are overloaded trying to help students seeking assistance, according to one tutor within the department.
Rick Kreminski, the dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at CSU-Pueblo and the acting director of Institutional Research and Analysis, has suggested the idea of using YouTube for educational purposes to several of the math and science department professors, but no official proposal has come of it.
“I have mentioned to several other faculty and student groups the idea of having faculty post review sessions on YouTube, not just for math,” Kreminski said. “I had posted some short YouTube videos a few years ago about sample math 221 problems, but in late fall 2011, I started posting YouTube of my out-of-class review sessions, and I know the students really seemed to like those. I just wish I’d thought of it earlier.”
Using YouTube to help students do review sessions is an idea which Kreminski brought up with various Associated Students’ Government members and with the Propel Center, which focuses on science tutoring. The center began preparing videos for some physics modules this past summer.
William Sergeant, a visiting mathematics professor at CSU-Pueblo, favors the idea of using YouTube as a teaching tool. He also said that organization and teamwork within the mathematics department would be a key to forwarding the idea.
“There could be some benefits,” Sergeant said, “But I think there are some things the department is on first that we should finalize before we could consider whether to do this, and how, if we went forward. I would strongly be interested in participating.”
While taking the idea and transitioning it into an actual proposal will take time, the idea seems like it would be a success because YouTube is such a popular media outlet, according to an ASG representative.
He said no official proposal has been formulated yet, but the professors and ASG are ready to come together to develop this into a new method to help students with their studies.
