Free Online Tutoring

Free Online Tutoring

"Obtain help with homework and projects from a live expert!"

Q: I need help with my homework but my parents don't have the answer. What should I do?
A: You can receive immediate assistance from an online tutor for free!

Q: Free? Who provides this service? Will someone try to sell me something?
A: The San Diego Public Library provides this resource to any student who has a library card. You won't see any adds or sales pitches, just live help with your homework. Funding for this service was made possible thanks to $100,000 in federal money secured by U.S. Rep. Randall Cunningham in 2004.

Q: What subjects can I get help with?
A: Online tutors can help with math, English, history/social studies, or science in grades 4-12. Spanish-speaking students can receive assistance from bilingual tutors in math and science.

Q: When and where can I get help?
A: The free service is available daily from 1 to 10 p.m. at all city libraries and at home via the library website. Look for the link to "Live Homework Help" on the right side of the page.

You will be asked to enter your library card number.

Q: I don't have a library card. How do I get one?
A: Library cards are free to anyone who lives in California. You must visit your local library to obtain a card. Students will be issued a library card if their parent or guardian has one one file. More information about applying for a library card is available online.

Q: Who are the tutors? Are they qualified to answer my questions?
A: The service is provided through Tutor.com. Tutor.com tutors are carefully screened experts and include certified teachers, college professors, graduate students, select undergraduates from accredited universities and other professionals. Every tutor must pass a thorough background check. Visit the Tutor.com website for more information.

Q: How does this work?
A: Once you login, you are asked to pick a subject area. Depending upon what time you login, you may need to wait for the next available tutor. We have tested this service and found the wait times to not be longer than a minute or two. Sometimes there is no wait at all. Eventually your screen will change to display a chat area and a "whiteboard". Your tutor will communicate with you using the chat area. Both you and your tutor can use the whiteboard to draw and share ideas. During one experiment we were able to use the whiteboard to learn how to divide fractions.

Q: Will the tutor tell me the answer?
A: Your tutor will help you complete the assignment but they will not simply provide answers to homework questions.

Additional information about Free Online Tutoring:

• San Diego Public Library
  
• Tutor.com