Welcome to the CAVE!
The Center for Academic Vision & Excellence offers academic resources, workshops, classroom presentations, paper reviews, peer tutoring, faculty supported Directed Learning Activities (DLA), peer-led - Supplemental Instruction (SI), computers, limited academic printing, and indoor and outdoor study areas. Come check us out on the 1st floor of Kirk Hall.
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Our Mission
- Promote a positive academic community
- Assist students in meeting their educational goals
- Assist students in understanding academic planning
- Encourage students to become independent learners
- Impact students success and retention rates
- Uphold the university's standards for academic excellence
- Build relationships between students, staff, and faculty
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Peer Tutoring
Tutoring is a "student centered" activity, as such, tutors provide individual and/or group tutoring to students across a broad range of courses. Tutors meet with students on a short or long term during the academic year.
Working with a tutor can be an effective means to supplement your understanding of a course. The CAVE offers free tutoring in a variety of subjects for students of all ability levels. Schedule an appointment through Accudemia, in your Okta portal, or simply drop-in, get assistance, and leave when you are done. Please come prepared with specific questions so the tutor can best assist you.
By working with a tutor, you can discuss ideas and clarify concepts, review notes and readings, check and confirm your understanding before a test or quiz, get assistance on homework questions, or make sure you're keeping up with the class. The tutor's goal is to help you become a better student, whether your goal is to raise a B+ to an A or to pass a difficult general education requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our on-campus location is open for drop-ins or scheduled appointments Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 6:00pm. Some virtual appointments can be arranged outside of those hours, upon request.
In person, it is always helpful to bring a copy of the assignment sheet along with the class syllabus. If you have a working draft, try and bring a printed copy — it is easier to work on a hard copy rather than looking over each-other's shoulders at a computer screen. When you book a remote appointment, be prepared to upload your work in the virtual environment. It's also helpful for you to bring or share the assignment guidelines and to describe the kind of feedback you're looking for.
That depends on what you want to do. It could be as short as five minutes, or as long as an hour. On average, though, expect to spend 30 to 45 minutes in a virtual or in-person session.
Of course, depending upon availability. There are limitations to the number of sessions requested per week.
Depends on what you mean by “fix”. We won’t do the work for you, but we will guide you and make suggestions to help you improve your own work.
In a peer-tutor/student relationship, helping a student with homework is an academic integrity violation. However, the tutor can help you understand concepts or ideas that may be preventing you from completing your assignment on your own.
Of course! We want to provide an academic learning environment and all students are welcome to use the area for academic work and study.
The CAVE has 16 computers that are available for student use.
Student printing is available in the Canon Memorial Library.
Supplemental Instruction (SI)
Want to sharpen your study skills and improve your understanding of difficult course material? Research shows that 1 hour of SI is more effective than 2 hours studying by yourself. Additionally, students who consistently participate in SI sessions receive, on average, one-half to a whole letter grade higher than students enrolled in the same course who do not attend SI sessions – you can’t afford NOT to come!
Definition
SI is a voluntary and free academic assistance program that uses peer-led study groups to help students in traditionally difficult courses.
Purpose
By attending SI sessions on a regular basis, chances are you will:
- Earn a better grade
- Better understand course material
- Teach and learn from your classmates
- Develop effective study skills that can be applied to other classes
How SI Works
Most of SI Leaders are junior and senior students who have successfully completed the courses they are assigned to. They attend every class meeting and plan and implement sessions based on the most recent course material. They possess and demonstrate effective study skills and help students maximize their potential for their academic success.
Leaders sit in designated classes with students for the full semester and take lecture notes. SI Leaders facilitate a series of weekly review sessions covering the course content, exam review and preparation as well as assisting students in developing effective study strategies. These group sessions are free and open to all students at all levels of academic achievement who are part of SI-supported courses.
Definition
Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an academic assistance program that utilizes peer-assisted study sessions. SI sessions are regularly scheduled, informal review sessions in which students compare notes, discuss readings, develop organizational tools, and predict test items. Students learn how to integrate course content and study skills while working together. The sessions are facilitated by SI leaders, students who have previously done well in the course and who attend all class lectures, take notes, and act as model students.
Purpose
- to increase retention within targeted historically difficult courses
- to improve student grades in targeted historically difficult courses
- to increase the graduation rates of students
Participants
SI is a free service offered to all students in a targeted course. SI is a non-remedial approach to learning as the program targets high-risk courses rather than high-risk students. All students are encouraged to attend SI sessions, as it is a voluntary program. Students with varying levels of academic preparedness and diverse ethnicities participate. There is no remedial stigma attached to SI since the program targets high-risk courses rather than high-risk students.
How SI Works
SI is completely maintained and coordinated through the Center for Academic Vision & Excellence. All we ask of faculty in SI-supported classes is that they provide the following:
- A few minutes at the beginning of class for the SI Leader to make weekly announcements.
- Time to meet with the SI Leader, allowing him/her to keep faculty apprised of what’s happening in the SI sessions and share any practice/study aids.
- The addition of SI information to the course site and/or syllabus.
We encourage referrals! Courses have the greatest chance of offering SI support when a student is identified as a potential candidate in the preceding semester. Faculty recommendations are our most important and valuable source of applicants.
Syllabus Statements
Are you willing to market our free services by including them in your syllabus? We want to make it easier for you to include information for us, so we've prepared statements for you to use.
Drop-In CAVE Tutoring Syllabus Statement
This course is supported by tutors from the Center for Academic Vision & Excellence. Our tutors have completed this course, and they understand the concepts well enough to help you work through questions you have. Our tutors are trained to share learning and study strategies during tutorial sessions. While tutors will not complete/correct homework for you or help you on take-home tests or quizzes, they will help you understand and reinforce concepts that you are learning in your classes.
Supplemental Instruction Syllabus Statement
This course is supported by Supplemental Instruction (SI), a program designed to offer you additional resources for learning course content and developing study strategies. The purpose of SI is to create a collaborative learning environment where students share in the process of teaching one another in a study-group setting. An optional SI session will be held weekly (times and locations will be determined later; announcements will be made in class or on Courses). Each session will be led by our course’s designated SI leader (a current SLU student who has had prior success in this course). During the sessions, the SI leader will present activities (developed by him/her) in an effort to reinforce content taught in the lecture. Occasional test reviews will also be offered. The SI leader will NOT give answers to homework questions, but he/she will prepare meaningful activities and share strategies for learning course material and succeeding in the class.
Tutor.com
Tutor.com is another tutoring service that Saint Leo University provides to students. Students can access tutor.com by logging into Courses, select Learning Tools, and select Tutoring services. If students run out of minutes, they need to email cave@saintleo.edu.
Please note that the CAVE will be suspending printing services until further notice. Please visit the Cannon Memorial Library for printing needs. The CAVE’s computer lab will still be open for use.
Finish in Four Plan
Saint Leo University is committed to providing a clear pathway to success for our students. The Finish in Four plan was developed to help undergraduate students achieve their education and career goals by making the most of all the university has to offer – from leadership opportunities and academic resources to professional development and career services.