Date of Award

Summer 2025

Document Type

Open Access Dissertation

Department

Educational Studies

First Advisor

Leigh D'Amico

Abstract

This mixed-methods study examines community college students’ thoughts and motivations regarding tutoring, with the aim of identifying disparities in tutoring utilization and engagement at a community college in North Carolina. The purpose of the dissertation is to evaluate tutoring effectiveness and explore students’ perceptions of tutoring. The findings of this study led to proposed solutions to reduce or eliminate the barriers that today’s community college students encounter when needing academic support.

To evaluate tutoring effectiveness, I collected quantitative data from institution registration reports, transcripts, tutoring logs, and an anonymous student survey for students enrolled in multiple sections of a single math course. To explore students’ perceptions of tutoring, I conducted nine confidential focus groups with 63 total participants. The participants revealed why a majority do not use traditional tutoring and what they use instead. Major findings indicate that tutoring is effective for most users, especially when tutoring is initiated before or at midterms. However, may students avoid tutoring due to fear of judgment, rejection, and feelings of inferiority for seeking academic support. Further, instead of seeking help from faculty or tutors, students often rely on resources including peers and online resources, including artificial intelligence.

Students at this community college in North Carolina are opting out of tutoring, primarily due to embarrassment, shame, anxiety, and fear of being judged poorly by peers, faculty, and tutors. This dissertation explores these findings and proposes practical, sustainable, and cost-effective recommendations to address students’ perceptions and improve academic support services to help them achieve their academic goals.

Rights

© 2025, Whitney Paige Cherekos

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