Academic regression

The University of West Florida has decided to offer basic math and grammar tutorials on its Web site. The tutorials, broadcast on three- to 30-minute video clips, are an attempt to assist the student body and general public in these areas most likely last discussed in high school.\nIU might benefit from such a program. Professors would surely appreciate students' increased understanding of the basics that might improve the quality of essays, lab reports or examinations. Also, it is a common complaint of employers that graduates, while being adept at their jobs, do not have the basic skills needed to write a memo. A Web site of this kind might solve the problem. However, we have a few concerns about starting such a program. \nFirst, a program in this line should be done with minimal resources. It is not the job of a university to teach its students basic skills that should have been retained from high school. If there were a way to set up such a program that employs video clips that rarely need updating, or written lessons, then it could be a success. Perhaps it could be the product of a class project in the School of Education and/or the School of Informatics?\nIt should also be considered that, despite the site's accessibility, many target students will not use it. And if no one visits the site, then it would be a waste of time and money to create it. A possible remedy to this problem is to have professors pitch the site in class when students' poor math or grammar becomes excessively frustrating -- as they often already do in recommending that students consult IUB's Writing Tutorial Services. Instead of handing out bad grade after bad grade, if professors encouraged visits to the Web site early on in the semester, the difficulty might be headed off before it begins. While students might already have access to WTS, a Web site might be less intimidating than a face to face meeting -- indeed, online lessons could be used to support the personal tutoring from WTS staff.\nUltimately, whether IU should pursue such a program of assistance in math and grammar depends on the will of the students. If the students will use the program and wish to better themselves academically to better pursue their careers, then a tutorial Web site would be a huge success and help. However, for now, the preliminary pursuit of a tutorial Web site seems like a decent proposal. Perhaps West Florida has stumbled upon a revelation in reteaching high school skills to college students? Will students participate by their own free will? Unlikely, but possible.