Wired to Learn: Qualitative Analysis of Using Google Hangouts for Online Tutoring Lisa Elliot, Rebecca Murray, Amy J. Johnson and James M. Brunner Rochester Institute of Technology Abstract The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Virtual Academic Community (DHHVAC) provides support for online tutoring. These sessions require the student and tutor to feel comfortable using the video conferencing software and navigate potential technical issues while simultaneously discussing academic material. This research is a qualitative analysis of recorded online tutoring sessions. The DHHVAC has supported more than 160 tutoring sessions with 16 tutors and 38 students averaging 63 minutes in length. Google Hangouts was used for tutoring sessions as it was the best tool to accommodate students’ needs and provide multiple approaches for efficient content-related conversation. Accessible technology is improving the academic experience for deaf and hard of hearing students; online tutoring provides new options to support student learning and ongoing data analysis will discover ways to help students and tutors in the online environment. Background Online support for academic subjects is widely available for the general postsecondary student population in both asynchronous formats (e.g., [1]) and synchronous systems (e.g., [2]; [3]; [4]). Academic support is especially valuable for postsecondary students who are deaf or hard of hearing because many of these students arrive at college or university underprepared for their coursework [5];[6]. However, many of the generic resources are not accessible for students who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) because generic online resources do not match DHH students’ communication preferences. One solution for making tutoring more available to students is to provide it online. Until recently, most research on online tutoring pertained to satisfaction studies [7]. Studies of what actually happens during tutoring sessions are much less common (e.g., [8]). This study is meant to examine what takes place during online tutoring sessions for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) courses with DHH students and their tutors. Methods A research group is reviewing excerpts from recorded tutoring sessions. Videos are coded for communication strategy, conversation content, materials used in the tutoring session, and technical issues. Examples of the codes are shown in Table 1. Table 1. Synchronous Tutoring Video Content Content Trend Student Tutor Code Example Communication Style Simultaneous Communication Sign Language; Facial Expression LISL, LAQ Student signs “How do I solve the problem?” Conversation Content Providing Information or Expressing Understanding Providing Information or Expressing Understanding LISL, LRQ Student signs, “Oh! I understand!” Materials Used Hardcopy homework; Text-based chat Hardcopy homework White board LWR Student is looking away from camera to read notes Results Eight videos have been coded thus far, representing approximately 20% of all the video excerpts. To date, the analysis has identified the following trends: • Communication style: Students used Simultaneous Communication most often, followed by ASL only. Tutors used ASL, facial expression without ASL, or spoken language with similar frequency. • Conversation content: For both students and tutors, the primary conversation content focuses on providing information or expressing understanding about the topic being discussed. • Materials used: While tutoring may utilize a wide variety of materials, the sessions analyzed thus far have predominantly used hardcopy homework documents. Students have also used text-based chat to discuss tutoring issues. On occasion, sessions also used online materials. • Technology issues:The videos analyzed thus far have included very few technology issues. Two students experienced an issue, while none of the tutors experienced issues. In one instance, a tutor provided a student with some technical instruction. Conclusions The DHHVAC's objectives are to help deaf and hard of hearing students overcome barriers in STEM education, one of those barriers is access to qualified tutors. Preliminary research shows that concerns related to technology failure or lack of contact did not impact the overall quality of tutoring sessions that were recorded. However, continuing research is needed.The DHHVAC staff hope to continue to research asynchronous and synchronous online tutoring to improve the online academic experience for deaf and hard of hearing students. Given that the DHHVAC is a research project with a private community of members, there are limitations related to participation. As a whole, the DHHVAC hopes to continue to collaborate with another tutor programs (i.e. NTID Learning Center, academic departments, and other campus partners) to recruit more tutors and students to join our program. We would like to provide more options for participants in regards to content, availability, and technology used. References [1] Khan Academy, Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/, 2017. [2] Princeton Review, “Academic tutoring,” Retrieved from https://www.princetonreview.com/academic-tutoring, 2017. [3] TutorMe, Retrieved from https://tutorme.com/, 2017. [4] Varsity Tutors, Retrieved from https://www.varsitytutors.com/onlinetutoring, 2017. [5] S.W. Cawthon, S.K. Nichols, & M. Collier, “Facilitating access: What information do Texas postsecondary institutions provide on accommodations and services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing?” American Annals of the Deaf, vol.153 no.5, pp. 450-460, 2009. [6] G.G.Walter, “Deaf and hard-of-hearing students in transition: Demographics with an emphasis on STEM education,” Rochester, NY: National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Retrieved from www.rit.edu/ntid/cat/enrichment/datasurveys, 2010. [7] A.U Gehret, L.B Elliot, & J.H.C. MacDonald, “Active collaborative learning through remote tutoring: A case study with students who are deaf or hard of hearing, Journal of Special Education Technology, vol. 32, no. 1, pp.1-11, 2016. [8] L.M. Bryant, “Remote tutoring: A choice for deaf college students: An action research study,” Doctoral dissertation, Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, 2011.