What resources and services does the Learning Center have to offer?

• One-on-one tutoring with our well-trained staff of Skyline faculty, instructional aides, and graduate and student tutors, who can help you with ESL , math, writing, reading, and other subjects
• Faculty-led workshops on topics as diverse as improving your study skills, taking timed exams, documenting research, understanding tricky grammar rules, and writing the perfect thesis statement
• A collection of writing handouts with exercises and answer keys; grammar/English guidebooks; and skill-building reading and writing computer software that you can use independently or in conjunction with a tutor
• English practice groups for non-native speakers
• An open networked computer lab with 60 Macintosh and PC compatible computers equipped with a variety of software applications
• The media services center, where you can find instructional audio-visual materials to supplement many of your classes, including Math, Philosophy, History, Psychology, and Sociology
• Online virtual tours of The Learning Center and The Writing and Reading Lab
• The Virtual Writing and Reading Lab , which enables students to submit their papers online and chat live with tutors. Students also have online access to grammar guides and exercises; writing content advice; writing advice for courses across the disciplines; advice on using, integrating and citing outside sources; and access to Skyline faculty writing assignments.

What are HBAs (hours by arrangement) and how can I fulfill them in the Learning Center?

Many English, reading, math, and foreign language classes have an “Hours by Arrangement” requirement. For a comprehensive list of such classes, click here.

Typically, over the course of the semester these classes will require 16 hours of work “by arrangement” outside of the normal classroom assignments. Your HBAs can be fulfilled by a variety of activities in The Learning Center, including attending one of our workshops; doing practice exercises using Academic.com , and working independently with the handouts or software in the Writing and Reading Lab. Click here for a full list of possible HBA activities for reading and English courses. Students enrolled in English 826, 836, 846, 100, 165, 110 or Reading 826, 836 will need to purchase an HBA folder from the Skyline bookstore. Complete instructions on HBAs as well as a complete list of activities can be found in the folder. For courses in other disciplines, please check with your instructor. Each student enrolled in courses with an HBA requirement can fulfill up to eight of those hours in The Learning Center; you will not be charged for these eight hours.

Do I need to be enrolled in a lab course to use any of the services in the Learning Center?

Yes! Because of a California State mandate, all students using the lab services, including just using the computers, must be enrolled in a credit course before entering The Learning Center. Students are allowed 8 hours by arrangement in the lab for classes that have required hours by arrangement, but past those, you will not be allowed to enter.

What course would I need to enroll in to have access to the Learning Center resources and services?

You can enroll in LSKL 800, LSKL 801, ENGL 853, ENGL 650 (TRIO students), ENGL 655 (ESOL students), MATH 650, or READ 812.

How do I enroll in one of these courses?

Log on to Skyline's WebSmart at https://websmart.smccd.edu/ . Add the class as you would any other.

How much will it cost, and how much credit can I get for my work?

These lab courses are the same price as other Skyline units. Simply choose the appropriate number of credits when you enroll online at WEBSMART (lab units apply toward graduation but not toward transferring). If you find yourself working less or more hours in the Learning Center, you can always adjust your units at any time. To get credit for your time spent in The Learning Center, be sure to log in and log out at the front computers. When you enter The Learning Center and log into the computer at the entrance, the system keeps track of the time you've accumulated through the semester. Time spent in the lab can be working on the computers, seeing a tutor, reading/completing handouts, reading, studying, watching media materials for a class and other activities. Here is the ratio of units to lab hours:

0.5 unit = 24 hours = approx. 1 ½ hrs per week

1.0 unit = 48 hours = approx. 3 hrs per week

1.5 units = 72 hours = approx. 4 ½ hrs per week

2.0 units = 96 hours = approx. 6 hrs per week

2.5 units = 120 hours = approx. 7 ½ hrs per week

3.0 units = 144 hours = approx. 9 ¼ hrs per week

What if I'm already taking the maximum number of units allowed this semester?

A counselor or the Dean of Counseling must sign off on the registration if your enrollment pushes you over 19 units, but since the services in The Learning Center will help your overall study skills and achievement in your existing classes, the counselor is not likely to refuse your request.

What happens if I don't actually fulfill the requirement for these lab courses?

Lab courses are credit/no credit, so if you register for a lab course but do not complete 24 lab hours over the course of the semester, you will receive a no credit or "NC" which will not affect your grade point average.

If you think a mistake has been made or you are concerned about your units, please come see us! Specifically, talk to Felix Perez in Room 5105 of Building 5.

What happens if I complete more or less units than I signed up for?

You will receive credit for the amount of units you complete. If you sign up for 3.0 units but only complete 0.5 units of work, you will receive 0.5 units. If you signed up for 0.5 units but complete 3.0 units, you will receive and be charged for 3.0 units. Units are calculated in 24 hour increments; for each 24 hours of work you complete at the lab, you receive 0.5 units or a half credit. No refunds will be given for units you do not complete.

I'm interested in getting tutoring this semester, but I've never done it before—what do I need to do?

Many students who come into The Learning Center for tutoring have never done so before, and they find the experience easy and fun. Tutors and Instructional Aides are on hand to answer any questions you may have, and The Learning Center's web site also provides a lot of information.

The procedure for getting tutoring in English and Math are essentially the same: sign your name on the white board in that tutoring area and wait for a tutor to call you. Remember to bring the appropriate materials with you: the assignment, copies of your work, writing utencils, paper.

If you cannot make it to the lab itself, you can also receive assistance via the Virtual Writing and Reading Lab . There you can submit papers and questions to qualified tutors who can give you valuable feedback on your work. You can also chat live with writing tutors (see the Virtual Writing and Reading Lab site for the hours each semester); tutors are ready to chat with you on MSN Messenger (screen name “skytlc”).

Courses that have an Hours By Arrangement (HBA) requirement. The English, Language and Math courses allow you to complete half of the hours (8) in The Learning Center:

• ARBC 111, ARBC 112, ARBC 801
• CHIN 111, COMP 451, COMP 484
• ELEC 110
• ENGL 100, ENGL 104, ENGL 105, ENGL 110, ENGL 161, ENGL 162, ENGL 165, ENGL 826, ENGL 836, ENGL 846
• ESOL 400, ESOL 810, ESOL 811, ESOL 812, ESOL 820, ESOL 821, ESOL 823, ESOL 830, ESOL 831, ESOL 840, ESOL 841, ESOL 855
• JOUR 120, JOUR 300
• MATH 110, MATH 111, MATH 112, MATH 120, MATH 122, MATH 123, MATH 130, MATH 150, MATH 200, MATH 201, MATH 222, MATH 241, MATH 251, MATH 252, MATH 253, MATH 270, MATH 275, MATH 805, MATH 806
• SPCH 100, SPCH 140, SPCH 813
• DANC 140, DANC 350, DANC 400, DANC 665
• FITN 110, FITN 116, FITN 201, FITN 202, FITN 205, FITN 303, FITN 305, FITN 332, FITN 334, FITN 400
• INDV 121, INDV 125, INDV 167, INDV 251, INDV 253
• TEAM 100, TEAM 111, TEAM 115
• RPTH 460
• SPAN 110, SPAN 111, SPAN 112, SPAN 120, SPAN 121
• SGOV 111
• SURG 441
• TAGA 111
• TCOM 405, TCOM 410, TCOM 440, TCOM 451, TCOM 480, TCOM 482, TCOM 483, TCOM 484, TCOM 485