Student interactions

Interactions within the Reading Labs Name Institutional Affiliation Reading labs are designed to enable and encourage students to become long – life readers and learners in life. Reading labs are essentially a cultivating factor for students to comprehend by virtual reading, understanding learning materials, and vocabulary development. According to (Fink, 2013) various researchers independent reading within the context of reading labs allows learners to experience individual learning processes that foster fluency thus encouraging comprehension. Reading labs offer a wide range of background data through the knowledge that allows for vocabulary reading which is an important aspect of comprehension. The increasing of a wide range of material that is available to students promotes the concept of vocabulary enlightens which is the most vital factor in the reading criteria. The current school set is competing with many activities which do not necessarily develop the value reading as demanded by global literacy levels (Fink, 2013). Learners are reading less leading to lower levels of academic achievement that facilitate the need for reading labs to offer a guide to the various reading elements. The reading culture is being considered a dying tool within the world (K. Vanhoozer, personal communication October, 20, 2007).Majority of learners are growing up attending colleges and jobs without knowledge on the essence of reading an comprehension as a way of development in their personal and professional lives. Reading is a foundation on all that is considered to be developmental to academic and professional life. There is a competition that is not understandable between the dropping levels of the reading culture and the rise in the use of technology for communication purposes (K. Vanhoozer, personal communication October, 20, 2007). The era of children being taught reading as a skill set is long gone and there is a need to restructure the education process to cater to reading as a need for the development of the world. The reading lab design is not complete without the learners to learners and tutor to learner’s interaction which is critical not only to the success of the lab but also for the learners. The critical factor of reading labs while emphasizing on individual reading and comprehension growth is fostering of academic bonds between students and the tutors. The interactions levels in reading labs are geared towards fostering a sense of trust, unity, and comradeship among the students and tutors that forms an encouraging process for all. Gruenbaum (2012) observes that majority of the students in reading labs perform below the expected academic levels and are thus encouraged to join reading labs for help. The critical aspect of reading labs is not to only help the students achieve on individual academic levels but to also perform a role in cultivating a reading culture within the students on their own levels. Student to student interaction and tutor to student interaction is a highlight of the reading labs as the interaction factor will make or break the student need for learning as an encompassing factor in life.   Student to tutor interaction- tutor to student interaction The reading labs design should be noted is for the fostering reading and comprehension factors outside a classroom setting. The reading labs while allowing for individual levels of attention on the student also in some ways works like a classroom setting albeit without the tests, homework or projects offered in the classroom (Gruenbaum, 2012). That being said the student to tutor interaction- tutor to student interaction is vital to the success of the reading lab goals and the student’s individualized targets.  As an intern-tutor in the Palm Beach State College Reading lab, the interaction factor is a critical area of development for both the tutor and the students. The first area of interaction is on the emotional support factor, in which the tutor helps the learners develop a positive attitude towards learning. While the reading labs by its virtual design are for all students majority of the learners who are in residence do have learning disabilities that blind them to the factors to achieving higher academic levels.  The goal of the tutor is to develop in the learners a liking for reading which is the number one factor that attends to failing grades (Gruenbaum, 2012). The learners need to feel excited about learning, comfortable enough to express any negative thoughts towards the learning experiences. The reading lab is none judgment zone in which the learners trust the tutor to address any reading and comprehension challenge with professional guidance that is subject towards confidentiality (Hurst, Wallace and Nixon, 2013). The mandate of the tutor is to allow and develop a positive climate in which peer interactions is bonded by an emotional support system that encourages individual and independent ways in the reading course. While it is critical to foster a positive climate it is vital to note that the emotional and mental states of both learners and tutors matter in the environment. The tutor needs to have a mature professional responsiveness factor towards the leaners negative attitude which is projected by the regard for student’s perspectives on all levels of teaching (Hurst et al., 2013). The availability of the teacher within the interaction factor between the learners and the reading activities dictates that the tutor emphasis on the learner's needs motivations, the point of interests and perspective. The organization of the reading lab is an interaction point for all parties involved. The organization of the reading lab is twofold as it offers a structural calming and invigorating environment that promotes learning. It is critical to note that reading labs are different in structural organization.  However, the element of interaction is promoted by the tutors helping the learners develop learning skills that encourage the maintenance of an active interest in learning activities (Hurst et al., 2013). The reading lab is not designed to regulate behavior which is a classroom activity while there are rules and guidelines to be followed it is often a challenge to the tutor for the behavior level. The behavior challenge affects interaction as the learners who are negatively behaved do not promote a reading culture which affects the student and the tutor productivity. The tutor does not have the mandate to monitor or redirect misbehavior learner(s). While the tutor may go out of the way to encourage and try and recollect the student the essence of this mandate lies with the teachers in the classroom in conjunction with school management. The organization of the reading lab is based on routine levels. The leaners understanding and adherence to a routine within the degree levels of activities and directions offered by the tutors allow for maximization of time as a resource in the organization of the reading lab. The interaction factor with the degree levels of activities and learning formats is the core mandate between the tutor and the student (Hurst et al., 2013). Technological advancements have highly influenced the student – tutor reading lab interacting levels.  Technology has been integrated into a learning mode the interactions levels have been affected by it. The reading lab as a resource center caters to different types of reading and comprehension levels with technological integration offering a new help and challenging tool. The interaction factor between the learner and the tutor has traditionally been a face to face encounter that caters to need for a professional and social connection between the actors. Technology while advancing the utilization of resource material has disallowed for this encounter proving it difficult for a higher level of human interaction (Palloff, and Pratt, 2004). It should be noted that technology has allowed for individualized sessions within many sessions for the tutor. While the tradition mode caters to the one learner one tutor situation per any time, technology has allowed the tutor to cater for many learners at the same time. The essence of interaction in a reading lab is not the face to face interaction commonly approved by classrooms but it is to offer a critical understanding to the learner within the positive environment that caters to his to her needs.  Technology has enhanced and demoted the reading and comprehension culture within the same breath in the reading labs. Technology has allowed for the tutor to come up with the interesting material that captures the imagination of the learners and promotes reading and comprehension within the same cycle (Palloff, and Pratt, 2004). The use of computer applications has enabled the learners and tutors integrate with the professional but different sphere that calls for creativity which stimulates the minds of the learners. Technology and integration is a key achievement for reading labs, the factors of the modern world have encroached on the reading culture that has seen learners view reading to gain knowledge and understanding of other subjects disintegrate. The connection of technology and reading labs is within the view of resource command and the enhancing of interaction between learners and students, Student and student interactions             The factor of interaction is not only among the tutor-learner situation, student to student interaction is a factor within the reading lab. Majority of the leaners do know each other firm the school setting. Some are friends, belong to the same social group and or advocate for the same reasoning within life.  The factor of interaction between learners is influencers in the reading lab setting. Social, political and economic factors of the learners do factor in the interaction level which promotes the individual goals of the students and targets of the reading labs. It is essential to note that student to student interactions outside the setting of the reading lab to a degree affect the interactions levels inside the reading lab.  Learners are reluctant to engage in reading labs activities with partners with who their attribute to have nothing in common. The reading lab in a college setting is within sight of different nationalities and backgrounds leading to lack of participation from some due to assumed and implied personal and social perceptions. The level of participate of a learner in a group setting with the reading lab is a set guide for the tutor to understand the level of interaction from the learner. The learner interactions level with other learners is a key foundation for language understanding which a target within the reading lab. In the reading lab, learners need to practice reading and comprehension skills which can only be achieved through interactions in pairs and group work. The essence of collaborative learning caters to the tasks that question and promote the interaction levels between learns and foster reading development as a tool for interaction. The social factor in reading and comprehension cannot be undermined as it caters to the development of social skills which encourage language leading to the comprehension of settings which advances the reading factor. Learners to learner’s interaction advocate for collaboration and social factors as opposed to competition and isolation (Fink, 2013). The ideology of working with others promotes the and increased personal involvement in reading and compressive while catering to the sharpening of cognitive skills.  It is a human factor that we are social beings and the factor is exemplified by the need to make friends. The reading interaction factor when it comes to learners is based on the social element, as social creatures, the learners engage in a dialogue which may positively or negatively promote the concept of the reading lab. The reading lab is a community that offers the opportunity to extend and at the same time deepen the educational experience at a collaborative level (Palloff and Pratt, 2004).  A group that is structured to offer support to individual challenges within the reading lab setting caters to the element of feedback which should be constructive in nature.  The community setting in the reading lab enhances the concept of dialog which is within the comprehension factor and carefully outlines the sense of community which enhances education especially at college levels (Palloff and Pratt, 2004). The use of small groups which incorporate group activities acknowledges the interaction factor between learners and learners and tutors at the same level. Challenges to interaction in the reading lab In theory, the concept of interaction is sensible however in actualization the promotion of the factor is a challenge in the reading lab. Learners are resistance to the factor of help in reading and comprehension exercise as it is socially perceived as if the individual is less intelligent. The reading lab while promoting the culture of reading and comprehension as a gateway to success in life is challenged by social factors which limit learner participation. Majority of students are reluctant to engage in paired or group work in reading labs which fosters the act of social interaction beyond the reading lab. Motivation and interaction. Within an overall agreement, motivated students are easy to be taught and motivated staff finds it easier to engage in the education process. The reading lab is viewed by the student as a learning center that caters to learners who do not understand their classwork. A tutor in the reading lab needs to motivate the learners in various way within which various challenging factors must be faced. The tutor in the reading lab aims to inspire learners to a greater sense of achievements in the progression of academic life.  The learners in the current environment have a split attention factor in which extracurricular activities and social life all compete to for attention. According to Nugent (2009), learners believe that tutors do factor in on the motivation element. The mandate of the tutor is to motivate the learner to comprehend and even like what is being taught while at the same time finding it engaging enough to remember (Nugent, 2009). The student interaction factors call for the tutor to provide a welcoming environment factor that caters to the professional enthusiasm in the promotion of the motivation factor. The learners need to feel comfortable and important in the teaching environment and more so in the reading lab. The negative perceptions of the reading lab is a challenge that needs to be overcome by providing a conducive environment that caters to a show of enthusiasm while engaging in the teaching experience.  The reading lab is an open and receptive area which caters discussions and arguments which are set on a respectful interactive level. Group work and discussion offer and cater to the factor of intrinsic motivation and the development of thinking skills (Nugent, 2009). The interaction caters to the development and promotion of a community that provides a support system fuelled by the motive to learn and experience. The expectations of the tutor are a powerful motivating factor for the learners (Nugent, 2009). The settings of goals which are realistic, individual like and offer capable challenges show the learners that the tutor is a professional who cares about their success. Feedback is a powerful motivating factor that should be frequent and constructive. The tutor should ensure that thought out the feedback routine the tutor interaction level with the students should be professional and encouraging. The tutor should focus on the task done by the learner, not the individual learner and thus promote feedback as a motivation factor. The tutor should provide limited options to the learner which as a tool can be used as a motivation factor. The tutor should encourage the students to opt for opportunities to make choices within the reading lab guidelines and face the results of the choice (Nugent, 2009). The chance to demonstrate an independent strike for the learner will be a motivating factor for excelling on an individual level. Example and comparison scenario The Rose State College has a reading lab that caters to its learner's needs with the college resources. The reading lab offers a one on one individualized instructions socially for students who need to improve reading and comprehension skills. The reading lab does not require any referrals but instead offers its resources to any enrolled student who needs its services.  The mandate of the reading lab is to cater to the reading needs of the learners within an interactive and motivational learning environment. The tutors/professors, learners and reading lab professionals interact and engage together to improve, increase and enhance reading and vocabulary within the comprehension docket. The reading lab is a community that supports any learner enrolled in the college with resources to cater for any reading disability through diagnostic testing. The center offers instructions on reading, orientation on lab material usage and web-based platform which cater to the learners in an individual and group environment. The reading lab is technologically enhanced to perform with the making of perspective adjustments. The functioning mandate of the Rose College reading lab center is learner integration and interactions which encompassed the mission of the college to provide a holistic environment for the learners. The college works as a community without any negative association of the reading lab to cater to the learners need and advance on academic and personal achievements. The learners develop reading and vocabulary enhancement resources through small groups that interaction on a social and professional level beyond the reading lab experience. The college does not encourage a reading lab group of more than four learners on a rotation basis to foster interaction and social connections. The reading lab is also an innovation environment that caters to the development of creativity within its guidelines and offers technology resources for its learners in the creative process. When compared to the Palm Beach State College Reading lab the Rose College lab is geared towards technology advancement as its core tool of utilization within the lab resources. The Palm Beach State College Reading lab is more welcoming and offers learners a comfortable environment that caters to individual needs in a deeper manner than the Rose college lab environment. Conclusion The critical aspect of reading labs is not to only help the students achieve on individual academic levels but to also perform a role in cultivating a reading culture within the students on their own levels. The mandate of the tutor is to allow and develop a positive climate in which peer interactions is bonded by an emotional support system that encourages individual and independent ways in the reading course. Technology and integration is a key achievement for reading labs, the factors of the modern world have encroached on the reading culture that has seen learners view reading to gain knowledge and understanding of other subjects disintegrate. Student to student interaction and tutor to student interaction is a highlight of the reading labs as the interaction factor will make or break the student need for learning as an encompassing factor in life.       References Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. John Wiley & Sons. Gruenbaum, E. A. (2012). Common literacy struggles with college students: Using the reciprocal teaching technique. Journal of College Reading and Learning, 42(2), 109-116. https://www.rose.edu/content/academics/student-resources/reading-lab/ Hurst, B., Wallace, R., & Nixon, S. (2013). The impact of social interaction on student learning. Reading Horizons (Online), 52(4), 375. Nugent, T. T. (2009). The impact of teacher-student interaction on student motivation and achievement. University of Central Florida. Palloff, M. R., & Pratt, K. (2004, August). Learning together in community: Collaboration online. In 20th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning (pp. 4-6). Vanhoozer, K. (2007, Oct 20). Personal Interview. INTERACTIONS WITHIN THE READING LABS 12 RUNNING HEAD: INTERACTIONS WITHIN THE READING LABS1