Tacoma Public Libraries team up with Brainfuse to offer online homework help

The Tacoma Public Libraries offer a valuable resource for students that is free for card holders. Among the library’s large collection of homework help resources is HelpNow, from Brainfuse. This online program offers live tutoring, peer review for essays, and test preparation for both state and national testing. The service is available for students in Kindergarten through College, and offers help for a variety of subjects.

Live help is given through a tool called Brainfuse Whiteboard. A Java plug-in is required to download, though it is harmless to computers. (If you have not downloaded the plug-in, a pop up will direct you to the Java website, where it will give you the correct download for your computer) From the “Live Help” tab, students log in with their grade level and subject; they wait for a live tutor to log in, then ask their question in the dialogue box given. On the “whiteboard” above, tutors can write, draw, and provide graphs in order to help the student work through a problem. The student is able to interact with the tutor on the “whiteboard” by typing, drawing, highlighting, and more. Once the student has grasped the concept, they may choose to have a record of the session sent to their email, where they can review the material and keep it for future reference.

Live help is available for the following subjects in the following grades:

Live help is available for the following subjects in the following grades:

• Math
• Reading

3rd – 6th

• Language Arts
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies
• Writing

7th

• Language Arts
• Math, Pre-Algebra
• Science
• Social Studies
• Writing

8th

• Language Arts
• Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra
• Science
• Social Studies
• Writing

9th

• Language Arts
• Geometry, Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra
• Science, Biology, Earth Science
• Social Studies, Global History
• Writing

10th

• Language Arts
• Geometry
• Math, Algebra I, Algebra II
• Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science
• Social Studies, Global History
• Writing

11th

• Earth Science
• Language Arts
• Geometry, Math, Algebra I, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus
• Chemistry, Biology, Physics
• Social Studies, Global History, U.S. History
• Writing

12th

• Earth Science
• Language Arts
• Geometry, Math, Algebra I, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Calculus
• Chemistry, Biology, Physics
• Social Studies, Global History, U.S. History
• Writing

College

• Algebra, Calculus I, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Trigonometry
• Biology, Chemistry, Physics
• History
• Writing

HelpNow also offers a Writing Lab, where students can upload a document (maximum 1400 KB) for peer review, Skills Building, which offers a live tutor to help practice problems and sharpen skills, a Test Center, which includes practice tests and tips for passing state and national tests (like the SAT), and a 24/7 option that allows students to submit a question and/or upload a document or image, which a tutor will reply to within 1 business day. While they are working toward offering assistance in languages, HelpNow currently only offers help in Spanish, which can be found in the Language Lab.

This resource is a wonderful tool to help students achieve good grades in all of their classes as well as feel confident about the material; all for free!

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