At the Library: Child or adult, Brainfuse tutoring service is a lifeline
Yakima Herald-Republic
At Yakima Valley Libraries, we firmly believe that learning never stops, which is why we are continuously looking for new and innovative resources for our patrons. One of the newest offerings is a free, online tutoring service for all levels of learning, children and adults alike. This service is called Brainfuse HelpNow.
Brainfuse HelpNow delivers live, online access to instructors who provide homework help and tutoring in many different subject areas, including mathematics, organic chemistry, physics, biology, human anatomy, physiology and social sciences.
All of Brainfuse’s live instructional sessions are stored in a dedicated virtual space for each student and can be played and shared with friends and teachers via email.
But this is only the beginning of Brainfuse’s services. In addition to the real-time tutoring, the Writing Lab provides expert advice and assistance with student writing projects. To use this free service, students just need to submit their document for review in order to receive constructive feedback designed to help them become better writers.
Are you preparing for an exam? Brainfuse has tools for that, too. The Skill Surfer tool will help you put academic concepts into practice through a set of lessons, videos and practice tests for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP and other standardized tests.
One of the best features about Brainfuse is that it offers more than just tutoring for K-12 students. The Adult Learning Center provides access to high school equivalency degree (GED) test preparation resources, in addition to help with studying for the USA citizenship test and much more. The Adult Learning Center also provides skill-building in Microsoft Office, as well as HelpNow writing experts to assist with crafting a winning resume or cover letter, and help preparing for job interviews.
Whether you’re pursuing adult education or you have school-age students at home, all you need to start learning with Brainfuse is your library card. And, just like school-age students using the service, adult learners are able to contact and interact with tutors in English or Spanish.
Brainfuse isn’t all work and no play, though — there’s also chess tutoring! This feature connects chess players with an expert chess coach to teach strategies, cognitive thinking, tactics and maneuvers.
Live online tutoring from Brainfuse is available from 1-10 p.m. Pacific time Mondays through Sundays. Lesson content and other information sources are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
All services are accessible from home with a computer, smartphone or tablet device; or, during regular open hours from home or at our community libraries.
For more information about this excellent resource, please visit www.yvl.org/brainfuse-helpnow.
If you have questions or need help, email [email protected] or contact your preferred community library.
• Francisco Garcia-Ortiz is public library services director for Yakima Valley Libraries. He and other library staffers write this column for Thursday’s SCENE section. Learn more at www.yvl.org.
