A gateway to Internet resources related to basic academic skills
General Information
The Internet is a great resource, but finding just what you need can be a problem. Search engines generally give you too much to sort through with no guidance as to the quality of the information. Students generally want to find things quickly and easily, and they should get the best resources possible. College of the Desert's Virtual Academic Skills Center (VASC) provides just this kind of service for students who need help with basic skills. VASC provides on-line instructional software, Web links, and VASC Web Guides, all designed specifically for students who need quality help now.
All of the sites indexed in VASC have been selected and reviewed by College of the Desert faculty. Each of our major categories is subdivided into more specific skill areas, but not to the point of confusion. We do not leave you searching through hundreds of possible sites, but provide just a few in each area. All sites are annotated, with brief descriptions beneath each active link. And for many sites we provide printable Web Guides that you can refer to as you navigate through a site. This is especially useful, as several of the sites we reference are quite large and complex. We think you will find VASC fast, friendly, and very helpful.
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Scope of the Index
VASC is intended for students who need assistance in basic skills levels of reading, English, English as a second language (ESL), and math. We also provide a Research page related to library and internet research and writing research papers and a Reference Desk for tracking down factual information. While these resources focus primarily on basic skills, VASC is open to students in any course at College of the Desert and to guests visiting from other schools. The only limitation is with our SkillsTutor software, an online instructional program for which we pay a license fee. This software is password protected and only available to registered COD students.
In each of the six major areas covered in VASC we have selected a small number of effective Web sites and other resources for students to use. We have tried to include variety without drowning the user in choices. Finally, we have made an effort to cross-reference the Web sites as carefully as possible. Thus the English page has links to the Research page where needed, and our Reading page has a link to the list of free on-line literature carried in our Reference Desk page. We want VASC to grow. We will keep our Web links current and add and delete sites as we find even better resources for you to use. So join us in our search for the best the resources the World Wide Web has to offer in basic skills learning.
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Site Selection Criteria
CONTENT: Quality of information has been our highest criteria. Every site in this index has either been selected or reviewed and approved by faculty members who specialize in the area covered. we were also concerned that the presentation of information on a Web site was clear and easy to understand. Some of the sites adopt a rather casual style, which we hope will make understanding the materials easier and more interesting. Other sites, however, are quite large, and may be difficult to navigate through. For these sites we provide Web Guides that you may print and use to help find your way around the site. Click on the VASC Web Guide icons below selected titles in the index for your personal tour guide to our sites.
INTERACTIVE INSTRUCTION: Imagine that you want to learn how to play the piano. We could give you the best books, covering all the techniques of phrasing and keyboard touch, and after reading it all you would not be able to sit down and play a Beethoven sonata. It takes practice. This analogy holds true for most mental or physical activities, and it is certainly true for reading, writing, math, and research. For those learning English as a second language, practice is even more important.
We kept this in mind when searching for Websites and looked for interactive instruction where ever possible. Such sites are harder to find, and we didn't want to trade of quality of content for mere games. However, we know that students generally absorb information better if they are allowed to work with the material, if they have to respond to, and not just passively receive, information. Not everything in this index is interactive, but most are. We hope you find the work interesting and satisfying.
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Contact Us
Finally, we want your input. If you have questions, suggestions, complaints, send us an e-mail.
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