Knowledge Market assists students through online consultations

With students set to complete this semester online, some may need additional assistance while working on their final assignments. The Knowledge Market is prepared to offer support. 

The Knowledge Market provides peer-to-peer mentoring services to students looking for feedback on research, writing or presentations. The program gives students access to the Speech Lab, University Library and Writing Center services all in one location to allow for a streamlined, in-depth service. 

The team at the Knowledge Market spent the last year and a half developing an online version of their services and began the pilot program one month before students moved to remote learning this semester. 

Jen Torreano, manager of the Knowledge Market, said the rollout was just in time, and the team of consultants are ready to assist students as they navigate remote learning. 

“The Knowledge Market is based on the idea that talking to a peer, you can be more honest about what you’re struggling with than when talking to someone who is grading your work,” said Torreano. “We wanted to make sure that when moving online, students have the same peer-to-peer experience.” 

Torreano noted the Knowledge Market is a unique program in that several services collaborate in one space. “If you work with a writing consultant and you find that you need help with research, we can pull a research consultant right into the session,” she said.

The program’s distinctive approach has been noticed on a national scale.  

At a recent conference for the National Association of Communication Centers, Carl Brown, director of the Speech Lab, shared the Knowledge Market model. Multiple universities around the country are now working to incorporate this model into their learning centers.

The main goal of the Knowledge Market is to give students the tools they need to excel, and students who have engaged with the Knowledge Market have continuously shared positive results.

“Across all of our Knowledge Market services, 97 percent of students who meet with us feel more confident about their own ability to complete their assignments,” Torreano said.

Information on drop-in hours and access to the online Knowledge Market can be found on its webpage.