1-on-1 Appointments

In addition to drop-ins at STS Office Hours, students can request 1-on-1 appointments via our STS website (https://sts.doit.wisc.edu/1-on-1-help/). 1-on-1 questions can vary in depth and scope of a topic, and can be related for course, research, or personal projects. Trainers can choose to meet with students for their 1-on-1 appointment during their Office Hours or choose another time/date to meet either in-person or virtually.

What Do 1-on-1 Appointments Usually Look Like?

1-on-1 appointments can cover a wide variety of topics, from straightforward questions like “how do I chart this data in Excel?” to more complex issues like using Python for web-scraping or statistics. Students also sometimes book appointments because they are not able to (or would prefer not to) attend our Evening Workshops but are still interested in learning the material.

1-on-1 support encounters can be fun because they are a chance to flex your problem-solving skills in real-world situations, and you often get feedback directly from the learner on whether they are understanding what you’re teaching (which we don’t always get in a classroom environment).

Because the nature of questions can vary so widely, trainers usually prefer to be reasonably proficient in a given topic before they list themselves as being able to respond to 1-on-1s for it, but it is up to the individual to decide how qualified they feel to handle requests for a given subject (and thus whether they list it in their trainer profile or not).

Important Considerations:

• Pete and Naty will assign out 1-on-1s as they come through in the queue
• Trainers are also welcome to “claim” 1-on-1’s from the queue if they prefer
• After trainers have been assigned or claim a 1-on-1, they will receive an email with the student’s question and contact info.

Personal Bookings

Personal Bookings helps STS Trainers manage their own 1-on-1 appointment availability to share with students and avoid the back and forth communication. Trainers are expected to set-up and update their Personal Bookings every semester so students can accurately set-up a date and time to meet with them.

After Being Assigned a 1-on-1 Appointment:

STS Trainers are expected to act within 24 hours of being assigned or claiming a 1-on-1 appointment. Trainers should either reach out to the student directly OR let Pete and Naty know they can’t claim the assigned 1-on-1. 

• Email Student to Confirm Appointment: 
  • Option 1: Confirm the location (physical or remote) to meet, provide the link to your Personal Bookings for student to select the time, and ask any questions that will help you best prepare for the appointment.
  • Option 2: Sometimes a student’s software/programming question is simple enough to be addressed solely via email. If this is the case, you can offer the solution in written form BUT always offer to still meet if your solution doesn’t work or make sense to them.
• If you don’t hear back from the student within 2 days, send a follow-up email. After 7 days, you can assume they no longer need help and can close the request.

During a 1-on-1 Appointment:

• Have student Sign-In via the STS website or printed QR Code
• Ask student if they have any questions/concerns about the 1-on-1 Guidelines
• Introduce yourself and let the student know when your shift ends prior to beginning so they are mindful of how much time you can assist them for.
• Work through the student’s questions. If at any point you are unable to assist, refer the student to… 
  • Another STS trainer who knows subject (provide their Office Hours or ask they make an appointment directly with that trainer)
  • The STS website to make a general 1-on-1 appointment (Pete and Naty will then assign to a trainer)
  • Another service from the “Campus Resources Reference” list

After a 1-on-1 Appointment:

• Request that the student fill out a 1-on-1 Evaluation for you
• Fill out a 1-on-1 Follow-Up Form to receive credit for completing a session. Failure to complete this form will impact the potential pay raise you see on the Trainer Dashboard!
• Close the 1-on-1 Request from the WordPress Site