By Mark Cook Jr., GED Tutor
Since I became a GED Tutor at Oglala Lakota College (OLC), He Sapa Center, COVID-19 has changed the world of GED programming.
We have increasingly utilized online learning through the Khan Academy’s website. We have seen students successfully use this website even though it is not strictly for GED students. It helps students study remotely, particularly those who want to limit physical contact due to the growing concerns of the COVID-19 virus, and those who cannot come to campus because of their work schedules.
Khan Academy is a free online school where instructors and students work together to identify subjects in which the student needs to improve. Assignments include all subjects from kindergarten through high school. The Khan Academy website allows GED students to add the tutor they are in contact with as their teacher, using the teacher’s email address, so they can see the students’ progress. Tutors can also give assignments and see how much time students spend on each assignment. Using this platform helps students learn from home.
I have students at He Sapa Center that are utilizing this platform to complete their educational goals. Dawson Pearson was one of these students. He is a recent graduate of OLC’s GED program that serves the surrounding communities and is supported by the American Indian College Fund. Due to his busy schedule, the only way Dawson was able to study was with the Khan Academy website, as it allowed him to learn on his own time.
Dawson graduated in July 2021. He has more options available to him. He was able to move into management at his current place of employment, which required a GED to be a manager. He also wants to attend college in January to further his education. He can do so because of ever-evolving online resources like Khan Academy, and because of other resources and support from OLC and the American Indian College Fund. Dawson wants to thank the American Indian College Fund for helping him.
