Providers: Drop-in Training

Drop-In Tutoring Modes

Penji supports two types of drop-in tutoring modes:

• Log Mode – Used for in-person tutoring locations where tutors assist students and claim sessions afterward.

• Queue Mode – Used for both in-person and virtual tutoring where tutors actively manage a queue of waiting students.

Your program coordinator will determine which mode your center uses.

Log Mode 

Log Mode is the simplest type of drop-in shift and is used only for in-person tutoring locations.

In this mode, tutors assist students who arrive at the center and then log the students they worked with after the shift.

What to Expect

• Arrive at the center on time for your scheduled shift.

• Complete any check-in requirements provided by your program coordinator (these may be outside of Penji).

• Set up in the center and be ready to support students who arrive.

• Follow any rules or guidelines shared by your program coordinator regarding check-in and student assistance.

How Students Access Support

Students check in using one of the following:

• A Penji kiosk in the tutoring center

• The Penji mobile app

• The Penji website

After checking in, students can seek help from available tutors.

The method for matching students with tutors (for example, first-come-first-served or staff assignment) is determined by your program coordinator.

Figure 1: Example of what providers see when reviewing your working hours at an in-person location using Log mode. Notice how there is no queue/waitlist of students waiting to receive tutoring.

Claiming Students during a Drop-In Shift

During your shift, you must "claim" the students you worked with so sessions are recorded correctly.

1. On your Penji account, navigate to the Teach tab (this may appear as "Tutor," "Coach," "Consultant," etc. depending on your role).

2. Select View Drop-In Rooms.

3. Click your assigned drop-in location.

4. Review the list of student drop-ins.

5. Claim each student you worked with during your shift.

Claiming students ensures accurate session records and helps track tutoring activity.

Figure 2: Example of what providers see when claiming a student and providing them with feedback.

Queue Mode (In-Person and Virtual Locations)

Queue Mode gives tutors more responsibility for managing students who have checked in for drop-in help. Students join a queue and tutors monitor the queue and start sessions.

Queue Mode, Step by Step 

1. Select "View drop-in rooms" (or the button your program admin renamed your Drop-in button as.)
2. Select the location you would like to check in to (where you attend your drop-in tutoring shift). 
3. Check in through the web or mobile app at the start of your shift. You must check in to view/manage the queue and start tutoring!
   
    
   Figure 3: Provider's screen when they're about to check in to their drop-in location. Notice the empty queue area below -- the queue is only visible once the provider checks in. 
4. After checking in, you'll remain on the same page for the drop-in queue. When students check in for a course/topic you're certified to teach, you and other providers will be notified that someone joined the queue. Notifications are sent via email and the mobile app. 
   • You will be notified when the a student joins the queue. If you are working with a student and a new student joins the queue, you will also see the new student.
   • You will only be shown students who have checked in to receive help for a course/topic you are certified to teach in.
   • The order of the queue will be based on who checked in first. The newest students to check in will be at the bottom of the queue, so make sure to scroll down so that you don't miss anyone waiting!  
5. You will view the queue on your Penji account (using the mobile app or web browser) and tap "Start Tutoring" on the student in the queue who is next up, taking them out of the queue. You can also select "Start Tutoring" on multiple students at the same time (see video after Figure 2). 
    
   Figure 4: Example of what the check-in/queue screen looks like after a provider checks in. Here, three students have checked in, Elle, Brianna, and Andy.  
   
   
   Video: This video walks through how to start tutoring with multiple students from the queue at the same time for both a virtual/online (Zoom) location and an in-person location. Note that in this demo Community, the "Start Tutoring" button says "Start Advising" -- this is because the demo Community provides advising as its main form of support. 

6. Selecting "Start Tutoring" will notify the student that you are ready for their drop-in session.
   
   
   Figure 5: Example of what providers see when they've started tutoring with a student in the queue. Note the "Start Tutoring" button, when clicked, has been replaced with the virtual meeting location's details (in this case, Google Meet). 

   Note 1: If the session is in-person, find the student or tell them your location via the Penji chat (select "Open chat" to use the Penji chat) when you are ready for them.

   Note 2: If the student has checked in via the Kiosk, the option to chat ("Open chat") will not appear.

7. Once the session is complete, press "End Session". You'll be asked to complete a feedback log. Once complete, move on to the next student in the queue.
8. When your drop-in tutoring shift has ended, make sure to check out! This is important so that your program coordinator can keep an accurate record of your drop-in session.

Session Duration

The length of time you spend with students is generally up to you unless your center provides specific guidelines.

• If many students are waiting, keep sessions shorter.

• If no one is waiting, you may spend more time with each student.

Penji calculates estimated wait times using the average duration of the last 20 sessions at that location.

This mode gives providers more responsibility for monitoring and reaching out to students who have checked in for drop-in help. Students will check in and you and your provider peers will manage the queue of students. 

In-Person vs. Virtual (Online) Queues

Queue mode is available for both in-person and virtual (online) drop-in tutoring. For virtual drop-in tutoring, providers will need to log in to their virtual platform and have it ready to go in another window/tab before admitting any students from the queue in Penji. 

In comparison, during in-person drop-in shifts, providers will follow the rules of their program coordinator for connecting with students and working in a given physical location. 

Below are video tutorials on how to manage the queue when using a virtual/online platform as your location (in this case, Zoom) and when attending your shift at a physical location. 

Virtual/Online Queue Training (Zoom)

In-Person Queue Training

Accepting Appointments During Drop-in Hours

Some centers allow providers to offer appointment hours that overlap with their drop-in hours. In these cases, students must book sessions in advance, and the number of hours in advance is predetermined by your program coordinator. When a student books an appointment, Penji will automatically remove those available hours from your drop-in schedule. During your drop-in shift, you'll provide drop-in tutoring whenever you are not scheduled for an appointment.