Welcome!

Dear academic community:

The Program for Knowledge Development SABER (previously known as Center of University Progress or CPU) is a program focused on the active search for alternative learning support to adequately meet the shifting needs of the student population at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico. The Program is part of the Vice-Presidency for Innovation in Retention, Persistence, and Student Success (VIRPEE).

SABER works closely with the School of Arts, Sciences, and Education and other academic departments, as well as with the counselors, mentors, and academic advisors at the Center for Academic Support and Advising (CASA), who serve as links between the learning coaches (tutors) and the professors. SABER aims to strengthen students’ academic and engagement skills to help them achieve their academic, career, and professional goals. Our team consists of professional Learning Coaches (some of them also professors) and advanced students who serve as Learning Partners (Peer Tutors).

Diverse methodologies, such as collaborative learning, are used in our learning service. Sessions are held in small groups in which students learn how to develop and strengthen their teamwork and engagement skills while clearing their doubts, among other advantages. Learning Support is offered in the following subjects: Mathematics, English, Spanish, Chemistry, Physics, and some engineering courses, such as Static, Computers, Programming, Probability and Statistics, among others, depending on the availability of Learning Coaches and Partners. SABER offers both in-person and online sessions, as available. Online learning services are available through Blackboard Ultra.

We are located on the 3rd floor of the Main Building at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico in San Juan, PR. Our tutoring service hours are Monday through Thursday, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Our office hours are Monday through Thursday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. You may call us at (787) 622-8000 ext. 274, 331, visit us in office M-305, or e-mail us at saber@pupr.edu.

We are ready and available to help you accomplish your academic goals.

Sincerely,

Dr. Milagros Martínez-Roche, Director
SABER Program

Mission

The SABER Program is geared toward a constant active search for alternative learning support to adequately meet the shifting needs of the student population at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico.

Objectives

To ensure that academic support services include educational strategies that will contribute to:

• strengthening metacognitive skills
• developing student creativity, self-confidence and resilience
• promoting a sense of institutional belonging
• improving their teamwork skills

To adhere to a philosophy of continuous self-assessment for the following components:

• the SABER Program as a student services component
• strategies for retention and promotion
• assessment of strategies or work plans
• evaluation of rates of effectiveness for learning coaches and partners
• assessment of services performance and effectiveness

Maximize SABER staff performance through training programs (office staff, learning coaches and learning partners) that includes the following topics:

• teamwork
• student retention
• educational strategies in tutoring
• case management and procedures
• data entry to the computer system
• specific specialized and technological content topics, mainly for learning coaches and learning partners, etc.

SABER is committed to the comprehensive development of future professionals educated at the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico.

Personnel

ADMINISTRATION

Dr. Milagros Martínez-Roche
Director

LEARNING COACHES (full-time)

Services

LEARNING SERVICES

We offer academic support sessions for students enrolled in the courses with the highest demand per quarter, from Monday to Thursday, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and on Friday by prior arrangement. The courses include MATH 0102, MATH 0106, MATH 0110, MATH 1330, MATH 1340, MATH 1350, MATH 1360, MATH 1370, MATH 2350, and MATH 2360; SCIE 0110, SCIE 1430, SCIE 1440, SCIE 1210, and SCIE 1220; and SPAN and ENGL 0100 to 2020 and some engineering courses (ENGI 2110, CECS 2200, 2201, etc.).

On Friday, we work on reports and data collection, attend professional development workshops, and collaborate in other institutional activities related to the Vice-Presidency for Innovation in Retention, Persistence, and Student Success (VIRPEE).

GROUP OR ONE-ON-ONE ACADEMIC SUPPORT

Students must be enrolled in an academic support session which is attended by a  Learning Coach or Learning Partner twice a week.

The Learning Coaches (LCs) are full-time tutors. Several of the LCs have extensive experience as tutors. Some have master’s degrees and are part-time professors.

The Learning Partners (LPs) are junior or senior students who have demonstrated mastery and excellence in specialty subjects related to engineering, science, or architecture.

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING HUB

The Collaborative Learning Hub is a collaborative approach model for knowledge development. Its purpose is to combine various educational methods, such as cooperative learning and project/problem-based learning, to promote interaction, dialogue, and teamwork. Various learning support projects are established to strengthen not only the understanding of academic content but also social skills. For example: Mi Learning Partner me acompaña.

Mi Learning Partner me acompaña concept:

During the collaborative project Mi Learning Partner me acompaña (My Learning Partner accompanies me), an LP visits the assigned course classroom and works together with the course teacher in reinforcing the skills studied in each course. They accompany the students and offer them academic support regarding the content and processes of the course.

Enrollment

To receive the services of SABER Program, you must:

• Be a regular PUPR student
• Be registered on one or more of the courses for which we offer tutoring services.
• Get formally registered for our services during the enrollment period. (Enrollment periods are announced at the beginning of each quarter.)

Honor Points

How to receive honor points:

Enrolled students may receive honor points for regularly attending your tutoring services, at the discretion of your course professor. These points may be added as a bonus to your class grade. Allocation of points may vary according to the subject and criteria established by the professor.

To obtain honor points:

• Points are awarded by combining two criteria: attendance and academic achievement.
• You must be officially registered in the tutoring service.
• You must have attended your tutoring services more than six times.
• You must exhibit satisfactory performance in your tutoring sessions. (Demonstrate academic achievement.)
• The tutor will send a score report to your professor.
• The professor will determine how to allocate the points.

Gallery

COLLABORATIVE LEARNING HUB

Mi Learning Partner me acompaña (My Learning Partner accompanies me)

ARHH 1010: History of Architectural Space

ARHH 1011: History of Architectural Space Laboratory

Valeria Toledo and Alondra Rodríguez – Learning Partners

ARHH Labs Sessions

ARHH Course Notebooks

BME 3221: Bio-system Circuits and Electronics Lab

Alexandra Vargas – Learning Partner

CHE 3106: Basic Principles of Chemical Engineering II

CHE 3106 – Tutoring Session

Naomi Kery – Learning Partner

Full-time Learning Coaches

Juan J. Maduro – Engineering Learning Coach

Rafael López – Science Learning Coach

Carolina Serrano, Rafael Leo, and Ismael De la Rosa – Math Learning Coaches

Joyce González – Math & Science Learning Coach

Michael Y. Cortés – English Learning Coach

English Lab

Kaisy D. Soto – Spanish Learning Coach