Online tutoring

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Online tutoring refers to the process by which knowledge is imparted from a tutor or knowledge provider or expert to a student or knowledge recipient over the Internet. Online tutoring has been around almost as long as the Internet and takes the following form:

Tutoring via email and knowledge content

In this mode, the tutor or knowledge provider creates knowledge content in a very structured and methodical manner. The student accesses this knowledge at their own time and pace. Interaction between the tutor and the student may be via email. In addition, tests and quizzes may taken and submitted by the student and returned to the graded with feedback by the tutor.

Real-time tutoring over Internet

With increased bandwidth students and tutors can now engage online at the same time as in a physical classroom. With additional technology tools the tutor can present material on their computer to the student and students and tutors may work on the material on a "whiteboard" at the same time. The whiteboard is the equivalent of a physical classroom blackboard and allows the tutor to write and generate illustrations in real-time. Real-time tutoring typically contains both audio and video devices. A variation of the real-time tutoring is the use of online chat and instant messaging by the tutor to interact in real-time with students. Though online tutoring without audio or video is substantially different than online tutoring with real time audio and video, it can be effective particularly if students have older computers, computers connected to the Internet via dialup modems, or if they use shared computers as in a library or other shared space.

A good online tutoring strategy may incorporate both forms of online knowledge delivery for effective and lower cost knowledge delivery.

Online Tutoring Procedures

From the above description, it might appear that online tutoring may be a direct mirror of age-old physical tutoring procedures. However, there are subtle differences in both the approach and the delivery of online tutoring:

• Unlike face-to-face or physical tutoring where traditional tutors are used to writing on a blackboard, online tutoring requires additional preparation of course material so that it is delivered to the student in faster time typing into the whiteboard. This is because it is still more challenging to use the mouse to write compared to using chalk on a blackboard. A good modus operandi is to prepare the course materials as slides and then use the white board to illustrate and emphasize aspects of the material as the lesson proceeds. This also means that online tutoring might waste less time.
• Since tutoring is usually on one computer - the tutor's computer – the tutor has greater responsibility to regulate access to the whiteboard and even access to speak to the class. In fact, it is a good idea to keep online tutoring classes very small when a lot of interaction is required.
• Attendees are in remote locations and tutors direct access to demand attention. As a result, online tutoring might be more difficult for tutoring younger children or those with little attention span unless there is additional adult presence, such as the parents, with the student.

Online Tutoring Requirements

The requirements for online tutoring may include:

• Broadband Internet access. Real-time online tutoring using both voice and screen-sharing applications requires a significant amount of bandwidth. A minimum connection speed of 128kbps or higher is recommended - dial-up access may slow down (latency) the process and frustrate both the tutor and student.
• Audio microphone or headset containing both microphone and speaker
• A shared screen on which student and the tutor can write is important for effective teaching. This can be done through use of collabrative software popularly called a "white board "
• For writing, drawing and highlighting text, a digital pen mouse will be very useful especially while learning Math or languages other than English. Student can write freely instead of using the mouse.
• A web cam or digital video camera may be required if physical demonstration or visual feedback is required.
• If voice and particularly video are not required, many of the technical requirements listed above can be significantly reduced or eliminated.

Online Tutoring Services

An online tutoring service should consist of the following components:

• Real video and audio. Real video is essential so that visual feedback essential to learning is present and audio for ease of use without additional phone bills and inconvenience of dealing with two separate devices. Online audio is typically based on VOIP which is a mature technology and is being used for real phone sevices (Skype, Vonage). There are four tiers of online tutoring services - those with real audio and video incorporated in their technology, those using public domain set up such as MSN Messenger with less central coordination, those who implement online tutoring as a keyboard chat room with no audio or video, and those without any online tutoring component.
• Tutors are validated or are employees. When tutors are not validated and simply pay the service to operate as tutors, there is no central check to ensure the quality and authenticity of tutoring or ascertain security for the children students.
• Affordable. Many online tutoring services are prohibitively expensive.
• Should include all components of learning - instructional, demonstrative, collaborative, and individual research. Instructional and demonstrative is by tutors. Collaborative through online discussion or chat group with peers. Individual research includes teaching materials, quizzes, etc. that is available to students separate from the online instructional component.
• Should emphasize some level of online security for students and tutors.
• Colleges or Universities that want to increase retention and graduation rates for their students and particularly for their online students may wish to provide online tutoring. Colleges and Universities typically already have tutors on staff for in person tutoring. Institutions of higher learning may create their own systems to provide online tutoring or purchase ready made systems for use with their own tutors.

References

Some popular online tutoring services (in alphabetic order) include:

BabbageNetSchool (http://www.babbagenetschool.com) - Online tutoring system uses BlackboardTM. Very difficult to use and you will need a separate phone. Seems more focused on government and school district funding. Very structured course content and follows curriculums by aligning with schools. Tutors are employees whose rates are set.

ClubZ Tutoring (http://www.clubztutoring.com) - Features prominent television commercials. Online tutoring is via a chat room. Very popular with the No Child Left Behind program.

E-Sylvan (http://www.educate.com) - Very well organized. Tutors are employees and parents and students do have some security. Rates are determined centrally. Courses are administratively determined and so students are limited to the offering. Services tend to be quite expensive.

Growing Stars (http://www.growingstars.com) - Very sophisticated online tutoring system. However, course and subjects are extremely limited and offerings are slightly expensive. Tutors are employees. Only elementary school tutoring is covered.

Learners paradise (http://www.learnersparadise.com) - Focuses mostly on professionals. Not a curriculum-based or structured learning environment.

My Elite Tutor (http://www.myelitetutor.com) - Focuses on high school and college science subjects. Claims to have very high quality tutoring staff but is slightly more expensive. Not as much online tutoring infrastructure as some of the more high-tech learning sites.

Smarthinking (http://www.smarthinking.com) - Used by several community colleges. Tutors are employees and rates are centrally determined. Courses are administratively determined and students are limited to the offering.

Tutor.com (http://www.tutor.com - Very prominent and popular. No real-time online tutoring facilities currently. Includes homework help services.

TutorCentral (http://www.tutorcentral.net) - Face-to-face or online tutoring in any subject. Real-time online tutoring system (audio and webcam). Tutors are validated and set their own rates. Homework service, tests and quizzes, online chat and discussion boards are also available for collaborative learning.

TutorNation (http://www.tutornation.com) - Tutors pay registration fees. No validation or verification of tutors. This might discourage parents of younger children. Billing and payment is between parents and tutors. No online tutoring infrastructure. No discussion group. No online study content. Probably makes a good open tutor directory.

TutorsTeach (http://www.tutorsteach.com) - Same as TutorNation except slightly lower registration fees. No guarantee of any kind to tutors for paying this registration fees.

See also

• videobooks
• online training
• computer based training
• e-learning
• distance learning
• Web-based training
• Online training
• Online learning community