In the last decade, online tutoring has become a popular method for learning and teaching students similar to taking online classes to earn bachelors and masters degree. Convenience has played a crucial role in this shift. Many parents, for instance, become bombarded with daily family tasks and activities and selecting the appropriate instructional support for their children through online tutoring would cut significantly on driving their kids from one place to another and allows families to focus on other obligations.
Online tutoring, just like conventional tutoring, continues to focus on improving grades, working through difficult assignments and passing standardized tests. Proponents of online tutoring believe that parents and especially students with busy schedules can improve their grades because they receive that one-on-one instructional academic support. Aside from convenience, individual attention is the key to successful learning using this particular method unlike conventional classroom instruction where there are more students and therefore, does not provide personalized instructional support.
Modern parents who utilize technology enjoy the familiar environment they provide for their children to learn. At the comfort of their home, students may not get as easily distracted, are more focused on task, and can engage with their teacher more effectively because there’s a more direct virtual contact. Plus, students today are not too unfamiliar with the use of technology that implementing this method of learning becomes second nature. Oftentimes, parents who prefer home-based learning use this opportunity to watch the student-teacher engagement online. Another benefit to online tutoring is seeing the lessons delivered and hearing live discussions that are not typically experienced at a traditional classroom.
One of my students who receive online tutoring support completes her homework and lessons online. Lessons do not go unnoticed in the platform like it would if the student would be working with software program. Results on assignments and practice lessons, for example, are normally viewed online to assess the student’s performance and progress.
Online teachers typically provide feedback during and after tutoring session. This is another opportunity to receive individual attention as the student works on lessons created to meet the student independent needs and learning styles. Many online teachers also post follow-up comments with the student and encourage students to post a response to ensure the student stays on tasks and learns to communicate his or her challenges as well as achievements with the lesson or assignments.
It is vital to learn more about this method of learning before determining if this is the “right” fit for your child. Depending on the amount of help your child needs and the amount of time and money you are willing to spend, online tutoring may or may not work. Face-to-face tutoring and online tutoring have some similarities, but they also have significant differences in the delivery. Your student may or may not learn easily through virtual learning environments and may prefer the ‘three-dimensional’ support where both instructor and student are sitting next to each other exchanging ideas, discussing the lessons, and whereas the student feels more secured in the physical presence of the instructor. Plus, parents need to consider that online tutoring can only work with the availability of a computer and internet access. Online tutoring obviously is instruction involving multi-media devices using webcams, video, audio and interactive materials.
Whether you’re deciding if online tutoring or face-to-face tutoring is appropriate, parents need to be involved in every aspect of their child’s learning. Parents provide the greatest insights on how their child best learn, what methods may be most effective, and how their child can best maximize learning in a given time. No matter what parental involvement is a key to a successful learning and student achievement because children thrive in a supportive, positive environment.
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