Is Online Tutoring Effective?

Technology has changed the experience of education forever. Traditional schooling started off with a one room schoolhouse. We made a few changes here and there over the next century or so. The one room schoolhouse expanded into a multi-room school, children were split up into grade levels, and more teachers were employed instead of just one handling all the students. However, other than that, the teaching remained basically the same. The teacher continued to use the chalkboard (later switched to the whiteboard), continued to teach mainly out of textbooks, lectured the class as they took notes, and there was always some sort of homework at the end of the day.

The invention of computers, the internet, and numerous other electronic devices thankfully changed the way we taught and prepared students for a 21st century education. Printed textbooks are now being replaced by related searches on the internet or even digitalized textbooks accessible anywhere there is internet access. Computers are allowing each student a 1:1 (one computer for every one student) education facilitated through the use of technology. In addition, some classes are being held entirely online, or as a mixture of classroom work and online work. Education will never be the same again.

Online Tutoring Benefits
Once again, just like with the overall school process, technology has changed the way students used to be tutored. Of course, tutoring can still be accomplished one-on-one in a safe setting. But now there is the ability to tutor entirely online without ever having to meet the child in person.

There are numerous benefits to online tutoring that can actually eclipse the experience of in-person tutoring. One of the main benefits is the availability students have now to the best tutors in the world. Geography and distance is no longer a concern. Students are not stuck with having a sometimes below average tutor just because they live two streets over anymore. The tutor could literally be thousands of miles away in a foreign land. They could also perhaps be an expert in the subject area, but now they are only seconds away online.

The student being tutored online can also record the lesson if it is being done on video or go back and read the instructions over again if they do not understand something fully. This means that the tutor does not always have to be available at the exact same time as the student. They can prepare the lessons ahead of time and provide the student extra material if they need it.

Another great aspect to online tutoring is using Google Docs to share documents between the tutor and the student. Interactive lessons and quizzes can be quickly created through Google Docs and shared with the student at anytime. The best part of sharing documents through Google Docs is the ability for both people to be on the document at the exact same time. It really does present an active tutoring session for the student.

Effectiveness
Just like with in-person tutoring, the effectiveness of it depends on the actual tutor. It is essential that both the tutor and student try their best in having a beneficial learning experience. The good news is that there are many online tutors to choose from that have great credentials. If one does not provide the results you are searching for, then move on and find another that is better qualified.

Some parents, though, will always prefer to have their child tutored by someone in-person rather than online. It is just a preference and they feel more comfortable about it. There is something to be said about being able to look someone in the eye and having a discussion rather than being committed to being in front of a computer screen.

Written by Ryan Crawley

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