At the end of March 2020, all schools and colleges had to shut down due to the rising cases of the novel coronavirus. It took a lot of time for people to get used to online learning and tutoring. But as we have almost reached the third anniversary of COVID-19, online systems have become extremely integrated in our lives.
Online tutoring offers students access to a virtual classroom that is suitable and accessible to them at any point throughout the day. It is a platform that generates income and enables service suppliers to impart their expertise. Online coaching has many advantages for students looking to learn or enroll in a course.
With the help of online tutoring, both students and tutors can identify a student's prior knowledge, areas of trouble, and unique learning style. Students who are unable to attend classes on campus can benefit from opportunities and assistance while off campus by using online tutoring.
What are the Pros of Online Tutoring in 2023?
Students and teachers can now interact online at the same time with online tutoring, similar to something in a traditional classroom. This has promised faster connections and data transfer rates with the help of emerging cutting-edge technologies.
Teachers can now show students learning material on their screens while simultaneously working on the material on a whiteboard. The whiteboard enables the tutor and pupil to write on the board in real time and is nothing more than an online equivalent of the physical blackboard in the classroom. Here are a few advantages that online tutoring exhibits:
- Wide Range of Topics: Online primary school tutoring for younger students, aged 5 to 12, focuses almost entirely on Maths and English. Math continues to be very popular as students advance through secondary education, but many tutoring firms, including Pearson, cater to various subjects like Chemistry, Physics, Biology, and even Languages apart from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) education.
- Convenient Method: Considering you can use these online tutoring platforms at any point during the day, you not only cut down on travel time and gas costs, but you can also be out running errands or on your way home from work when your child begins their tutoring lesson. It might be simpler to fit online tutoring sessions around your child's busy after-school routine than it is to bring in local tutors.
- Multiple Tutors to Choose From: Since there are many brands offering online tutoring services, learners now have the liberty to choose the tutors for the subjects they wish to learn. For instance, Vedamo allows online students to ask questions about the expertise of various tutors, and then make an informed decision as per their comfort. With this, you’ll have a tutor of your choice that you want!
- Digital Notes: As per the learner’s understanding and pace, online tutoring can emerge as a method to take digital notes that are less likely to get lost. Students no longer need to worry about losing their notes before an exam! Furthermore, online tutoring also offers students reading material to help them refine their learning curve.
Cons of Online Tutoring Amidst Rapid Digitalization
With online tutoring becoming the new big thing in 2023, rapid digitalization is still not enough to get rid of multiple issues that the industry is likely to face. Amidst the rapid growth of online tutoring in recent times, here are a few cons of the e-concept:
- Bandwidth Issues: Since online tutoring requires a strong internet connection for the teacher to teach their students, the problem of bandwidth issues at times may hamper the learning environment. However, tutors can record video sessions in case they expect an internet outage to not keep their students waiting. For instance, Preply offers offline sessions as well as private tuition to students at affordable rates.
- Lack of Resources: Usually, online tutoring requires a strong bandwidth connection, a laptop or smartphone, a microphone, headphones, and other types of resources that are necessary to help you learn better. However, not everyone has the access to these resources which is limiting the growth of online tutoring.
- Self-Discipline: Physically attending classes fosters a learning environment among peers. In an online environment, this can lead to isolation and a lack of encouragement. Furthermore, online learning requires self-discipline which might demotivate online tutors if students are not keen to learn. However, online tutors can make use of live quizzes and other real-time activities to keep the students engaged.
- Expensive: While you might occasionally discover an online tutoring service that charges less than your local in-home tutor, beware of additional technology costs. It's ideal to use a laptop taking into account the user interface of tutoring platforms. If you don't already have the technology your kid needs to benefit fully from online tutoring, the additional costs could add up quickly.
Online Tutoring: Improving Studying or Declining Learning Curve?
Online tutoring has emerged as a popular method for teachers who wish to do some freelance teaching apart from their everyday jobs. Furthermore, with more acceptance of the concept of e-learning, the industry has witnessed a huge boom in recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Various brands are also offering tutoring services for non-academic subjects including nursing, essay writing, and even preparation for competitive exams.
With some teachers equipped with the right knowledge and skillset, online tutoring becomes a great platform for them to connect with their target audience and get a chance to teach at their pace and understanding. As the rising uncertainty of jobs in many industries continues to face real music, online tutoring is an effective way to provide educational support to students and teaching initiatives to tutors.
