From shopping to 'friending', the Internet has changed our lives – even the way we study and learn.
That doesn't mean that the traditional classroom is going away. Nor is it projected that in home tutors will stop offering one on one lessons in your home. Tutoring services will also continue to welcome students anther premises for the foreseeable future.
What is changing, however, is the fact that more and more tutors are using digital tools, in addition to traditional tutoring practices, in order to reach as many potential students as possible, even those in remote areas.
Interactive, online learning will revolutionise education. Not only will it affect where we learn; it also will influence how we learn and what we learn. Gerald Celente
Have you been looking for a tutor, but not able to find one in your neighbourhood?We might have the solution to your problem. Read on to find out more about taking online lessons.
Online Tutoring: All You Need to Know
You'll be pleased to learn that you probably already have a lot of what you need to get started, and that you don't need to rush out to buy a new computer!
If you have a Windows 8 or 10 device, or MacOS Sierra, you are already set.
What really matters is your Internet connection.
For quality learning with your online tutor, you need at least a broadband link to insure against screen freezes and delays in transmission. Fibre-optic would be even better!
A wireless connection is acceptable too, but you need to be aware that there's a risk of low speed or weak signals that might interrupt lesson flow, especially if your computer, tablet or phone is not close to your router.
Here are two accessories you might want to invest in:
-
A quality webcam. While most laptops come with built-in cameras, only the newest desktop screens have cameras. If your computer monitor is a bit older, you will need to buy a camera.
-
Headphones, preferably with a telescopic mic. Most laptops include both a microphone and speakers but they light not be the best quality, while desktop computers will definitely require an external microphone. You should be able to find a good quality, inexpensive headphone easily and we're sure you'll agree that the benefits it offers in relation to online learning make them well-worth the cost.
After investing in online tutoring, why risk the tutor misunderstanding you or you not hearing your Afrikaans tutor clearly?
What Tools Do I Need for Online Lessons?
Today, there are millions of applications floating around cyberspace, with more than two hundred thousand of them dedicated to online education.
Fortunately, you don't necessarily need to buy, install or subscribe to any particular site or software package in order to connect with an online tutor.
Generally, it is your tutor who will suggest their preferred software, but you should always let them know if you have budget constraints and are not in a position to pay for any new software or app subscriptions.
Your tutor might use an interactive whiteboard as an instructional tool. These are especially useful for maths tutoring, or giving a step-by-step breakdown of formulae during a chemistry lesson.
You are probably already familiar with Skype, a peer-to-peer (P2P) video chat platform. It is the most commonly used application for online lessons because, among other features, it offers a screen share function that permits your teacher to see what you are doing while you're doing it.
Zoom is another such platform that incorporates screen sharing. Its added benefit is that it has a built-in recorder, so that you can save your sessions in MP4 format to play between lessons, as a refresher. You do not have to purchase or download or Zoom if you don't want to.
In case you don't already have it, Skype is also available to download for free. However, if you wish to record lessons that you take over Skype, you will have to download a recorder separately.
Skype is a great way for you to stay in touch with your tutor. If, for some reason, you will not be available for your next session, you can simply send a message and plan a different date or time via the platform. How convenient!
You have just completed a calculus assignment from your tutor and want them to see it before your next scheduled session. It is a large file that won't upload to email. How to send it?
Here are some web-based applications that permit file sharing, especially if the document in question is too large to share via email.
-
Dropbox
-
Cloud Me
-
Team Drive
-
Sky Drive
-
Wuala
-
Box
Google Drive and Amazon Cloud also perform file storage and sharing functions.
Who Gives Online Tutoring?
With the current boom in home tutoring across South Africa, there are more and more options for taking online lessons.
You can find online classes through:
-
Tutoring agencies: They offer more than one-to-one and group lessons in their offices. Many tutoring companies have embraced online teaching of academic subjects, for students rom pre-school to undergraduate, and even post-graduate level.
-
You might find a tutoring centre's fees are lower for online sessions because their tutors would not need to leave the office in order to teach you.
-
-
Educational websites: These sites specialise in distance learning, and the best part is that many of them have integrated learning platforms.
- You can easily find free tutoring online, especially if you are looking for science tutors or math tutors.
- Adverts: Whether online or in your local newspaper, you can find tutors offering homework help and other private tutoring services.
In these digital times, the search area for lessons is vast and the choices can be overwhelming.
Finding the best tutor for your academic tutoring needs depends on your situation.
If time is pressing, scheduling lessons with a tutoring centre might suit you, but costs would be higher than for an independent tutor who gives lessons online.
Superprof marries quality to low cost, giving you the best possible choice for online tutoring services and academic success!
You can choose from thousands of tutors that embrace a variety of disciplines at a fair cost, to give you an exceptional learning experience.
On Superprof, you can find:
- Math tutors for arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus
- Science tutors for biology, chemistry, physics and earth sciences
- Tutors for reading, writing and grammar lessons in English, Afrikaans, Zulu, Xhosa, and all SA's official languages.
- Foreign language teachers to help you learn French, Spanish, Mandarin, German, or almost any other language you can think of.
- Mentors to help develop study skills and academic skills.
To find out if your chosen Superprof tutor offers lessons online, simply look at their profile. If they teach online, this will be prominently displayed on their advert.
If you find a tutor whose profile interests you, you can then read the reviews left by their other students to help you decide if they would be the ideal tutor for you.
What Can I Learn Online?
When we think of face to face tutoring, naturally the first thought is for academic support or homework help, and here's how online tutoring can assist:
-
Academic students and those with learning disabilities benefit the most from ongoing, regular sessions with their tutor.
-
If you're about to write Matric finals could do with a short-term, intensive programme focused on test prep.
- If you need to improve your English comprehension skills you can enrol in an online writing lab
-
Engaging a college level private tutor provides the learner with comprehension in engineering or humanities.
- many college students engage in peer tutoring. Ask around on campus if there is any small group tutoring available!
Technology permits online instruction in just about any subject!
You can learn a second language live online. Your French tutor is waiting!
Consider these non-credit, enrichment disciplines.
-
The learning of music – theory and composition
-
piano lessons
-
guitar lessons
-
brass and wind instruments
-
percussion instruments
-
singing lessons
-
Forget lugging your saxophone onto the bus and across town! Your teacher will instruct you in your home, remotely.
-
Get tutored in sports
-
endurance and strength training
-
toning and conditioning
-
stretching and flexibility
-
Tai Chi
-
Yoga
-
Martial Arts
-
Besides enjoying lower fees for online lessons, you will be spared an audience as your coach puts you through your paces. It will be like having a personal trainer, right in your own home!
Doesn't that make you want to put on your leggings and get started?
Ease and Comfort
Much is being made these days of learning environment impacting students' academic progress. Here is how one on one tutoring online can help.
-
E-tutoring online gives students an arena in which they are active participants in their education.
-
Engaging in distance learning can help your scholar become more organised and responsible without unduly causing stress.
-
Working with a peer tutor online helps students gain ability and develop confidence.
Teachers who instruct via webcam know what fun/educational games you/your child should play, virtually guaranteeing you/your technology-loving tyke will be happily engaged in learning while playing, even when not in session.
What Do You Need for Online Tuition?
An accessorized computer with a reliable, fast Internet connection.
Besides that: Your textbooks, an eagerness to learn, a desire to achieve and a goal of success.
How Much Do Online Tutors Charge?
Online lessons are generally cheaper than face-to-face tutoring.
This is because neither you nor the tutor have to spend money travelling, and the tutor does not have to pay for rent and the other overhead costs associated with tutoring from a physical location (other than their homes), which means they can offer their services at a lower cost.
What Are the Benefits of Online Lessons?
Many may think that online lessons are not as effective as face-to-face instruction. Below are the reasons we think you should consider online tuition:
- Flexibility: You can schedule your lessons for the days and times that suit you best.
- Access to a wider range of tutors: You will access to tutors from all around the world, with a wider range of expertise and knowledge.
- Convenience: There’s no need to travel to meet your tutor, and spend time stuck in traffic or rushing to catch public transport. As long as you have access to a connected device and a good internet connection, you can take your lessons wherever you are.
- Individual attention: Your online tutor will tailor the lesson’s content to your unique needs and learning style.
- Variety of subjects: You will have access to a wider variety of subjects online.
- Instant feedback: Your online tutor can provide you with instant feedback on assignments, helping you to learn from your mistakes and improve any weak areas.
- Affordability: Online tutoring is often more affordable than face-to-face tutoring, as it eliminates the need for travel.
- Improved academic performance: Tutoring in general has been shown to improve students' academic performance.
- Increased confidence: Online tutoring can help you gain confidence in your abilities, due to the tailor-made instruction you will receive.
- Better technology: Developments in technology mean that online tutoring platforms have so much more to offer. Tools like video conferencing and interactive whiteboards help to make tutoring sessions more interactive and engaging.
There are pros and cons to online tutoring and face-to-face lessons, and we encourage you to try out both methods, so that you can decide which works best for you.
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
