Since the pandemic, online tutoring has become ever more popular. Students and parents alike have realised that they can access stellar tutoring from the comfort of their own homes. This has lots of advantages: tutoring becomes easier to fit into busy schedules, students have access to more technology during their lessons, and tutor matching isn’t constrained by location. However, many people understandably feel uncomfortable with children spending more time online.
This article will tackle five common myths about online tutoring and discuss why it can be a great option to support learning.
1
“We won’t be able to develop a real connection online.”
This is the most common concern we hear about online tutoring. A great connection between student and tutor is essential for tutorials, and online is no exception.
Thanks to the professionalism of our tutors and constantly improving technology, strong tutor and student connections online are now the norm. We use a combination of an online whiteboard and Zoom (or other video conferencing platforms) to ensure that tutors and students can talk in a natural way while explaining topics on the whiteboard.
Tutors often find online tutoring even more personal than in-person tutoring! Students are in their own space and therefore feel comfortable, and there are no other distractions as there would be in a public place. Student and tutor are each other’s sole focus for the lesson, and they can work together on the shared space of the whiteboard.
2
“Online tutoring doesn’t prepare students for the real world.”
This point is certainly worth considering in certain contexts, but in fact, online tutoring is often the best preparation.
Since the pandemic, many university and school entrance interviews have been conducted online, and having online tutorials can prepare students for exactly the experience they will have at interview. Equally, many exams now take place online. A fluency with educational technology will stand students in good stead for their future studies. Additionally, tutors and students have abundant resources at their fingertips when working online, meaning that activities can be personalised depending on how the lesson progresses.
3
“Students will be distracted being on their computer or iPad.”
Parents and tutors are often concerned that students will not be able to focus if they are using their computers – most of the time we associate laptops and iPads with being a distraction!
With online tutoring, this idea is turned on its head. Students are used to working on computers, and the interactive nature of online tutoring means that it captures their full attention. The whiteboard takes up the full screen and the technology becomes the student’s focus for the tutorial.
4
“The technology is too complicated.”
Luckily, in today’s world, educational technology has never been easier to use. Platforms like Zoom allow you to connect to someone by just clicking a link, and our online whiteboards allow students and tutors to write on their shared ‘paper’, once again by just clicking a link.
We send detailed instructions about how to use all the technology before lessons start, and our tutors are old hands at explaining how to use each of the tools. Tutors will organise the Zoom meetings and will be able to send the student the whiteboard link in the lesson, so no need to worry if you are not used to working online.
If any technical difficulties do arise, the knowledgeable and friendly team at Oxford and Cambridge Tutors are always ready to help, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.
5
“It will be inconvenient to get online and connected for tutorials.”