What if private tutors were able to hold their class with students, even if they were scattered across a large geographical area? What if teaching online could combine the benefits of an interactive learning experience with the appeal of a one-on-one teaching session? When you consider the possibilities, online education has the potential to transform private education, as we know it.
It seems implausible at first – after all, most students thrive in a one-on-one learning environment when they interact with their teacher.
However, online learning has always been part of the formal education process for some time. But the lockdown and social distancing have opened up tutors to the possibility of teaching online at an unprecedented scale. We’ve seen a massive increase in digital platforms, like Zoom, which allows us to see and speak to our colleagues across massive distances. Even with a return to (relative) normalcy possible in the near future, it’s safe to say that this trend is unlikely to stop anytime soon.
In recent weeks, there has been a lot of thought given to how students can benefit from online education. However, we have to point out that the benefits extend to the tutors as well, given that, with online education, private tutors have the potential to create more enticing, engaging learning experiences for their students from the comfort of their homes.
When both students and teachers benefit, it becomes clear that teaching online will play a huge role in private tutoring.
Why is teaching online the way forward?
The effects of the pandemic
Due to social distancing and the pandemic, schools have been forced to close down, and students have had to take on online education as the norm for learning. This has opened up online learning to all education levels, making it more familiar and acceptable as a platform for learning.
While it’s unlikely that face-to-face teaching sessions will be completely replaced, it’s hard to believe that online education will be rolled back either. As students become used to online interaction when learning, tutors may also want to consider teaching online as well.
Incorporate multiple assessment styles
When teaching online, you get a better understanding of student progress over time. Most online education platforms have analytics systems, which help you see how students are performing, or in some cases, see how they are responding to certain assessment styles. With this strong background of analytical information, you have the freedom to tweak and customise your course to suit the learning style of each student.
Teaching is more affordable.
Face-to-face teaching is incredibly engaging, but there is no working around the expense and time involved in travelling to a student’s home to conduct the lesson or vice versa. While it is possible to set up classes at a common venue, that leaves the travel cost and time to your students! But when teaching online, you can still deliver engaging lessons, without spending time and money on travelling, making teaching more affordable than before. In addition to the in-lesson benefits, the pre-lesson and post-lesson functionalities that come with the right learning platforms can cast a significant shadow on the need for in-person lessons.
Choose your venue for teaching
Teaching online gives you the freedom to conduct classes, either with several students or with a single student from your home, or any venue you are comfortable in. Online education platforms allow you to interact with your students and create engaging lessons without having to travel, making education a joy rather than a chore. In addition to improving accessibility, this level of remote access also lets tutors access students they wouldn’t have otherwise had access to – especially those in more rural areas.
Embracing the future with teaching online
Teaching online allows tutors to be more flexible in their teaching style, while also making it far more affordable than conventional teaching methods. But most importantly, it gives tutors the means to understand their students better, making it easier to create engaging lessons. Online education not only makes teaching easier for tutors but also makes it more affordable, which is why it’s going to play a huge role in private tutoring going forward.
