10 Best Practices of Online Tutoring........

I'am John Smith and i want to utter something about the subject mentioned in the title..:)

Compared with conventional modes of teaching, online tutoring poses its own unique set of challenges. Online educators frequently dabble with questions such as:

How do we achieve learning objectives with maximum student satisfaction?
What steps can we take to make teaching more enriching for tutors?
Which teaching practices will facilitate positive student-teacher interaction?

Whether you employ synchronous or asynchronous teaching methods, or even a combination of the two, your primary goal would be to simplify the processes and enhance the learning outcomes for your students. In this post we address all these concerns and enlist the best practices to help you make the most of your online teaching experience.

#Be Available: Lack of in-person interaction is one of the major challenges in an online tutoring environment. Instead of letting your students depend on course materials, lend a personal touch by making yourself accessible online on a regular basis. Set certain hours a week when students can have a video chat with you or create live online forums for active discussion.

#Be Proactive: It is a good idea to send out a feedback questionnaire to students at different stages of the course. Do they have any complaints? Are they in sync with what you have taught? Do they find your pace comfortable? What can you do to improvise? This exercise will help you take timely measures to address any issues and will make your students feel valued.

#Be Prompt: Nothing is more frustrating than mailing a tutor with a query and waiting for days on end for a reply to pop up in the mail. Respond to mails within a day or two, or if it is something that you need time for, set a deadline and let your students know that you are working on it.

#Be Organized: Research has shown that students who were handed out a detailed course plan reported higher satisfaction and learning outcomes. Create an elaborate course schedule, charting out a timeline for lessons and exercises, and explain learning objectives clearly. This will give your students a chance to prepare in advance and contribute meaningfully to class activities.

#Be Tech Savvy: Online teaching largely depends on technology and glitches such as a system crash or a slow internet connection can ruin a teaching session. Be sure to have a Plan B at hand so that you don't end up wasting your students' time as well as your own. These measures, though small, go a long way in maintaining academic continuity.

#Be Connected: How would you feel about learning from a nameless, faceless tutor? Spend some time on introductions and get to know your students. Give them a chance to connect with each other as well. This will foster a strong student community and group exercises will become a whole lot easier and fun.

#Be Communicative: Be it assignment feedback or deadline reminders, don't miss any chance to touch base with your students. Send regular mailers summarizing class activities and keep your messages clear and concise to avoid any misinterpretation.

#Be on schedule: A delay on part of the tutor can throw an entire course schedule off track. Keep up with the timelines and avoid sitting on assignments and grading for too long. Being punctual will allow you to be perceived as a reliable tutor and will avoid breaks and delays in the course plan.

#Be Open: You need not stick to conventional, bookish methods of teaching. Strike a fine balance between synchronous and asynchronous teaching methods and make learning exciting by initiating open-ended discussions and collaborative projects. Foster creative thinking by encouraging the flow of new ideas and out-of-the-box concepts.

#Be Meticulous: When it comes to education (of any kind), nothing can replace quality. Right from course designing and planning to execution and delivery, make sure that each step is carried out to perfection. Be thorough in your research and offer something beyond what may be commonly accessed through print and online media.

Take Care...!!