Description: This article takes a look at how worldwide tutoring has changed in recent decades and the factors that have influenced the globalisation of the field.
The tutoring landscape has changed dramatically in recent decades. Worldwide tutoring has become more accessible to students in far-reaching corners of the globe.
Technology
The most obvious factor that has influenced ways of tutoring is technology. Traditionally, tutoring took place in the home – either the tutor goes to the student’s home or vice-versa. Many tutees today still prefer this method of teaching as it feels more personal. In addition to this, the tutor can bring physical resources with them to educate the student – this may be in the form of exercise books or worksheets.
However, greater access to technology, such as smartphones and laptops, has allowed for the introduction of new ways of teaching remotely. Tutors and students alike no longer have to factor in travel time and can instead work and learn from the comfort of their own homes. Worldwide tutoring offers greater flexibility in terms of time and money, which is more attractive to students with busy schedules.
Accessing Tutors From Across the World
More importantly students can search for prospective tutors from beyond their town, city or region. Requiring only a stable internet connection and access to apps such as Zoom. This enables students to seek out tutors from other countries to help them in specific subject areas. For example, a student may seek out a native French speaker from France to help them improve their language skills.
In contrast, technology has allowed those in more remote areas to access worldwide tutoring. For instance, a native speaker of Hindi may have found difficulty in seeking out a native English speaker to help them with their English language skills. The introduction of computers and laptops has allowed tutors to connect with students over vast distances. This levels access to native English speakers across the tutoring landscape.
Access to Different Teaching Styles and Methods
As mentioned earlier, traditional methods of tutoring focused on learning from physical textbooks and worksheets. However, remote tutoring has opened up a range of different teaching methods for tutors.
Tutors now commonly use an online whiteboard to educate their students. Unlike textbooks, whiteboards are a more engaging way of teaching. It can also be adaptable to different learning styles. For example, if a student is a visual learner, whiteboards can be used to draw diagrams and visualisations. They are also collaborative, allowing the student to engage with the content and learn interactively.
Also, tutoring traditionally occurs on a 1 to 1 basis. However, more and more tutors are holding group sessions in response to the group call functions offered by FaceTime and Zoom. This allows tutors to provide specialised support to a small number of students, expanding the number of students they can help within a given time frame. Overall, the expansion and implementation of different technologies have not only shaped the ways in which someone can tutor but also who has access to specific tutors.
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