How to Be a Successful Online Tutor

With a quarter of parents having hired a traditional tutor for their children at some point, there is huge potential demand for online tutoring. Although what is going to set you apart online that a tutor cannot do face to face? Well for a start to be a successful tutor you have to be prepared to work at any time of the day or night, you will have to fully commit to provide the student the best education around. Children who sign up with e-tutors watch live broadcasts using video-conferencing or Skype, an on-line telephone/video service. The interactive technology allows students to hear and see their teacher, and to ask questions, while both use a “whiteboard”, like a shared blackboard. With most online tutors charging £15-£27, you are a cheaper option than the traditional tutor and parents are always attracted to cheaper prices, but they also want quality, this is where you come in. If you are teaching a subject you have not got much knowledge on then simply, cook it, plate it up and digest it as quickly as possible.

One of the keys to online tutoring is, not necessarily knowing the answers; but being able to find them quickly and easily. Being a good researcher is key! This will enable you to teach the students to find their own answers as you guide them through different articles. So, do not fret if you don't remember why World War I began - you are not expected to be Encyclopedia Britannica, but, if you can find an article on the reasons quickly, you are one step closer to being a good online tutor.

Becoming a popular online tutor (one requested by the students) takes time and good judgement. The time you spend watching your inbox to jump on open hours is consuming; but once you have a set schedule you are happy with, that time will pay off and you can focus solely on your permanent students. As far as good judgment, this can be a tricky line to walk. Students enjoy talking and getting a tutor' s background or insight into personal issues. A good online tutor can quickly and smoothly re-direct the student back to the work at hand. Tutors are educators, not peers. But, be sure that you do not make the student feel embarrassed or put down for asking questions.

Online Learning Tips

More and more students are leaving the classroom to learn their preferred subjects from the comfort of their own home. Learning online can be a patient or fast paced process, with the option to plough through a course or to simply take it as it comes, working at your own pace and working essentially when you want to fit around your other commitments. Since, online learning relies heavily upon internet and communication technology developing proper skills of communication and the technologies used to deliver online learning is essential. Given that the classes are held over a virtual setting, only proper interaction can help you fight the odds of not being in a traditional classroom. Furthermore, obtaining success through the flexible mode of online learning also relies upon effective time management skills that allow a better balance between studies and other commitments. In order to make learning online a true success the pupil has to be fully committed to the course. 

Although not as strict as a course at school, college or university, the pupil will have to engage with the tutor and the material in order to benefit from learning online. By regularly checking comments from your tutor and working on their feedback, it will ensure you are truly gaining something from the experience. You have to be serious about online education if you wish to succeed, although the slacker approach may appeal to some students, to reel in the advantages of an online education the student has to take the course seriously and it will lead to a path of success. Online study is challenging. It requires self-motivation and self-belief. Success also relies on your ability to know when you've done a good job. Don't forget to reward yourself when you achieve something. Whether it's a chocolate, cup of tea, cigarette or even a beer, at the end of each 4-hour study period or a weekend away at the end of each year completed, giving yourself rewards provides motivation, allowing you to feel like you have deserved the item. It also gives you time to reflect on your achievements. 

What parents don’t know about University education?

Being a parent is hard work, first off juggling family time and a career can be extremely difficult, next is ensuring your child gets the best education at their school. Parents traditionally encourage their children to be the best they can be to truly max out their potential. But how much do parents really know about what happens behind closed doors? Are students getting the full educational experience that they deserve? Nowadays with the University fees at ridiculous costs, are students really reeling in the benefits of such high fees? I think the clear answer is no.

Whereas in school your every need is catered for, at University it is a different story, ‘independent learning’ is encouraged, meaning fewer lectures and less interaction with parents. Luckily speaking from experience I enrolled onto University before the new fees, so I ‘only’ have to pay £3,000 a year, and for that fee I get one lecture every other week. My parents were outraged when I informed them of this. At school, despite the learning perhaps not being perfect, you still have over 5 lessons a day and the emphasis is getting the student to learn as much as they can. At university where you pay to learn, parents do not know how much students are not getting. Sometimes on my course it felt like I was not getting taught how to be a journalist but instead how to pass exams and write essays. Parents should be careful when viewing what university their child goes too, many Universities are taking the easy route and instead of teaching students, they are left to fend for themselves, definitely not worth the ridiculous £9,000 a year right? Parents want the best for their children but how can a student maximize their potential with one lecture a week.

Chinese Tiger Moms: The Cub’s Struggle to Leave the Den

Every weekend, after a busy week of being in school and finishing off the last odds and ends of my degree, I reenter the world of the tiger moms. As an English teacher, I have weekly contact with them, and I dread it, like taking a plunge into an ice-cold pool. It is not because I am afraid of their views on me, but rather that they want to know what my perspective is on their child’s progress. Hmm, what can I say that will appease the somewhat terrifying tiger mom but allow me to come away without the sense of guilt that accompanies lying. “Oh, he’s getting there” (he couldn’t say anything at all last week), or “Well, he’s behaving a lot better this week” (he pulled down his pants and peed on the floor last week (this actually happened!!)), and quite often “She’s opening up so much more now” (she’s actually just moody and has started saying nasty things about me). A little distortion of the truth goes a long way in appeasing the tiger moms’ voracious appetite for success which they pilfer off the backs of their over-worked, under-played children.

A child is a big investment in any society; in the UK it is at least 18 years of hard work and patience for parents, raising their children until they are ready to fly the nest. Generally, after 18 years, parents usually are ready to offload their offspring, sending them out into the world on their own. Following graduation, and sometimes prior to, young adults are expected to earn their own money to pay their way. I have been no exception, where I have the need to be even more self-reliant than my British counterparts, being on my own in a foreign country. I have discovered that in China, the situation is quite different. To generalize, a child in China is probably at least a 25-year investment for their parents. This investment is compounded by two factors: firstly, the need to give ones child a competitive edge in a country of over 1.3 billion people; secondly, the one child policy currently in force across China leading to huge pressure to raise the ‘perfect’ child. This process and investment can lead to parents to take a very close-handed approach to their child’s upbringing, in some extreme cases parents will even follow their children to university to ensure that their living needs are met whilst they concentrate on their studies.

This pressure from tiger parent on their offspring takes its toll on these poor cubs. Often I have walked into a classroom full of children screaming their heads off in ecstasy at the opportunity of being able to ‘have fun’ for but a few minutes in their very full days. I like to ensure that my classes are as fun as they are educational. This is probably not enough to make certain that they will grow up to be well-rounded adults, but I hope they at least get a break from the tedium of their stressful lives. There children who thrive off this pressure, but I cannot imagine that they will be great socialites. Parental mollycoddling may produce academic genii, but I believe that it comes at great social, emotional and practical cost to children. It is of great concern to me that there are adult males and females out there of my age who cannot or may not be willing to wash their clothes, and of course, this does not just include China.

So, what are the returns on parental investments in their children? Well, usually, for an 18-year investment, as is common in the UK, it guarantees parents their children’s love and when needed, support both emotionally and financially. It also usually allows their children to live their own lives, without much interference or intervention from parents. In China, where the 25-year plus investment package is usually the chosen option amongst those who can afford it, returns are usually higher, with male children expected to assume the role of caregiver and parent, supporting a top-heavy family hierarchy on a salary that might only be enough to support a comfortable lifestyle for themselves; female children are expected to find themselves good husbands and to be good wives, this while perhaps working a full-time job themselves. Parents in the UK are not without hopes of having grandchildren, and expect that their children will be responsible to them after leaving home, but perhaps there is more room for deviation, which is reflected in social attitudes to different lifestyles, sexuality and some children choosing not to have children themselves, whereas in China, grandchildren are included in the dividends from their investment. In China, the traditions of previous generations spanning thousands of years cannot be wiped from memory in a single generation, but perhaps it is time for a reality check; current social trends indicate that this way of life in a modern China under the one-child policy is unsustainable.

I am sure that tiger moms, tiger parents wish nothing but for their children to be successful and happy, but it is about time that an objective approach is taken to children’s futures. What is truly best for ones child? What can one manage for oneself without creating extra pressure for ones child? Is it fair to expect ones child to be a source of income and care in return for fulfilling ones duties as a parent? I talk from the position of one who has yet to experience the joys and hardships of parenthood, and my commentary above is a generalization of many complex and varied familial and social situations, but boy, I do worry very much about the cubs that run around in my classroom every weekend. Can they take the heat? 

Resources: Online Education Society
Author: David Janke

Party Life Outweighs Studying in Online Education

Online education in the United Kingdom is starting to take over. Many students are reeling in the benefits of being able to learn when and what they want. Being a student is hard, balancing the workload, social events and the unexpected visit from your parents can be a struggle, this is where online education stands out. Giving students the option to choose a course of their choice and having the freedom to learn whenever they want 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is an enticing prospect.

Being able to learn from the comfort of your own home is an exciting positive from online education, with the UK’s university fees sky rocketing up to over £9,000 a year, online education is a cheaper more convenient way to learn these days.

University, of course, is about so much more than the teaching. There's the socialising, which many people associate in Britain as nothing more than drinking. There's the exciting prospect of living away from home and learning how to cook for yourself. You no longer have curfews, just pure freedom…

Great right?

No, because of these many disruptions, studies seem to slip past the radar, students concentrating on what drink they are buying before a night out seems to prioritise over an assignment. This is where online education comes in. With no timeline, students are free to still do all the exciting things they did before, with the added benefits of not struggling to wake up for a 9am lecture. 

Online education is a form of learning that puts the student in control; no longer do you have to worry about the distracting child in the classroom, no. You have the power to decide what you want to learn, no more boring early maths lectures. You make the decision on what course you want to do and when you want to learn it. The best thing about learning online learning is there is no timescale on learning, whatever the time, whatever the place learning never stops.

Why E-learning Is the Most Beneficial Way of Learning

E-learning is the start of something new, it is fresh, it is effective and it is popular. And for a good reason. If it is done right, it can produce great results by decreasing costs that you would normally pay on tuition and travel, and it will solely focus on improving your performance in the classroom. Also, unlike a one-time classroom session, the e-learning course is available for others; you can access material when you want giving you the power to control your study time.  This also includes the static e-learning course as well as any on-going conversations in networked communities.

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who had not really heard of e-learning and it struck me that maybe the majority of the world may not realise the true value of e-learning.  For people to truly understand the benefits, they will have to try it out.  Understanding e-learning’s value helps you make the best decisions about when and why to use it.

E-learning is the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge dedicated to teaching students material they may have missed out on in a classroom. E-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual education opportunities and digital collaboration. Content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video tape, satellite TV, and CD-ROM. It can be self-paced or instructor-led and includes media in the form of text, image, animation, streaming video and audio. The use of technology of E-learning sets it apart from any competitors; the benefits of e-learning are there for all to see.

Benefits of Online Teaching

There are many benefits for teachers to switch to the cyber world, no longer do you have to deal with students who simply are in school for the ride and you can deal with the pupils who want to learn.

Teaching online has the potential to be a profitable income for those who enjoy spending time on the computer. The younger teachers who have grown up with computers may believe that teaching on the internet is the best method, especially with its popularity amongst young students.

Another benefit of teaching online is that in a distance learning course it is difficult for a student to avoid interaction with the professor. In face-to-face instruction a student can mimic learning by a head nod and a smile. When learning in an online course, the student has to explain his or her understanding in words allowing the teacher to have a clearer assessment of the student's knowledge of the course material, along with reading, writing and computer literacy skills.

Wherever and whenever you have Internet service, you can teach. This is a very convenient teaching position. You can effectively be your own boss, choosing your own hours and negotiating with the student one to one what hours are best for you both. Online teaching can benefit young and old, if you have teaching knowledge and you wish to share this, then teaching online is the platform that stands out above the traditional classroom scenarios.

Acadsoc Unique Online Tutoring Society

We, here at Acadsoc.com would like to welcome you to our unique online tutoring society. We offer an online platform for education that is unlike anything you have seen before. Whether you would like to teach or learn, you need not look any further. We work with over 200 high schools across the world and would love to welcome you to our community.

Our online education system welcomes people from all backgrounds, whether you have been through tutoring in the past or not. We are here to help.

With us you can begin to learn about anything you want, from language to science. We’re here for those more experienced in academia and those who would like to build on their learning.

We have built our community from the ground up, and it ranges from those in primary school education to those in University. 

Acadsoc Provides a New Online Learning Environment

Studying has always been a tricky conundrum, sure you can listen to a lecturer tell you bits of information but how much really sticks in? Especially with the added distractions in a classroom environment, it is easy to miss out on a crucial bit of information because your friend asked for a pen.

This is where online learning and in particular Acadsoc provides an alternative, never again will you miss out on the important bit of the lecture because you were distracted by a loud student at the back of the class. Online learning offers a platform that erases all those potential worries in a classroom. With the freedom to learn when you want at any time of the day, Acadsoc offer a service which never sleeps, if you are an early bird then you can just sign in and start learning at the crack of dawn. Or if you are a night owl then you can work your brain into the early hours of the morning.

The online environment provides easily accessible tutors, you can have the option to talk to your teachers through online chat, email and in a newsgroup discussion. This is ideal as everyone knows the annoyance of waiting around a teacher’s office for hours to ask them one simple question. In the 21^st century online learning is the strongest option available where it offers students to learn what and when they want. 

Opportunity to Gain Knowledge Online

Online education provides pupils with the opportunity to gain knowledge online. For several people, school wasn’t suited to their academic style, someone can be the most intelligent man in the world but if their academic style isn’t suited to, say, classrooms, then their talents are wasted. So perhaps being away from the everyday pressures of a classroom would benefit different people. If this is the case, then an online education is the start of gaining a real education without having to leave your house. 

Nowadays throughout the media, there is extra pressure to succeed and added pressure to do well at school/college/university. The majority of people should feel that they just want a stress free environment without the fear of being hounded by your peers and teachers if you get a question wrong, after all , there is nothing more disappointing than letting yourself down. Learning should be conducted in a stress free environment and this is where gaining an online education stands out from the rest as your grades and performances aren’t watched or criticised by anybody. You set your own targets, pace and standards and it is up to you, and you alone to adhere to them. 

Google Open-Source Course Builder Launched

    It is already not news for Google released its open-source – course builder for most people have known about it on 11^th, September. But I still want to talk a little more about it.

    The newly released open source platform is an experimental version for online education which will give individual educators and universities the ability to create MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) of their own. It is another unexpected innovation of Google and we believe it will be a good tool for online education. Course Builder packages the software and technology to help users create their own online courses material including lessons, student activities and assessments to unlimited numbers of students. There’s also an avenue for live teaching or office hours: the obligatory Google+ tie-in lets educators announce Hangouts on Air sessions. In particular, if you got some knowledge on HTML and JavaScript, you will use it more familiar.

    A discussion forum has been set up for course builder and peter Norvig will be monitoring it to answer top question in two Google Hangouts on September 19 and September 26. Already schools like Stanford, Indiana University and UC San Diego are giving Course Builder a look. If you are interested in, keep an eye on it.

How About the Future of GCSEs

    As the first fall of the proportion of GCSEs awarded an A*-C grade, many arguments and complains are swirling around. Government and some experts of United Kingdom begin to consider the change of England exam system. And most of experts suggest pushing back the assessment age from 16 to 18 according to BBC news.

    GCSEs haven’t been very successful since their introduction because it is impossible to have single exam to cater for all abilities and there have been problems regarding their veracity. Any future plans will need to be based on a suite of qualifications catering for the many different pathways that students might want to follow. In my opinion, GCSEs may be slimmed down to allow pupils to cover more subjects for the current GCSEs can only let schools fit a limited number into the curriculum. Now most curriculum time is given over to examinable subjects and students have to make invidious choices between subjects since they cannot do everything, as many pupils are attending classes or education online to improve their academic skills. If we reduced the number of slots, students could study to a similar depth but in fewer topics.

The Future of GCSEs

    Children develop at different rates and different ages. They need to be free to step up or step down to suit their abilities as they develop. We do need to consider the different subject content, learning styles, home environments and contextual characteristics of students when designing assessment methodologies. The vast majority of young people now stay in education or training until they are 18. We don’t need a school-leaving certificate for 16-year-olds. Instead, we need a general test at 14 to check student progress and help guide subject choices. After that, students should combine academic and hands-on subjects and earn credits towards a high school diploma at 18.

    Anyway, different people have different opinions on this hot topic, but GCSEs is really important. It can be changed or improved, but you should not expect it to be instead. To focus your attention or energy on your academic, it will not be a tough thing to you.