Top Tips To Assess Quality Of eLearning
In the year 2020, 1.6 billion children were unable to attend school in person, but the world put up a united front and ensured that children kept learning at home. Before that, online tutoring options had always existed for quite some time as a way to supplement classroom studying or a way of life for some homeschoolers. But the pandemic changed things by upending lives, and parents struggled to keep their children’s education on track.
Overnight eLearning platforms stepped up their game by ensuring continuity and helping students across the world by providing remote learning options. Still, the question that looms large today is: How to assess quality when enrolling for an online tutoring service?
Sure, the impact of COVID-19 has been a bit unsettling for all children, and there are parents who continue to educate at home as it is the "new normal." But the question is: How to assess the trustworthiness of a platform and judge the academic quality? So let’s explore a little bit by keeping a checklist handy.
Checklist To Keep In Mind When Assessing The Quality Of Online Tutoring Services
Whether The Platform Has Certified Tutors
Yes, this one is an important question, and don’t roll your eyes as there are myriads of platforms providing remote learning available on the web today. In today’s age, a lot of information exists on the web regarding eLearning, which could be correct or incorrect. On the internet, information can be reliable or fake depending on whether it is a paid or unpaid service.
So what’s the benchmark in terms of quality? For this, enroll yourself or your child on a platform that has certified tutors who have undergone a strict verification process. Having undergone a background check enables a student to interact with a pool of dedicated tutors with years of teaching experience. Hence, it is very important to learn from credible sources and subject experts. Most of the time, this information is listed on the webpage and you can check the reviews, ratings, and testimonials provided by fellow students. Moreover, you can also go through the profile of an online tutor and see whether they have a master's or Ph.D., and relevant teaching experience.
After all, the first step is always the safety of the student when it comes to learning online. Remember, reputed tutors with great credentials will always work with a website that is child-safe! That’s what one should look out for.
Say Yes To Smart Teaching Tools
When the issue of quality is at stake, it’s better to review what teaching tools a platform is using. Yes, we’ve all heard about videos, online books, flashcards, quizzes, etc., but nothing comes close to whiteboard teaching.
If you are wondering why, then here’s your answer: The digital whiteboard not only enhances learning but you also have one-on-one personalized guidance from a tutor. This way a tutor personally invests in the student and makes learning easy. Also, the child is able to learn fast and retain it longer.
It’s just like the classroom but the tutor is only there to address the learner’s query. According to journals.physiology.org, “whiteboarding...has the potential to address challenges associated with actively engaging students in science courses for greater learning.” Besides, it’s a great tool to probe a student's understanding of a specific concept. So look out for a platform that uses a whiteboard to tutor online. Apart from that, all teaching tools are great as long as you are able to grasp the lesson well.
Learners Engagement During A Live Class
Is the student excited or looking forward to a live class? Does the tutor help the pupil clear doubts? Well if this is not a yardstick to assess quality, then we don’t know what is. And the best part, all reviews, ratings, and testimonials attest to how good an online platform is. The only word of caution is to look for recent testimonials and not dated ones.
A lot of eLearning sites came up amidst COVID-19, so you need to watch out for the latest reviews and ratings from peers. Keep in mind that the reviews that are not dated are stooges or may not be recent. On the other hand, if a tutor simplifies tough topics and demonstrates different methods to solve a problem, they are a success. This is the platform you should consider signing up with.
Moreover, live sessions are mostly recorded, helping students revise their lectures at any time. So, when a student has the option to review homework and discuss problems that keep them stuck, it’s something worth considering in the long term. Even 24/7 availability could be a factor that can help a novice take an interest in studies. The dictum to assess quality tutoring is simple: You should be really excited to meet the online tutor for a riveting session.
Seek Answers To Your Questions
There are 3 questions you should ask yourself before enrolling on a platform:
- What is going to be taught?
This will help you do the required research and can save you time and money. Suppose a website offers only math tutoring but you need help with all the subjects and multiple topics, then you need to consider other platforms. So choose a site that can help you grow with them and offers subjects from K-12 to college. - What support is going to be offered to the students during the learning process?
Yes, it's a valid question, so give it a thought and take a trial session or interact with chat support to figure out what help is given. Only when you have no doubts, then take the step of signing up. Only when you are satisfied with the quality check, go ahead and check out the subscription plan. - Is the platform in the news?
You should check out if the platform is mentioned on high authority websites. Industry experts talk about only genuine online tutoring platforms that are offering credible services to the student. Go ahead and search the results on the internet and if a good DA website has featured it, you can add it to your list.
Better Grades: A By-Product Of Quality Learning
As litmus tests go, your grades are your proof. Continual improvement in grades happens when you truly start upgrading your knowledge. Alternatively, an improvement in scores attests to quality. It also shows what’s working for you. So set aside any niggling doubts and go for a platform that addresses your queries.
Like Michelle Obama said, “I loved getting A's, I liked being smart...I thought being smart is cooler than anything in the world.” Once you get used to getting A’s with the help of an expert, you most likely will not go back to your old, regular self.
Let’s Wrap Up
Now, there can be many parameters for assessing the quality of online tutoring platforms, but the ones we’ve covered will help you hit the bullseye. Many paid platforms have a demo session for their users. This is a great way to check out the claims by taking the services. It also helps a student shape their mind and make a decision. So before you spend, take a moment and analyze what it is you are looking for.
All in all, a certified tutoring service can aid your studies and help you excel in life. Therefore, make a wise decision today.
