Technology has swept into classrooms across the globe; it has revolutionized how teachers teach and how students learn.
Technology and Tutoring
In fact, today’s students have been dubbed 21st century learners because technology has infiltrated their learning pathways. It only makes sense that tutors should capitalize on the advantages technology brings to learning—especially since they most often deal with students who are in need of extra assistance.
There are quite a few different technological tools out there specifically designed for tutors. These apps, websites, and software programs are meant to help tutors provide efficient and effective means of communications to increase their ability to help beyond the classroom walls. Tutoring agencies now have access to a world of teaching at their fingertips.
Sometimes all that a student needs in order to understand the classroom material is to have that same material presented in a different way. This is especially true with math. While the conventional method of tutoring requires face-to-face meetings at a scheduled, mutually agreed upon location, technology has broken down those logistical and scheduling barriers.
Technology and Tools
Tools like Skype and Google+ Hangouts have modernized the tutor/student dynamic. Students can reach out to tutors when they struggle and tutors can respond with assistance.
Google+ Hangouts offers tutors the benefits of using all the Google+ features as well, so they, again, can extend themselves beyond the brick and mortar to really assist students with their individual learning needs.
Skype offers the benefit of IDroo. This is a fantastic tool for tutors as well. It serves as a whiteboard that can be broadcasted over Skype—a tremendous benefit for students who struggle with math. Tutors can explore different ways of illustrating math concepts with an on demand application.
Scribblar is another fantastic 21st century teaching and learning tool that can greatly benefit how tutors assist students. Similar to IDroo, Scribblar acts as an online whiteboard. On the flip side of just one on one, tutors and students can meet and work together in a group. What makes Scribblar unique is that students can take snapshots of the screen, which they can later refer to if they get stumped in school. In essence, Scribblar allows students to take the tutor’s notes with them to school.
Some tutors have even found ways to make their presentation material more appealing to their digital students. One particular tool that assists in that is Animoto. This technological masterpiece allows tutors to take their presentation material and combine them with music and photos to make the information more appealing to students.
24/7 availability from anywhere
Aside from specific tools, technology in general, has made tutoring a much more efficient process. Using both content management systems like Joomla and WordPress or learning management systems like Moodle and Blackboard, tutors are able to designs specific coursework for students to use to supplement what they are doing in school. Like anything else in life, practice makes perfect, and these technological tools provide students with a practice field for the big game that takes place in the classroom.
Regardless of the app or tools that tutors choose to use, the ultimate goal is assisting students, and technology has made this goal attainable. With a wealth of options, tutors should have no trouble supplementing the material kids are learning in schools.
