Tutoring has been a part of society even before the advent of the modern school system. In the Theban Necropolis near Luxor in Egypt, archaeologists discovered the tomb of Heqareshu, who was literally the tutor for the sons of King Amenhotep III and King Thutmose IV approximately 3,400 years ago in Ancient Egypt. Over the next three millennia, the scions of kings, children of nobles and offspring of wealthy merchants all relied on the services of onsite tutors for their education. Onsite tutoring clearly has some solid credentials to fall back on.
And yet, over the past decade, online tutoring has undergone phenomenal growth. More and more parents and students every day are choosing online tutoring over onsite tutoring. What is driving this sudden shift? Is remote tutoring demonstrably superior compared to in-person tutoring, or is it just a temporary fad?
Let’s delve a little deeper into the subject and perform a review of the pros and cons of both methods of tutoring.
What’s the best type of learning – the internet or in-person? Image courtesy of Pixabay
• Convenience
The convenience of online tutoring is unrivalled. Students never have to leave their room to attend sessions. They only need to sit in front of their computer to begin lessons. Parents no longer need to make physical arrangements of sending them to tutors or scheduling home visits from tutors.
With logistics out of the way, scheduling also becomes easier. Sessions can potentially start as early as 8.00 a.m. in the morning and ends at 11.00 p.m. at night.
• Selection of Tutors
Since distance is no longer an issue, parents and students can choose their choice of tutors from all over the country. They can even read ‘customer’ reviews of tutors. For language subjects, they can also look for native-speaking instructors. The internet has certainly made certain aspects of life easier.
• Safety Factor
Going out of the house or inviting someone into the house carries a certain risk factor, especially in the absence of parents or adults. This is another clear win for virtual tutors – you never have to worry about creeps on the bus, or creepy tutors coming into your home.
• Emotional connection
In-person tutoring triumphs in this category. Onsite tutors can create an emotional connection with their students which will help them to achieve better academic results. Such bonds rarely, if ever, can be replicated over the internet. The bond becomes stronger over time, and many tutors become emotionally invested in the success of their students. They can also provide reinforcements to students and modify the pace and scope of lessons.
This factor is especially important when dealing with severely underperforming students or those suffering from behavioural issues.
• Fun, fun and fun
You would think that online tutors have the edge here – and you’d be wrong. In-person tutors have an advantage in creating entertaining and interesting lesson plans since they can get instant feedback from students.
Moreover, during high pressure periods, onsite tutors can literally pull out a board game and get students to take a break. Of course, the potential for abuse is also there, but experienced tutors know how the effectively morsel out fun times.
As you can now see, both methods of tutoring have their own inherent advantages and disadvantages. You will have to choose the approach that suits you or your child best.