Blog Post #7 (Darius Stewart)

In general, I find the idea of online tutoring to be daunting. As an instructor, for example, I require my students to meet with me in person to discuss their papers because corresponding via countless emails is time-consuming and often ineffectual. Students don't get the immediacy of having my feedback relayed to them in person, nor the comfortability that comes with sharing physical space. There's also another consideration--one's tone can often be misread, which can pose more problems rather than deter them. Also, this mode of asynchronous tutoring--again, speaking as an instructor--requires both student and teacher to be constantly vigilant, participating in a form of email tag that even thinking of it now is exhausting. However, I'm aware that tutoring and teaching have different methods of instruction, I'm still not sure I notice any significant differences in how asynchronous tutoring can substitute for synchronous tutoring in a way that benefits both instructor/tutor and student. Again, I may be exposing my bias, but my position explains the challenges that I find in not only online tutoring in general, but asynchronous tutoring especially.

Comments

  1. UnknownFebruary 26, 2019 at 7:21 AM

    Hi Darius, thanks for this thoughtful post. As I'm working to get online access to an Associates Degree up and running at the prison I think a lot about the points you make here. I think it is possible to support in-person learning with an online environment, but that -- as much data surrounding online coursework and MOOCs in particular states -- students asked to engage in this learning environment unsupported often fail. So your point about the diligence required from both student and tutor/instructor is well taken. I hope there are ways to offer valuable services in the online environment while also encouraging students to take advantage of in person offerings as well.

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