4 Ways to Make Online Learning Successful - by TutorNerds

4 Ways to Make Online Learning Successful - by TutorNerds Take your teacher and tutor anywhere: 4 ways to make online learning successful Online Edtech has made it so easy for students to be able to learn in the convenience of their home but, they can still utilize this technology when theyre out and about. A well-rounded education includes more than just looking at a computer screen. There are on-the-job experiences, museums, field trips, and travel. Many older students are taking their teacher with them, virtually, so they can experience the world and still have a guide to help them know whats important and what to pay extra attention to. However, this requires some creative communication, and the technology is now advanced enough that teacher and student can communicate almost anywhere check out our in-home online tutoring network TutorNerd. Match with experienced tutors in your area all from the comfort of your home. 1.     Real-time interaction One of the best ways for teacher and student to communicate is through simple real-time interaction. In a virtual world, this means that the student is hearing the teacher’s voice and maybe seeing their face, but theyre not there in person. Students can ask questions and get immediate answers, and teachers can move from one topic to another without advanced preparation. One of the issues here is that its difficult to get a whole classroom of people to meet virtually at the same time, and so this type of online education tends to include private tutoring and consultation. Many students use their video for a brief meet and greet but then find the camera to be a distraction and end up using voice only while they work through their study session or learning material. 2. One-way communication Although initially, one-way communication doesnt seem like the ideal fit, it can work great in an online environment. The instructor can record a lecture or lesson ahead of time and students can watch it or listen to it when they have time. Many online students are working adults or high school students in an alternative learning environment, so they want to be able to study after work or on weekends. Many one-way communication courses still provide a great opportunity for interaction and QA theres just a delay in response. One-way communication can also work great for students working with a private instructor in a different time zone or for lessons that require additional preparation or research on the part of the educator. 3. On-the-go situations Creative communication can even help students learn while they’re out and about. For example, the instructor can record some preliminary information about artwork for artifacts in a museum that their student is planning to visit and the student can listen to these facts and figures in their ear buds while standing right in front of said artifact. In theory, a teacher could pre-record cultural lessons about world heritage sites or practical facts about how to navigate technology. Online students can be in any self-led field trip and still have a virtual teacher there with them. 4. Shared information One of the most important things about making online education successful is to figure out how to appropriately share information. What these days document sharing is readily available through Google Docs and teachers can look at students’ computer screens to help them navigate the world of Internet research by viewing their screen through programs such as Join.Me. Students can even set up a split screen where they have their work on one side and document sharing on another. Although there are many benefits to having two people sitting in the same room at the same time with a piece of paper and pencil, creative communication, and modern technology allows people to get together and learn when they would otherwise never have had a chance to meet. This encourages so much more people to receive their education in an alternative environment and give them the option to do more than just sit in front of a screen while they complete assignments. As more and more things happen online, students will be able to expand their education outside of the classroom. In-home online tutoring is a great way for students to get extra help without interfering with their busy schedules. Check out online tutoring network TutorNerd to learn more! All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.