Is Online Tutoring Worth It

Is Online Tutoring Worth It

Is Online Tutoring Worth It

Contents

    – Principle of online courses

    – Online courses and videoconferencing

    – Advantages and disadvantages of online tutoring

    – Price of these courses

Online courses, a real revolutionary tool!

Online courses are, along with private lessons, group lessons and correspondence courses, one of the main options for tutoring. Online tutoring, unlike private tutoring which has always existed, is a completely new type of tutoring that is done via the Internet.

This type of tutoring is offered in all subjects, from CP to Terminale, and it is of course in accordance with the National Education programs.

Principle of online courses

To benefit from online courses, you must first register on a specialized website. There are dozens of them in all subjects: philosophy, mathematics, French, history-geography, English…

There are different types of online courses:

    – Subject-specific discussion forums: the student asks a specific question and receives an answer as soon as possible from a teacher or another student. There are two types of forums:

        ◦ paid, more personalized forums: discussion with professors who answer questions individually;

        ◦ free forums: discussion with other Internet users.

    – Course and memo card sites with the possibility of tutoring with teachers: lessons (sometimes in video form), application exercises, methodological advice, personalized correction…

    – Interactive exercise sites: application exercises, MCQs, exam annals, etc. Once subscribed, students can access their online courses at their own pace: depending on the formula chosen, this access may or may not be unlimited.

Parents generally have access to a precise follow-up of their child’s progress (report card, personalized assessment…) and can talk by phone with a teacher if needed.

Online courses and videoconferencing

Thanks to advances in information technology and telecommunications, it is possible to use videoconferencing, which is another form of tutoring. The students are in direct contact with the teacher through the Internet. The lessons and the exchange of ideas are carried out by chat thanks to a webcam and a microphone. Lessons are also sent or downloaded by the student.

The student works in a more playful way with the video conference. In addition, the child can be much less stressed compared to a student who has a teacher next to him. Classes are much more flexible and ad hoc sessions can be booked by parents.

The subjects that are most commonly taught by video conferencing are usually foreign languages. This system allows you to converse with a teacher who lives in the country of origin of the chosen language.

Advantages and disadvantages of internet tutoring

Internet tutoring has its advantages and disadvantages.

The advantages

    – The courses are generally an online learning medium that complements traditional teaching;

    – online services are adapted to the specific needs of the child;

    – Students can work at their own pace with real assistance;

    – it is possible to work on the main subjects but also on much more specific subjects such as economics or Latin;

    – it is a flexible service that can be accessed 24/7.

The disadvantages

    – The program is not predefined, so there may be a lack of regularity on the part of the student in taking his or her courses.

    – With the growing number of new tutoring sites, it is essential to choose a serious site that meets the needs of the child, by inquiring about the program and methodology proposed by the latter.

In any case, regular monitoring by the parents is essential.

Price of these courses

The price of online courses is much lower than the price of private lessons because there are no travel expenses, which is a considerable advantage. Access to some sites is free, but this is rare!

The rates are given as an indication and vary greatly depending on the formula chosen:

    – monthly subscription: from $10 to $40 depending on the formula, the class, and the subject(s) chosen;

    – quarterly subscription;

    – annual subscription;

    – payment for each activity…between $4 and $15 per month for a subject.

In addition, there may be an entrance or registration fee.

Good to know: tutoring services and courses are eligible for the tax credit for the employment of a home-based employee if they are carried out at the taxpayer’s residence. Nevertheless, due to the particular circumstances of the health crisis due to Covid-19, tutoring services and lessons that are carried out at home continue, on an exceptional and temporary basis, to be eligible for this tax benefit when they are carried out remotely, and this during the three periods of confinement.