Due to the onset of COVID-19, students and teachers are relying on digital technology for learning. The online education industry was already set to grow in the coming years, but the global pandemic has further fueled its growth. This is because students are constantly searching for personalized yet cost-effective tutoring options. Students want tutors that can deliver tailored learning experiences to suit their personal learning goals. A lot of teachers have embraced technological innovations by choosing online teaching jobs, but many are still unclear on how to teach in a virtual setup.
If you are just starting your career as an online tutor, then you are reading the right article. We have compiled some tips for teachers that will help you in starting your journey as an online tutor. Let’s have a look at some of these tips.
Choose a virtual platform
A lot of good virtual platforms like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc. offer telepresence services. With the help of this software, you can connect with the entire class at once to conduct teaching sessions. This software are available for free, but you and your students will have to create an account to connect virtually. Ensure that you follow all the cyber safety measures in creating your online profile. Don’t share the meeting links in the public domain, send them through emails to maintain confidentiality.
Good Audio and visuals
Audio and video quality are important to make virtual interaction effective. The students should be able to see or hear you in the online session. Poor lighting or weak audio can spoil the learning momentum and reduce student engagement. Ensure that you have enough lighting while taking an online session. You can also use headphones with a microphone to reduce outside noise. Take classes from a secluded place in your house that is the quietest.
Know your students
It is always good to know your students before taking an online class. Once you have a better understanding of your student’s learning styles and study goals, you will be better equipped to teach them. This knowledge will help you in creating a good online curriculum for your course. Add innovative teaching ideas based on your student’s needs to succeed as an online tutor.
Follow a schedule
Online teaching requires you to be good at organizational skills. Thus, create a well-planned timetable to make your classes efficient. Set a regular time for classes and office hours. Ensure that you and your students meet all the deadlines for course completion. Set aside some time for unexpected issues that may arise during the online class. Since the classes are online, many international students might take your course as well. Ensure that you keep the time zone differences in mind while scheduling class sessions. You can download a world clock on your computer to track local time in different countries.
Be effective
In a physical classroom, you would be following a set curriculum, and hence you can focus on the teaching job. But, the same isn’t possible in a virtual setup. You and your students won’t be sitting in a physical classroom. Thus, you will have to be more innovative in terms of teaching and creating connections with students. Keep your teaching approach focused to drive more student engagement so that the online sessions become more effective.
Build a student connection
Good student engagement is the key to success in the virtual world. Conduct one-on-one sessions with your students to address their doubts and concerns. Connect with them over the phone or email to offer your support. Encourage discussions in the class by starting blogs, discussion forums, a virtual classroom hub, etc. These forums can be used to share pre-work assignments and study materials as well. By following these methods, you will be able to make students comfortable in your online class and increase student engagement.
Use online repositories
Since all the classes are happening virtually, you have the freedom to design the course to be more practical and interactive. You can use online tools like blogs, wikis, YouTube videos, etc. to teach in the online class. These tools will help you a lot in teaching tough concepts in simpler ways. Adding this practical approach to teaching will enhance the student’s learning experience and engagement. Once the students start enjoying the class, you will feel more confident about your teaching skills.
Gamification and contests
To succeed in the virtual domain, you will have to make teaching more fun. Weekly challenges, games, contests, etc. will help you in making the learning process more interactive and exciting. A lot of websites and applications can be used to explain tough concerts in the class. These online portals use real-life examples to make it easy for students to grasp the concepts. And since playing games is a fun activity for students, they won’t hesitate to try their hands on some of them. Online contests will also motivate students to perform well so that they can win rewards. In short, make learning fun for students so that you can teach them tough concepts.
Encourage collaboration
Collaboration is important in the virtual domain because the students and teachers are not physically present in a classroom. So, you can design certain projects and assessments wherein the students have to work with one another. Also, give them an opportunity to present their thoughts and findings in the classroom. By doing this, students will learn team management, which is an important life skill. Moreover, they will feel motivated to complete the tasks as it’s different from the mundane assignments given in schools. Your aim should be to make students good digital citizens.
With workplaces shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is the right time to take your career aspirations to the digital domain. The above-mentioned points are some important tips and strategies that you can use to better understand the digital classroom’s working and succeed as an online tutor. You can also join any of the good online tutoring services like Etutorworld to transform your career path as an online tutor.
