Introduction: Online Tutoring Dr. Mohammad Daud Khattak Regional Director, AIOU Regional Campus, Peshawar dkhattak@hotmail.com rd_peshawar@aiou.edu.pk

Contents Concept and definition Types of e-tutoring limitations and Advantages Core competencies of e-tutors Planning online lessons Online students management Challenges of e-tutoring Future of online tutoring 4/19/2017

Generations of distance education First Correspondence education before 60 Use of print material 2nd Distance education mid 60s Use of print material + audio taps 3rd Distance education mid 70s Use of print material+A/V taps + broadcast

Generations of distance learning 4th e-learning mid 90s Use digital contents 5th m-learning most recent Use digital content

Learning environments Face-to-face teaching (F2F) Traditional distance learning (TDL) Online learning (e-learning and m-learning) Others Academic person Academic process Academic environment

What is tutoring? Teaching is formal academic process Tutoring is a supplemented effort Tutoring is the process of moderation and facilitation to achieve learning Tutoring is the process of guidance in a specific course/subject Tutoring Tutor

What is a Tutor? Generally a tutor is an academic person who has responsibility of moderation or guidance of the learners through tutoring in the distance learning environment Tutors engaged in TDL referred to as tutors Tutors engaged in online learning referred to as e-tutors e-tutors

Commonalities in all forms of teachers Tutor e-Tutor

Commonalities in all forms of teachers Instruct/guide/coach the learners Manage the learners Asses academic activities of learners Keep record of learners and activities Give advice to learners Many more

Commonalities in tutors and e-tutors

Commonalities in tutors and e-tutors Use of ODL environment Use of especially designed course material Use of ODL methodologies for delivery of course material Use of ODL methodologies in learners assessment Many more

Commonalities in teachers and e-tutors

Commonalities in teachers and e-tutors May have real time interaction with learners Feedback from learners at real time Synchronous discussion Many more

Why e-tutors? Yes e-tutoring is an emerging pedagogy Online teaching is different from F2F and TDL One can not assume that all skills/pedagogy of F2F and TDL will be appropriate in Cyberspace Teaching Online Environment

What is an online environment?

What is an online environment?

What is e-learning?

Learning through online environment What is e-learning? Learning through online environment

Essential elements of e-learning e-contents/digital content Digital communication Interface e-Tutor

Types of e-tutoring e-Writing Lab allows learners to submit draft papers, the tutor respond a feedback within a specified time frame Live Tutoring allows learners to meet with a tutor in one-on-one or more tutoring sessions via a fully interactive online environment e-Questions allows learners to send a specific question for an e-tutor, who will respond within specified time frame 

Limitations of e-tutors Students must have basic IT knowledge Good broadband is required for video based interaction Time difference especially for international e-tutor and/or students Complex calculations may difficult to explain Graphical explanations may difficult – it is much more time consuming to create a graph in e.g. Excel than to sketch on paper Many more

Advantages of e-tutors Uniform tuition is provided to masses Uniform quality course material is provided Free of cost course material No geographic limitations e-tutors do not travel for taking a session e-tutors may not miss a session, if traveling e-tutors can track record of learners using LMS e-tutors can assess learners online Many more

Core competencies of e-tutors General competencies Appropriate use of current technology Understand the Change role of e-tutor Aware of digital educational resources Development of own digital resources Awareness about online ethical issues

Core competencies of e-tutors … Specific competencies Planning and management Plan how e-tutoring will be employed Establish the technical facilities necessary to support e-tutoring Provide administrative support Provide learners with technical and subject matter expertise Initiate activities that will facilitate learning

Core competencies of e-tutors … Specific competencies … Communicating with learners Establish relationships with online learners Communicate appropriately with online learners Competent enough in text chatting Competent enough using audio/video devices Good understanding of official website

Core competencies of e-tutors … Specific competencies … Integrating ICT tools Use Web pages for communication with and between learners Use email for communication Use bulletin boards and discussion forums for communication with and between learners Use text, audio and video conferencing for communication with and between learners Use of MS office for additional support

Core competencies of e-tutors … Specific competencies … Reflecting on student and tutor experiences Editing of e-documents Assess learners' performance Evaluate and continuously improve e-tutoring support

Planning online lessons Study the curriculum of course unit carefully Search and collect available digital resources Filter and select appropriate digital resources Upload the digital material Ensure available online during pre-defined time Strictly follow the defined type of e-tutoring Don’t forget activities of drill and practice Always include feedback of the learners

Online students management Prior students orientation to use LMS Circulate online ethical guidelines Carefully divide students week time for a given course into manageable segments i.e Readings say 3 hours Assignments say 3 hours Discussions say 2 hours  Define deadlines carefully i.e 12:00 pm Assignment#1 submission deadline is May 21, 2014 till 12:00 mid night

Online students management Declare clear directions and be consistent i.e If assignments are required to be submitted via a certain process, then collect all with same process or highly publicize exceptions Timely respond to students questions Generate discussion forums frequently Encourage and engage students to use discussion forum

e-tutors challenges Technological issues Cope with the new technologies Bandwidth issues Technology dependency Digital learning resources Filtering of the appropriate digital resources Development of own digital resources Compatibility of digital resources Production quality of digital resources Content richness, depth, and breadth

e-tutors challenges … Expensiveness initial cost of e-learning service is expensive high initial production cost of online materials update of digital content may expensive tutors must be confident that extra cost is balance with benefits of delivering a course significant time needs to be invested in course set-up and in ongoing maintenance i.e checking links, update e-content etc.

e-tutors challenges … Dependencies on others may be dependent for help i.e search of course materials, software not working, technology failure Accommodate the disabilities students with visual or physical impairments may be difficult to accommodate Most of the time stay online Difficult online text chatting for languages like Urdu and Arabic

e-tutors challenges … Many more Indirect issues faced by e-tutors Lack of students online exposure Not enough or poor online information by online administers Website or LMS interface is not good Students accounts issues Many more

Future of e-tutors Global perspective e-learning is rapidly growing around the world MOOC-Massive Open Online Courses are the hottest trend right now in e-learning Micro-Learning or mini bytes of learning content trend gaining growing popularity i.e Five minute videos, one page documents, focused lessons, small chunks of information, and other flexible activities that may be easily incorporated in a busy daily life The importance and recognition of informal learning through social media

Future of e-tutors Localized perspective inability of standard education systems to address unique needs of each student lack of teaching staff at schools outdated school infrastructural facilities increasing trend of Internet growing demand of new technologies

Thanks to All 4/19/2017