Pros and Cons
Covid gave us distance learning. Before that, online teaching was a rare tool. As a tutor, there are things I love and hate about distance learning. Right now, however, lets look at the student experience:
- For the socially anxious learner, it’s a godsend: no common room dramas– yay!
- For the student who has masses of extra-curricular commitments, it also works: less travel, more time.
- It helps kids get to grips with technology (in a grownup way) and there is some gratification to be found whizzing around the web, researching, recording and transmitting their findings.
- There are some amazing online learning platforms: not just generic conference spaces, but sites like Learncube, which market themselves as a virtual classroom. Their tools are specifically designed for education purposes and enable users to upload materials, employ an interactive whiteboard, share media files and, of course, work from anywhere.
In contrast, face to face learning has the added benefit of normalising social experiences. Children say it is easier to learn face to face, which often means they still require the encouragement of a hand at their back to focus their attention.
In my experience, whereas class teaching online was a bit of a shambles, tutoring one to one online is a different beast and infinitely more successful. Many of our tutors at Inkerman agree: online has much to offer in terms of convenience, and the personal connection between tutor and student is as solid as though they are in the same room.
Plus everyone saves on the cost and time of travel.
(If parents are still in doubt, it is possible to enquire for a 30 mins freebie session, to see if your son or daughter is happy with the arrangement).