Is Online Tutoring Any Good?

Given the problems facing the education system, it’s no surprise to learn that the online tutoring market is expanding rapidly. According to a recent survey of 500,000 students in 41 countries, the United States’ educational standards are falling. The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) showed that students in American schools start struggling as early as the fourth grade. Performance deteriorates in middle school and by high school; American students seem to lag far behind their international counterparts.

One of the issues is the standard of teaching according to the report. 55% of physical science teachers in US high schools don’t have a minor in any of the physical sciences. Although online tutoring is said to be the best solution, there are disadvantages that need to be addressed. We look at the pros and cons below.

Benefits of Online Tutoring
Before the internet era, tutoring was a costly process and was often outside the budget of the average family. Now that there are so many competing sites, the cost has come down to an affordable level. In many cases, you can expect to pay in the $20-$35 an hour region though some sites charge in blocks of 30 minutes which is far more convenient for customers. There are some sites that offer 24/7 tutoring for a monthly fee but be careful when choosing such sites. The quality of tutoring must always be placed above quantity.

Instead of having to be available at specific times, it is possible to plan tutoring sessions to suit your child’s schedule. Online tutoring services also allow the child to be assisted for hours at a time or just minutes as a means of brushing up on lessons when a big test is approaching. With so many services available, it should be easy to find one to suit your child’s specific needs.

Online tutoring has also become very advanced in terms of monitoring progress. There are usually weekly/monthly progress reports which show how well the child is performing. With tests and quizzes, online tutoring is actually fun and not something your child will dread. Parents also have a more active role as tutors normally set aside time to talk to them.

Disadvantages
The fact that the tutor is on the screen and not in the room means that the child may not pay attention as there is no physical presence to keep them focused. No matter how good the tutor is, if the child is not paying attention, little progress can be made. One solution is to have a parent in the room during the sessions.

Although most online tutoring services thoroughly vet their employees, there are always a number of low standard tutors that manage to evade detection. However, this is another problem that can be avoided with many companies allowing parents to speak to the tutor before lessons commence to ensure that he/she is a competent teacher.

Despite the fact that online tutoring services are not perfect, most of the potential problems can be dealt with by an attentive parent. With an overcrowded school system causing something of an education crisis, the one-on-one attention of an experienced tutor can make a real difference to children struggling at school. Such a service such be looked upon as a solid investment in your child’s future.

Jason Kay is a blogger for OnlineTutoringLab.com, an online tutoring service rating and review site.