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Online tutoring or E-tutoring is a new age learning method. It is a promising career with a great future and is being touted as the next big thing in the domain of learning. Online tutoring is a career especially for those people who consider no service better than teaching and no life better than being with family. There is a wrong notion that online tutoring is a women's field. But many talented men have successfully taken up this career as their profession.
The basic advantage of online tutoring is that the tutor can teach the student from any where, even from the confines of their home. They can take care of their family; do their household work and at the same time get to their students at a pre-fixed time. The best thing about this job is that it can be done part time or full time based on the time available. Moreover it provides a good source of income.
The demand for online tutors is increasing day by day as part of the increase in the amount of outsourced work coming to Third World Nations. Education in countries like the US is very expensive and the tutoring costs are extremely high. Usually parents have to pay $40 to $100 per hour for private tuitions or to American tutoring companies. So they prefer outsourcing this work to countries like India who offer the same quality service at a comparatively less price, normally $20 to $25 per hour. Moreover, there has been a sharp rise in Federal funding towards education and tutoring which makes the role of an online tutor all the more relevant in today's scenario.
Eligibility
To become a teacher in a school/ college in India, B.Ed (Bachelor of Education), M.Ed (Master of Education) and other higher qualifications like TET, Ph.D, NET etc. are required.
In universities and colleges, along with the above qualification, tutors need classroom experience to be selected for teaching online courses. But private companies may demand nothing more than a master’s degree and a thorough knowledge in the particular subject.
Personal Skills : The most and the important attribute needed for a prospective online tutor is the passion for teaching. Though language fluency is a must in this field, the slang or accent won't be a big barrier for beginners, if you can communicate well. One has to be patient and need to respect and understand the culture of the students as they are mostly from a different country. Learning methods and syllabuses may be dissimilar in different countries. While teaching online students from different parts of the world, one has to follow their syllabus and structure. So the tutor may have to get updated and restructured in their subject. Tutoring is a serious activity and requires commitment.
Besides teaching and communication skills, online tutoring is possible only with several other components. They are :
- A personal computer
- High speed Broadband connection
- Microphone and Headsets
- Computer attachable electronic white board or shared screen
- Pen-tablet or digital pen
- Web Camera (only if you prefer video chat)
Career opportunities
With the advent of new technologies, online tutoring has become quite popular. There has been an explosion of online tutoring and mentoring jobs as every training company, college and University are now providing online classes. The work profile of an online tutor is similar to that of a general tutor expect that the lessons are technology enabled.
The major responsibility and duty of an online tutors are :
- Assessment of the students
- Understanding the students weaknesses, strengths and objectives
- Providing academic support to improve their performance through quality online tutoring using all the tools and your own skills and knowledge
Lot of private companies have forayed into the field of online tutoring, that offers online tutoring jobs. The main focus of these online tutoring centers is to provide students, the right environment and best possible guidance through their certified teachers, who understand student needs, having gone through extensive training in teaching methods, student psychology and academic systems. They hire tutors for various subjects. They demand nothing more than a master's degree with a thorough knowledge in their subject. Some tutoring centers cover all grades from kindergarten to undergraduate level. In most of the centers, the working hours are pre-scheduled and committed. Some centers allows the tutor to change the timings/ subjects to suit their availability with prior notice. Teaching time depends on the place where you and your students are living. For instance, if you are an Indian and your student is from the US, you have to take early morning or after midnight shifts or as per the students requirement. If both of you are from the same country, you can choose any time which is convenient for you and your student.
Some companies allow teachers to work from their homes. Even retired teachers can opt for the job of an online tutor.
To become an online tutor, one has to apply in an online tutorial service center with all the details including qualification and experience. The online tutoring companies select the tutor, through an online test or a telephonic interview after which the person becomes an Online Tutor. In most of the private companies, the tutor has to undergo a training programme before they start the job. During this period, he/she will get a picture of the nature of work, basics of online tutoring, training on computer usage, technology tools used for online tutoring and curriculum and syllabus for various grades of the particular country. Most importantly, training also includes language skill development and accent training.
The online tutoring center will arrange and handle every detail, including finding students who require tutoring for the selected tutor. There will be efficient educational managers and a technical team to support the tutor. The employer schedules a class session with suitable students and both the teacher and students are appropriately informed. The teacher needs to login into the account and conduct sessions on a particular chapter or topic during the scheduled time. The teacher can teach concepts, give assignments, conduct tests, rate the papers and announce the results online. Chat room facilities are also provided for better clarification to students. The entire tutoring session can be recorded on the tutor and student's computers. The student can replay the whole session anytime for revision.
Career opportunities are available for teachers from different disciplines like Maths, Science, Computers, English and other languages etc. Other than the regular curriculum topics, online tutors are also required for guidance in various competitive and entrance exams as well.
Career opportunities are available for teachers from different disciplines like Maths, Science, Computers, English and other languages etc. Other than the regular curriculum topics, online tutors are also required for guidance in various competitive and entrance exams as well.
Besides private companies, Online tutors can find openings in professional educational institutions as well as they are moving towards the trend of providing online lessons and lecture sessions to students. Universities and colleges are also employing tutors for conducting their online courses. In these establishments, candidates with classroom experience are selected as online tutors.
With several years of experience in this field, brilliant aspirants can established themselves as an online tutor. He/ she can start organizing web based seminars (termed as webinars) on specific topics for school and college students. Many students are ready to pay for seminars, workshops and lessons posted on the web from reputed teachers/ lecturers. So, the first task is to make your presence felt on the web and then move towards making independent lectures and selling them online.
Job Benefits of online Tutoring
- Able to work from a convenient place of your choice (even from the comfort of your home)
- Flexible working schedule (tutors are able to set their own hours while teaching online.)
- Great opportunity to sharpen your international teaching skills
- Can learn new technology standards
- Ability to improve your communication and tutoring skills, as interacting with pupils around and outside the nation.
- Since there is no visual interaction between the student and the tutor, a tutor can take aid from books, notes etc.
- Attractive compensation package
- Can work as part time and earn extra income
Remuneration in Online Tutors
Online tutoring is one among the top paying career option. The payment in this field varies with online tutoring companies, experience, subject and level of students being handled. The initial pay scale for a beginner in this field usually starts with Rs. 200 per hour which may gradually increases to Rs. 500/- per hour. Once established in this field, sky is the limit for online tutors. One can get anywhere around Rs.16,000 per month to even Rs.2,500 per hour depending on what you are teaching and to whom.
With a promise of flexibility, satisfactory pay packages, and less work hours, e-tutoring is a career that promises you a chance to make a career, just by sitting at home.
In countries like the United Sates, tutoring costs are extremely high. So there is a great demand for online tutors, which is increasing day by day. Finding jobs in other countries where you might be more in demand and which will pay more is always a better option than a job in your local area. The difference in the economies of the countries is the main reason behind the job being more lucrative.
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