Online tutoring is an option offered by some universities and colleges. With this type of instruction, students receive instruction through the internet from qualified online instructors. Students can complete assignments and complete study materials at any time of the day or night. This allows students to keep their current job and advance their education at the same time.
The process is quite simple. Students access the course material through the internet. Students can view lectures, listen to audio recordings, take online tests, and communicate with tutors through instant messaging or e-mails. Online tutors will assign reading, writing, multimedia, oral examinations, and tests to students based on what they have studied. Students can also request to receive more personal instruction or independent study material.
Students should check the credentials of any online tutoring provider they choose to use. Instructors should be certified in order to provide this service. In addition to being certified, instructors should be experienced in information technology. It is important for students to feel comfortable with their tutors.
Instructors should explain any course material they will be covering. Students need to be prepared to learn about computer files, servers, software, networks, operating systems, and networks. Specific topics should be instructed to all students, and not general information. Specific topics should include the installation of software, application software, internet security, how to configure a router, and setting up a local server. Students may need to review certain information prior to learning it in class. For instance, they may need to know how to reset a password, how to change a hard drive, and how to reinstall software applications.
Students need to understand how to use an online program to achieve their goals. Online tutors may teach students how to use an e-mail server to store their assignments, how to browse the web, how to send email, how to create a virtual lab, how to create word processing documents, how to download information onto a computer, and how to install applications. Specific information technology topics should be taught to students at each lesson and reviewed before moving on to another area.
Online information technology tutors should allow students to become independent contributors. In this way, students will be able to brainstorm and explore new ideas independently. In this manner, students will learn more about different topics and can add new information to an assignment or project after they have read and understood the previous information. Instructors may allow students to revise previously studied material as long as they follow the steps laid out by the instructor.
There are several advantages to using an online tutor. Most importantly, students need not travel to a school site to take an online course. This allows them to get the same quality education that they would receive at a traditional school. Online information technology tutors often make use of webcams to provide visual aids during a lesson, making for a more interactive experience. Students may also access any information technology tutors have on their websites, making it easier for them to learn.