What Do You Need For Online Tutoring?

Technology can be challenging. I know. When it comes to technology, in any domain, I feel like I’m always a newbie.  

So I can understand the hesitancy most people will have surrounding an online or virtual tutor. But the truth is, it’s much simpler than most imagine. You don’t need special equipment. You don’t even need to download an app.

No matter what set up you use, the first step is always sending the tutor the work in advance. The tutor and student need to be looking at the same material. Fortunately, modern smartphones all have cameras with enough precision that you can “send” a document to someone in just a few seconds. (OK, it might take you or I a little longer. But most kids could totally send that page over in a few seconds.)

What do you need beyond that smartphone? -Nothing.

I routinely do tutoring lessons with just a phone call. We’ll send pictures back and forth, occasionally. But all you need for a virtual lesson is a cell phone.

It’s not quite as good as having an in-person tutor, though. Students will have to do a little more explaining since I can’t see what they’re writing. (Which isn’t always bad.) There’s also a delay when I want to show them something hard to describe in words. I’ll have to write it out, snap a picture, and send it. 

While not 100% as useful, I’d say I regularly capture about 85% of the value of an in-person lesson with a phone call.  

One level up from the phone call is the online whiteboard. I use Bramble.io. You don’t need to download anything; you only need an email and internet connection.

In addition to the whiteboard and realtime speech, we can upload images to the whiteboard and draw on those images. After the lesson, you can playback the entire experience whenever you like.  

Even without the playback, I regularly achieve about 92% of the value of an in-person lesson. With this feature, we’ve added something beyond what comes with an in-person experience.  

So that’s it. You’ve already got what you need to have a virtual math tutoring lesson!  Call today to see what I can do for you.

If you have any ideas on technologies I might not have considered, please reach out and let me know:

Ryan Costa

508-542-7602

rycosta314@gmail.com