8 Qualities That Make an Online School Tutoring Program Effective
Whether a standalone or a supplement to an existing solution, an online school tutoring program can provide your students with the effective support they need to achieve academic success.
But with an overwhelming amount of online tutoring providers on the market, it can be difficult selecting the service that's right for your school.
To help make your search a bit easier, we’ve compiled a list of the 8 top qualities of effective online tutoring solutions below.
1. Offers on-demand availability
Today's students are busier than ever, juggling school work with family time, extra-curricular programs, after-school jobs, household chores, and other activities.
Often, students need academic support outside of rigid classroom, office, and in-person tutoring hours. Effective online tutoring programs offer 24/7 access to expert help and flexible scheduling so students can get the help they need at a time that works for their hectic schedules.
2. Covers key subjects that impact student success
Just as every student is unique, so are their academic support needs. A solid online tutoring service offers tailored guidance in essential K-12 subjects that are aligned to district and student needs.
Equally as important as what subjects are covered is who provides the academic support — Pear Deck Tutor's (formerly TutorMe) community of verified and vetted experts includes experienced teachers, professionals, and upper-level students.
With only slightly more than a quarter of students proficient at writing, according to The Nation's Report Card (NAEP), a quality online tutoring service will also offer academic writing support.
Pear Deck Tutor delivers asynchronous academic writing support via its Writing Lab. Students can submit papers for prompt, in-depth feedback from academic writing experts within hours, helping them polish writing assignments and develop proficient writing skills.
3. Easy to implement and manage
An effective online tutoring program is easy to implement and manage, and should provide robust client support throughout the partnership.
Pear Deck Tutor delivers full integration by partnering with leading LMS providers and offers seamless single sign-on capabilities, connecting students with the help they need in as few clicks as possible.
4. Easy for students to use
An online tutoring program is only as effective as the students' ability to use it. Pear Deck Tutor features a student-first design with intuitive and thoughtful features that enable students of all ages and abilities to easily navigate the platform.
For those students looking to learn on the go, Pear Deck Tutor offers chat-based expert support via the Pear Deck Tutor App.
5. Replicates the best aspects of in-person learning
According to a report from EducationWeek, virtual learning is here to stay. However, for most students, it will not replace in-person learning but rather be offered as a supplement to classroom instruction.
An effective online tutoring platform replicates the best parts of in-person learning to keep students engaged in their lessons.
Pear Deck Tutor has live audio, video, and chat functions to replicate the face-to-face personal rapport established through in-person instruction. This personalized approach helps make students feel more comfortable and likely to participate in the learning process.
6. Provides full access to student data
A crucial aspect of an effective online tutoring program is the ability for teachers to track their students' progress and for administrators to have access to analytics that help them easily manage the program and evaluate its effectiveness.
Through Pear Deck Tutor's Client Dashboard and predictive analytics, educators are alerted before students fall too far behind and are able to readily identify topics students are asking about within a subject to assist with instructional design.
Additionally, administrators and educators can export all tutoring data to CSV or Excel to present invaluable student data to key stakeholders at conferences and meetings.
7. Offers the latest learning tools
Learning Sciences International notes that student engagement is more vital in this post-pandemic era than ever before, with school officials reporting that many students have become more passive, have a lesser sense of belonging, and feel disengaged from learning since returning to the classroom.
The most effective online tutoring programs feature cutting-edge learning tools to enhance student engagement.
Pear Deck Tutor's award-winning Lesson Space provides powerful, versatile learning tools such as virtual whiteboards, screen sharing, and a text editor.
Students and tutors also have access to more advanced tools such as a code editor and Desmos calculator to meet the needs of students who are mastering more complex subjects.
8. Increases educational equity
As noted by The Brookings Institution, inequitable systems of school financing have led to fewer resources in urban schools with a high concentration of minority populations, which is where two-thirds of minority students in the country receive their education.
These students often have fewer learning resources available, such as books, computers, science labs, and other curriculum materials. They also have much larger class sizes, less qualified and experienced teachers, and less access to high-quality curriculum that helps them prepare for college.
An effective online tutoring program enhances access to academic support for all students. Pear Deck Tutor partners with school districts nationwide to offer equitable access to quality learning support at no cost to the student or their caregiver, removing cost and accessibility barriers to student success.
Create a successful online tutoring program with Pear Deck Tutor
There are countless reasons why some students struggle or fall behind their peers in school, including learning disabilities, lack of resources at home or in the classroom, or even boredom or disinterest in a specific subject.
An effective online tutoring platform provides around-the-clock assistance in all core subjects and is easily-accessible for students of all ages and ability levels.
Pear Deck Tutor delivers this essential on-demand support exactly when and where students need it the most.
To learn more about how you can partner with us to help your students unlock their full academic potential, contact us today.
