What You Need in Your Online Test-Prep Survival Kit
COVID-19 has turned nearly every aspect of education on its head. Perhaps the biggest change has been how suddenly and completely face-to-face instruction has been flipped into “distance learning.” As a result, students have traded in classrooms for their dining rooms and bell schedules for Zoom calls and Google “Meets.”
Test prep tutors have not been immune to this transformation, either. Quarantines and social distancing have made the idea of running a tutoring center or visiting a client’s home a non-option.
Under normal circumstances, adding online tutoring is a great way to scale your business. In the current climate, it is all but essential.
Left largely to their own devices, most teachers and tutors have learned on the fly how to reach their students. Rather than devising a carefully crafted hardware and software plan, most educators have grabbed whatever tech is at their disposal to MacGyver a way to teach digitally. That said, in the competitive world of tutoring, establishing a remote connection with a client is one thing, but the ability to establish an actual connection with a client is what will build your brand and lead to referrals, testimonials, and growth.
When it comes to distance test prep tutoring, it is not impossible to go toe-to-toe with the big guys. In many ways, e-learning strips away the bells and whistles of fancy tutoring centers and marketing tricks leaving the actual instruction to shine. With the right strategy and a modest investment in the right equipment, you can be up and running to deliver quality content from the comfort (and safety) of your own home.
Make the Right Device Choice
It is technically possible to conduct remote learning from anything with an internet connection: a computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, wi-fi-enabled refrigerator, etc. In actuality, you will have the most success with a laptop or desktop computer.
Phones and tablets are nice, but they are limited in both their function as well as peripherals they support (more on those in a minute). If online tutoring is something you are serious about, establishing a set battlestation in your home to work from needs to be a priority. As such, portability (the main draw of phones and tablets) is not as important. Going with a computer as your base of operations will give you the most versatility, as well as the most bang for your buck.
That said, when choosing a device, consider options that have touchscreen capabilities. This is becoming an increasingly common feature in most modern laptops and Chromebooks. Among other things, touchscreens allow you to use a stylus or pen to scribble and mark up virtual documents in real time much like you would on paper copies in your face-to-face sessions.
Consider Your Software Needs
Once you have a device, the next step is to figure out a way to transmit both yourself and your instructional content to your students. Zoom and Google Meet have gained a lot of traction in this space lately. Both offer useful features like password-protected sessions, multi-user video calls, session chats, and screen sharing. There are other streaming options out there, but these two balance reliable functionality with easy setup and connection on both the tutor and student ends. Moreover, most students have familiarity with one or both of these as they have been schools’ go-to options for distance learning classes. As long as you have a strong, reliable internet connection, either will serve you well.
With that out of the way, you will want to be sure you have software to share content with your students. There are plenty of subscription-based virtual whiteboard apps out there, but if you are using Zoom or Google Meet screen sharing, a program like Microsoft OneNote, Bear (Mac only), or EverNote can get the job done. You can draw, import document files, mark them up, and share the finished products with your students to reference once the session is over.
Use The Best Possible Materials
This should go without saying, but having comprehensive and differentiated instructional materials at your disposal can supercharge nearly every aspect of your tutoring business.
Furthermore, certain materials just translate better to a distance learning environment. In addition to print workbooks and study guides, Clear Choice Prep offers web-based practice tests, worksheets, and differentiated-problem sets that help students grow from where they are to where they are trying to get to. Tutors can share these remotely through distance-learning lessons as well as assign and assess them through a password-protected web portal. From there, reporting features can help surface areas in need of additional practice as well as help steer your future lessons to where the biggest gains can be made.
All of this content - print and digital - is completely white label. It is your branding that your clients will see, not ours. This adds an additional layer of professionalism to your operation that can further separate you from the pack.
To learn more, schedule a free demo to see just how helpful our products and software can be to both your in-person and digital test prep tutoring workflows.
Be Seen and Heard Clearly
Most devices you buy nowadays come with their own webcams and microphones. Just because they’re there, doesn’t mean you should be relying on them.
Upgrading your audio/visual equipment can put an extra layer of shine on your virtual tutoring presentation that shows off your professionalism and commitment. You aren’t an online tutoring tourist, you’ve made it a priority for your business.
Some key pieces of gear to consider include:
Headphones - You aren’t going to be an effective tutor if you can’t hear your students. After all, part of making a human connection with your clients involves really listening to what they say. Invest in a comfortable, quality headset that you can rely on day in and day out. Avoid quirky wireless options that could run out of charge or disconnect mid-session.
Microphone - Just like headphones help you hear your students, a quality microphone ensures your students can hear you. Onboard options on your device or cellphone (or even your headset) may not be awful, but there are plenty of quality USB or analog microphone options that can ensure your instruction and support comes through clearly on the other end.
Webcam - Virtual whiteboards are nice, but part of making a human connection involves being able to see the person you are communicating with. Good tutors are constantly looking for nonverbal clues about things like confusion, understanding, boredom, and energy level. Similarly, your students need to see you to help solidify the trust and understanding that they are being listened to and understood, as well.
A dedicated, high-quality webcam is a nominal investment that can add a lot to the visual side of your instruction. Furthermore, having an external webcam allows you to create a filming environment that is more standardized and optimized than a phone or portable option. A purposefully positioned camera can save you from having to constantly ensure you have proper lighting and a distraction-free background.
Whatever gear you choose, be sure to test everything before you go live with a client. Recruit a friend or family member and have them be your eyes and ears for what your students will see and hear on the other end of your lessons. Once you are sure everything is optimized and reliable, then (and only then) you’re ready to go virtual!
Lastly, as with any educational endeavor, be sure to have a heaping helping of patience. There will be issues. Technology always finds a way to keep you on your toes. Know that there will be times when you need to be both teacher and tech support.
As such, be sure to have backup communication plans with your students to ensure that when these types of problems arise, you can keep the lines of communication open (even if the lesson may have gone kaput). There’s nothing worse than watching an online video chat crash and burn while the affected party has no idea it’s happening.
For more tutoring tips during these unprecedented times (and beyond), be sure to subscribe to our tutoring blog. We are back on a regular schedule of updates and will have plenty to share in the coming weeks and months!
