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Why not just hire a tutor in the area?
Well, Skype is starting to catch on among many students and adult learners for some surprising reasons. Remember when Hurricane Sandy wiped out a large portion of the East Coast of the United States. Many families lost everything. However, many parents were able to smooth the blow by allowing their children to keep up with their education through Skype tutors. And, surprisingly, many fell in love with all that Skype learning had to offer their children. In this article, we will introduce you to the wonderful, limitless world of Skype learning. And, we hope it will be a great tool for you, just when you need it!
Is Distance Really a Problem, or an Asset?
To start, many students hesitate to hire a Skype tutor because they believe the distance will stand in the way of learning success. After trying it, however, many were surprised to find this could not be farther from the truth. Skype tutors can be reached from anywhere, anytime! Let’s say you are a college or high school student who wants to keep up on your studies during the summer. However, you have a vacation planned. With Skype tutoring, this is not a problem. You can meet with your tutor while lounging on the beach via a mobile device. With Skype, no distance or traveling adventures can stand in the way of learning! Even more exciting, this works in reverse as well. Skype teachers are easily accessible, whether they live a block away or an ocean away. For instance, say you are looking for a tutor to teach you a foreign language. But, you want the real thing. You want a native speaker. Well, you can hire a Skype tutor that lives in France just as easily as you can hire a local tutor, but you will get much more value for your dollar. Native speakers will be able to teach you about the culture, history and customs—all very important lessons to truly understanding how to use a new language.
Skype Tutors offer more Flexible Learning.
Because of the expenses involved in meeting with students in a central location, many traditional tutors offer a set session length or a minimum session length. For example, many tutors will not meet with their students for any less than a one hour session. However, you may need a little more flexibility to succeed in school or learning a new skill but cannot pay the minimum amount for a short “power” session. For Skype tutors, arranging a half hour session to refresh your memory or answer any last minute questions before a test is more doable. Skype tutors can remain more flexible when they do not have to factor in travel costs and time.
Cut down on your time and financial commitments with a Skype tutor.
While Skype tutors save on time and costs, so do their students. Fitting in a learning session with your tutor is much easier when you don’t have to arrange for time to travel to and from the session. Moreover, you don’t have to pay associated travel expenses, either. Not only do you save on gas costs with a Skype tutor but, you can often cut down on material costs as well. Many tutors use virtual platforms to create flashcards, notebooks and provide virtual lessons. And, you can complete many of these assignments online as well, further saving you in material costs such as pencils, pens and paper.
Do Skype Teachers have the Right Tools to Teach on a Virtual Platform?
So, now we know that Skype tutors can be more qualified, more flexible and cut down on time and costs associated with tutoring. Still, many learners hesitate to hire Skype tutors because they worry the tutor will not have access to tools that sufficiently make up for distance barriers. Well, the world of technology has certainly stepped up to the plate in this regard! Let’s take a look at three of many, many apps and websites Skype tutors use to make learning successful and fun.
- Evernote
Evernote is the perfect app for organizing learning materials on a virtual platform. Tutors can make a notebook for each tutor student. In it, they can insert videos, Skype session recordings, pre-prepared lecture recordings, assignments, relevant articles, and even hand-written notes. On the platform, for example, a history tutor can designate a notebook for different historical periods and organize and store all materials on each period. Moreover, students can search by tags such as “Abraham Lincoln,” or “Civil War” and have instant access to all assignments, handwritten notes, documentaries and any other materials that include those tags. Evernote notebooks are then stored online so you can access them from anywhere, anytime, by simply logging in via phone, PC, tablet or any other internet connected device. Lastly, you never have to worry about organizing handouts or losing session materials, leaving you with an organized subject notebook to reference even years down the line.
- Cramberry.com
On Cramberry, your tutor can either choose from a plethora of already prepared flashcard sets on subjects ranging from Spanish to medical terminology or they can create their own. Then, you, as the student, can log in to the platform from any internet connected mobile device or computer and begin the challenge of answering each flashcard prompt correctly. Amazingly, as you do so, the platform keeps track of which cards you struggle to answer correctly so it can be sure to review them with you more frequently until you’ve mastered them. Lastly, tutors can update sets even on a daily basis.
- Trello.com
Trello is accessible from a desktop computer and almost any mobile device. On it, your tutor can arrange cards on a bulletin-board-like virtual platform. For example, he may label one card “To-Do,” another card, “Doing,” and another “Done.” Your tutor can also create a designated “board” where only your cards are displayed. On each card, you and your tutor can attach documents, make comments, ask questions, assign due dates and label cards with colors. To add a little fun, tutors can even set it up so you can “vote” on which assignments you want to do. And, conveniently, all changes are accessible to both of you in real-time.
Conclusion
So, the next time you are looking for a tutor, consider a Skype tutor. Enjoy a highly qualified, flexible tutor who can teach you anytime and anywhere. Moreover, cut down on costs and time while benefiting from the unique tools a virtual learning platform can offer you to make learning fun, productive and flexible! Visit our forum to discuss topics you would like to learn or teach online.
