Lesson 3: Online Tutoring and Open Learning

PRESENTATION BY : LWANDE OMONDI CHARLES

PROJECT LEADER (e-Learning)ICT CENTER

UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBIemail:

lwande.omondi@uonbi.ac.keCellphone: 0721315118

Recap of lesson 2

• The previous lesson discussed technologies that support Open and Distance Learning

• These include:– CDs and DVDs– Pre-recorded Audio and Video– Email and WWW– Video conferencing– Electronic learning platforms

Overview

• This section discusses how distance learners can be taught online

• Online tutoring involves systematically guiding distance learners through a web based electronic learning platform

• Both learners and tutors are geographically separated

Online tutoring• providing learner with live, teachers that work with them

over the internet on a planned schedule

Target group

• People that do not have time for training but need opportunity to take further education

• They need courses that are written for the specific purpose of self study, fully supported by a team of tutors and completely optimized for the web

Where to start• Student surf website and login using

username and passwords

• After validation, students can access courses they are registered for

• Students can also check who is simultaneously online

Interactions • Students can communicate with other

students and tutors, both to stay motivated and maintain social contacts

• The online system must provide students with different means of communications– Electronic mail– Internet relay chat– Netmeeting or video conference via internet

Monitoring learning progress• Student activities during the course –

starting/stopping, studying modules, contacting tutors or other students

• Each module has estimated study time. Online monitoring checks time taken by a learner to complete a module

• Exercise and self evaluation ensure that student can check their personal progress with regard to content of the course

Introduction sessions

• Students introduce themselves online so as to know each other

• Student receive procedures for starters explaining how to get access to the course system

Online tutor

• For each course, a team of tutors is established

• Teachers with expertise in subject area are involved in supporting the students and evaluating tests

• Communication between tutors and students take place through email and chats

Tutor- student interaction

• Tutor login to the website to find a list of courses and students allocated

• Tutor can retrieve information on contact information, student behavior during the course as well as time spent online

• Tutor can send group messages to students

• The tutor can send newsflash such as announcements of exhibitions, deadlines for assignments etc

Online Administration• Coordinating online learning demands a central

management by means of a database linked to various websites

• Management of students and tutor is taken care of through the administrative part of the study

• Authors are responsible for maintaining their own content

• Administrator manages the learning system – course, team members, student, tutors

• Students can be added to database and registered for courses

Maintaining the course

• Authors receive by means of regular evaluation feedback from students on quality of the courses

• Authors can decide to change the content• System administrator assigns necessary

rights to authors to modify the content• The author makes new version of the

course available to students once modification is done

Conclusion

• Online tutoring is not only more convenient, but it is also incredibly effective.

• Maximizing the benefits of this method, however, requires discipline and a high level of commitment from both learner and instructor.