Learning is a dynamic process that does not always take place in a four walled classroom. Most educators say that learning is best achieved from experiences and interactions with people outside of school. Traditional learning tools in classrooms are sometimes perceived as boring and monotonous for students. They need an edgy, refreshing and a new way of learning that can enhance their creativity and cultivate the hunger for knowledge. Educators need to create a richer source where students will engage into and start learning.
At Ashmount Primary School in North London, student log on to the Internet and start their Math classes in different way than most traditional schools do. They learn math from their math professors all across the globe in India. Ashmount School is one of the few state schools in Europe that outsources teachers from other countries, mainly in India, through the BrightSpark Education.
BrightSpark Education trains professors in India to teach Math to their students online. They offer quality teaching as the London based company is the one who trains these Indian professors to teach online. The advantage of learning online is that the kid feels confident and in control of how he learns when he do it online. Studies have shown that students who utilize online learning in math develop twice the rate in national tests.
BrightSpark math teachers follow standard lesson plans but they are free to use their own structured teaching style online. Students are more enthusiastic in learning online because it gives them the feeling of exclusive teacher and student learning session that builds trust and fosters open communication which can facilitate effective learning.
But not all agrees to the benefits of online teaching as some believes that outsourcing online teachers is a risky step since they cannot empathize well with the student because of cultural difference and communication barrier with the use of just a headphone and a webcam. For some teachers they just feel threatened that they may lose their jobs to foreign teachers who teach online with a lower salary.
Parents are taking it in a more positive way especially towards online tutoring for their kids. It gives them the option to supplement what their kids learn in school and they can choose among different tutors online based on their qualifications and price per hour. Everything is recorded and documented so parents can review the effectiveness of an online teacher’s style. It will also give their child a peek into the window of the world exposing them to different cultures and values of other nations without leaving home.
Online teaching has its advantages and disadvantages but by trying it out both parents and students can experience the opportunity to see whether it will work for them or not. Whichever way it goes, it is still an opportunity that a student will definitely enjoy.