"The eEducator Module: A New Approach to the Training of Online Tutors"

Well, I didn't see anybody's comments on the last article. I hope I have better luck this time.

The present article talks about training for online tutoring. I think that's an area where we've been weak. A number of us have discussed the difficulty of avoiding editing during a half-hour online session.

The article also addresses the importance of being empathic online. I smiled at one tutor's response: "I opened my e-mail and there were 303 emails. And how do I think of emphathy and God knows what when I'm doing it. I just can't. I just have to go straight to the point and tell them this or that." However, that same tutor later wrote, "You don't have to increase the number of words you say to be more emphathic, it's a question of the words you choose." Clearly, the lesson had sunk in for her.

What a challenging job we have, from so many different fronts! Ideally, we want to see our student writers, whether face-to-face or online, transition "from being dependent on their tutor to working in more self-directed ways." Perhaps we need more formal, structured training for online tutoring.

What challenges do you find in online tutoring? What do you need to become a better online tutor?

Tutoring Session Reflections

Let's use this blog to reflect on some of our tutoring sessions. What went well with your last session? What do you think could have been better? Is there anything else that you would like to share?