Tele tutor
A tele-tutor supports and accompanies learners in virtual learning processes , usually via the Internet (see tele-tutoring ). Depending on the provider of the qualification , online tutors, tele-tutors, e-trainers or e-coaches are used. In the literature, tele or online tutors are the most popular.
tasks
Support self-directed learning processes
Internet-based learning enables the learner to determine his own learning time and place. This flexibility requires special skills on the part of the learner to control the learning process himself and to motivate himself . A tele-tutor can assist with this, e.g. B. through planning aids or a learning contract , as z. B. is used in classic distance learning.
Support virtual communication processes
The construction of knowledge in a group can be achieved through the various communication tools such as B. forums , virtual classrooms , CSCW or chat can be initiated and supported. The tasks of the tele-tutor include creating an occasion for communication, specifying a time frame and possibly specifying the goals, expectations and communication rules.
Support group activities
Group activities go beyond group discussion. The learners should work on a task together. This is much more comprehensive and requires, for example, the participants to keep agreements and appointments. CSCW tools play a special role here, as they enable the joint processing of documents via the Internet. Tele-tutors must mediate in the event of conflicts in the group.
Professional support
Technical support is often wrongly paid more attention than didactic support. The tele-tutor has the task of giving well-founded feedback on content-related questions. However, it can sometimes be useful to separate the didactic and technical support personnel. This depends crucially on the support concept and the number of participants. Alternatively, several tutors can each supervise a small group of learners. A tutor should usually supervise a group of a maximum of 10 participants.
Technical support
The use of the various communication tools regularly leads to technical problems for the learners. The tele-tutors are the first point of contact here, helping to identify and correct possible causes of errors. In the case of more complex problems, the tele-tutors require the assistance of technical support or refer the participants to them.
Requirement profile
Technical skills
The technical competence is the basic requirement for the activity of a tele-tutor, because he must be able to perform confidently in his own teaching environment and, if necessary, be able to design the learning environment himself. In addition, he must be able to deal competently with technical problems.
Social and communicative skills
Social-communicative competence means the fact that learning takes place in a social context. Since the contact takes place via technical channels, the tutors must react particularly sensitively to the learners. This means that they should be able to articulate themselves and be receptive to the moods of their participants. Under the social-communicative competence that falls communication skills , which is an important prerequisite for successful communication between tele-tutors and participants, and can take place between the participants themselves. The tutor must be aware that written communication does not correspond to verbal communication. Since you usually do not get to know each other personally, you have to hold back when joking and avoid ambiguities . In addition, there is a lack of simple references to the emotional state of the person, as is often conveyed through the tone of the voice, gestures or volume.
Didactic and methodological skills
The didactic-methodical competence is expressed by the fact that the tutor knows methods that can be used particularly well for e-learning and can thus optimally support the learners in self-directed learning.
Media skills
Media literacy is a broad term that refers to various skills in dealing with media. If you put everything together you can say that media competence is made up of media criticism, media studies, media use and media design. A tele-tutor must be able to critically assess his own actions and those of other users and keep his knowledge of media up to date. It is necessary that the tele-tutor has the knowledge how the media possibilities can be used most effectively for their needs. This is the only way to ensure that the new learning environment is interesting for the learners and that they do not feel overwhelmed. In order to impart media skills to them too, tutors could encourage their participants to discuss and reflect on the use of the new media. As a result, they have to assess them critically and can express innovative ideas on other areas of application.
In the best case, a tele-tutor can demonstrate all competencies, although these are of course weighted differently. It must also be noted that in the rarest of cases a tutor combines all qualifications. They "rather represent the ideal of an online tutor on which the tutor training can be oriented."
Communication tools
It is also crucial that the tutor chooses the right communication tool . Since direct face-to-face communication is not possible, tele-tutors need to find out about the various types of communication. With the virtual communication media, a distinction is made between asynchronous (time-shifted) and synchronous (simultaneous) communication. Asynchronous media include B. e-mails, mailing lists and discussion forums . With this communication, the communication partners do not send and receive at the same time, but the message is transmitted with a time delay. That has z. B. the advantage that a message can be sent independently of the recipient. In this way, e-mails can be sent at any time. They remain in the recipient's memory until the recipient has read them.
Synchronous media are mostly used in groups, such as B. Instant Messenger (such as ICQ , Windows Live Messenger ). But video conferences , audio conferences and chats also belong to the synchronous media. With this procedure, the participants can communicate with each other almost simultaneously and thus immediately take a position on a particular matter.
Then there is the distinction between whether the learners receive information ( push media ) or whether they have to collect the information themselves ( pull media ). Push media have the advantage that the messages are sent automatically and thus reach everyone at the same time. On the other hand, the learners then have to adjust to it and process the information at this point in time. This point does not apply to pull media, because there the learners have to show initiative and obtain the information themselves. A combination of both methods is usually used to accommodate the learners.
literature
- Rüdiger Keller: Live e-learning in the virtual classroom. A qualitative study. 2009, ISBN 3-830-04149-7
- Gilly Salmon: E-moderating. The Key to Teaching and Learning Online. Kogan Page 2000, ISBN 0-7494-3110-5
- Christina Rautenstrauch: Tele-tutors - qualification features of a newly emerging profession. Bertelsmann 2001, ISBN 3-7639-0151-5
- F. Busch, TB Mayer: The Online Coach - How trainers can optimally promote virtual learning. Beltz 2002, ISBN 3-407-36395-8
- Christiane Gierke et al .: From trainer to e-trainer. New opportunities for the coach of tomorrow. Gabal 2003, ISBN 3-89749-294-6
- Frank Böhm: The Tele-Tutor - Supervision of teachers and learners in the virtual space. VS-Verlag 2006, ISBN 3-531-15092-8
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ Patricia Arnold, Gerhard Zimmer (ed.) U. a .: e-learning. Handbook for universities and educational centers. Didactics, organization, quality . Education and Knowledge, Nuremberg 2004, pp. 141–146, ISBN 978-3-8214-7235-5 .
- ↑ a b c d Andreas Hohenstein / Karl Wilbers (ed.): Handbook E-Learning . German Economic Service, Cologne 2002, ISBN 3-87156-298-X .
- ↑ Christina Rautenstrauch: Tele-Tutoren. Qualification characteristics of a new profession . In: Norbert Meder (Ed.): Knowledge and education on the Internet . Volume 1, Bertelsmann, Bielefeld 2001, p. 39f, ISBN 3763901515 .
- ↑ Dietrich Baacke: Media competence as a central operational field of projects . In: Dietrich Baacke u. a .: Handbook Media: Media Competence Models and Projects . Bonn 1999, p. 31.
- ↑ Olaf Zawacki-Richter: Support in online studies. Creation of a new educational field of activity . Studienverlag, Innsbruck 2004, p. 115, ISBN 978-3-7065-1916-8 .
- ↑ Christina Rautenstrauch: Tele-Tutoring. On the didactics of communicative action in the virtual learning room . Bielefeld University, 2001.