Abstract
This study surveyed 343 undergraduate online tutors in Taiwan to gather their perspectives regarding online tutoring and to investigate their readiness levels for online tutoring. After the tutors taught online for one semester, surveys were distributed. The data were gathered over a period extending from the 2015 fall semester to the 2020 spring semester. Approximately 90% of participants agreed that online tutoring was a good experience and that it made them feel like a useful person. Through an exploratory factor analysis, the Online-tutor Readiness Scale was validated in four dimensions: teaching strategies, technology self-efficacy, motivation for teaching, and online communication self-efficacy. The tutors’ readiness levels for online tutoring were moderately above the average levels. The findings of this study may enhance educators’ understanding of how to apply the Online-tutor Readiness Model in ways that are most beneficial for tutors who teach rural pupils.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
Open data from: https://shorturl.at/efmnA
References
Arbaugh, J. B., & Hwang, A. (2006). Does “teaching presence” exist in online MBA courses? The Internet and Higher Education, 9(1), 9–21.
Bailey, C. J., & Card, K. A. (2009). Effective pedagogical practices for online teaching: Perception of experienced instructors. Internet and Higher Education, 12(3–4), 152–155.
Bandura, A. (2006). Guide for creating self-efficacy scales. In F. Pajares & T. Urdan (Eds.), Self-efficacy beliefs of adolescents (pp. 307–338). Information Age.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84, 191–215.
Bonk, C., Kirkley, J., Hara, N., & Dennen, V. (2001). Finding the instructor in post-secondary online learning: Pedagogical, social, managerial, and technological locations. In J. Stephenson (Ed.), Teaching & learning online: Pedagogies for new technologies (pp. 76–98). Kogan Page.
Chan, G. H. (2020). Intimacy, friendship, and forms of online communication among hidden youth in Hong Kong. Computers in Human Behavior, 111, 106407.
Chappell, S., Arnold, P., Nunnery, J., & Grant, M. (2015). An examination of an online tutoring program’s impact on low-achieving middle school students’ mathematics achievement. Online Learning, 19(5), 37–53.
Chen, C. H., Liao, C. H., Chen, Y. C., & Lee, C. F. (2011). The integration of synchronous communication technology into service learning for pre-service teachers’ online tutoring of middle school students. Internet and Higher Education, 14, 27–33.
Creswell, J. W., Plano Clark, V. L., Gutmann, M. L., & Hanson, W. E. (2003). Advanced mixed methods research designs. In A. Tashakkori & C. Teddlie (Eds.), Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral research (pp. 209–240). Sage.
Ertmer, P. A., & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. T. (2010). Teacher technology change: How knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and culture intersect. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(3), 255–284.
Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory. Aldine.
Hampel, R., & Stickler, U. (2005). New skills for new classrooms: Training tutors to teach languages online. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 18, 311–326.
Hillier, M. (2018). Bridging the digital divide with off-line e-learning. Distance Education, 39(1), 110–121.
Huffman, W. H., Whetten, J., & Huffman, A. H. (2013). Using technology in higher education: The influence of gender roles on technology self-efficacy. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 1779–1786.
Humphry, D., & Hampden-Thompson, G. (2019). Primary school pupils’ emotional experiences of synchronous audio-led online communication during online one-to-one tuition. Computers & Education, 135, 100–112.
Hung, M. L., & Chou, C. (2015). Students’ perceptions of instructors’ roles in blended and online learning environments: A comparative study. Computers & Education, 81, 315–325.
Hung, M. L., Chou, C., Chen, C. H., & Own, Z. Y. (2010). Learner readiness for online learning: Scale development and student perceptions. Computers & Education, 55(3), 1080–1090.
Kearns, L. R. (2016). The experience of teaching online and its impact on faculty innovation across delivery methods. The Internet and Higher Education, 31, 71–78.
Kopp, B., Matteucci, M. C., & Tomasetto, C. (2012). E-tutorial support for collaborative online learning: An explorative study on experienced and inexperienced e-tutors. Computers & Education, 58(1), 12–20.
McFarlane, K. J. (2016). Tutoring the tutors: Supporting effective personal tutoring. Active Learning in Higher Education, 17, 77–88.
Ocak, M. A. (2011). Why are faculty members not teaching blended courses? Insights from faculty members. Computers & Education, 56(3), 689–699.
Osman, D. J., & Warner, J. R. (2020). Measuring teacher motivation: The missing link between professional development and practice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 92, 103064.
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1–6.
Stenbom, S. (2015). Online coaching as a Relationship of Inquiry: Exploring one-to-one online education. Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology. (Doctoral dissertation, KTH Royal Institute of Technology). Retrieved from http://stefanstenbom.se.
Watt, H. M. G., Richardson, P. W., & Smith, K. (Eds.). (2017). Global perspectives on teacher motivation. Cambridge University Press.
Zheng, B., Lin, C., & Kwon, J. B. (2020). The impact of learner-, instructor-, and course-level factors on online learning. Computers & Education, 150, 103851.
Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Self-efficacy: An essential motive to learn. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25(1), 82–91.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology under Grant MOST 108-2511-H-130-002.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical Approval
This study did not have the ethical approval because it meets the Criteria for exempt review in Taiwan as follows: All the participants were the undergraduate students who were junior and senior students. This study does not involve children, inmates, aboriginal people, pregnant women and people with physical or mental disorders or illness. The Criteria for exempt review of ethical approval in Chinese can be retrieved from the National Health Research Institute in Taiwan: http://www.nhri.org.tw.
Informed Consent
All of the experimental participants are the undergraduate students and were recruited from 2015 fall semester to the 2020 spring semester. Participants involved in this study voluntarily took part in the current research after they fully understood the purpose. The volunteers (participants) had the right to decide if they want to complete the questionnaires or not. Accordingly, all participants were informed and consented to voluntarily take part in this research.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hung, ML. Exploring the Perspectives and Readiness of Undergraduate Tutors Regarding Synchronous Online One-to-One Tutoring for Pupils in Rural Areas. Asia-Pacific Edu Res 31, 553–561 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-021-00607-4
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-021-00607-4