An Education Revolution

The Big Question - why are students and scholars not getting it right the first time?

Be it the classroom, lecture or seminar room – wherever the place may be – individuals often struggle to grasp complex concepts the first time around. Though the reasons may vary sometimes...from external factors to basic attention spans, there are a whole list of given factors!

For a long time parents, guardians and even teachers/lecturers have been pushing on students and scholars to engage with extra/private tutoring outside of the normal education setups (schools, universities, colleges etc.). Sure an extra bit of grounding helps but concepts not being grasped the first time around opens up a lot of questions. With so many people to cater for in one venue, the concept of capturing an individual's attention can be tricky.

Solutions: well they have been around for a while with private tutoring setups, additional learning materials, supplementary courses and individual tutors - all popular options.

Have the pressures of education and getting accepted into various schools or institutions left individuals spending more time outside of their normal learning environment still trying to learn?

If so, when are young individuals supposed to be actually enjoying their youth? Perhaps that is another question that should be addressed. With only 24 hours in day maybe the historical ideology of the work rat race should be changed from after graduation to well before...

There is however a growing dependency for scholars and students seeking extra help with their educational needs. Leaving a very uneasy chill within the global education system.

From online to reality, FirstStep.me checked out what is happening in the world of education, tutoring setups and tutors - and why a strong movement towards all seems to be a balancing act of sorts.

What they said...

The tutor –

Alisha Gamisch (currently reading for a Degree in Educational Studies at the LMU München in Germany)

Tutoring has become a popular way of part time employment for university students, would you recommend this as an option?

This is a great way in combining studies with earning a decent part time income, further it feels good to help students whom are in need of help. On the other hand it is also a lot of responsibility as parents often expect you to improve their child's grades immediately which of course is not possible. Pressure at school level is on the rise, as good results gain importance for all social classes. This makes it sometimes not easy to be a tutor, but for many pupils tutoring lessons are the only chance to improve their performance at school, especially if their parents are not able to personally provide academic assistance.

What have been interesting or eventful happenings during your time as a tutor?

I am always astonished at what children and young individuals are capable of. The best feeling you can have as a tutor is to see someone that you have tutored develop and achieve goals with your help. The aim of every tutor should be to make him or herself needless, so that the pupil learns how to become self sufficient in their studies . I was lucky to experience this during my time as a tutor and these were the moments when I actually felt proudest of the pupil and also of myself.

The technologist –

Mogesan Naicker (Co-Founder of Praczone.com)

Globally there is a large movement to private and after school tutoring, is this an alarming situation and does this mean that the teaching sector needs more assistance with subject material?

The demand for private or extra lessons - worldwide is a reality. Schools and departments of education may need to update their learning methods and teaching materials to keep abreast of changes in curriculum, learning material, teaching methods and integration of technology in education.

How can the internet be utilized better in terms of an education system?

The internet is readily available to everyone, including children. However, not all learners/schools or countries have adequate access to the internet at affordable rates. Schools, departments of education, governments and private sectors worldwide should take cognizance of this and make determined efforts to supply learners and schools with necessary equipment, such as computers, tablets, interactive white boards, etc. - to utilize this wonderful technology more effectively.

The business –

Robyn Cameron (General Manager of Hire Education)

What do you think is needed in the education sector globally that is currently missing for students?

I think a change is needed - the classic classroom scenario is probably not the way the future will be. Already there are trends towards teachers using tablets and other technological devices in classrooms. I do believe that education globally needs to become more accessible and affordable, with technology possibly being the biggest drive of this. However, there are dangers that go with this, for example - teaching learners to sit in front of a computer screen for many hours a day could be detrimental to their overall well being. I am sure there will be studies done on these sorts of things as online learning and the use of technology for education evolves. Further there needs to be a focus on getting the youth to think for themselves.

Your business model is hiring students to be tutors - how effective is this?

They are intelligent, up to date with the current curriculum, they have recently faced the emotional roller coaster's that adolescents go through. And who better to be able to relate to the learner than someone closer to their own age!

Ezlyn Barends and Mmabatho Mokiti from Mathemaniacs

Is this an industry in high demand and how do you cater for changes in the market in terms of a demand?

This industry is in high demand, we are living in a world where a lot of careers have a focus in the STEM (Science, Engineering, Maths and Technology) fields. Ultimately, every student wants to do well in these subjects and every parent wants their child to do well in these subjects. We currently have students who are attending private schools, but still see the necessity of investing in private tutoring. Nothing is more comforting then knowing that you have a tutor who is fully dedicated to you and your studies. We cater to the changes in the market by adapting and also changing to suit the market. With our learner and educator support programme we design a programme specifically for that school and those students.

Interesting, Cool, Awesome and Challenging...

Referat für Lehramt (StuVe LMU) – Student association for up and coming teachers of the LMU – giving a voice to future teachers. Find out more on their Facebook fan page!

What is also interesting is the huge meta-survey by John Hattie in 2008 comparing over 50000 separate surveys in English speaking countries all over the world concerning what factors influence the learning process. His result: not the size of the class or the school system is essential, but the teacher. Though his findings have been challenged - it seems that one agreeable factor remains, that the education system globally will always need constant attention. Find out more about John Hattie on Wikipedia.

Race To Nowhere - a documentary that illustrates a need for change in the manner in which Education systems are implemented!