An Analysis of the Performance of Synchronous Online English Tutoring

The Meanings of Online Tutoring

The progress of modern technology has made online tutoring overcome the obstacles caused by long distances. Keegan (1996) defined distance education as the quasi-permanent separation of teachers and learners throughout the length of the learning process. After-school tutoring plays a critical role in education because synchronous instruction emphasizes association, concern, humanistic care, and love. E-tutors could understand the meaning of serving people and they could also acquire teaching skills. Most importantly, the unequal allocation of educational resources between urban and rural areas was ameliorated (Huang & Liu, 2015).

This project allowed junior-high or elementary-school students to be counseled or advised on schoolwork. Furthermore, the project was designed to enhance students’ learning motivation, promote local culture, encourage university students to care for society, and put more of the students’ energy into service learning (MOE, 2013).

Synchronous Instruction Applied to Online Tutoring

Synchronous distance learning occurs when a teacher and his or her students simultaneously interact with each other at different places; it is similar to traditional face-to-face instruction, for teachers and students can communicate with each other promptly (Liu & Ko, 2007). Synchronous online classrooms created by synchronous distance learning provide a learning environment that can outperform asynchronous online instruction and traditional face-to-face instruction (Chen et al., 2005). Synchronous technologies benefit users in several ways by enhancing their sense of being connected and providing learners with immediate feedback from their teachers (Yuan & Kim, 2014). Online education has emerged as a popular alternative to face-to-face classroom instruction (Crawford-Ferre & Wiest, 2012).