The Future of Singapore’s Tuition Centre Industry
With Covid-19 in Singapore being unexpectedly thrust upon us a few months back, we have since witnessed a number of tuition centres bringing their lessons online, mostly out of lack of choice. Parents may have rejoiced or decried at such a move, citing the benefits and disadvantages of e-learning for their child. However, the situation has only raised an important question to think about: is e-learning the future of Singapore’s tuition centre industry?
Killing 2 Birds with 1 Stone
E-learning classes boast many advantages, such as increased convenience and affordability. Gone are the days where you and your child have to spend time travelling down to the physical tuition centres. Moreover, some tuition centres have slashed the prices against their usual rates, and the pockets of some parents may have recovered, albeit to a small degree. In the long run, saving a few hundred dollars can go a long way, especially during a tumultuous time when Singapore’s economy is in dire decline. For parents who previously have not signed up with a tuition centre, it may even be akin to killing 2 birds with 1 stone, getting quality tuition resources for your child while saving some money. However, to truly reap the full benefits, we also have to examine the potential downsides as well.
The Downsides
The effectiveness of e-learning may vary from child to child. If your child is lagging in understanding key Mathematical concepts, he or she may not be able to reap the full benefits due to the lack of direct attention given in Math e-learning tuition classes. The internet is also a birds nest full of distractions. Studies have shown that when children are given free-reign to their devices, their attention shifts to the source that gives them more satisfaction, which in most cases is not learning. Your child may be more easily distracted during e-learning, no longer being in the best mind space to focus and absorb important concepts. Ineffective learning can prove to be disastrous as your child has the preconceived mindset that s/he is performing well in his or her studies when the opposite may be true instead. Ultimately, it may backfire and even be a waste of money.
Online Tuition is For Your Child Provided …
E-learning requires a high degree of self-initiative and discipline. It is easier to say that you have understood the content over the screen as compared to face-to-face, where a teacher may check your work thoroughly prior to asking. It is thus the child’s initiative to pluck up the courage and voice out their concerns to clarify their doubts. Discipline is also required to diligently turn off all distractions and focus on the tuition lesson on hand. With less accountability for homework submissions, your child also needs to have the motivation to complete the work. Thus, e-learning tuition in Singapore is recommended for such children as well as stronger students whose foundation is already secured and does not require much intervention from teachers.
E-learning tuition lessons may be the future of the tuition industry post-Covid-19, but the heart of learning is still rooted in the warm exchanges between teacher and student, face to face and in the physical classroom of tuition centres in Singapore.