Internet coaching

G'day G'day Folks,

I'm a tertiary tutor with a third of century teaching experience in basic electrical theory, rated in the top 5% of tutors. Due to a down turn in student numbers in the electronics/electrical industry here though I was made redundant.

These days I make a small living as a support tutor offering support in electrical theory, physics, chemistry and more often than not very basic mathematical calculations to adults who have been forced to confront their fears to get employment in their chosen industry.

With the New Zealand dollar taking a down turn compared to the US dollar I should be able to offer good coaching rates to folks with US dollars to invest.

Skype should solve some of the problems for voice communication.

To get set up though I need some advice on how to communicate diagrams via an internet whiteboard style software. Does anyone have any experience in this field they would care to share?

Thanks in advance,

Best wishes,

Reply to
Quentin Grady
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Your problem is distance learning techniques and computing, not electrical engineering. It is equally applicable to distance teaching of any subject. Communicating whiteboard content is not a problem - one technique being the use of standard video conferencing protocols, with a physical whiteboard equipped with a digitiing system that replicates the board content on multi-windowed distant screens.

Personally, I would suggest looking at alternative things to offer.. Have you thought about doing an "English as a Foreign Language" course and combining that with your subjects?

I managed to combine my engineering qualifications with a CELTA to get work teaching technical English all over the World. Almost entirely to engineers and managers wanting to be able to comunicate in English about things like squirrel cage induction motors and multi-protocol adaptive routers. Whilst English teachers are two a penny, technical English teachers are almost non-existent. I asked for, and got,5-10 times the "going rate" and was never short of work.

The beauty is, they generally won't care that you (perhaps) have an "unusual" accent, or that you are of advanced years in a marketplace dominated by the young.

Reply to
Palindr☻me

G'day G'day Sue,

Thank you for replying. In the days when I was a principal academic tutor specializing in AC and DC theory and electronics I used to post here.

It could be a problem for me as I currently have little capital to use for set up. Still I appreciate the approach.

That is quite a remarkable idea, certainly one that had not occurred to me. "English as a Foreign Language" is way out of my field and there a plenty of others trained in the field.

That certainly sounds most attractive. My qualifications are actually in physical chemistry so I don't share the engineering qualifications background that you were able to capitalize on.

Advancing years?! The students I work with face to face find me vibrant. I do a lot of tutoring on how to be a successful student. To keep it real I put myself through the rigours of achieving accelerated learning. Their joke is that they can give me their course and in three days I can crack it. Typically they turn up on Tuesday wanting to knock off some short course on Friday.

Thanks for the thoughtful advice. It is all a matter of knowing what we do best and figuring how to capitalize on it.

Best wishes,

Reply to
Quentin Grady

I (typical engineer) gave up studying English at age 16 with a mediocre qualification in it. TEFL is mostly practical and the qualification (CELTA), I got from a 1 month intensive course. Whilst you are right about the competition, they are almost entirely Arts Types. Nary a scientist or engineer amongst them.

OK, try finding a TEFL teacher who knows what a redox reaction is, or that a periodic table isn't the monthly trip to Benjys...

Really, there are very few TEFL teachers overseas that are much use to anyone in business..

"Vibrant" Wow. I was happy with, "the red witch".. ;)

Reply to
Palindr☻me

Try Webex

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You won't even need skype if you use this. I have attended many online training sessions using this software.

Josh

Reply to
Joshua K. Drumeller

G'day G'day Josh,

Thank you. It is good to have information from someone who has actually used the software for the intended purpose.

Best wishes,

Reply to
Quentin Grady

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