Wakoba, S. (2014) Tutor.ng, an online tutoring platform with a marketplace for teachers launches to disrupt online learning in Africa, TechMoran, January 27
I have said several times that I think some of the most interesting innovation in online learning will come out of Africa. This one is an interesting departure: instead of selling online courses to students, Tutor.ng is selling a suite of online services to individual tutors or institutions. Services include:
- an online learning classroom environment (whiteboard, video and audio facilities, document loading)
- content: courses such as ‘Architectural Visualizations’, ‘Financial Management for Small Businesses’, ‘The Smart Looking Dude’ and ‘Personal Make-up Training’. To date, 22 courses are listed
- ability for the instructor to create quizzes and tests
- live chat with students
- mobile support
- and (most importantly) payment collection.
The business model is based not on selling directly to students but to instructors or institutions. Some of the courses are offered free (probably as loss leaders by Tutor.ng) but the integrated payment system presumably allows instructors to charge students for their courses. No credits are offered, but presumably if an institution used the service, they would accredit students.
It will be interesting to see how well this does.
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
Hello, your post clearly covers our model. I’m the Team Lead/Learning Technologist on tutor.ng and I’ll like to shed some light on our model. The reality in Africa is that the current traditional brick and mortar systems can barely cater for 20% of the population willing to learn especially in Nigeria. The Tutor.ng model is one created with the students in mind but driven by Tutors. This focus helps us work closely with tutors in ensuring they deliver quality content and makes us more comfortable promoting the courses directly to prospective students. The tutors on their own part have the discretion of making it free (mostly for personal public promotion) or monetized and most importantly we encourage them to blend it with their existing traditional brick and mortar tutoring model to increase their impact. They are also primarily responsible for promoting their courses while we offer easy remittance for course fees. We believe this will also help with the unemployment issues facing Nigeria and in a larger perspective Africa.
On the other hand, certificate awarding institutions can use this platform to invite students to take their online/blended courses and showcase other products they have to offer in their respective institutions. They also enjoy the benefit of having a wider reach and creating more blended learning products.
Hello Olaugun,
Congratulations, Way to go, this is just but the beginning, I believe that the future e learning lies in Africa. Mr Olaugun would you mind sharing your email address please? I work for eduPad, a company that develops educational apps based on the curriculum. We are leader in educational apps in France and in the United States with over 2 million downloads. We are currently looking for partnerships with African Nations. Please contact me at lucy@edupad.com so that we can discuss this further.
Baby steps but also great strides in the grand scheme of things for Nigeria.
I believe this is only the start of the development and growth of elearning and online learning in Nigeria and indeed in Africa. Not surprised because Nigeria has always been a leader in Africa, and once a leader, always a leader!
http://NigerianExpertsAcademy.com
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