Online Tutoring Teaching Methods 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following best describes 'backward design' in lesson planning?
- Starting with activities and finding objectives later
- Beginning with desired outcomes and designing instruction to reach them (Correct answer)
- Teaching prerequisites before advanced topics
- Reviewing previous sessions before starting new content
Correct answer: Beginning with desired outcomes and designing instruction to reach them
Backward design (Wiggins & McTighe) starts with the end goal and works backward to plan assessments and instruction.
Question 2: A student learns best through movement and hands-on activities. Which online adaptation best supports this learner?
- Provide text-heavy reading assignments
- Use virtual manipulatives and encourage note-taking by hand (Correct answer)
- Reduce session length to limit sitting time
- Focus exclusively on lecture-style delivery
Correct answer: Use virtual manipulatives and encourage note-taking by hand
Virtual manipulatives and physical note-taking engage kinesthetic learners within the constraints of online learning.
Question 3: What is the key difference between summative and formative assessment in online tutoring?
- Formative is graded; summative is not
- Summative evaluates learning at the end; formative guides learning during the process (Correct answer)
- Formative uses multiple choice; summative uses essays
- Summative is done by the student; formative is done by the tutor
Correct answer: Summative evaluates learning at the end; formative guides learning during the process
Formative assessment informs ongoing instruction while summative assessment measures achievement at a defined endpoint.
Question 4: Which strategy helps prevent cognitive overload when introducing a complex new topic online?
- Present all information at once to save time
- Chunk content into smaller sequential segments (Correct answer)
- Use only verbal explanations without visuals
- Assign independent research before teaching
Correct answer: Chunk content into smaller sequential segments
Chunking breaks complex material into manageable units, reducing the load on working memory.
Question 5: A student repeatedly makes the same error in writing. Which feedback method is most likely to produce lasting change?
- Correct every instance of the error for them
- Underline errors without explanation
- Use targeted feedback with a rule reminder, then ask the student to self-correct (Correct answer)
- Avoid mentioning the error to protect confidence
Correct answer: Use targeted feedback with a rule reminder, then ask the student to self-correct
Targeted feedback combined with self-correction promotes active processing and reduces repeat errors more effectively than passive correction.
Question 6: What does 'scaffolding' in teaching mean?
- Providing permanent support structures in curriculum
- Offering temporary support that is gradually removed as the student gains independence (Correct answer)
- Building a rigid lesson framework that never changes
- Using physical props during online demonstrations
Correct answer: Offering temporary support that is gradually removed as the student gains independence
Scaffolding provides temporary instructional support that fades as student competence grows, based on Vygotsky's zone of proximal development.
Question 7: Why is it important to establish learning objectives at the start of each online tutoring session?
- It fills time at the beginning of the session
- It gives students a clear focus and allows them to self-monitor progress (Correct answer)
- It replaces the need for a lesson plan
- It is required by most tutoring platforms
Correct answer: It gives students a clear focus and allows them to self-monitor progress
Clear objectives help students understand what success looks like and support metacognitive self-regulation throughout the session.
Online Tutoring Teaching Methods 3
Which of the following best describes 'backward design' in lesson planning?