Tutor.com is an American online tutoring platform that provides a broader range of services than competitors, including sections for the military, schools, governors, libraries, and community colleges. The platform allows students to contact tutors anytime for assistance via interactive tools like videoconferencing. Tutors have different backgrounds and are paid as independent contractors. While Tutor.com provides 24/7 availability across many subjects, the hourly price is higher than competitors, possibly due to tutor costs, and feedback is not heavily utilized in teacher evaluations.

1. Tutor.comCase studyGiantommaso D’AstoltoNEST projectAlta ScuolaPolitecnica VII cycle

2. What is it? Americanon-line platform for tutoringThe range of of offered services is broader than competitors, it also involves sections dedicated to military, schools, governors, libraries and community collegesThe aim is to provide services without time/space constraints

3. HomepageThe homepage shows the multifaceted aspect of the service, which, as mentioned, is dedicated to a broad range of usersThe advertising at the top of the page shows a reimbursement policy, for those who do not get better grades after the experience Great importance is given to recommendations from media and feedback from past users

4. How does it work? Students can contact tutors, whenever they need toThe lesson is run with the aid of interactive tools and can last as long as needed by the studentsThe aim of the teacher is to give an idea of how to tackle a similar problem in the future, not to give a simple solution to an exerciseOnce the lecture is over, the student can watch it again in his/her “locker” where a recorded video is stored together with the rest of the material

5. IT toolsVideoplayeraudioplayer and file sharingfor uploaded lecturesVideoconferences and chatsfor simultaneous interactionInteractive whiteboardsWith equation editor, graphs, 3D drawing, screen sharing, calculatorsShared web browserfor simultaneous interaction

6. Strengths/1 Wide range of subjects, it is supposed to cover the needs of students starting from 4th grade to the first years of University

7. Strengths/2 The service is available 24/7and there is no need to arrange an appointmentThe user can use the service whenever he/she needs to, even if it means doing two hours before the exam

8. Strengths/3 There is a database for connecting to your favourite tutors, so if they are available you can contact them first if they are available

9. Weaknesses The price per hour is higher than the observed competitor, maybe because of the expenses of hiring a tutor staffThere is little use of feedback, teachers are evaluated on the basis of random quality controls on previous sessions

10. Business model Funds are raised from private investors and venture capital firms, the org has on-going partnerships with education institutions Users are supposed to pay a fee according to the profile they want to buy (it depends on the amount of time they plan to use per month)Tutors have different backgrounds (professors, university students, professionals… ) and they are paid as independent contractors (with bonus linked to their performance)

11. Conclusions and take-awaysI is a great model for distance tutoring, especially because of 24/7 availabilityAll the subjects are covered, good use of advertising (the reimbursement policy creates a feeling of trust)For an implementation on a smaller scale we should analyse the cost structure and give more importance to the role of feedback