7 skills for the successful e-tutor

Today I read an interesting article entitled: 'Seven habits of highly effective teachers' in the Times Education Supplement.

It's an adaptation of Stephen Covey's self-help book: 'The seven habits of highly effective people' and I'm glad the TES has herded these ideas into a teaching context.

Teachers are under a lot of pressure to perform and achieve good results, and it's not easy for them. They need all the help they can get. The seven habits listed by TES are:

(1) They build confidence, (2) they are not afraid to make difficult decisions, (3) they develop others, (4) they are good communicators, (5) they are non-conformists, (6) they thrive in the company of others and (7) they see the big picture

This got me thinking about the 7 top skills (habits?) that e-learning tutors require to be highly effective. As ever, I value your opinions and invite you to comment on this post. Here are my top 7 skills for successful e-tutors:

1. They support and encourage learners


2. They are not afraid to take risks with new technologies


3. They transfer good teaching skills into online contexts


4. They are good communicators in any medium


5. They are non-conformists


6. They thrive in a culture of change


7. They see the big picture (the social network)

Most of mine are similar to the first list, but I have tried to take the key skills you would see being practised in successful traditional teaching situations and contextualise them in digital learning and teaching environments. No 1 is vital, as often students don't meet the tutor or their peer group on a regular basis, if at all. e-tutors need a range of skills that go beyond the traditional boundaries, and short of being 'mind readers' they need to be aware of the issues distance learners and nomadic students encounter. Taking risks with new technologies is a must - without trying out new things, energy can dwindle, skills can stagnate and new opportunities pass you by. If you are a good teacher in a traditional setting, it doesn't follow you will be a good teaching in an online environment. But it helps. And if you are a bad teacher, these issues will be amplified in online environments, believe me. I firmly believe in being non-comformist to the point where you can confidently question anything and everything. Why must I do it this way? Why can't I try this way instead? Why do I have to use this tool or technology? You get the idea....

Change is something that is constantly with us. Teachers who shy away from innovation and change do not survive for long. In e-learning, change is even more conspicuous, and the good e-tutor adapts, adopts and thrives. Finally, what is the big picture? For me it is this: e-learning is on the increase, and new tools are always available. Best practice in using these new tools for course design, assessment, support and creativity are often learnt from others. Being locked into a good community of practice is a must for the e-tutor. Without a social network, most of us won't survive.

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