Tutoring in UK Outsourced to India via the Internet

Here’s a fascinating report from VOA about a company in India called BrightSpark Education which provides one-on-one tutoring over the internet for children in the UK. The prices start from about $20 per hour and each student is paired with their own tutor located in India.

BrightSpark uses Flash online whiteboards and voice calling to conduct its tutoring sessions. The company’s website explains that tutors are based in India because:

India has a long and rich heritage in mathematics as well as a world-class higher education system. We are able to recruit a broad pool of high quality and specialist Maths graduates, fluent in English, who we then ensure are well trained in the UK curriculum and tutoring requirements.

I’m sure cost plays a factor in there somewhere too. Despite the benefits of BrightSpark’s endeavor, many people will certainly wonder whether education is something that should be outsourced at all. Is the teaching process diluted or of any lesser value when it occurs over the internet?

Perhaps most importantly, will organizations who leverage communication technology like BrightSpark affect teachers’ livelihoods in any way? Teachers are paid varying amounts around the world, and thanks to the internet the lower paid ones have the potential to work virtually in a higher paying market if they choose.

Below is an informative infographic illustrating the different salaries that teachers earn in countries around the world. While India is not on this particular chart, it’s interesting to see how the net has leveled the playing field in this particular case.

All technology aside, it’s important to remember what teachers really make.

Photo: mastersdegreeonline