In Search of an Adequate Yet Affordable Tutor in Online Learning Networks

Learning in a learning network tends to be taxing for tutors, mainly because of the heterogeneity of the student group. Moreover, online learners tend be ´lone´ learners with little or no social contacts in the network. Traditionally, intelligent tutoring systems have been used to provide content related support to individual students. It is argued that these are not a sensible solution for learning networks as they are costly to set up and run, and do not solve the social isolation issue. An alternative solution, peer tutoring in ad hoc communities, is discussed. Although perhaps equally costly to develop, its running costs should be lower. Moreover, an ad hoc community is a first step towards better social connections. And finally, peer tutoring is not a mere community chore, but a rewarding educational experience