Webcams in Online Tuition: Checking Understanding

DeepThink's tutors teach on Zoom. They either share their screen and write on screen, or use Zoom's whiteboard or another digital whiteboard. When a shared whiteboard is used, students can write on screen too.

Students are required to keep their webcams on so our tutors can see each child and speak with them. The camera provides visual contact; the screen sharing or whiteboard carries the written explanation. Those serve different parts of a live lesson.

A camera gives a cue to check in

A student might pause after an explanation or appear ready to speak. A teacher can follow up with a specific question. “Which quantity are you using?” gives the child a manageable part of the problem to explain and helps the teacher decide where to begin.

Looking away while calculating and taking a quiet moment to think are ordinary parts of a maths lesson. The student's answer gives the teacher more information about their understanding. A calculation written on a shared whiteboard can make the method visible as well.

These are examples of questions a teacher can use to follow up on what they notice. At DeepThink, the webcams stay on throughout the lesson, keeping visual contact available while students look at the on-screen teaching and speak with the tutor.

A fraction question shows why written work matters

Take this example: three-fifths of a class are girls, and two-thirds of the girls walk to school. What fraction of the whole class are girls who walk to school?

A student may answer two-thirds because those are the numbers in the second part of the question. Another may multiply the fractions and get two-fifths. A correct answer gives the teacher a starting point, but the explanation shows whether the student understands the changing reference group.

The teacher can ask the student to name the whole in each sentence. Three-fifths refers to the whole class. Two-thirds refers to the girls. Drawing the class as five equal parts, then taking two of the three parts representing girls, makes the connection visible: two of the original five parts meet both conditions.

The teacher can then change the numbers or the question. If half the girls walked to school, what fraction of the class would that be? The student needs to apply the same reasoning and arrive at three-tenths.

The sequence gives the teacher three checks: identifying the quantities, explaining the method and attempting a related question. The webcam supports the exchange, while the answers and written steps tell the teacher what needs attention.

Class size creates time for feedback

Listening to an answer and discussing its method take time. A small group gives the teacher more room for those exchanges. At DeepThink, webcams keep each student visible to the tutor during the live Zoom lesson.

The Education Endowment Foundation's review of small-group tuition defines the approach as teaching two to five pupils together. Across the school interventions it reviews, it highlights interaction, feedback and teaching targeted at specific needs. Teaching quality matters alongside group size: the value comes from how the teacher uses the time with each pupil.

DeepThink's live online classes are capped at 4 and grouped by learning pace. Our tutors lead the teaching, and we open a new class session when the pacing does not fit. Platform practice helps identify what to teach and supports another attempt afterwards. Our online maths tuition page describes the programme.

For example, a shared whiteboard could carry a diagram for the group to discuss. One student might write a label while another explains the quantity it represents. The writing and the spoken explanation give classmates a common reference for their questions.

An online teacher can combine an individual explanation with work for the group. While one child explains, classmates could calculate, check a step or prepare a response. These are ways to use a small group's time; the choice of task depends on what is being taught.

Make room for quieter students

Students contribute in different ways. Some volunteer readily; others prefer time to write before speaking. Our tutors give each child opportunities to respond so they can hear the student's reasoning and understand where to help.

A short question and some thinking time can help a student prepare a response before speaking. When a child is unsure, a teacher could narrow the task: name the quantity, read the relevant sentence or write the first line on the shared board. That gives the student somewhere to begin and lets the teacher build from their answer.

When a student makes a mistake, discussing the relevant step can help them explain what they were trying to do. A teacher can show a correction on screen and ask the child about the method. Another attempt can then show whether the explanation helped.

We organise groups by learning pace so students have work they can begin and explanations they can follow. Our tutors use responses during class and practice between lessons to see where more teaching is needed. A child who needs another example gets help with that particular difficulty.

Seeing a student and hearing an answer

A 2022 study by Händel and colleagues surveyed 3,610 students at one German university. The researchers examined webcam use and verbal contributions as distinct forms of participation, with a limited association between them. Seeing a student and hearing their explanation give a teacher different information.

At DeepThink, webcams provide visual contact on Zoom. Screen sharing or a digital whiteboard carries the teaching, and students can speak with the tutor during the live lesson. When a shared whiteboard is used, their writing can become part of the discussion too.

For example, a student who answers quickly can be asked to explain why their method applies. A student who hesitates can begin by identifying the first step. The tutor gets a clearer view of each child's understanding, and the child gets help aimed at the work in front of them.

Set up the device around the work

Put the device on a stable surface, with room for any notes the student wants to make. The camera should show the student's face with adequate light, and the screen should be readable from their normal sitting position. Choose a simple background and a place where the child feels comfortable speaking with the teacher.

Test the microphone as well as the camera. A student needs to be able to speak clearly when invited and hear another student's contribution. Headphones may help if the room has distracting background sound.

The lesson's on-screen writing comes through screen sharing or a digital whiteboard. On a shared whiteboard, students can contribute their writing directly. A clear view of the board helps them follow the calculation or diagram being discussed.

For younger children, a parent can help with these preparations before class. Once the child is ready, our tutors lead the teaching and discussion. If you would like help arranging the device or study space, contact us before the lesson so we can discuss the setup.

Practice keeps the teaching connected between classes

The DeepThink platform is used to assign homework and extra practice outside class. It is separate from the live teaching on Zoom. The practice includes marking and worked solutions, so students can review an answer and see the steps between lessons.

Parents can support a regular time for that practice and ask the child about one question they worked through. Our tutors handle the teaching and follow up on the difficulties the work reveals. The live class and between-class practice give the child repeated opportunities to ask, attempt and get feedback.

The child's own questions are useful too. “I can start the question, but I don't know what to do after this line” gives the teacher a particular step to revisit. Encourage the child to keep that working and bring the question to the next class.