Conceptual Design of a Requirement-based E-tutoring Course at Vienna University of Technology: Increasing Students’ Motivation by Using Videoconferencing

Application of e-learning tools highly modifies tutors’ requirement profiles. Once teachers deploy regular tutors as e-tutors, further competencies (e-skills) are needed to be able to coach students within academic settings. Most publications about education and training to qualified e-tutors show either unique or rather restrictive requirements or are highly extensive and therefore can’t be applied to university demands. Therefore, this paper describes a procedure model enabling to consider university-specific requirements within education and training to e-tutors. The first step of our approach consists of a requirement analysis based on a preliminary questioning of teachers. Results pointed out that teachers demand specific e-skills from future e-tutors, such as e-moderation as well as communication competencies. To increase students’ motivation, our e-tutoring concept was broadened by utilisation of videoconferencing. The application of videoconferencing as the major moderation tool enabled mediating new technology-related experiences to students. In conclusion, it can be stated that videoconferencing highly supported students’ activities, participation as well as motivation within our e-tutoring training. Students also reported high overall contentedness, especially emphasising immediateness of moderation-related experience and gaining insight into authentic tutoring scenarios.