Developing an Online Tutoring Platform for an EdTech Startup

When it comes to the quality of education, a lot of factors can directly influence the outcome in either a positive or negative way. The teacher’s persona is one of those factors. And while it is common to opt for an older, more experienced tutor, studies show that peer-to-peer training can be just as effective and beneficial. This model helps to establish a safe, creative environment where students can work as a team, improve their independence level, leadership, and communication skills while staying engaged and truly interested in learning. However, despite all the advantages peer-to-peer tutoring has to offer, there are not many digital solutions that would promote this approach on the market. That is why our client decided to develop an online tutoring platform “for students and by students.” Peer-to-peer training takes off the pressure traditionally associated with education, significantly improving academic outcomes. The learners utilize a modern digital educational platform willingly and on their own terms, which helps them stay motivated and consistent for a long period of time. Another major issue our client is willing to resolve by means of a user-friendly online educational platform is the high cost of education in general and tutoring in particular. That is why they’ve decided to create a tutoring platform that allows the teacher to choose a suitable rate on their own, which means that the sessions can also be held for free. As a result, both the learners and the teachers greatly benefit from taking part in peer-to-peer tutoring via a fail-safe, feature-packed, interactive online platform accessible whenever and wherever you need it.

As a peer-to-peer tutoring solution differs from a typical Edtech software, Light IT Global had to prioritize multiple aspects while developing an online tutoring platform.

As the system should comply with GDPR and CCPA legal regulations, Light IT Global had to take care of the things like the platform’s ability to get parental consent for minors, a “delete the user forever” option, and an ability to collect and package user-related information in a machine-readable format upon request. Naturally, the development of an online tutoring solution required the integration of multiple third-party services. The most notable integrations include Twilio for real-time communications, Stripe as a convenient payment gateway, and Google for quick authentication and automatic calendar event creation/notification. An introduction of a precise matching algorithm enables quick data processing and provides the user with the best result based on the pre-set criteria. Ergo, when the student determines what kind of tutor they are looking for and specifies the number of requirements (location, grade, expertise, availability, rates, languages spoken, hobbies/interests), the system instantly shows them the list of relevant tutors placing them from most to least suitable. Real-time video communication is the most important element of online tutoring sessions but Light IT Global has also incorporated a number of additional instruments that make the lessons more valuable and effective. For example, a low-latency whiteboard helps to visualize the educational material, and an instant text chat simplifies the interaction between the participants even more. As a result, short 30-minute tutoring sessions within the platform ensure maximum productivity and knowledge retention for the students.

A safe and user-friendly web-based online tutoring platform successfully connects students who want to get help with studies, improve their grades, or better prepare for an exam and their peers who want to help others achieve better academic results. Every registered user can try out the roles of both the learner and the tutor, offering their expertise in one or several of 50+ different disciplines. The sessions are conducted 100% online in real time. During the lessons, the users can communicate via video chat and live text chat, share a virtual whiteboard, and exchange files. Depending on the chosen tutor, the sessions can be either free or require payment (the rate is determined by the tutor themselves). The student, on the other hand, has an opportunity to describe their ideal tutor using an extensive filtering system and choose the best fitting option from the list offered by an innovative matching algorithm. The lessons can be either pre-scheduled (not less than 24 hours in advance) or conducted instantly, depending on the student’s preferences and current needs. If an instant session is required, the system will automatically show the list of tutors who are available at the moment. To prevent the platform’s misuse, a “two-strikes” penalty system is introduced. This algorithm defines whether the user didn’t show up for two consecutive lessons or canceled sessions less than 12 hours in advance. If that happens, the user’s ability to book free sessions is restricted until a successful session is conducted. Such a method helps to protect the tutors from irresponsible students and boost the overall efficiency of the educational process.

The work on the project started in 2020, when the need for online education resources was skyrocketing. Since that time, our client has received a market-ready MVP that managed to attract hundreds of students and tutors willing to use innovative technology to faster achieve their academic or professional goals. The solution is easily scalable and can be utilized not only within a particular educational institution or a network of campuses but by K-12 and college students around the world. A well-thought-out unique Edtech solution like this can be easily monetized in several different ways. The most common models for online tutoring platforms like this are freemium, subscription-based, and in-app purchases.