What do I need to use the Online Classroom?

You’ll join the Online Classroom directly from your Tutorful account on your desktop or laptop computer. Please join the lesson a few minutes before your start time so you’re all ready - you’ll be taken to a countdown screen and then, at the start time of your lesson, you’ll be taken through to the Online Classroom automatically. We strongly recommend performing a browser test before each lesson, as this will ensure that everything is properly set up! Just hit the ‘Test My Browser’ button and this will take you through four simple checks before you join your lesson.

Before the lesson, you should make sure that you have the following:

1. A laptop or computer to run the classroom - unfortunately it is not compatible with tablets or mobile phones.
2. A browser, such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox - whilst you are able to access the classroom on the latest versions of Microsoft Edge and Safari, we have found that these browsers are the most compatible with our platform!
3. A webcam - this can be inbuilt in your computer or it can be an external webcam, just ensure that it is installed appropriately if it is the latter!
4. A microphone - we strongly recommend using a headset with a built-in microphone for the best experience in the Online Classroom. If you don’t have a headset with a built-in microphone, but have headphones and a separate microphone then that will work fine - just make sure you do use the headphones rather than computer speakers to ensure your audio doesn’t cause an echo or feedback for the other user. Apple headphones may cause an echo (echo)!
5. A strong internet connection - we do require an internet speed of at least 6Mbps in order for the online classroom to run without any issues. If you run a browser test and this test is unsuccessful, you can always try using an ethernet cable plugged directly into your laptop or computer, ensuring no one else using the internet during your lesson, or sitting close to the router without too many obstacles (such as walls!) in the way.

If you plan on using the whiteboard for your lessons you may wish to look into a writing tablet - this will allow you to use the handwriting feature on the whiteboard more easily. You can find more information about these online, however please check with your manufacturer that the writing tablet is compatible with your PC/Mac, as some tablets may not be compatible with all models.