TutorVista

TutorVista Global Pvt. Ltd
Private
Industry Internet, e-learning
Founded Bangalore, Karnataka, India in November 2005
Headquarters Bangalore, Karnataka, India
Products Online tutoring
Website tutorvista.com

TutorVista Global Private Limited is an online tutoring company owned by Pearson geared towards students in grades through high school.[1][2][3] It relies on a combination of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony, instant messaging, a toll-free fax number (allowing review of printed materials), and an electronic blackboard.[1] TutorVista’s operations are entirely located in India, but most of its market is abroad.[4] The company primarily provides academic help by paid subscription to students in English, mathematics, and the sciences.[5] Tutors are required to pass a company training course.[6]

History

TutorVista was founded in 2005 by Krishnan Ganesh and Meena Ganesh.[7][8] Other founding contributors included Srinivas Anumolu, Louise Kumar, and Ravi Kannan. In 2006, Sequoia Capital India and Lightspeed Venture Partners invested more than $10 million in TutorVista.[9]

The company expanded with the acquisition of Edurite, an educational firm in 2007[10] and a partnership with American Book Company in 2009.[11] In 2011, Pearson increased a smaller stake to a 76% majority stake in TutorVista for $127 million[12] and fully acquired it by buying the remaining 20% stake in 2013. At this point Krishnan Ganesh and Meena Ganesh stepped down from all management roles in the Bangalore-based company and Srikanth Iyer was appointed the new CEO.[13]

Criticism

The Economist has suggested that building trust for an unknown Indian brand was the biggest difficulty faced by the company.[14] There have also been several protests in the United States against those organizations that do not allow face-to-face and personalized tutoring. Officials and parents from both local and national bodies have mixed reactions regarding the ethical and practical implications of this trend.[15] In the UK it is estimated that 1 in 4 students is now tutored outside school, with offshore tutoring companies increasingly entering the market.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 Soumya Srinagesh. "Outsourced tutors just an ocean away". CNN News. Archived from the original on 2012-07-13.
  2. ↑ Electronic Services: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools and Applications. Contemporary research in information science and technology. Information Science Reference. 2010. pp. 1225–1233. ISBN 978-1-61520-968-2. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  3. ↑ Berg, G.A. (2009). Cases on Online Tutoring, Mentoring, and Educational Services: Practices and Applications: Practices and Applications. IGI Global research collection. Information Science Reference. p. 156157. ISBN 978-1-60566-877-2. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  4. ↑ "The Evolving Indian Offshore Services Environment: Greater Breadth, Depth, and Scope" (PDF).
  5. ↑ Hadden, B.; Luce, H.R. (2006). Time. Time Incorporated. p. 15. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  6. ↑ Prahalad, C.K.; Krishnan, M.S. (2008). The New Age of Innovation: Driving Cocreated Value Through Global Networks. McGraw Hill professional. McGraw-Hill Education. p. 13. ISBN 978-0-07-159829-3. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  7. ↑ Business India. A. H. Advani. 2005. pp. 46, 60. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
  8. ↑ "TutorVista founders Krishnan & Meena Ganesh venture into healthcare services; close to raising $10M". 23 April 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Sequoia to put in $3 million in TutorVista". The Times Of India. 20 December 2006.
  10. ↑ "TutorVista buys Edurite Technologies". The Hindu Business Line. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  11. ↑ "TutorVista and American Book Company Link to Provide Free Tutoring for Improved Test Scores". www.businesswire.com. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  12. ↑ Sweney, Mark (18 January 2011). "Pearson buys controlling stake in TutorVista for $127m". Retrieved 11 August 2017 – via The Guardian.
  13. ↑ Mitra, Sounak (24 February 2013). "Pearson ups stake in TutorVista to own 100%". Retrieved 11 August 2017 – via Business Standard.
  14. ↑ "The outsourcerer". The Economist. 21 June 2007.
  15. ↑ "Online Tutoring and the Offshoring of Education" (PDF).
  16. ↑ Henry, Julie (22 January 2012). "Facebook generation fuels boom in online tutors". The Daily Telegraph. London.

Further reading

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