As the 

educational system in Australia is changing for the better, we

have seen many institutions providing academic support to
students. Whether it is the buddy program where a senior student
works with their junior and helps them get acquainted with the
academics.

Advantages of academic support teams

1. Academic planning and coaching — The academic support

team can help you get acquainted with the courses you have
opted for. If you are still confused about which classes to take
you can seek help from the academic support teams. Coaching
 allows the students to feel confident to express themselves and
take an active role in their educational journey.

2. Financial literacy and aid counselling — As you enter

college a lot of things change and it is expected that you must
know about personal financial planning, budgeting, financial
self-assessment, and comprehensive financial aid planning.
Many students also look for financial aid during college and
academic support teams can be the best option for you.

3. Catching up with the studies — Many students whether

in secondary school, college or university face difficulties in
learning subjects. A lot of students fear that they might fail a
subject which is why academic support groups can be their
saviours. They can easily catch up with their studies and adopt a
better approach to learning with the help of academic support.

4. Complementing the schooling — Many parents think that

with an academic support group, their overly-burdened children
will have a lot more on their plate. But that is not the case.
Whether a student needs help with writing an essay, working on
an assignment, or with their homework, they can schedule
tutorials with their academic support.

5. Overcoming hesitation in class — Many times students are

just too shy or hesitant to ask questions in class. If a student is
struggling in class, their academic support tutor can help them
understand the concepts better. The tutor online will
use different teaching strategies to ensure that those who are
struggling in class overcome their weaknesses.
Disadvantages of academic support teams

1. Every student has a different learning speed — When you

are working with an academic support group or team, it can
happen that some students will catch up with the concepts faster
than others. This way the slow learners might feel lost. Working
in groups can often involve situations where the group moves too
fast for a student. It allows work to get done without knowing
that every person in that group actually understands what was
done.

2. Some students become the highlight — Continuing our

previous argument, it becomes very difficult for the academic
tutor to balance the group. Not every student has the same voice.
So those who are quick in answering questions might take over
the whole group and be in the limelight. A dictatorship can also
be one of the problems where one person just takes over the
group and does not allow others to share their knowledge.

3. It could be difficult for quiet people to participate in

academic support groups — The quiet people that never talk
might still not feel comfortable talking to a group. Some students
are shy and feel awkward working with others. It is afraid that
such students might be completely forgotten in the group.

4. People may not pull their weight — Sometimes it can

happen that only one person in the group performs every task,
works on assignments and homework and the rest of the group
just copies their work. So it can be unfair for the ones who do the
work as the lazy ones also get the same grades as them. When
one group member does not contribute much but is willing to
take credit for the work, it often frustrates the rest of the students
in the group.
5. You might not get all answers — Sometimes the peer groups
get lazy and just provide you with answers to your questions
without any explanation. As a result, no real knowledge is gained
from the academic support groups. Moreover, being a part of
such groups won’t lead you anywhere as you will be just busy
copying answers rather than understanding them.

Need one-on-one academic support? Join CrunchGrade

If you think you need help in understanding concepts, preparing for

tests and completing assignments, CrunchGrade’s online tutoring
platform can be the best for you. You can select a suitable tutor for
your grade and start learning immediately. We provide personalised
lesson plans based on your learning style and potential. Ask queries,
interact one-on-one and learn in a comfortable environment at
CrunchGrade to achieve all your learning goals.