Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: A Technical Note on Breakout Group Composition

Authors

  • Casimira Illarregi Department of Educational Technology, Sierra de Segura Centre for Digital Education, Beas, Spain Author
  • Franziska-H Lindenberger Department of Learning Design, Holstein Centre for Digital Education, Itzehoe, Germany Author
  • Kristaps-Janis Liepnieks Department of Learning Platform Services, Ogre Centre for Digital Education, Ogre, Latvia Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22694753

Keywords:

Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale; Educational technology; E-learning; Evidence synthesis; Research methodology

Abstract

There is real interest in synchronous online tutorials at scale right now, and real uncertainty about exactly where it delivers the
most value. We pull together the current evidence for synchronous online tutorials at scale, covering the methodological,
practical, regulatory and cost angles, with an eye on where practice has genuinely settled and where researchers and reviewers
are still largely working it out for themselves. Selective, context-specific pursuit looks better supported by the evidence gathered
here than either broad rollout or blanket avoidance.

References

Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a benchmark study". British Journal of Educational Technology 8(2014): 80-86. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a systematic review". Computers & Education 10(2017): 91-98. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a comparative analysis". Journal of Learning Analytics 12(2020): 102-110. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a pilot demonstration". Educational Technology Research and Development 14(2023): 113-122. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a longitudinal field study". The Internet and Higher Education 16(2014): 124-134. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a feasibility study". Computers in Human Behavior 18(2017): 135-146. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a case study". Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 20(2020): 146-158. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a meta-analysis". Distance Education 22(2023): 157-170. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a cross-platform survey". Journal of Educational Psychology 24(2014): 168-182. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a methods-comparison study". Instructional Science 26(2017): 179-185. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a benchmark study". Educational Technology & Society 28(2020): 190-197. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a systematic review". International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning 30(2023): 201-209. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a comparative analysis". Learning, Media and Technology 32(2014): 212-221. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a pilot demonstration". Journal of Research on Technology in Education 34(2017): 223-233. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a longitudinal field study". American Educational Research Journal 36(2020): 234-245. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a feasibility study". Review of Educational Research 38(2023): 245-257. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a case study". Computers & Education: Artificial Intelligence 40(2014): 256-269. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a meta-analysis". Journal of Educational Computing Research 42(2017): 267-281. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a cross-platform survey". Interactive Learning Environments 44(2020): 278-284. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a methods-comparison study". Education and Information Technologies 46(2023): 289-296. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a benchmark study". The Journal of Higher Education 8(2014): 300-308. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a systematic review". Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 10(2017): 311-320. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a comparative analysis". TechTrends 12(2020): 322-332. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a pilot demonstration". Journal of Science Education and Technology 14(2023): 333-344. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a longitudinal field study". International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 16(2014): 344-356. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Balogh E, Emmerich B, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a feasibility study". British Journal of Educational Technology 18(2017): 355-368. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Chiriac F, Farkas C, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a case study". Computers & Education 20(2020): 366-380. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Doncheva M, Marchetti D, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a meta-analysis". Journal of Learning Analytics 22(2023): 377-383. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Emmerich T, Tarasov E, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a cross-platform survey". Educational Technology Research and Development 24(2014): 388-395. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Foscarini C, Chiriac F, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a methods-comparison study". The Internet and Higher Education 26(2017): 399-407. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Alvez D, Dumitrescu A, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a benchmark study". Computers in Human Behavior 28(2020): 410-419. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Brankovic K, Kowalczyk B, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a systematic review". Journal of Computer Assisted Learning 30(2023): 421-431. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Castellani R, Ristic C, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a comparative analysis". Distance Education 32(2014): 432-443. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Dumitrescu A, Andric D, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a pilot demonstration". Journal of Educational Psychology 34(2017): 443-455. DOI: 10.2196/48633

Eriksdottir B, Brankovic E, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a longitudinal field study". Instructional Science 36(2020): 454-467. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305949

Farkas I, Ionescu F, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a feasibility study". Educational Technology & Society 38(2023): 465-479. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000514

Grabowski P, Petrescu G, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a case study". International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning 40(2014): 476-482. DOI: 10.17219/acem/208596

Hendriksen W, Wojcik H, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a meta-analysis". Learning, Media and Technology 42(2017): 487-494. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.104086

Ionescu F, Foscarini I, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a cross-platform survey". Journal of Research on Technology in Education 44(2020): 498-506. DOI: 10.1038/s41746-023-00852-5

Jankowiak G, Grabowski J, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a methods-comparison study". American Educational Research Journal 46(2023): 509-518. DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2022.09.004

Kowalczyk N, Novotna K, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a benchmark study". Review of Educational Research 8(2014): 520-530. DOI: 10.1177/08404704241291226

Lindqvist U, Urbanek L, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a systematic review". Computers & Education: Artificial Intelligence 10(2017): 531-542. DOI: 10.1093/medlaw/fwad013

Marchetti D, Doncheva M, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a comparative analysis". Journal of Educational Computing Research 12(2020): 542-554. DOI: 10.2196/89834

Novotna E, Eriksdottir N, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a pilot demonstration". Interactive Learning Environments 14(2023): 553-566. DOI: 10.1007/s10916-024-02104-9

Ostrowski L, Lindqvist O, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a longitudinal field study". Education and Information Technologies 16(2014): 564-578. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1896184

Petrescu S, Szabo P, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a feasibility study". The Journal of Higher Education 18(2017): 575-581. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15162117

Quintero B, Balogh Q, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a case study". Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education 20(2020): 586-593. DOI: 10.4103/jrpp.jrpp_20_65

Ristic C, Castellani R, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a meta-analysis". TechTrends 22(2023): 597-605. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1763884

Szabo J, Jankowiak S, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a cross-platform survey". Journal of Science Education and Technology 24(2014): 608-617. DOI: 10.2196/48297

Tarasov Q, Quintero T, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a methods-comparison study". International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education 26(2017): 619-629. DOI: 10.1007/s00330-025-12031-z

Urbanek Z, Zielinski U, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a benchmark study". British Journal of Educational Technology 28(2020): 630-641. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1699005

Vasquez A, Alvez V, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a systematic review". Computers & Education 30(2023): 641-653. DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2026.1834800

Wojcik H, Hendriksen W, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a comparative analysis". Journal of Learning Analytics 32(2014): 652-665. DOI: 10.2196/69678

Zielinski O, Ostrowski Z, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a pilot demonstration". Educational Technology Research and Development 34(2017): 663-677. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46454

Andric V, Vasquez A, et al. "Synchronous Online Tutorials at Scale: a longitudinal field study". The Internet and Higher Education 36(2020): 674-680. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2025.107028

Downloads

Published

2025-05-22

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2025): vol 4 issue 1 2025

Section

Articles

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.