Personal Tutoring Professor Leslie Croxford 30/01/2013

Personal Tutoring

Professor Leslie Croxford30/01/2013

1.0 Learning outcomes

By the end of this session participants will:

1. Be aware of key University Policies, Guidelines and Documents related to Personal Tutoring.

2. Understand key University requirements and processes to ensure delivery of Personal Tutoring and to help staff work effectively as Personal Tutors.

3. Identify key actions required by programme teams to embed Personal Tutoring to enable ownership of it by each team.

2.0 Structure of the session

1.0 Learning outcomes

3.0 Key documents

4.0 Role of the Personal Tutor

5.0 Key requirements

6.0 Students’ understanding and engagement

7.0 Current practice

8.0 Procedures and systems

9.0 Working with students as a Personal Tutor

10.0 Key resources

11.0 Role play

12.0 Summary of key requirements

13.0 Action planning

14.0 Future staff development

3.0 Key documents

Key Requirement 1 – Staff must be familiar with key University documents related to student induction and Personal Tutoring.

Key documents include:

i. Student Induction and Personal Tutoring - Guidelines

ii. Preparatory Year Student Handbook

iii. University Student Handbook

4.0 The role of the Personal Tutor

Key Requirement 5 – Programme teams must ensure that Personal Tutors have the knowledge and skills to carry out the role.See Sections 3 and 4 of the Student Induction and Personal Tutoring Guidelines

The role includes helping students to understand:i. the academic and related skills required for successful study at the BUE

ii. the need for self-direction and responsibility for own learning

iii. their learning needs beyond their current modules and immediate assessments

iv. an opportunity to identify areas of weakness

v. where to find information, help and support

vi. clarification of aims and choices for progression, employment and further study

5.0a Key requirements

Personal Tutoring:

i. Must exist for every year.

ii. That it must form part of the student induction process

especially for Preparatory Year Students.

iii. Must be used as a mechanism, to identify ‘at risk

students’.

iv.Must happen at critical moments in each semester.

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5.0b University requirements

Key Requirement 2 – Programme teams are required to identify Personal Tutors for students in each year.

See Section 1 and 3 of the Student Induction and Personal Tutoring - Guidelines

i. It is a student entitlement.

ii. It supports successful transition, integration and progression of students.

iii. It helps to increase students’ understanding of their own learning to enable them to better manage their educational and career goals.

iv. It is a mechanism to help identify and support ‘at risk’ students

iv. Particular emphasis must be given to allocation of individual Personal Tutors in the Preparatory Year Programme. In subsequent years careful consideration must be given to ensure that students have access to a Personal Tutor.

5.0c Minimum requirements

Formal• Meet in weeks 1, 4 and 6 each

semester• Identify issues and agree

strategies• Keep a record of meetings• Feedback issues and take

action as appropriate• Advertise Office Hours when

1:1 appointments can be made

Informal• Make them feel welcome• Ask how they’re doing

Key Requirement 6 - Programme teams must meet the minimum requirements for delivery of Personal Tutoring.

6.0 Students’ understanding and engagement

Key Requirement 3 – Programme teams must carefully manage the Personal Tutoring system so that students understand its role and know how to access it.

See Section 1 and 3 of the Student Induction and Personal Tutoring - Guidelines

Personal Tutoring needs to be carefully managed with its importance being emphasised:

i. During the induction period for each year of the programme.ii. In programme student handbooks.iii. By Module Leaders.iv. Through Staff Student Liaison Committees.v. Via eLearning.vi. Via office announcements.

7.0a Activity 1 – Current practice

Work with a colleague to:

1. Identify the how Personal Tutoring currently operates in your programme.

2. Identify what is effective in your current practice and what needs to be further developed or enhanced.

3. Write notes in the grid below.

4. Be ready to provide feedback.

7.0b Activity 1 – Current practice

Areas that are effective Areas that need to be developed or enhanced


Key Requirement 7 - Faculties and programme teams must agree procedures and systems to manage Personal Tutoring.

See Section 6 of Student Induction and Personal Tutoring Guidelines

These will include:i. Allocation of Personal Tutors for Preparatory Year Students

ii. Allocation of Personal Tutors in subsequent degree years

iii. Ensuring student are informed

iv. Delivery of Personal Tutoring

v. Identification of students at risk

vi. Follow up of issues including English Language issues


Informing studentsStudent HandbookseLearningStudent induction prorgammes

StaffPersonal TutorsYear CoordinatorsTAs

Communication & record keepingThe SRSGroup emailseLearningPublication of office hours

DeliveryOffice hours1:1Group sessions

Scheduling and student engagementThe use of critical moments

Specialisations Exam results Assessment results

The use of ‘hooks’

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8.2a Activity 2 – Systems and procedures

1. In small groups, identify appropriate systems and procedures to support the delivery of effective Personal Tutoring to include:

i. Ensuring students understand the purpose and role of Personal Tutors

ii. Contacting and informing students

iii. Delivery of Personal Tutoring sessions

iv. Identification of students at risk and follow-up

v. Identification of English Language issues and follow-up

2. Write notes in the grid below.

3. Be ready to provide feedback.

8.2b Activity 2 – Systems and procedures

Systems and procedures to support the delivery of effective Personal Tutoring

9.0 Working with students as a Personal Tutor

9.1 Planning meetings – stages

1. Preparation– Purpose of the meeting– Contacting students

2. Meeting– Strengths– Areas for development– Actions

3. Follow-up– Agreement on addressing

development needs– Needs shared as

appropriate

Key Requirement 8 - Programme teams must ensure that staff acting as Personal Tutors have the required skills and knowledge.

9.2 Preparation for meeting – identifying focus

See Appendix of Student Induction and Personal Tutoring Guidelines

Need to be clear about the focus of the meeting:

i. To check that student has settled into the University/the

Faculty/Department/ Programme?

ii. To identify any concerns the student may have?

iii. To review student’s progress?

iv. To review and offer advice on student’s performance in

assessments/exams?

v. To address concerns about performance or attendance?

vi. To review progression or career plans?

9.3 Meeting - encouraging change

Encouraging change - telling or helping?

i. Giving constructive feedback

ii. Helping guide the meeting

iii. Encouraging reflection

iv. Discussing options

v. Agreeing actions – SMART targets

vi. Producing a realistic plan of action

vii. Getting commitment

viii. What’s going well?

ix. What could go better?

9.4 Follow-up from meetings – ensuring action

What actions are required by the student or by the Personal Tutor?

Does this involve liaison with:

i. The Preparatory Year Programme Coordinatorii. Module Leadersiii. The Head of Departmentiv. The Programme Directorv. The SARvi. Q&Vvii. The English Departmentviii. The Libraryix. The Welfare Counsellorx. The Careers Adviser

10.0 Key resources

Key Requirement 9 - Programme teams must ensure that staff acting as Personal Tutors are aware of relevant learner support services.

See Appendix of Student Induction and Personal Tutoring Guidelines and also Section 5 of The Preparatory Year Student Handbook

Personal Tutoring is only a part of Learner Support:

i. Welfare Counsellor

ii. Employability Skills Counsellor (Careers Advisor)

iii. Students Activities

iv. The Library

v. Disability issues including Dyslexia

vi. The Student Union

vii. The English Department’s Writing Centre

viii. The English Department’s Advising and Language Support Office

11.0 Activity 3 - Role play

Work with a colleague.

i. Look at the following scenarios.

ii. What advice would you give to the student?

iii. What actions would you want to encourage the student to take as a result of your meeting?

iv. Write notes in the grid below.

v. Be ready to provide feedback.

12.0a Summary of key requirements

# Requirement

1 Staff must be familiar with key University documents related to student induction and Personal Tutoring.

2 Programme teams are required to identify Personal Tutors for students in each year.

3 Programme teams must carefully manage the Personal Tutoring system so that students understand its role and know how to access it.

4 Programme teams must ensure that staff acting as Personal Tutors understand the purpose of Personal Tutoring.

5 Programme teams must ensure that Personal Tutors have the knowledge and skills to carry out the role.

6 Programme teams must meet the minimum requirements for delivery of Personal Tutoring.

7 Faculties and programme teams must agree procedures and systems to manage Personal Tutoring.

8 Programme teams must ensure that staff acting as Personal Tutors have the required skills and knowledge.

9 Programme teams must ensure that staff acting as Personal Tutors are aware of relevant learner support services.

12.0b Summary of key requirements

# Requirement

10 Teaching staff must identify the actions they and their programme teams need to take to ensure that Personal Tutoring is embedded within their programme.

13.0a Activity 4 - Action planning

Key requirement 10 – Teaching staff must identify the actions they and their programme teams need to take to ensure that Personal Tutoring is embedded within their programme.

i. Review the requirements.

ii. Identify the areas where your programme team needs to develop and enhance its current practice.

iii. Identify the actions required (SMART).

iv. Identify the timescales for completion.

v. Write notes in the grid below.

13.0b Action planning

Action required By who By when

14.0 Future staff development

Programme teams must develop further staff development workshops including a focus on:

1. Ensuring appropriate systems are in place to support delivery of Personal Tutoring.

2. Working as a Personal Tutor.