Training Training Workshop for Workshop for Peer TutorsPeer Tutors

Nov 2003Nov 2003

Session ContentSession Content• Your duties…Your duties…• Definition of peer tutoring.Definition of peer tutoring.• Roles of tutors and tutees.Roles of tutors and tutees.• 4 stages in peer tutoring.4 stages in peer tutoring.• Peer Tutoring and Peer Tutoring and Technology.Technology.

Why are you here?Why are you here?

Please give three reasons, Please give three reasons,

1.1.

2.2.

3.3.

UGC funded research UGC funded research projectproject

Project title:Project title:

The Implementation of Peer Tutoring The Implementation of Peer Tutoring Scheme into Academic Scheme into Academic Programmes/Subjects to Enhance Programmes/Subjects to Enhance Learning and Teaching in Universities Learning and Teaching in Universities of Hong Kongof Hong Kong

Your dutiesYour duties

1.1. Give tutorial sessions as assigned Give tutorial sessions as assigned by the subject lecturerby the subject lecturer

2.2. Assist in project evaluationAssist in project evaluation• Completing questionnairesCompleting questionnaires• Attending focus group discussionAttending focus group discussion• Feedback to subject lecturerFeedback to subject lecturer

3.3. Any other duties specified by the Any other duties specified by the subject lecturersubject lecturer

DefinitionDefinition

““People from similar social People from similar social groupings who are not professional groupings who are not professional teachers helping each other to teachers helping each other to learn and learning themselves by learn and learning themselves by teaching” teaching” Keith Topping and Shirley HillKeith Topping and Shirley Hill

What are the roles of peer What are the roles of peer tutors?tutors?

List out 3 roles,List out 3 roles,

1.1.

2.2.

3.3.

Discuss among your group members and Discuss among your group members and present.present.

Role of Peer Tutors Role of Peer Tutors

1.1. MotivatorMotivator - motivate student to learn.- motivate student to learn.

2.2. CounselCounseloror

- sharing personal experiences with tutees.- sharing personal experiences with tutees.

3.3. AdvisorAdvisor

- provide comments on tutee’s effort. The final - provide comments on tutee’s effort. The final answers lie with the subject lecturer.answers lie with the subject lecturer.

4.4. Middle manMiddle man

- a peer tutor is the bridge between tutees and - a peer tutor is the bridge between tutees and subject lecturers.subject lecturers.

Activities that tutees Activities that tutees engaged in before/during engaged in before/during tutorial sessionstutorial sessions

List out 3 activities,List out 3 activities,

1.1.

2.2.

3.3.

Discuss among your group members Discuss among your group members and present.and present.

Role of tuteesRole of tutees

Tutees are expected to Tutees are expected to review subject matters before tutorial review subject matters before tutorial

sessions.sessions. raise questions before/during/after tutorial raise questions before/during/after tutorial

sessions. sessions. Be cooperative and take active part in all Be cooperative and take active part in all

tutorial activities.tutorial activities. solve problems individually or as a team.solve problems individually or as a team. be punctual and attend all tutorial sessions.be punctual and attend all tutorial sessions.

4 stages in Peer Tutoring4 stages in Peer TutoringAssessment stage

Planning stage

Implementation stage

Evaluation stage

1. Assessment Stage1. Assessment Stage

TTo get to know more about your o get to know more about your tuteestutees Who are your tutees?Who are your tutees?

What are your tutees’ learning difficulties?What are your tutees’ learning difficulties?

Are there any variation in standard between Are there any variation in standard between your tutees?your tutees?

What are their questions about the subject What are their questions about the subject matters?matters?

What are the resources available for the tutoring What are the resources available for the tutoring session?session?

2. Planning Stage2. Planning Stage

To sit down and plan your tutorial sessions.To sit down and plan your tutorial sessions.

What are the learning objectives for each tutorial What are the learning objectives for each tutorial session? session?

What is the content of each tutorial session?What is the content of each tutorial session? What is the best method to achieve the objectivesWhat is the best method to achieve the objectives?? When and where will the learning take place? When and where will the learning take place?

Duration?Duration?

You could find out these answers with your subject You could find out these answers with your subject lecturerslecturers

3. Implementation Stage3. Implementation Stage

To motivate tutees to learn and take To motivate tutees to learn and take active part in the tutorial sessionsactive part in the tutorial sessions

Ways to stimulate tutees to think.Ways to stimulate tutees to think. Communication and interpersonal skills.Communication and interpersonal skills. Questioning and answering skills.Questioning and answering skills. Problem solving techniques.Problem solving techniques. Time management skills.Time management skills. Information Searching Skills.Information Searching Skills.

Why students fail to think? Why students fail to think?

Please list out 3 reasons and suggest 3 Please list out 3 reasons and suggest 3 solutions.solutions.ReasonReason SolutionSolution

1.1. 1.1.

2.2. 2.2.

3.3. 3.3.

AnswersAnswers Students are used to spoon-feeding in the Students are used to spoon-feeding in the

secondary school days, and are reluctant to secondary school days, and are reluctant to take up an active role in tutorials.take up an active role in tutorials.

Students mis-consider tutorials as an Students mis-consider tutorials as an alternative form of mini-lectures.alternative form of mini-lectures.

Students expect tutors to give them direct Students expect tutors to give them direct answers to assignments or problems in the answers to assignments or problems in the tutorials.tutorials.

Students are uncomfortable speaking before Students are uncomfortable speaking before the whole class. They are afraid of making the whole class. They are afraid of making mistakes.mistakes.

SolutionsSolutions Create a non-threatening environment for Create a non-threatening environment for

students to voice out their opinions.students to voice out their opinions. Create group response sheets and ask students to Create group response sheets and ask students to

put down their answers to be handed in.put down their answers to be handed in. Show your empathy to students’ answers by Show your empathy to students’ answers by

providing immediate verbal and written feedback.providing immediate verbal and written feedback. Feedback to students’ answer focus on the Feedback to students’ answer focus on the

process of solving the problems rather than on process of solving the problems rather than on the right answers.the right answers.

Always start with simple questions and problems.Always start with simple questions and problems.

SolutionsSolutions Do your homework!Do your homework! Have a well-planned tutorial. Always remind Have a well-planned tutorial. Always remind

yourself that you have to set a real-life yourself that you have to set a real-life problem, use an open-ended tutorial problem, use an open-ended tutorial method, involve the students, emphasize method, involve the students, emphasize the process rather than the answers.the process rather than the answers.

Tell the students right from day one that Tell the students right from day one that you won’t give direct answer to them in you won’t give direct answer to them in tutorials. Set guiding questions to problems tutorials. Set guiding questions to problems to help students think. Involve students in to help students think. Involve students in mini-groups to work on the problem.mini-groups to work on the problem.

SolutionsSolutions

Include group participation skills as one Include group participation skills as one of the criteria in the continuous of the criteria in the continuous assessment.assessment.

Involve students to teach each other Involve students to teach each other and encourage more group activities.and encourage more group activities.

Communication and Communication and Interpersonal skillsInterpersonal skills

Don’t just talk, be an active listener too. Don’t just talk, be an active listener too. Use eye contact & welcoming gestures.Use eye contact & welcoming gestures.

Using Using quickstartsquickstarts as ice-breaker. as ice-breaker. Critical of ideas, not people.Critical of ideas, not people. Encourage tutees to answer and possess Encourage tutees to answer and possess

non-judgmental attitude .non-judgmental attitude . Give encouragement and approval to Give encouragement and approval to

others.others. Be sympathetic and understanding of other Be sympathetic and understanding of other

people’s views.people’s views.

Advice on Using Advice on Using QuickstartsQuickstarts

This method is used at the start of the tutorial This method is used at the start of the tutorial to motivate students into active participation.to motivate students into active participation.

Put up an easy problem on the overhead or Put up an easy problem on the overhead or your powerpoint slide and get students solve your powerpoint slide and get students solve it individually at first.it individually at first.

Allow the students to compare answers with Allow the students to compare answers with their peers – first in pairs and then in groups their peers – first in pairs and then in groups of four.of four.

The problem should be directly related to The problem should be directly related to concepts and issues dealt with in the previous concepts and issues dealt with in the previous lectures so that tutors can find out how much lectures so that tutors can find out how much students know beforehand.students know beforehand.

Advice on Using Advice on Using QuickstartsQuickstarts

The problem can be related to concepts and The problem can be related to concepts and issues to be dealt with later in the tutorial.issues to be dealt with later in the tutorial.

Problems to check concepts can be either in Problems to check concepts can be either in structured form while problems to lead to structured form while problems to lead to later tutorial issues can be more open-later tutorial issues can be more open-ended.ended.

The tutorial could be open up to whatever The tutorial could be open up to whatever type of activity after the quickstart type of activity after the quickstart exercise, except you don’t show the exercise, except you don’t show the students how to do the problem.students how to do the problem.

Make sure that this activity does not take Make sure that this activity does not take up the entire tutorial period.up the entire tutorial period.

Questioning and Answering Questioning and Answering SkillsSkills

Tactics for effective questioningTactics for effective questioning Ask one question at a timeAsk one question at a time Avoid yes / no questionsAvoid yes / no questions Pose questions that lack a single right answerPose questions that lack a single right answer Ask focused questionsAsk focused questions Avoid leading questionsAvoid leading questions After you ask a question, wait silently for an After you ask a question, wait silently for an

answeranswer Search for consensus on correct responsesSearch for consensus on correct responses Structure your questions to encourage Structure your questions to encourage

student to student interactionstudent to student interaction

Questioning and Answering Questioning and Answering SkillsSkills

Tactics for effective answeringTactics for effective answering

Thank or praise the tutee for having asked a Thank or praise the tutee for having asked a question.question.

Call on questioners in the order in which they Call on questioners in the order in which they sought recognition.sought recognition.

Make sure everyone can hear tutees’ questions.Make sure everyone can hear tutees’ questions. Clarify and rephrase tutees’ questions, if necessaryClarify and rephrase tutees’ questions, if necessary Answer tutees’ questions directly.Answer tutees’ questions directly. Encourage tutees to try to answer their own Encourage tutees to try to answer their own

questionsquestions Admit when you don’t know the answer.Admit when you don’t know the answer. Delay answers to questions that will be covered Delay answers to questions that will be covered

later.later. Check back with tutees to make sure the question Check back with tutees to make sure the question

has been answered.has been answered.

Problem Solving Problem Solving TechniquesTechniques

Problem recognition and analysis

Planning and strategy selection

Strategy application

Evaluation

Problem Solving Problem Solving TechniquesTechniques

Problem recognition and analysisProblem recognition and analysis

The situation is identified as involving a The situation is identified as involving a problem, and the features of the problem are problem, and the features of the problem are recognized and established.recognized and established.

Problem Solving Problem Solving TechniquesTechniques

Planning and strategy selectionPlanning and strategy selection

A plan, an anticipated sequence for the A plan, an anticipated sequence for the problem-solving, is devised, and a relevant problem-solving, is devised, and a relevant strategy is selected.strategy is selected.

..

Problem Solving Problem Solving TechniquesTechniques

Strategy applicationStrategy application

The chose plan is carried out and the strategy The chose plan is carried out and the strategy applied. Calculations might be made, rules applied. Calculations might be made, rules applied, or arguments developed. The course applied, or arguments developed. The course of processing might be monitored.of processing might be monitored.

Problem Solving Problem Solving TechniquesTechniques

EvaluationEvaluation

The outcome is evaluated and the course of The outcome is evaluated and the course of problem-solving reviewed.problem-solving reviewed.

Time Management SkillsTime Management Skills

3 simple steps to better manage 3 simple steps to better manage your timeyour time

1.1. Make a list of your tasks that needed to be Make a list of your tasks that needed to be accomplishedaccomplished

2.2. Prioritize the tasks according to their Prioritize the tasks according to their importance and urgency.importance and urgency.

3.3. Schedule your tasks according to the priorities Schedule your tasks according to the priorities you have setyou have set

Time Management MatrixTime Management MatrixUrgentUrgent Not urgentNot urgent

ImportanImportantt

II crises, pressing crises, pressing problemsproblems Deadline-driven Deadline-driven taskstasks

IIII PreventionPrevention Relationship buildingRelationship building Recognizing new Recognizing new opportunitiesopportunities Planning, recreationPlanning, recreation

Not Not importanimportantt

IIIIII Interruptions, phone Interruptions, phone callscalls Short-term focusShort-term focus

IVIV Time wastersTime wasters TriviaTrivia Some mail, some phone Some mail, some phone callscalls

Information Searching Information Searching SkillsSkills

Be familiar with library floor plan and Be familiar with library floor plan and classification systemclassification system

Remote access to the libraryRemote access to the library Critical and selective in information Critical and selective in information

searchingsearching Building up your network of information Building up your network of information

collectioncollection

4. Evaluation Stage4. Evaluation Stage

Final stage of the Final stage of the entire entire tutoring tutoring processprocess..

Provides feedback to subject lectures, tutors and tutee which Provides feedback to subject lectures, tutors and tutee which will lead to better planning of subsequent tutoring sessions. will lead to better planning of subsequent tutoring sessions.

Are students developing a feeling of ownership of the Are students developing a feeling of ownership of the feedback they give?feedback they give?

Are we getting the feedback we need from students?Are we getting the feedback we need from students? Is giving feedback a learning experience in itself?Is giving feedback a learning experience in itself? How are we planning to give students the results of their How are we planning to give students the results of their

feedback?feedback? What can you learn from the experience?What can you learn from the experience?

Teaching-learning processTeaching-learning process The learning environmentThe learning environment Students’ feelingsStudents’ feelings

Computer in Computer in EducationEducation

Technology in TeachingTechnology in Teaching

1. Please give 2 examples of 1. Please give 2 examples of electronic communication?electronic communication?a.a.

b.b.

Communicating via emailCommunicating via email

1. Do you use email?1. Do you use email? 2. How do you use email?2. How do you use email?

Why don’t you Why don’t you use email?use email?

1. We need to connect to 1. We need to connect to more network pointsmore network points

2. I need to have a 2. I need to have a computer on my desk, or computer on my desk, or one that can receive email.one that can receive email.

3. The system is too slow 3. The system is too slow and cumbersomeand cumbersome

4. I used to use it, but it 4. I used to use it, but it broke down and I haven’t broke down and I haven’t been able to get it fixed.been able to get it fixed.

5. I used to use it, but got 5. I used to use it, but got too much mail, so I stopped too much mail, so I stopped using itusing it

6. I haven’t got round to 6. I haven’t got round to learning how to use it.learning how to use it.

7. I just don’t want to use it7. I just don’t want to use it

1.1. If you answered “yes” to If you answered “yes” to questions 1-4, then you questions 1-4, then you are hindered from using are hindered from using email for technical reasonemail for technical reason

2.2. If you answered “yes” to If you answered “yes” to questions 5, you may questions 5, you may have had a bad have had a bad experience on mailbases experience on mailbases which can flood your which can flood your mailbox if you aren’t mailbox if you aren’t careful.careful.

3.3. If you answered “yes” to If you answered “yes” to questions 6 and 7, you questions 6 and 7, you are probably sceptical of are probably sceptical of its value to youits value to you

AnswerAnswer

Using email in your Using email in your teachingteaching

Before using email, ask yourselfBefore using email, ask yourself How will this benefit the peer tutees How will this benefit the peer tutees

and improve the existing course?and improve the existing course? How will the technology affect my How will the technology affect my

role?role? How will the technology affect the How will the technology affect the

peer tutees?peer tutees?

You will also need to ensure that You will also need to ensure that your students:your students: Are entitled to an email addressAre entitled to an email address Know how to get oneKnow how to get one Have access to computers with email Have access to computers with email

facilitiesfacilities Are trained to use emailAre trained to use email Are given all the email address of the Are given all the email address of the

groupgroup

Incorporate the use of email into your teaching

make sure your students know what you expect make sure your students know what you expect and how the group is likely to functionand how the group is likely to function

1.1. Will a topic be discussed?Will a topic be discussed?2.2. Is contribution to the discussion mandatory, Is contribution to the discussion mandatory,

and if so, do students know this? and if so, do students know this? (discuss in (discuss in the tutorials)the tutorials)

3.3. How often do you expect students to How often do you expect students to contribute?contribute?

e.g.3 times per weeke.g.3 times per week4. Is there a time limit?4. Is there a time limit? e.g. 15-20 minse.g. 15-20 mins1.1. Do you expect any outcomes as a result of Do you expect any outcomes as a result of

these discussions?these discussions?2.2. When you intervene?When you intervene?

Participating in electronic Participating in electronic discussion groups discussion groups (WebCT)(WebCT)

Joining a group allows you to Joining a group allows you to discuss topics of common interest discuss topics of common interest with many people. A message with many people. A message sent to the mailbase address goes sent to the mailbase address goes to everyone registered with that to everyone registered with that group. group.

WebCT is software which is used to WebCT is software which is used to structure email discussions in this way structure email discussions in this way (subject/author/date).(subject/author/date).

Email message sent to a special email Email message sent to a special email address are periodically converted address are periodically converted into a mail archive which is in HTML into a mail archive which is in HTML format and can be browsed by all format and can be browsed by all interested parties as a World Wide interested parties as a World Wide Web documentWeb document

WebCTWebCT

WebCTWebCT

WebCTWebCT

1.1. You can simply be an observer with You can simply be an observer with the group, contribute to the the group, contribute to the discussiondiscussion

2.2. It can become a resource of current It can become a resource of current ideas and solutions to particular ideas and solutions to particular problem. You can keep track of problem. You can keep track of topical issues very easily.topical issues very easily.

Problem solvingProblem solving Case studiesCase studies

3. You check the discussions, put people 3. You check the discussions, put people back on the right track, suggest a back on the right track, suggest a particular line of thought particular line of thought

4. The degree of control you have can 4. The degree of control you have can vary. You can have a high central vary. You can have a high central prominence where you control the prominence where you control the discussions, or you can observe from discussions, or you can observe from a distance, commenting only when a distance, commenting only when neededneeded

Your preference?Your preference?