Personal Tutoring REG/02/259(1)
Guidelines for Supporting Students
Introduction
When a personal tutoring system is in place, it has the potential to form both a major source of support for the student body, and a source of personal and academic satisfaction for staff. Students know they have an approachable member of staff in the University and for their part, staff have the experience of contributing in a significant way to the educational development of the students.
The following guidelines have been written in the belief that a personal tutoring system is a worthwhile and appropriate structure to have in place. Increased student numbers affect the form that personal tutoring can take at Aston. It also needs to be acknowledged that, irrespective of the system that is in place, students cannot be compelled to meet with their tutor. If a student is experiencing difficulties, he/she is at liberty to access directly a range of central support services. Accordingly, the University tutoring policy needs to be flexible and relevant to both staff and students. School personal tutoring systems must address the principles and requirements detailed below.
Nature of Guidelines
It is not the intention of these guidelines to be prescriptive, but to offer the bones of a structure that can be fleshed out by each particular School
It is hoped that these guidelines will help tutors to put their tutorial responsibilities into practice, and to outline the necessary minimum requirements for the effective realisation of such a system.
The development of a successful personal tutoring system requires a degree of effort on the part of both tutor and student. This will involve a baseline of planned meetings at mutually convenient times. These meetings are particularly important at the beginning of the student’s life at Aston.
Special attention should be paid to support for new students (including direct entrants e.g. to the second year) during their first Semester at Aston University.
Meetings might legitimately consider the following areas:
- the student’s general satisfaction, or otherwise, with their programme of study,
- the student’s well being
- general consideration of academic progress, and discussion of areas of strength and weakness
- possible impact on academic performance of health, family life, personal life
(Attached to this document is a sample sheet of the areas that might be covered in a tutorial meeting)
Support for Personal Tutors
Tutors will be helped by having access to the Student Services Directory, which lists the wide range of support available to the student body within the University.
The Centre for Staff Development are also able to offer training on the role of the personal tutor.
Personal Tutoring: Sample Form
Name of Student ………………………………….
Name of Tutor …………………………………..
- Are you settling well at the University?
- Are you experiencing difficulties with any of the modules that you are studying?
- Are there any non-academic matters that are adversely affecting your academic performance?
- Action to be taken by tutor/student, as a result of this meeting.
Other issues/points to be included according to the needs and procedures of individual Schools.
PaulLawrence/LAP/RPS/19.8.02, Revised RPS/GS April 2004
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