Personal Tutor Role in Professional Education - System of Tutorials

Discussion of the fourth aspect of findings from the unpublished research –

Williams M, 1999, ‘Exploring the Role of the Personal Tutor in Nurse Education, Department of Education, University of Surrey, unpublished.

The research was carried out using a sample of students and staff from 7 campus sites. On examining the responses regarding the qualities of a personal tutor, three main themes emerged – knowledge, communication skills and interpersonal skills.

The earlier related blogs are:

Personal Tutor Role in Professional Education - Allocation of Personal Tutor

Personal Tutor Role in Professional Education - Qualities of a Personal Tutor

Personal Tutor Role in Professional Education - Student Tutor Relationship

Place of Tutorial

Classroom vs Office

The most popular venues for tutorials are the office and the classroom, in that order, for both students and tutors. The students give more or less equal importance to the reasons they have provided, but tutors emphasis a couple of points more than others. Students feel that office as a venue for tutorials offers more privacy, allows one to one approach, informality with a lack of interruptions. Tutors’ main reason is the privacy offered by the office and lack of interruptions to the tutorial. Lesser reasons are the one to one approach, informality, with educational material and students records being at hand if needed. This is very much the suggestion of Peelo (1994) that the atmosphere needs to be peaceful with the student being given complete attention. Some also mention that using the office allows for confidentiality to be maintained.

However, findings from tutor questionnaire clarify that confidentiality does not necessarily go hand in hand with privacy. Nevertheless, if there are fewer interruptions and less chances of being overheard, then there is better chance of maintaining confidentiality. Though, as pointed out in the later blog on quality of communication, confidentiality and the need for it is entirely dependent on the topic of communication. Therefore, it must be the privacy and others not overhearing the conversation that is more important. Around half the tutors from all sites would consider meeting students over tea or coffee as it introduces informality, allowing the student to relax. Site A tutors are also of the opinion that this approach is necessary when a personal student is distressed. Students too explain that meeting over tea or coffee contributes to a relaxed atmosphere and informality.

Tutors from sites C, D, E and F identify that choice of classroom, as a venue is dependent on the needs of the students. The reasons given by tutors from sites A, B and a few from F, elaborates it as convenience, privacy, and for group tutorials when a larger space is required. The needs, as explained by the students, are for a quick chat and general advice and guidance. Privacy, where mentioned as a reason can be attributed to the fact that offices are often shared and students may not feel comfortable talking in front of another tutor, especially if it is personal problems they wish to discuss. Some students from site B point out that the classroom is their territory, thereby implying that they perceive they have more control during tutorial if classroom is the venue.

Library

Library is not a popular choice of venue for either the students or the tutors. Though, except for site E, tutors from other sites would use this for tutorials to facilitate learning and when there was difficulty with specific subject, as relevant literature is at hand in the library. Some staff for site F state that using library leads to informality. The only reason cited by students from all sites except D and E was the need to refer to literature made library the choice of venue sometimes. This is fairly appropriate as the library does not offer any privacy and the need for silence does not allow for tutorials to be held there, but is definitely a place of choice when guidance regarding literature review is necessary.

Student Common Room

A very small number of tutors and students have chosen the student common room as a venue for tutorials but no reason has been given for the choice. Some tutors have also pointed out a tutorial room or clinical placement can be a venue for tutorials. Again the reason for these venues appears to be convenience rather than anything else.

How often should tutorials take place?

Large percentage of students and tutors are of the opinion that students should see their personal tutor whenever they feel it is necessary. Except for sites E and F more students than tutors identify that they should see their tutor about two to three times a trimester. Although the tutors do feel that the students should see them at least once in the trimester. This could possibly be at the beginning of the trimester. The tutors may feel this is important as progress can be reviewed and needs relating to the current modules and assignments can be discussed. Very few students from sites A, B and tutors for site A see the need for meeting more than three times a trimester. A very small percentage of students from site C do not perceive the need to see the personal tutor at all.

To analyse the responses in relation to the academic progress throughout the course, the responses of first year, second year and third year students were compared. The need for this type of analysis stems from Quinn’s (1995) suggestion that the extent of guidance required by the student changes as expertise develops and knowledge increases. The response that students should see their personal tutor whenever necessary diminishes from first to third year, whereas the need to see their personal tutor two to three times a trimester increases. This could be related to the fact that as the students’ progress, they become more aware of their needs and ability to identify definite need to see the personal tutor. Still, the need-based approach is the most popular. Seeing the personal tutor at the beginning of the trimester is favoured more by the first year and third year students. While once a trimester is more a choice of first and second year students. Again this can be related to the academic progress and development of the students. There is little difference in the responses of first and second year students, as the academic level only changes from access to B in the second year. But in the third year the change is from level B to level H, requiring students to make a bigger leap in their academic skills. The students who identified no need to see their personal tutor are in their first year and they may not find or perceive the need for support at access level.

Tutorials to be Optional or Compulsory?

Despite the clear response stating the need for meeting the personal tutor two to three times a trimester, the most favoured response from students of all sites was of optional tutorials. Though there are some students from all sites who wish for compulsory tutorials, from 15% to 45%. The tutors also mainly favour optional approach to tutorials. The only site to be more in preference of compulsory tutorials is D, which matches the 45% student response in favour of compulsory tutorials, from the same site. Before examining the reasons for these choices, a review of analysis from academic year basis is examined. The choice of tutorials to be optional is still the majority one. The number of students opting for compulsory tutorials, is slightly higher in the second year. Second year is not only time for a change from access level to level B, but also a time for change from Common Foundation Program to Branch Program. The students may therefore feel the need for support and guidance during this period. Therefore in the second year, though many students do not wish for two to three tutorials, they certainly want to have compulsory tutorial to ensure support.

The reasons given for tutorials to be optional by the students are mainly related to having a choice. The students explain that tutorials should be held on the basis of student need to avoid time wasting as well as unnecessary pressure on both students and tutors. It allows for flexibility and is in keeping with the concept of adult education that is not forcing adults into compulsory tutorials. This gives the student a feeling of control over own learning and also lends itself to a better relationship between the student and the tutor. The tutors are very much in agreement with these reasons, and site C tutors go on to add that students should also be free to consult other tutors like the module operator for assignments. The tutors do not see the tutorial as wasted time if the student does not have anything specific to discuss for it could be used as an opportunity to establish and improve relationship and allow the tutor to assess the students’ needs and strengths (as suggested by Keegan 1980). Most students from all three academic years feel that tutorials should be based on student need as it allows for flexible approach and avoids wasting of time. The percentage of this response rises from first to third year. It is the second and third year students who express the need for control during tutorials and that as adults they should not be forced. For, otherwise they would feel pressured to attend tutorials and would not be relaxed.

Several students who identify the need for compulsory tutorials feel it must be noted that, if tutorials were optional some students may not see their personal tutor for support. Tutors also add that it is usually the students who require support, are the ones who do not take up the option for tutorials. Students from all sites except B and E view tutorials as an opportunity to discuss views, problems, progress and reflect on practice. Shields (1995) strongly suggests that the personal tutor is ideally placed to assist students in reflecting on the clinical practice. For after all, this complex process can be best carried out in a mutually respecting relationship, as pointed out by Grundy (1982) and Powell (1989) (as cited by Newton and Smith 1998).

This certainly seems to be the main concern of tutors when students do not take up the option for tutorials. This aspect of reflecting on clinical practice is significant as it is helpful in developing clinical expertise and encourages the student to develop into a reflective practitioner. Which according to Perraton (1981) helps the student to make sense of the curriculum and its relationship to clinical practice and professional standards, but few students and tutors mention this aspect of support. While there is a consensus of not forcing students to see the personal tutor, a few tutors from sites A and D point out that compulsory tutorials will bring the student and tutor face to face and allow for a relationship to be built. Some students from sites C and F appear to have had problems regarding access and availability of their tutor due to increased travel between sites and sometimes the personal tutor being based at another site (this is dependent on the branch they undertake). They feel that if tutorials were compulsory then access and availability of the personal tutor would improve. This, though, was not an issue raised by tutors. However, some tutors from sites E and F, are concerned that if students do not take up the option of meeting the personal tutor, it becomes difficult to be the student advocate at adjudicating panel meetings, when need arises and to write an accurate reference at the end of the course. Davis (1995) states that writing of the end of course reference is an important role of the personal tutor as she is ideally placed to discuss the student’s progress with various tutors and clinical colleagues. She also points out that this is a way of protecting patients.

In order of increasing percentage, from first year to third year, there are two most cited reasons for compulsory tutorials. First, it allows the student to build a relationship and discuss problems, progress, as well as reflect on practice. While the second is mainly the concern of second year students, that otherwise the student may not see the personal tutor for regular contact and support. The minority students who identify ensuring of access and availability of tutor are from first and second year. This again is because of the changing needs of the students as they progress through the course.

Length of Tutorial Time

There is a majority agreement among students and tutors of all sites, that essentially tutorial time should be based on individual needs. Many students from all sites affirm that tutorial should at least be ten to twenty minutes long. A similar response is supplied by the tutors. With regard to tutorial being twenty to thirty minutes long, only site D students and tutors appear to be in agreement. Whereas for the other sites, this response is mismatched. The either end extreme of five to ten minutes and more than thirty minutes has been mentioned by very few students from sites A, D and F. Only a few site C tutors finding that five to ten minutes are adequate for a tutorial. However, a fairly large number of tutors from site E and a few from site F think more than thirty minutes are needed for a tutorial.

Again, viewed on the basis of academic year, all three academic year students are very much in favour of need based open-ended time, with at least ten to twenty minutes allocated. A few students in the first year identify that they may require twenty to thirty minutes time, which increases in the second year and third year responses. The other responses diminish from first year to third year. This clearly identifies that students may need varying time for tutorials dependent on their need each time they meet the personal tutor. It also indicates the willingness of the tutors to spend as much time as required by the student. Also, if the students make regular contact with the personal tutor – two or three times a trimester as suggested earlier, then ten to twenty minutes would be sufficient for most occasions.

Again one can see that these findings can be applicable to any long professional course. Indeed we are back to the thought that a good relationship and initial discussion on ground rules, for not only the relationship but also for how the tutorial system will work, is vital.

Personal Tutor Role in Professional Education - Student Tutor Relationship

Discussion of the third aspect of findings from the unpublished research –

Williams M, 1999, ‘Exploring the Role of the Personal Tutor in Nurse Education, Department of Education, University of Surrey, unpublished.

At the crux of the support for the student by the personal tutor lies in a good student tutor relationship. This importance had been highlighted in the earlier blogs regarding ‘allocation of personal tutor’ and ‘qualities of the personal tutor’. Now we look at what are the contributions of the tutors and students in developing and maintaining a good productive and beneficial relationship.

While many students did not make any comments regarding their contribution, of those who did many were unsure of what they contributed or expressed that they did not contribute anything towards the relationship. Similarly there are some tutors who do not have any expectations of students except maybe to have fun and pass. This is contrary to the basis of any relationship, as both individuals need to contribute. Bramley (1977) suggests of reciprocity, Wedemeyer (1977), Baath (1979), Tough (1979), Perraton (1981), Rumble (1989) all suggest the need for two-way communication and Dallos (1984) talks of mutual understanding and acceptance. Similarly Stephenson (1984) and Morgan & Knox (1987) (cited by Newton and Smith 1998) emphasis that mutual respect is necessary for a good interpersonal relationship. Earnshaw (1995) goes on to state that a relationship is best maintained through equal contribution by both the tutor and the student, where both were aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

From the responses of the tutors and students, it can be surmised that students and tutors do not discuss their expectations of and contributions to the relationship at the onset. This makes it difficult to establish a good working relationship with all the attributes they have catalogued within this questionnaire. This can be one of the reasons for the ‘personality clash’ identified by both as a reason for wanting to change personal tutor.

The major contributions specified by students who have responded are being professional, accept criticism, value and respect the tutor, be honest, open and trustworthy as well as provide feedback on clinical placements and course, giving an insight into students’ problems and needs. There is some match with the expectations of the tutors. They expect the student to be trustworthy, honest, motivated and enthusiastic.

Tutors have also identified that students should use their personal tutor to make sense of the curriculum and consult them on need basis. As identified earlier, this meets with Charnock’s (1993) suggestion that the personal tutor smooths the way for students to understand the changes occurring within nurse education and the health care system. This is very much in keeping with Quinn’s (1995) opinion that the personal tutor should be used as a resource. While the tutors expect to be kept informed of any circumstances that will influence their work, they do not wish to be used as counsellors, as students should become self-sufficient and be able to manage own problems with support. The rationale for this attitude can be explored further in the later blog on quality of communication. 

The findings here are easy to apply in any student tutor relationship and not just that of a personal tutor – student relationship. There is a need to make explicit the expectations and set ground rules which will define the relationship.

Personal Tutor Role in Professional Education - Qualities of a Personal Tutor

Discussion of the second aspect of findings from the unpublished research –

Williams M, 1999, ‘Exploring the Role of the Personal Tutor in Nurse Education, Department of Education, University of Surrey, unpublished.

The research was carried out using a sample of students and staff from 7 campus sites. On examining the responses regarding the qualities of a personal tutor, three main themes emerged – knowledge, communication skills and interpersonal skills.

Knowledge is related to the subject matter as well as the resources for gaining information and appropriate agencies, and the program, university regulations and policies. Except for one site, it appears that students have emphasised on this much more than the tutors.  The tutors may not have stressed on this as it is viewed to be part of their role as a nurse tutor (Tough 1971) and so it is not something specific to the personal tutor role. This is reflected in the fact that more tutors have emphasised on the need for professional credibility and competency than students, as only a small percentage of students, from three sites, mention it.

There is a mixed approach in seeing communication skills as an important quality of a personal tutor. For example, site A tutors have emphasised it more than the students of the same site, while site B students have emphasised it more than the tutors. Only from site F, no tutor has identified this as a specific quality but some students have. The varying emphasis from tutors could again reflect the fact that it is an essential quality and skill in nursing and for the role of a tutor, so it is taken for granted, that this skill is not specific to the role of a personal tutor. While the variation in students responses may be based on their positive or negative experiences with their personal tutor and its effects on their relationship. Therefore, it is more in the forefront when they identify the qualities of a personal tutor. This importance is consistent with the findings in the literature review.

The communication skills have been firmly separated from counselling skills by the students, and very few students see counselling ability as a necessary skill for a personal tutor. With regard to the tutors responses a small number of them from site A indicate counselling ability as a necessary skill. This is contrary to the suggestions made by Hyiola & Moss (1989) and Quinn (1989) that counselling is part of the personal tutor role. When traditional Registered General Nurse courses were being delivered within small schools of nursing, the tutors did carry out limited amount of counselling, even though generally a student counsellor was available. Moreover, counselling requires time and a different kind of relationship to that of a student-tutor one. Also, as Akinsanya (1998) affirms, the changes in nurse education and amalgamation of schools means the tutor workload and travel between sites has increased. Along with this, the move into higher education has given the students the access to student services and consequently professional counsellors. As identified by tutors and students alike, counselling is not part of the personal tutor role but a provision from student services. Although, the personal tutor needs to be aware of the needs of the student, as suggested by Lewis (1984), to make appropriate referrals.

Tutors from three sites identified that they should have a genuine interest and commitment to student learning. This is concurred by a small number of students from all sites except E. The writings of Bramley (1977), Moore (1973), Nyirendra (1989), Rogers (1986) and Perraton (1984) all indicate that genuine interest in the student is a desirable quality in a personal tutor. Nonetheless, this limited response, could be stemming from the perception that this is another taken for granted quality. If the tutor did not have a genuine caring for the student then would they be doing this job? But it is a quality that needs to be highlighted as it has effect on the standard of services offered to the students. Therefore, it needs to be foremost in the discussion regarding interpersonal skills and qualities a tutor needs to possess.

The next quality identified by a small number of students from all sites except E, is the need to be non-judgemental, tolerant and have respect for the student. The students from site E may not have mentioned this because they may not have experienced a lack of these qualities, as majority of the tutors from site E have highlighted this quality as necessary. Thus, they would be showing this kind of behaviour within their relationship with the students. While it is possible that many tutors from other sites have not mentioned this, as it is yet another quality they should possess as nurses. It is occasionally difficult, as tutors constantly need to make judgements in order to provide students with support and fair assessment of progress. This aspect, therefore, needs to be balanced with the needs of the students and maintained by being objective and critical (as suggested by some students from all sites). The students do not state the need for the tutor to be firm, consistent and assertive, as it may be something they already experience. Only a few tutors from site A express the need for firmness, consistency and assertiveness which may be based on their past experience.

With regards to the tutor being open / honest/ trustworthy, there is a mismatch between the responses of tutors and students, for at some sites students have emphasised it more than tutors and vice versa. This, perhaps, is representative of the kind of relationship that has developed. Either the students feel that this lacks within the relationship or have not invested in developing a relationship with their tutor. On the other hand, those who have placed less emphasis than tutors of their site may perceive that already happening. Thereby taking it for granted that the personal tutor is trustworthy, open and honest with students. The tutors too, to varying degrees, identify these as important qualities, for they see this to be the cornerstone of any relationship. It is clearly linked to honouring confidentiality and using discretion. Sites A, B and C are similar in student and tutor response for the maintenance of confidentiality, while only some site D tutors, and some students from sites E, F and G mention this quality.

More students from all sites except C emphasise that tutors need to have patience, be accommodating and encouraging. This could possibly be due to the limitations of time tutors have to spend at tutorials. While the student tutor ratio is not as high as that in general education, as quoted by Earwaker (1994), it is still seen that tutors have often twenty or more personal students. With more students and limited time, it can give the student an impression of being hurried out of the door. Generally fewer tutors have identified these qualities, possibly because they do not see themselves as impatient individuals and that they feel they are being accommodating and encouraging. Similar response is seen regarding the understanding tutors have into students’ problems. Again more students, from all sites except C have made this a prominent quality than tutors have. This aspect has a big impact on the student tutor relationship. The students, who have highlighted this, may have had specific experience of either having a personal tutor who understands or one who they perceive as not having an insight into their problems. The fewer responses of tutors could be based on the belief that they do understand students’ problems. After all, not only did they go through a similar experience, most tutors are working full time, studying and managing a family life. So, more tutors have highlighted being empathetic, towards students. Brown (1993) suggests that self-disclosure would allow the student and tutor to form a better relationship. This would enable the student to feel that the tutor understands her needs.

The other qualities which have been highlighted by more students from all sites than tutors are friendliness, warm, approachable, non-threatening, helpful, supportive, organised, motivated, enthusiastic and caring. The fewer tutor responses can be explained within the later section on quality of communication. With regard to being helpful and supportive, generally seen to be the role of a tutor, may not be seen to be specific to the role of personal tutor.

Few tutors from sites B, D and F point out that they should be non-directive, empowering and facilitate learning. While it is good to empower students and facilitate learning, particularly in the light of adult education philosophy, being non-directive may not helpful, especially at the onset of the program. The students might not have identified these qualities as they feel the need to be directed, helped and supported. This can be attributed to their past educational experiences and the lack of familiarity with adult educational approaches. Self-awareness with recognition of own limitations is mentioned by some tutors from sites A and F. It could be that others do not see this as important or have a high degree of self-awareness.

This section gives a good understanding of what the role of a personal tutor is in professional education from the viewpoint of tutors and students from each academic year of the course. These can be seen to apply to most long tertiary education programmes.

The Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis

This is the first book of the series about a private informer, Didius Falco, in the Roman Empire. The background of Falco is slowly explained after the plunge into the first mystery as to why a beautiful young lady is running in the Forum being chased by some unsavoury characters. Falco rescues her and take her to his home. Soon he finds out that she is related to a senator who hires him to find out why this young lady was abducted. Slowly facts emerge that something had been hidden in the young lady’s bank vault and this was the cause of the attempted kidnap. 

Falco obtains this object, a silver pig, or ingot of lead with silver before it is extracted. This is from the silver mines in Britain and is the property of the government. So what is it doing here in the streets of Rome? It had been found and kept secretly by the senator while investigations were initiated to find out how this ingot got out of the hands of the government. But just as Falco takes up the case to keep the young lady safe she is murdered. Who killed this very pretty young lady and why had she asked Falco to meet her at a warehouse? 

It appears to tie in with the silver pig and so Falco sets out to Britain to find out how the ingots were being smuggled out from there and reaching the Roman rebels, as this much finance could only mean a plot to overthrow the emperor. The only way Falco can find out what is happening to get work in the mines by impersonating as a runaway slave. Will he succeed? How will he get out of the mines again? I need to stop giving away the plot here as this takes us well into the first part of the conspiracy uncovered by Falco. He has still a long way to go before he can identify who killed his young client. He meets the cousin of that young lady who at first is not very endearing but she grows on Falco as they spend time together.

This is a good murder mystery with a political conspiracy to thicken the plot. The way of life during those Roman Empire days are well described. The places are of course named as they were then and often require guess work particularly when they are in West Country in Britain. There is romance and friendship and tussle between republican and royalist ideology. I am going to enjoy reading the rest of the series if this first sample is anything to go by. Happy reading to all.