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unpublished research –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in Nurse Education, Department of Education, University of Surrey, unpublished.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.
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