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unpublished research –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in Nurse Education, Department of Education, University of Surrey, unpublished.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