Effective tutoring

in tutorials
Facilitating student learning
Tutorials vs Lectures
 What are the differences
between lectures and tutorials?
Lectures Tutorials
Physical Large class, seats Smaller class, group
setting facing the front seating
Individual Assume uniform Allow variable pace
differences progress & peer support
Functions Provide informa- Interactive
and activities tion, demonstrate discussion and
skills practice
Learning in tutorials
 To facilitate learning
 Learning is what the students understand,
not what they have been told.
 Focus of university learning is on putting
knowledge to work in problem-solving, not
regurgitating information.
 Students must do something to be sure
they have learned.
Roles of tutors in supporting
learning
 Scaffolding – temporary and removable help
for students to work independently
 Contingency – responding according to the
competency level of each student
 Use leading questions instead of answers.
 Provide directions not steps.
 Give students experience
in solving learning problems by
themselves.
Tutors as designers of learning
experiences
 Tutorials should be environments conducive
to learning.
 Understanding of content requires a context
for deriving meaning.
 Tutorials are artificial environments and
contexts.
 The tutor is the designer –
the goal is student learning.
Interactions in tutorials
 Questions and answers – aiding understanding
 Activities – context of application
 Feedback on work – knowing about progress
 Peer support – catering for individual differences
 Collaboration – reducing workload
 Discussion – putting communica-
tion skills into practice
 Cooperation – learning to work
with people
Questioning techniques
 Purpose of asking questions
 Checking progress (often asking for information)
 Management method
 Focusing on important issues/concepts
 Initiating discussion
 How students interpret the
question.
 Interaction awareness
 Open ended questions
 Follow-up questions
Tutorial activities to maximize
student participation/learning
 Group discussion
 Collaborative presentation
 Role play
 Simulation games
 Debates
 Design/Project work
 Peer evaluation
Group discussion
 Clear guidelines in terms of questions
 Providing a path towards a goal
 Possible variation in perspectives
 Leading towards some conclusion
 Structure to prevent lurking
 Group summary
 Tutor highlights learning.
Collaborative presentation
 Break down and divide information search or
reading tasks
 Jigsaw to generate understanding – everyone
contributes
 Within group interaction
 Variation in presentation styles
and emphasis
 Rotate presenter or require
multiple presenters.
 Give audience some tasks.
Role play
 Careful planning needed
 Each student/group takes on a role
 Action or positions derived from such roles
 Mimic real-life situations
 Interaction according to the roles
 Emphasize multiple perspectives
and mutual understanding
 General evaluation at the end
Simulation games
 More complicated to design
 May involve roles
 Problem to work on
 Roles to act according to their own
needs/interests/understanding
 Negotiation and compromise to
reach workable solutions
 Evaluation of generic skills
Debate
 Clear motion with both positions viable
 Emphasize conflicting views or pros and cons
 Format guidelines
 Group work
 Provide audience tasks
 Evaluation of techniques
 Debriefing of learning
Design / Project
 Set up themes
 Give everyone a role and some work
 Collaborative effort vs individual work
 Mutual support
 Evaluation of contribution and
cooperation
 Tutor monitoring and support
Peer evaluation
 Complement other activities
 Both process and product
 Evaluating individual work
 Briefing on interpersonal sensitivity
 Focusing on criteria
 Basis for self-management
and self-evaluation
A group activity for you
 Select a topic on which your group can work
together.
 Select a group leader and a presenter.
 Design an activity for a tutorial that maximizes
interaction and active learning on the topic you have
selected.
 Group leader should ensure that all members
contribute to the process.
 Present the gist of the activity.
 Explain briefly how the activity would facilitate
learning.
Some possible topics
 The roles of the WTO in promoting
international trade.
 The meaning of, and ways to achieve, gender
equality in society.
 How information technology improves the
diagnosis of diseases.
 How the OUHK became accredited.
 Any other topic your group agrees on.