RAPPORT
Issue 5 (August 2020)
not take place in a vacuum, rather in a
complex and churning institution.
Gihan Ebaid looks at tutoring from the
particular perspective of student
engagement. The importance of a
student’s engagement in their studies –
which means rather more than simply
turning up in person or doing the online
readings – to student success is
becoming clearer. Gihan reports on a
student support framework that increases
student engagement and hence student
success.
Steve Outram returns to and elaborates
on Ricky Lowes’ exploration of policy and
strategy. Using a rich framework
developed by Graham Gibbs to consider
university learning and teaching strategies
and their development and
implementation, Steve applies this 15-
element model to personal tutoring,
showing persuasively that policy and
practice have to inform each other, and
that neither top-down nor bottom-up
approaches alone are very effective.
Rob Ward’s bibliography skillfully selects
the jewels from a vast literature.
The programme
I said earlier that, while there is a
considerable skill to designing a
qualification, there is a much greater skill
to implementing it. The course handbook,
which I hope will be available, shows this
skill very clearly. A simple, patient,
encouraging account of the qualification,
of the study approach, of the format of the
portfolio, of the support available to
participants, and of the assessment tasks
and process. None of this is any more
complex than it needs to be, a rare virtue
in courses and course handbooks. And a
substantial and scholarly reading list,
including some excellent online sources,
which somehow manages to feel
supportive rather than intimidating.
The learning and assessment activities do
not stand outside the business of tutoring
– no “explore issues in…”, or even
“discuss how you might…” Rather they
are deeply rooted in the business of
tutoring – reviewing experience of
tutoring, planning and undertaking and
reviewing tutoring interventions, and the
like. This course takes its practicefocused
learning outcomes very seriously.
Theory is present throughout. But as a
tool for planning and reviewing and
making sense, rather than as something
separate from practice.
Guidance to participants on their final
assignment is exemplary:
‘… participants should pay particular
attention to a number of key criteria
when producing their final critically
reflective commentary. This should
be:
• Practical – discussing worked
examples of your support of student
learning in sessions;
• Personal – reflecting your values and
personal theory of learning and
teaching through self-aware, critical
reflection;
• Structured – to ensure you have
explicitly addressed the full range of
module learning outcomes and
values;
• Scholarly – including references to,
and critique of, key literature and
relevant recent research articles.’
And participants responded well to this
clear and appropriate set of tasks, and to
the support provided. A vivid account from
one participant stands for many:
This course has been a useful
exercise in being 'on the other side',
in the student role. I have found the
formal sessions and informal
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