Personal Tutoring - Guidance for Staff
Proposals for Personal Tutoring were agreed by Academic Board in June 2011, for implementation at the start of the academic year 2011-12. It applies to all undergraduate and taught Master’s programmes.
These proposals offer a minimum entitlement (as outlined below), recognising that individual Schools may wish to extend their offer so (e.g. to be more in keeping with current practice within their discipline).
The FAQ’s below are intended to outline key aspects of UEL’s offer:
Q: What is the Personal Tutor’s role ?
Aim: a Personal Tutor (PT) will help named, individual students (their ‘tutees’) engage with their programme of study.
Purpose: a PT will offer guidance on how a tutee might make the best of their study opportunities at UEL. For example, discussions might include the following topics:
- preparing for classes, attending regularly and undertaking independent study;
- balancing commitments to study with work and home issues and time effective time management;
- settling into university life and study, identifying differences between level one, two and three study;
- recognising the importance of completing assessment tasks and meeting deadlines;
- understanding relevant university regulations.
Additional circumstances:
A PT should also be involved if any of their tutees:
- breach UEL’s assessment regulations
- breach UEL’s attendance policy
- fail to submit module assessments
- fail to achieve a threshold mark for module assessment.
In these situations, a subsequent meeting should be arranged with their tutee to offer responsive and proactive support*.
*Current arrangements for notifying PTs of additional circumstances are reliant upon Delta and contact between academic colleagues, however the feasibility of automatic / electronic notification options are currently being explored with IT.
Q What are a Personal Tutor’s responsibilities?
Meeting Frequency: a PT should meet their tutee at least once per semester; and offer a subsequent meeting in additional circumstances (outlined above).
Invitation: a PT is responsible for contacting students to welcome them at the start of each semester and to arrange the meeting (and where necessary to request a subsequent meeting as outlined above). Whilst the PT should be available to meet their tutee at the arranged time, the tutee is responsible for attending the meeting.
Meeting type: the first meeting will normally be face-to-face, though subsequent meetings may be either face-to-face or electronic.
Recording: PTs will maintain an electronic record of all interactions with their tutees (see link below to download the Personal Tutor Session Record Form and Personal Tutoring Record Form). PTs should remember that Data Protection Act principles will apply to the recording or personal and potentially sensitive information.
Confidentiality: The nature of the relationship between PT and tutee will normally be considered confidential. However, any information given to a PT by their tutee may be disclosed if there is any reason to believe that any harm or danger to the tutee or others may result from not disclosing the information. Further, information given to PTs is not protected by privilege, so a duty to disclose evidence of any criminal activity or offences applies.
Other support: If a tutee seeks advice regarding non-academic related issues that may require other sources of support e.g. counselling, financial support, UELSU, International centre etc., a PT should guide their tutee to relevant UEL resources.
Academic References: A PT should be prepared to write an academic reference for a tutee who seeks to engage in volunteering or employment.
Q What are the boundaries of the PT role?
PTs will not normally be expected to provide an extended pastoral or counselling support role, provide detailed feedback on coursework, monitor attendance, or advise on issues of retrieval.
Similarly, if a tutee wishes to discuss issues related to individual module or specific programme content, it is preferable to direct them to module teaching staff or their Programme Leader.
Q How are tutees allocated?
PTs will normally be allocated tutees from their programme of study. Tutees will be allocated by the Programme Leader or designated nominee e.g. Admissions Tutor, Field Leader or Administrative colleague (according to the needs of the individual School). This information will be made available on Delta. All academic staff are expected to participate in Personal Tutoring.
Q Do PTs keep the same tutees throughout their degree?
Practice is at the discretion of individual Schools.
Q May tutees change their Personal Tutor?
This is quite acceptable – students are advised to discuss the matter with their PT or to contact their Programme Leader.
Q How is implementation monitored?
UEL’s Learning and Teaching Committee will monitor implementation, managed through each School’s Learning and Teaching Committee.
Forms for Recording
Personal Tutor Session Record Form (for Personal Tutors to record each session with each tutee - PDF Version)
Personal Tutor Session Record Form (for Personal Tutors to record each session wtih each tutee - Word Version)
Personal Tutoring Recording Form (for Personal Tutors to keep a record of thier tutees and dates of these meetings)
Useful Links
- Quality Assurance and Enhancement
- Learning and Development
- UEL Library & Learning Services
- External Organisations
- Moodle Docs
- Scholarship in Learning, Teaching and Assessment
