Personal Tutoring - Guidance for Students
Here at UEL, every student undertaking undergraduate or taught masters programmes is assigned a member of academic staff as their Personal Tutor (PT).
Why do students need a PT?
A PT is there to support your engagement with academic study. In order to do this your PT will invite you to attend at least one meeting per semester. The first meeting will be face to face, with any additional meetings taking place either through face to face contact or electronically, such as via email.
What can students expect from their PT?
PTs are there to support you in your studies and are able to provide help on the following key features:
- Helping you to develop your own academic and preparation skills such as:
- Practicing effective time management
- Recognising the importance of completing assessment tasks and meeting deadlines
- Understanding the importance of your studies including preparing for your classes and attending regularly, as well as undertaking your own independent study to enhance your learning
- Balancing your commitment to study, your employment and any home life issues
- Managing the transition relevant to each level of study. This includes settling into university life and study, as well as helping you to identify the differences between levels of study. Reflecting on your progress and reviewing achievements within the previous semester will also be encouraged
- PTs can also help you to understand any relevant university regulations
What is expected from you as a student?
- Students should find out who their PT is by logging onto UEL Direct from the home page click on ‘My Record’ then ‘Personal Tutor’
- If you have not been assigned a PT please contact your school helpdesk as soon as possible
- It may be beneficial to email or meet with your PT in the first few weeks of term, this will help you both familiarise names and faces
- Students may wish to note down the office hours of their PT. These are usually published on their office door, in UELPlus or are available at the school helpdesk. You will then know when your PT is available to meet with students.
- Attend all meetings arranged with your PT. However if you cannot attend, please let your PT know as soon as possible, ideally with 1 days notice.
- If you have to cancel a meeting with your PT please make sure you rearrange to meet as soon as possible.
- Prepare well for your meeting, write down any notes on issues you want to raise, any questions or problems you have faced as well as anything you want to ask. The more prepared and focused you are the more you will gain from the meeting
What about confidentiality?
Any information that you (the student/tutee) gives to us (the Personal Tutor) will not be discussed with anyone without your consent, unless there is any harm or danger to yourself or others.
Also, any information given to PTs is not protected by privilege, so they would have a duty to disclose evidence of any criminal activity or offence.
What additional support can a PT offer to students?
In order to proactively support students, PTs will also be alerted when problems are developing and will offer you the opportunity to meet and discuss these issues. Meetings will be offered to address issues such as:
- Breaches of UEL’s assessment regulations
- Issues regarding student attendance
- Failure to submit coursework or attend an exam
- Poor performance in an assessment where marks are below the threshold for the module
Students can also seek advice regarding our support services and referral for additional support such as counselling, financial support and UELSU. Your PT can also supply an academic reference for the purposes of volunteering or employment.
Please note that:
PTs will not offer students detailed feedback on coursework and will not directly monitor their tutees’ attendance. Extended pastoral support will not be undertaken by your PT, but it is likely that they would refer you to the correct support services to ensure you receive the help you require. Advice on issues of retrieval will not normally be offered either.
Useful Links
- Quality Assurance and Enhancement
- Learning and Development
- UEL Library & Learning Services
- External Organisations
- Moodle Docs
- Scholarship in Learning, Teaching and Assessment
