Tutorial sessions

Tutorial sessions should provide a structured and supportive environment in which tutees feel able to ask a range of questions. Your role is primarily an academic one, but personal difficulties can impact on academic progress. If a student’s marks begin to decline or if you notice that a particular student seems to be distressed or preoccupied, it might be that personal issues are interfering with the student’s academic performance. It is also often the case that students bring up problems when talking through their academic performance. This is where your secondary role as a broker to student academic and personal support services comes in.

Students may need some encouragement to access the type of support they need and in some instances you can make the first contact on the student’s behalf. A list of all the Academic and Personal Support Services is available under the Supporting and signposting tutees icon on this page. However, in most cases your role will be confined to making students aware of the support that is available to them and they will need to take the initiative themselves.

All students on taught courses should have the opportunity for exposure to the following with their Personal Tutor and relevant staff and services across the University:

Themes:

  • Getting to know you (Pre-arrival)

Know Personal Tutor and contact details; know induction timetable; set broad goals for university; identify areas of risk and concern about their university experience.

  • Getting Connected (Induction and Transition to Higher Education)

Understand value of personal tutoring and development; know way around campus or virtual-learning environment (as appropriate to mode of delivery) and timetable; know where to find course information; build connections with students and understand opportunities for building social capital, including student clubs and societies, UoP Global, UPSU and opportunities for student representation; understand external sources of connection and social capital, e.g. professional body membership where relevant.

  • Preparing for Success
    • Set SMART goals for progress; recognise where Hallmarks of the Portsmouth Graduate can be developed; be familiar with attendance and engagement processes and expectations; understand exam and assessment processes and submission; understand requirements for avoiding plagiarism; understand academic skills required in Higher Education; know where to access support;
    • Identify the different expectations when transitioning from Further to Higher Education, or between undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, or from work to Higher Education.
  • Making the most of University

Understand managing time; understanding value of extra-curricular opportunities; consider placement opportunities and work experience where appropriate; make effective option choices.

  • Refreshing, Reflecting, Developing

Review and reflect on progress; interpret feedback from assignments; understand personal strengths and weaknesses.

  • Enhancing your Future

Create a CV, and covering letter; engage with career search; acquire favourable references; develop applications; develop interview technique.

  • Becoming a Professional

Develop a career plan; develop social media professional identity; encourage networking with peers and inspiring opportunities outside the University.

  • Moving On (Outduction)

Understand graduation process; understand importance of maintaining contact as an alumnus.

A good relationship between Personal Tutors and their tutees encourages students to talk about difficulties before they develop into major problems. It is important to try to set your tutees at ease so that they feel comfortable raising academic concerns or difficulties alongside achievements and extra-curricular activities.

Setting the ground rules

Your first meeting with your tutees needs to be face-to-face (unless they are distance learners) and should be during the first few days of their arrival at the University. Within your tutorial groups you are likely to have EU / International students and UK students who may have very little idea of what HE learning involves. In your first meeting you may need to explain what a tutorial is, what a Personal Tutor is and give clear guidance about what you expect from your personal tutees. There are a number of routine tasks that are associated with all personal tutorial sessions and you need to make decisions about your availability and office hours before you meet your tutees for the first time.

Office hours

Some Personal Tutors encourage students to drop in at any time, others have designated office hours with appointment slots that students sign up to, and others prefer timetabled meetings. The important thing is to be fair and consistent and give some thought to record keeping and how you will deal with non-attendance. The note-taking function on the platform allows you to take notes and to email a copy of the notes to your personal tutee.