A characterisation of the teaching approaches and practices used by casual academic tutors in undergraduate science laboratory-based practical classes

Abstract

The rapidly expanding nature of technology has led to information being made available at a more accelerated rate than ever before, resulting in the focus of higher education being increasingly placed on the development of critical thinking skills. Within the undergraduate science curriculum, practical classes have been identified as a place where students commonly have the opportunity to develop these skills. Growing student enrolments have resulted in these classes being taught predominantly by casual academic tutors. Calls have been made for universities to provide professional development for these tutors so that they can effectively fulfil their role and ultimately ensure the quality of teaching and learning in undergraduate classes. However, the specific role of tutors in undergraduate science practical classes is currently not well defined. Consequently, this research project investigated the teaching approaches and practices used by tutors in laboratory-based practical classes in order to characterise the role fulfilled by the tutors. The findings contribute to the scholarship of teaching and learning in the science discipline by providing a detailed characterisation of the actual teaching approaches and practices used by tutors in undergraduate science classes, combined with an outline of how tutors should be trained to ensure that they have the necessary skills and understanding of their role. This research project was conducted as a post-positivist ethnography using a triangulated mixed method design to investigate the role of tutors within the context of the science culture at a large Australian research intensive university. Quantitative surveys were used to obtain an understanding of what were the perceptions of the key stakeholders, while qualitative focus group interviews provided an insight into why the participants held these perceptions. A detailed questionnaire containing both quantitative and qualitative responses was further used to identify the professional development needs of tutors. Analysis of surveys and interviews was then combined using within-study (chapter) triangulation to cross check for internal consistency in the conclusions. Furthermore, between-study (thesis) triangulation was used to test external validity and allow the findings to expand through science disciplines. In 2011, the Faculty of Science (FoS) at the investigated university employed approximately 700 tutors to teach practical classes in a diverse range of science topics. Responses to quantitative surveys of 19 new and 72 experienced biomedical tutors along with qualitative interviews with three full time academic staff members (coordinators), indicated that tutors were typically postgraduate research students who remained in the position for the duration of their studies (approximately two to five years). Surveys of 120 students and interviews with four students and four tutors were conducted within the context of an introductory chemistry course to determine the perceptions held by both students and tutors regarding the role of tutors in science practical classes. The student and tutor responses revealed that mentoring was the foremost role of the tutors. Students perceived mentoring as the provision of individualised help and feedback during practical classes, while tutors perceived it to mean guiding students to develop an understanding of the rationale and mechanisms underlying their experiments. The teaching approaches and practices involved in mentoring were further explored through quantitative surveys of 22 students, 98 tutors and 8 coordinators combined with qualitative interviews of 22 students, 17 tutors and 9 coordinators, and included members of the biomedical, biological and physical science disciplines. The findings indicated that tutors adopted an interactive approach to teaching where they engaged in discussions with the students. The responses to the interviews revealed that the practices used by tutors included highlighting the relevance of the course, sharing their own experiences of research, providing guidance, help and feedback throughout the research process and adopting questioning teaching practices to promote critical thinking. The triangulation of this post-positivist ethnography was completed by extending the findings beyond the science discipline to investigate the professional development needs of tutors in the higher education sector. A survey of 436 tutors was conducted across five faculties of a large research intensive university to identify how tutors should be trained to fulfil the role of mentor. It was determined that tutors would benefit most from a combined workshop and community of practice model of professional development, where they would develop an understanding of their mentoring role whilst also learning how to implement effective teaching techniques from more experienced tutors and academics. Tutors fulfil a complex, flexible, explicit and ongoing mentoring role. It is argued in this thesis that tutors should be recruited based on their enthusiasm for, and commitment to, sharing their knowledge and experiences of the science discipline with undergraduate students. Furthermore, it is recommended that tutors be supported in gaining a clear understanding of their role through the provision of ongoing professional development.