The Role of the Tutor in Blended E-Learning

Abstract

This chapter reports on an implementation of blended e-learning within three modules in the School of Health and Social Care at Oxford Brookes University. All preregistration students within the school are required to take an interprofessional education module in each year of their study. These three modules have undergone a radical redesign, prompted by the school and university strategies for e-learning and the European and UK National Health Service IT skills agenda. The redesign resulted in a blended-learning strategy that combined face-to-face teaching with online work of increasing sophistication during each of the three modules. In each module, there was an emphasis on collaborative, interprofessional learning. Interviews were conducted with seven members of the course teams to ask them about their perceptions of their roles as tutors in this blended environment. Analysis of the interview transcripts revealed five elements of the tutors’ roles: relationships with students, supporting group work, supporting professional learning, managing the blend, and developing new tutoring skills. The implications are discussed for improving staff development for tutors in this case study and for our understanding of blended learning more generally.