Tutorial Meetings Research Articles

Experiences of face-to-face and online collaborative learning tutorials: A qualitative community of inquiry approach

This study explores the experiences and the preferred schedule of face-to-face and online tutorials in a problem-based learning setting where students learn collaboratively, based on cognitive, social, and teaching presences. Seventeen experienced students and 13 tutors attended semi-structured interviews focusing on their experiences and preferences. The majority (15 students and seven tutors) preferred a 100% face-to-face schedule as the default option to stimulate deep learning and social interactions, while two students and five tutors preferred a schedule with a majority of face-to-face tutorials with some online sessions. Overall, face-to-face tutorial meetings were perceived to deepen content discussions, create a sense of connection through social interactions and non-verbal communication, and protect student well-being.

A Pragma-Dialectical Study as a Directive Speech Act Pattern of a Lecturer to the Students in an Online Learning

This study aims to describe the patterns of directive speech acts of lecturers and students in online learning of Scientific Work courses. This research is a pragma-dialectical study using descriptive qualitative method. The research data are the utterances of lecturers and students of the Early Childhood Educator Teacher Education Study Program (PG-PAUD) of the Distance University in Borneo, Indonesia. All speakers are female with the age range of 25-40 years. Data were obtained from the online learning process using the Microsoft Teams in four webinar tutorial meetings. The data were collected using techniques of listening, note-taking, recording and screenshot. The results of the study found six patterns of directive speech acts contained in four critical discussions, namely requests, orders, questions, prohibitions, and persuasions, as well as invitations. The form of directive speech act patterns found is the most dominant pattern in speech. This form of speech pattern is widely used by speakers (lecturers) and speech partners (students) with the aim of testing students’ understanding or reminding students.

Seminaria naukowe Ośrodka Badań nad Kulturą Ormiańską w Polsce w latach 2019-2022 – przyczynek do poznania najnowszego etapu kształtowania się armenologii polskiej

SEMINARS OF THE RESEARCH CENTER FOR ARMENIAN CULTURE IN POLAND IN THE YEARS 2019-2022
 This is the thematic analysis of tutorial meetings, organised in the Research Center for Armenian Culture in Poland (Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences in Krakow) in the years 2019-2022.

Institutional Provision of Tutorial Support Services – A prerequisite in Influencing Learner Participation in Distance Learning Programmes: The Case of Distance Learning Students Undertaking Diploma Course in Selected Distance Training Centers of the Coll

Purpose: The purpose was to assess the influence of the provision of tutorial support services on learner participation in distance learning programmes in the College of Education, University of Rwanda. The objectives were to establish the extent to which scheduling of tutorial meetings for face-to-face classes influence learner participation in distance learning programmes: assess whether provision of career guidance and counselling services influence learner participation in distance learning programmes; establish the extent to which scheduling of workshops and seminars influence learner participation in distance learning programmes; assess whether scheduling of peers meeting for discussion and interaction influence learner participation in distance learning programmes and to establish the extent to which library services influence learner participation in distance learning programmes.
 Methodology: The methodology utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches and embraced by a cross- sectional study design which was employed to collect data from the six selected Distance learning centers in the college of Education. A sample study comprised of 315 students out of 1,474 that formed the target population.
 Findings: Findings showed that provision of tutorial support services positively and significantly influence learner participation in the distance learning as indicated by regression coefficient of β= 270.222 t= 6389, p= 0.000 <0.05). Therefore, the null hypothesis H: was rejected and the alternative (H₁) was accepted that provision of tutorial support services have no significant effect on learner participation in the distance learning in the College of Education. Even though, findings from the study provide a strong indication that learner participation is influenced by tutorial support services such as scheduling of tutorial meeting face-to-face classes, provision of career guidance and counselling services, scheduling of the workshops and seminars, scheduling of peers meeting for discussion and interaction and library services, they are inadequate. In addition, the study did not find scheduling of workshops and seminars, as well as provision of career guidance and counselling services indicators to be statistically significant.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The unique contribution for this study in practice is that the University of Rwanda should lay down practical strategies of providing the necessary support services to learners and ensuring that digital technologies are enhanced to enable them to effectively and efficiently participate through discussions and interactions amongst themselves. In theory, this study will open up new room for academic discussions in the pedagogic perspectives and to policy imperatives, the government should find funding mechanisms on what works well for the successful delivery of distance learning programmes.

The effects of standing tutorial meetings on physical activity behavior in undergraduates: A randomized controlled trial

This study explored the effects of using standing desks in tutorial meetings on the physical activity behavior (PAB) of undergraduate students. Standing desks have been introduced to minimize the detrimental health effects of prolonged sedentary behavior (SB). The effectiveness of using standing desks has not been explored among undergraduate students – a population showing high SB. Ninety-six undergraduate students were randomly assigned to a sitting or standing tutorial group that ran for nine weeks, and their PAB was monitored using the activPAL3™ triaxial activity monitor. To check for potential compensatory or other covarying behaviors, the students’ PAB was monitored on tutorial and non-tutorial days. PAB monitoring was conducted in week 4–5, and a follow-up measurement was conducted in week 9 to examine longer-term effects. In week 4–5, the stand group (n = 41) showed less SB (β = -0.092, SE = 0.044, 95% CI: -0.179, -0.006) and more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (β = 0.320, SE = 0.160, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.635) compared to the sit group (n = 36). On tutorial days, the stand group showed more light physical activity (LPA) than the sit group (p < .001, d = 1.04). In week 9, there was an exam on the last day of that week. Nonetheless, the stand group (n = 37) showed less SB (p < .001, d = 0.378) and more LPA (p = .008, d = 0.725), while breaking up prolonged SB more frequently (p = .007, d = 0.696) on the tutorial day compared to the sit group (n = 32). Overall, undergraduates attending standing tutorial meetings showed less SB and more LPA than those attending conventional, seated tutorial meetings. Standing tutorial meetings can contribute to a more active lifestyle for undergraduates.

Las tutorías con las familias en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria: Percepción de padres, madres y profesorado tutor

En este estudio se analiza la percepción de los padres, las madres y el profesorado tutor sobre quién toma la iniciativa de sus encuentros y los motivos para ello. Han participado 440 padres y 440 madres de las mismas unidades familiares con hijos e hijas en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO), y 35 tutores y tutoras de este alumnado. La recogida de información se realizó en las comunidades autónomas de Asturias y Canarias con la Escala de Relaciones entre la Familia y el Centro Escolar (Martínez-González, 1994). Los análisis comparativos realizados a través de la t de Student entre la perspectiva de cada uno de los progenitores/as y los tutores/as indican que todos los colectivos coinciden en señalar que contactan con poca frecuencia, y que cuando lo hacen es para comentar, en general, los progresos académicos de sus hijos e hijas. Los aspectos familiares y personales del alumnado, y la organización de actividades conjuntas no suelen ser motivo de las reuniones tutoriales. De ello se pueden extraer orientaciones y sugerencias de actuación. This study analyzes the perception of fathers, mothers and the tutor teachers about who takes the initiative of their meetings and the reasons for it. 440 fathers and 440 mothers of the same family unit with children in Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO), and 35 tutors of these students participated. The information was gathered in the autonomous communities of Asturias and the Canary Islands through the Scale on School-Family Relationship (Martínez-González, 1994). The comparative analyses between the perspective of each of the parents and the tutors were carried out through the Student's t, indicating that all the groups agree that they contact with little frequency, and when they do it is to comment, in general, on the academic progress of the children. Interest on the family and on other personal aspects of the students, and on organizing activities together with the parents are not usually reasons for tutorial meetings. From these results, guidelines and suggestions for action can be drawn.

The Attitude of Prospective Teachers towards Guidance and Counseling Services in Distance Education of Pakistan

This study evaluated the attitude of prospective teachers towards “guidance and counseling services” in distance education. The survey method was used for data collection from 730 B.Ed. learners of the AIOU by using questionnaires on a five-point rating (Likert) scale. The results indicated that the majority of the prospective teachers (80.24%) appeared to be satisfied with information services and the channels of providing such services by AIOU. More than half of the respondents (57.81%, 57.59%, and 57.81%) appeared were unsatisfied with the provision of tutors information, guidance by their tutors on writing assignments, and tutorial meetings (respectively). Overall, more than half of the respondents appeared with their positive perception about “guidance and counseling services”. The study recommended tutors training on how to tutor in distance education; how-to guide and facilitate distance learners in writing good assignments.

Pain psychology specialist training 2012–2014

Abstract Aims The training includes learning the practical skills related to the psychological examination, treatment and rehabilitation of pain patients. The completion of the training prepares for work in multiprofessional teams as a specialist in pain psychology. A joint project of the Finnish Association of the Study of Pain and the Psychology Institute since 2008. Participants Psychologists working in public, private or occupational health care, in rehabilitation or psychiatric clinics. The fourth training group of 20 psychologists started in the spring of 2012. More than 40 psychologists have already been trained in 1998-2010. The structure and content of the training: Seminars Eight seminars include 12 days of training on the topics of pain as a psychosocial phenomenon, psychological assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of pain patients, interaction and multiprofessional teamwork. Tutorial groups Eight tutorial meetings of 5 students and one tutor in each group gather together in different parts of Finland to discuss selected scientific articles, work on their professional identity as pain psychologists and receive supervision of clinical and diploma work. Literature Getting acquainted with scientific research reports on pain psychology and with vocational literature. Diploma work Written article or a short research report on a development project, experiment or a phenomenon related to pain psychology. Optional studies Giving a lecture or training on the topic of pain psychology to other professionals or patients, participating in a pain education organized by others, writing a report on a research, treatment or rehabilitation experiment or a book review to be published

Tutoring the end-of-studies dissertation: helping psychology students find their academic voice when revising academic texts

This intervention study aimed at helping undergraduate students of psychology learn to use the discursive resources useful to make academic voice visible in their texts and to improve their writing practices. The intervention involved tutorial meetings and collaborative revisions in two different learning environments, on-line and face-to face. The final text quality, the students’ knowledge and the amount and the quality of revisions were assessed in both conditions. Results show that the quality of the texts improved for both intervention groups in contrast with for control group, and better texts were related with higher rates of revision and more students’ satisfaction with the intervention.

The effect of directive tutor guidance on students' conceptual understanding of statistics in problem‐based learning

Education is aimed at students reaching conceptual understanding of the subject matter, because this leads to better performance and application of knowledge. Conceptual understanding depends on coherent and error-free knowledge structures. The construction of such knowledge structures can only be accomplished through active learning and when new knowledge can be integrated into prior knowledge. The intervention in this study was directed at both the activation of students as well as the integration of knowledge. Undergraduate university students from an introductory statistics course, in an authentic problem-based learning (PBL) environment, were randomly assigned to conditions and measurement time points. In the PBL tutorial meetings, half of the tutors guided the discussions of the students in a traditional way. The other half guided the discussions more actively by asking directive and activating questions. To gauge conceptual understanding, the students answered open-ended questions asking them to explain and relate important statistical concepts. Results of the quantitative analysis show that providing directive tutor guidance improved understanding. Qualitative data of students' misconceptions seem to support this finding. Long-term retention of the subject matter seemed to be inadequate.

The effect of directive tutor guidance in problem-based learning of statistics on students’ perceptions and achievement

In this study directive tutor guidance in problem-based learning (PBL) of statistics is investigated. In a quasi experiment in an educational setting, directive guiding tutors were compared with tutors in a more traditional role. Results showed that the subjective perceptions of the students with regard to the course, the tutor, and the discussions in the tutorial meetings were more positive in the guided condition. The quality of the problems used in the meetings and general tutor functioning were evaluated as equal in both conditions. Achievement was marginally higher in the guided condition. It can be concluded that directive tutor guidance is an effective addition to PBL of statistics.

Exploring the effectiveness of peer mentoring of accounting and finance students in higher education

This article explores the effectiveness of peer mentoring with accounting and finance students at the University of Dundee. The motives of such a mentoring scheme are to improve the participants' academic performance and to develop their transferable skills. In the context of this study, peer mentoring comprises third year students (mentors) mentoring first year students (mentees). Using a semi-formal tutorial setting and meetings during the latter part of the academic year, mentoring groups address issues such as academic writing skills, study techniques and examination preparation. The effects of mentoring are measured by a comparison of the pre- and post-mentoring examination performance of the mentees. In addition, focus group interviews are used to gather the opinions of the mentees and the mentors as to their impressions about the success of the project. The empirical results suggest that mentoring has had a positive effect on the academic performance of the mentees. The focus group interviews found that both the mentors and the mentees claimed to benefit significantly from their involvement in the project.

Learner Articulation as Interactional Achievement: Studying the Conversation of Gesture

Learner articulation, studied under a variety of names (e.g., self-explanation, self-directed, and generative summarization), has been shown to contribute to new learning. Whereas prior research has focused on measuring the effects of various forms of articulation on learning outcomes, this article focuses on how such articulation may be accomplished, moment to moment and turn by turn, in learning settings. It documents some of the ways in which participants use their bodies and, in particular, their hands while displaying what they know. It presents fine-grained analyses of 3 videotaped fragments of naturally occurring interaction among medical teachers and students participating in tutorial meetings in a problem-based learning curriculum. Within these 3 exhibits evidence was found of recipient design with regard to gesture production and recipient response with reference to its performance. Also found was evidence of gesture reuse as a mechanism for cohesion across turns at talk and as a display of mutual understanding. This article represents a preliminary step toward a more general program of research focusing on sense-making practices in learning settings. Extending an understanding of how such practices are accomplished interactionally is a crucial step toward eventually being able to give an adequate account of what makes any exemplary form of instruction effective.

Quality of student-generated learning issues in a problem-based curriculum

In a problem-based curriculum students generate learning issues that are the guidelines for their individual study. In an earlier study it was found that a useful learning issue contains a keyword that demarcates the content of a certain topic to be studied and is formulated concisely and unambiguously for all members of the tutorial group. This study investigates two questions. First, how many learning issues can be classified as being of good or bad quality as evaluated against three criteria? Second, what are examples of well and badly formulated learning issues? Learning issues were collected for two problems in the first year during two tutorial meetings of the Maastricht Medical School in the academic year 1998–99. In the next academic year, 12 first year-students were asked to judge the learning issues for each problem against three criteria. The results showed that 21% of the learning issues for one problem and 32% for the other problem were classified as scoring high on all three characteristics. A very small percentage of learning issues (5% and 2%) were classified as scoring low on all three characteristics. Most learning issues scored differently on each of the characteristics. Although most learning issues contain a keyword, many of them were formulated ambiguously and not concisely. It is concluded that first-year students are not yet able to formulate clear learning issues.

Motivation to commit oneself as a determinant of achievement in problem-based learning

Problem-based learning is a constructivist approach to professional education stressing the use of real life problems in education. Several previous attempts to understand the intricacies of learning in the problem-based context have led to a causal model, elements of which were tested in the present study. The focus of the investigation was on the students’ motivation to commit themselves to studying in a problem-based health sciences curriculum, expressed in term of levels of attendance at tutorial meetings. Data were collected regarding functioning of the tutorial group, tutor functioning, level of prior knowledge, quality of the instructional problems, time spent on individual study, academic achievement and increased interest. These data were analyzed using a structural equations modeling approach. As hypothesized, commitment appears to be a potent determinant of achievement. In fact, it represents one of the strongest determinants of learning in the model tested.

From Code to Conduct. Professional Ethics in New Zealand Geography

ABSTRACTThere has been a major resurgence of interest in ethical matters among geographers during the past 3–4 years, both in New Zealand and internationally. This paper outlines some of the important arguments for behaving ethically in geographical research. It then argues that, rather than adopting a Code of Ethics in isolation, serious consideration needs to be given to the business of teaching ethics. The paper proposes a two‐part teaching‐and‐learning strategy ‐ the first part provides students with written and lecture material on ethics, and the second section presents real life case studies of ethical dilemmas confronted by geographers, which are used for detailed discussion in tutorial meetings.

Computer mediated tutorial support for conventional university courses

In an effort to restore quality and flexibility to the tutorial provision on some undergraduate courses, first, second and third year psychology students at the University of Southampton have been inducted into the use of ‘skywriting’ as a medium for learning support. Email messages from students and tutors, primarily focussed on issues arising from the course content, are directed to a course list so that all participants receive them; both tutors and students may reply to these. The course tutor maintains a Web‐based archive of threaded discussions by the occasional modification of message subject lines. Within this archive, the exchanges can be searched and read by theme, by participant, or by date. This provision is in addition to the usual lectures and face‐to‐face tutorial meetings. This paper examines students’ participation in skywriting on three courses. Participation is examined in relation to gender, and to attitudes and experience with computers. Levels of contribution to face‐to‐face tutorials and to skywriting are compared, and their relation to students’ learning styles is explored.