Personal Tuition What does it mean Staff Student

Personal Tuition: What does it mean? Staff & Student Survey DR ELLE BOAG ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DIRECTOR OF LEARNING, TEACHING & QUALITY: SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Overview Why examine personal tuition? What does the literature say? Aims of study Findings Recommendations Impact

Why examine Personal Tuition? Personal tuition is one of the most important factors in students’ experiences of HE and plays a substantial role in both retention, achievement and progression of students. Responsibility: The regulatory framework for HE states that students should be “supported to access, succeed in, and progress from, HE” (Office for Students, 2018, p. 14) • However, personal tuition is a role undertaken by academic staff who are often poorly prepared to meet all the needs of increasingly complex tutees.

Research shows… Students Personal Tutors Want accessible PTs • Un- or Irregularly available PTs = frustration/rejection Want to be accessible? • Other responsibilities impact time available for tutees Want proactive PTs • Compulsory PT sessions rather than “drop-ins” • Increases self-disclosure of issues/problems • Increases identification with Course/Uni Want to be proactive • Impact on teaching/research time Becoming a more complex population: • students with ongoing mental/physical health needs • Students from non-traditional educational backgrounds • Students from low SES families • Students from BAME populations • Students from LGBT+ populations Have to navigate: • Personal issues of tutees • Social issues of tutees • Health issues of tutees Feel ill equipped to manage the issues of tutees • Creates reluctance to undertake the PT role or to be an “effective” PT Some PTs do not know what is expected of the PT role Do not recognize the value of WP in providing support

Research also shows… Students Personal Tutors Individual students needs are substantially variant, they Offer often irregular support to tutees to be able to turn to their PT in times of crisis or need • Believe focus should be on research, not student (academic and/or personal) support • Students see some staff as “more” or “less” supportive • May have to take on the responsibility of supporting in times of crisis/need other students (not tutees) in times of crisis if they do • Students want PTs who will listen, provide signposting, not feel able to turn to their own PT and give options for resolution • Can lead to resentment toward colleagues • Students will turn to other members of staff if PT is not • May not feel able to provide adequate support, so perceived as supportive signpost back to PT who student already has no confidence in Are increasingly dissatisfied • Complaints increase • Negative experience impacts on learning and engagement Need clear definition of PT role

Rationale Aims 1. Gauge staff and student understanding and experiences of personal tuition 2. Identify staff understanding of WP/APP 3. Develop Faculty/University wide policy [PT] that enhances APP (2019 -2014) Methodology Online questionnaire survey (staff; student) Closed and open questions* *BCU University ethical approval granted

General Findings: Staff Survey N = 135 (64% Female, 31% male, 3% prefer not to say, 2% “other”) All were PTs and all Faculties were represented >70% identified that they had between 10 and 39 tutees 61% happy with their allocation of tutees (34% unhappy) 68% did not know how much time is allocated to personal tuition pa 53% spent 1 -2 hrs pw on PT tasks, 31% 2 -4 hrs pw, and 16% >4 hrs pw

What to PTs “do”? Answering emails from tutees 1. 1% 2. 2% (48 hrs) Following up on tutee attendance problems (by telephone or email) Meeting with tutees (face-to-face or Skype) 6. 7% Online chats with tutees Following up on tutee support summary matters (with tutees) 1. 1% 2. 2% 5. 5% 30. 33% Following up on tutee support summary matters (with support services) Following up on tutee support summary matters (with the programme team) Providing feedback to tutees about academic work Signposting tutees to support services (CAS, Student Services, etc. ) "catching up" with tutees via telephone 35. 38% "catching up" with tutees via email/Moodle forum 5. 5% Writing job references Anything else Figure 14. Could you please identify which of the following you do in order of time spent on each task (Rank 1 data MOST time) (N = 91) Direct contact with tutees Other

Answering emails from tutees Following up on tutee attendance problems (by telephone or email) 5. 6% 3. 4% 2. 2% 8. 9% (48 hrs) Meeting with tutees (face-to-face or Skype) 20. 23% Online chats with tutees Following up on tutee support summary matters (with tutees) 4. 5% Following up on tutee support summary matters (with support services) Following up on tutee support summary matters (with the programme team) 10. 12% 16. 19% Providing feedback to tutees about academic work Signposting tutees to support services (CAS, Student Services, etc. ) 10. 12% 3. 4% 1. 1% 2. 2% "catching up" with tutees via telephone "catching up" with tutees via email/Moodle forum Writing job references Anything else Figure 15. Could you please identify which of the following you do in order of time spent on each task (Rank 2 data SECOND MOST time) (N = 85) Direct contact with tutees Other

“Anything else” open ended responses… “Recently personal tutees have had problems outside of academic ones - a mother has cancer, a parent died another is pregnant. It takes time to listen and then time to find out what is available. As Personal Tutors we have never been 'taught' what to do. I am glad that there is the 'ASK' system but most students want a personal touch with someone they know and trust. ” “With some students, it is providing additional academic support for subjects that I do not teach (especially with regards to dissertations). With other students, I spend a fair amount of time giving pastoral care. Many students struggle with the expectations and commitments of a university degree and I will work with them to develop personal strategies” “Researching other sources of support for students external to the university for students who have more specific support needs that the university doesn’t currently provide. One student I spent 2 -3 hours researching following a specific support need”

Staff expectations of Personal Tuition Other To identify and support students who are struggling To identify and encourage students who are excelling To understand the support structure offered to students at BCU To support students' setting out of career objectives To support students in building academic skills I do not want to be a personal tutor To enhance my own career-relevant skills To ensure that students have a single "port of call" for any problems. . . To establish and develop good relationships with students 0 Figure 17. What do you want from personal tuition? (N = 115) 20 40 60 number of responses 80 100

“Other” open-ended responses… To enable students to get the most out of their experience of studying with us. This includes paying particular attention to supporting students as they settle into a new study environment” “To enhance students' university experience. I believe the Personal Tutor role is key and that we can have significant positive impact on students' experience and satisfaction. I want them to do well and get the best out of their time at BCU” “To support all students to achieve their potential. To provide timely, effectively support that enables students to access university services as much as possible”.

Staff expectations of Personal Tuition Other To have someone who knows where to find support ave someone to encourage them to attend and engage with their programme To enhance their student experience To get careers advice and support To gain academic support To gain additional tuition on top of their taught sessions that they have someone to "turn to" if they have any problems whilst studyi. . . To establish and develop good relationships with staff 0 20 40 number of responses Figure 18. What do you believe students want from personal tuition? (N = 115) 60 80 100

“Other” open-ended responses… “Someone who knows them and do not think of them as just another number/student. A person who has time for them” “To have face to face contact which is essential for the student experience rather than the more impersonal systems such as Moodle and email” Students often use it as an opportunity to voice concerns about other staff and students (which is often presented as complaining)” “I don't think the vast majority of students want a Personal Tutor”.

Student Expectations of Personal Tuition Other Advice about seeking housing support Advice about seeking mental health support Advice about revision Advice about understanding assignments Advice about academic formatting style Advice about acadeic writing Advice about effectively using feedback Advice about seeking academic support 0 Figure 34. What students want from personal tutors 10 20 30 number of responses 40 50 60 70

“Other” open-ended responses… “Understanding your needs and how well you are doing, rather than them asking you if you feel as though you are on track. Having a summary from lectures and seminars of performance/attendance if you request a meeting or if they request a meeting with you” A Personal Tutor should have a more personal understanding of the individual and their academic journey. I don’t believe my Personal Tutor knows or understands me on that level” “Designated tutor to discuss progress and provide targets etc. ” “Careers advice, difficulties you may come across in the future, what opportunities the university has and what they can offer for all studies and preparation for our career”.

Student perception of PTs 24% 27% Yes No 49% Maybe Figure 33. Turning to Personal Tutors in times of anxiety or concern (N = 100)

Student perception of PTs 31% 36% Yes No 33% Figure 31. Confidence that Personal Tutors understand students’ needs (N =100) Not sure

PT understanding of “widening participation” Although there was reference to taking a broader, more inclusive stance with personal tuition, understanding of WP was limited: ”…often it is a one size fits all approach, which is not useful. If it were bespoke to the needs of individual students, it would be better” “Students want someone who knows about their background, and do not think of them as a number. A person who has time for them, who understands” “Students want help to transition to HE…particularly when they come from a different country”

PT understanding of “widening participation” Even when asked directly, most staff made no reference to widening participation or the impact of protected characteristics outside of mental health needs. It seems staff did not acknowledge that: Most students at BCU come from the most impoverished backgrounds (IMD-Q 1) Continuation rate for IMD-Q 1 students is slightly higher than across sector [Faculties differ] Most students at BCU are the first in their families to study at university Large proportion of BCU students are from BAME populations Attainment gap for BAME/White working-class students vs. White (IMD-Q 5) students needs to be reduced There are many Faculty led strategies to increase access and participation for underrepresented groups

Broad Findings There is clear recognition that students have increasingly complex needs that staff do not feel confident in providing support for, and students lack confidence that their personal tutors can support them in times of need. Importantly, staff and students fundamentally want the same things from personal tuition, although there was a mismatch between what staff think students want from them, and what students want. But ultimately, students want pastoral and academic support, and staff want to provide these to students on their courses. Finally, it was clear that when students are dissatisfied, it is linked to staff feelings of a lack of training in the role of personal tutor and understanding of University WP and APP

Recommendations Develop clear strategy for personal tuition Develop compulsory training for personal tutors - Effective personal tuition: Inclusive practice Cultural specificity SES Care leavers Managing and signposting complex students Wellbeing and enablement safe. TALK training MHFA training

Impact Supporting Faculty and University WP and APP targets Improved student satisfaction Confidence in PT Attainment Develop practical skills (budgeting, housing etc. ) Engagement with course Progression Feeling “connected” (I am BCU) Attendance Relationship skills Employability-relevant skills Improved staff satisfaction Staff development – transferable skills Increased recognition of PT role and impact on students’: Retention Attainment Satisfaction Engagement Progression Identity (I am BCU) Attendance Experience Employability