1. Tutoring Workshop Facilitated by: Simon Winberg & Renee Smit
Department of Electrical Engineering
Facilitated by:
Simon Winberg & Renee Smit
21 Feb 2013

2. Outline Introduction by Renee
Presentation by Simon: “Being an EE Tutor” (10-15 min)
Workshop
Summing up

3. How do students learn?
The fact that teaching has happened, does not necessarily imply learning has taken place!

4. Engaging in Learning
Learning happens when students engage meaningfully with the material of the course and are free to seek feedback on their learning as frequently as necessary.

5. Approaches to learning
Surface approach: focus on rote, “plug-n-chug”
Deep approach: active search
for meaning

6. Why are tutors important?
More of them, more available to students
Closer to the students
An essential part of the feedback loop
Lifecycle of teaching & tutoring

7. Feedback from survey
The study
Lecturers
Tutors
Students

8. A few crucial points…. Language Diversity Quality Feedback
Learning from one another
A tutor should help to facilitate this structure

9. Being an EE Tutor

10. What is a Tutor? Generally:
A tutor is some who assists others to learn
A university tutor has a variety of other responsibilities and tasks to do
Helping a student learning how to solve a knotty problem

11. Guiding vs. Doing A tutor should not do the work for the student!!
Rather the tutor should act a coach
Guiding
Listening
Observing
Motivating

12. Being an EE Tutor Some electrical engineering tutoring tasks
Laboratory practicals (or “Pracs”)
Marking assignments
Facilitating students’ project work
Tuts / hot-seat / extra-tuition
Invigilating exams/tests
General assistance to lecturer

13. Pracs and Tutorials Prac Tutorial Takes place in a lab
Students use computers or specialized equipment to work through a set of practical tasks.
Tutorial
An intensive tuition session, done by a tutor or lecture to a small group of students
Usually done in a “tut room”
Prac venue
Tutorial

14. General Assistance Website maintenance Testing exercises / pracs
Finding resources (e.g. open-source tools)
Photocopying

15. Claim forms and Remuneration
Available from Marlene Joubert
Completed, signed by lecture and handed back to her by the 25th of the month
I recommend handing them in earlier
Keeping track of your time
Could use a book or a spreadsheet to keep track of your time
Date
Notes
Time (h)
04-May-09 Mon
05-May-09 Tue
1h prep lab 3h lab 4
06-May-09 Wed
Website 1
07-May-09 Thu
08-May-09 Fri
Mark asg 4 2
Weekend
11-May-09 Mon …
You don’t need to submit; it’s just for your own use

16. Tutor Application Form
Tutors are supposed to do at most 20h per month per course.
If you are tutoring multiple courses, lecturers on all courses should be made aware of your other tutoring commitments.
You should check with your supervisor that he/she agrees with the tutoring commitments you have set yourself as it may hold back your main objective to get a degree.

17. Pracs / Project Support
Pracs are often the main thing tutors do
Usually close interaction with the students, e.g. you assisting an individual or a small prac/project team
Not always so easy...
Consider the main aims for this tutoring task

18. Overall aim for tutoring in pracs
Ensure the students are able to make progress on the assigned prac
How can this be accomplished?...

19. Prac Tutoring Techniques
Be prepared
At least read through the prac sheet…
Preferably work through the prac on your own
Be on time, preferable early
Arriving a few (e.g. 15) minutes early is good to get set-up and ready
Ensure all needed items for prac are in place
These are the main things to get right first
It’s considerate to send an to the TA / lecturer to confirm you will be there,
and possibly afterwards (e.g. went well? And difficulties? Improvements ideas?)

20. Prac Tutoring Sometimes you may have little to do during the prac
In such cases, it makes sense to have some other work to do. However…
Only one student, who will surely call if I’m needed
Eish, but this is too difficult!
You are responsible to check that people are behaving, making progress. Occasionally walk about to see if anyone is stuck.

21. Invigilation Arrive around 15-20 min before the start
your lecture to confirm you’ll be there
Usually, you can take turns with the other invigilator walking around the room and sitting
(tea staff come by ~20 min prior to start of exam to ask your refreshment options)

22. Tutor teams For larger classes, a “tutor team” approach may be better
Members of the team are given certain responsibilities
Often need a team leader or “chief tutor”:
Assists in organizing the tutor team(s)
Ensuring all tutors know what to do & when
Act as a rep, provide feedback to lecturer

23. Improving tutoring abilities
Matching student / tutor learning styles
Some students may handle certain ways of learning better, or worse, than others
E.g., more visual vs. more textual learning, thinking vs. doing, independent vs. group
Accommodating diversity
Students are not all the same; they have different experiences, ability, likes/dislikes, among many factors that influence the way in which they act and interact with others.

24. Improving tutoring abilities
Some things to try…
Listen to students explain their problems
Ask them to repeat things back to you
Sketch and jot notes to aid explanations
Keep a journal
Act & look professional (see handout)

25. Adding value Being a tutor can improve your skills, e.g.
Improved communication, if not some empathy
Patience
Positive attitudes and
Social skills / dealing with people
Leadership abilities