ELM Tutors’ Support and Development
1. Background
The main role of tutors in the Early Learning in Medicine (ELM) programme is to support
student learning in a group context. A quality group-learning environment is an essential
element of our curricular design. The state of the art in medical education stresses the
importance of meaningful educational environments. Learning to be a doctor who
demonstrates professional behaviour is an underlying theme of our tutorial curriculum and is
corroborated by the recent reports from the Lancet and the Carnegie Foundation on Flexner’s
centennial. The tutor plays a vital role in authenticating the “cognitive apprenticeship” that is
designed to take place within the tutorial.
It is for these reasons that tutor quality must be a priority in ELM. Our previous evaluations
have shown that the vast majority of tutors receive good student ratings.
We acknowledge that some tutors, especially those new to the programme, are likely to take
time to adjust to the group learning ethos and achieve the desired tutor standard. The policy
below explains the support and development opportunities that have been developed to assist
tutors in the ELM programme. We value the great contribution that tutors make to the ELM
learning environment and our goal is to work alongside tutors to ensure they find the tutoring
experience fulfilling as well as delivering a quality programme.
2. Feedback and Support for New Tutors
A symposium for new tutors will be organised prior to the first week of semester one. This will
assist in setting the scene for you in your role as a tutor. In addition a tutor handbook will be
provided that details the educational philosophy of the course and gives practical tips for
assisting you in your role as a tutor. At the beginning of the year a list of staff development
sessions will also be published, for new and established tutors1. If you start as a tutor after the
beginning of the first semester, special arrangements will be made by the Programme Module
Convenor(s) to brief you regarding your role and to explain the types of support available.
In order to assist in your development as a new tutor, students will give you feedback on your
performance after the 7th week and then again at the end of the first semester. (See appendix
1). You will be given detailed feedback on all evaluation data collected and you may wish to
discuss this feedback with the Programme Module Convenor and / or the ELM Medical
Education Advisor (MEA).
An additional feature of support is that either the MEA or the Programme Module Convenor will
observe new tutors after the 7th week and before the end of the first semester. This will allow
feedback and an exchange of ideas on how better to meet the educational philosophy of the
course. The following section explains the ELM tutor evaluation process in detail.
3. The Tutor Evaluation Process:
a) All tutors will be evaluated within their programme modules on a three-year
cycle at end of the first semester.
b) Tutors may request evaluation and observation outside the three-year cycle of
periodic evaluation. This evaluation will be coordinated through the MEA.
Distribution of the results of this extra evaluation will be at the discretion of the
tutor.
1
An established tutor is one who has reached the standard when evaluated as a new tutor
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c) When a potential issue has been raised with an established tutor, the tutor will be
re-evaluated using the process applied to a new tutor above. (see point 2).
4. Mandatory support
The following process will be adopted for tutors who need help to meet the Faculty of
Medicine standard at any time.
a. This will involve:
i. Tutor receipt of the student evaluation data with specific aspects highlighted
followed by a face-to-face meeting with the Associate Dean and ELM
Programme Director.
ii. Notification to the relevant HoD regarding the evaluation data.
iii. Provision of specific support to enhance tutoring skills. Support will include
assistance from the Programme Module Convenor and/or a member of Faculty
Education Unit. This support will be discussed with the relevant HoD and the
ELM Programme Director in consultation with the Programme Module
Convenor.
iv. Further evaluation early in the second semester to see if the standard has been
met.
v. If the Faculty of Medicine standard is not met after the second evaluation but
there is evidence of improvement, a second face to face meeting with the ELM
Programme Director will occur and additional support considered.
b. For those tutors who are felt to be capable of achieving the standard after the second
evaluation, a third evaluation will occur mid way through the second semester to
determine if tutor support has improved the learning experience for the students.
c. Where a tutor appears not to have made any significant improvement after the first
evaluation, the ELM Programme Director and the Director of the Faculty Education
Unit will meet with the relevant HoD to discuss options.
d. If a tutor, not employed directly by the Faculty of Medicine, shows no or little sign of
improvement after the third evaluation, the ELM Programme Director retains the
prerogative, in consultation with the tutor’s HoD and Dean, to request that an underperforming tutor not be engaged the following year.
5. Student’s prerogative
Students who believe their tutorial learning experience is sub-standard may request a review of
their tutor‘s facilitation skills at any time through the staff /education representative committee.
The MEA will establish whether this is the view of the whole group/s and will notify the tutor of
the concerns and the need for a formal student evaluation.
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Appendix 1. Tutoring Standard Expected
Students are requested to rate a number of statements. The criterion of 2 on the scale of 1[always]5[never] has been decided as the acceptable standard for all tutors. This equates with usually displaying
the attribute.
If a staff member receives a mode score of 2 or less across all criteria then this is acceptable. Where a
score is greater than 2 on any individual criterion, and the mode is 2 or less, it is anticipated that the
tutor will attempt to improve this element without direct intervention from ELM. (We will give them the
information and expect them to act responsibly/professionally.)
Example:
Integrated Cases
Feedback on your learning during your tutorial sessions
Small group tutorials are important for your learning. This feed back on group process
is for quality assurance and to inform programme development. The data will be used
primarily for quality assurance but may also be used for research related to teaching and
learning. All data used are anonymous and confidential. Please fill out this form
individually. The reverse side has a place for comments.
Tutor’s Name__________________________________Group____________________
1. Is your tutor well prepared for tutorials?
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
2. Does your tutor demonstrate how to think about and explore your clinical cases?
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
3. Does your tutor provide constructive feedback so that you understand how to improve your
inquiry into clinical cases?
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Rarely
Never
4. Is your tutor respectful toward members of your group?
Always
Usually
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Sometimes
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5. Does your tutor foster an atmosphere that is conducive to learning?
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
6. Does your tutor use effective questioning to enhance reflective, critical thinking?
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
Student Self evaluation of their part of the learning environment:
7. How would you rate your level of participation and engagement in Case tutorials?
Always engaged
Usually engaged
Sometimes engaged
Rarely engaged
Never
engaged
8. How would you rate your balance (participation) between listening and speaking during
tutorials so that collaboration is enhanced?1. 8. How would you rate your balance between
listening and speaking during the tutorial so that collaboration is enhanced?
Always
9.
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
How often do you come prepared for the tutorial by either reading or revising content from
lectures and labs?
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
10. Do you feel that you are respectful toward all members of your group?
Always
Usually
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
11. What does your tutor do well to enhance your learning?
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12. What are some areas for improvement?
13. What steps could you take to increase your engagement in your own learning?
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