School of Psychology
Mt Gravatt
First Year Tutor Training
Semester 1 2011
Ms Claire Ryan - FYA
Ms Karla Norris – TDC
Acknowledgments: Prof Keithia Wilson
Acknowledgment of Country
In the Spirit of Reconciliation
 Following on from Sorry Day
 And consistent with the Griffith University Statement on
Reconciliation (May 2007)
“In the spirit of cooperation, partnership & mutual respect,
Griffith walks with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people,
the First Peoples, along a path of inclusion, equality &
understanding for the betterment of all Australians in the name
of reconciliation.”
 We acknowledge & honour the traditional custodians of this land
that our campus is built on, and pay respect to their Elders past
& present
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Who are our Traditional Custodians
we are paying respect to?
Our Brisbane campuses are situated on the lands
of
 the Yuggera
 the Yugarabul
 the Jagera and
 the Turrbal peoples
Agenda
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What is the School Orientation and Engagement Strategy
What is the intervention role for tutors in FY Orientation &
Engagement
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University attrition profiles
Class rolls
Formation of study groups
Evaluation of first tutorial
Just in Time Interventions
Cultural Diversity
Values and attitudes
How do we ‘actually’ engage students? (share)
Potential Problems
Payment, contracts, admin etc.
What is the First Year Advisor
Role?
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Student support
Student Advocacy
One stop shop for referral information
Design, management and evaluation of the first
year activities
Friendly face to connect students to services
Helps with the transition of students into
university.
What is the Tutor Development
Role?
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Training new tutors
Mentoring new and experience tutors – quality
assurance
Guidance with Professional Development along
a teaching and learning pathway.
Professional Development
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If you are interested in professional
development through a learning and teaching
pathway
Identify the skills you would like to develop
 Receive mentoring from TDC
 Set goals using the model SMART
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Specific
Meaningful
Adaptive/Achievable
Realistic
Time-bound
Role of the Head Tutor
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Administrative duties for course convenor
Assists with tutorial design
Collects and collates materials for the tutorials
Mentoring for teaching team
Icebreaker
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Quick introduction within your tutoring team?
What do you think you will find challenging
about the course you are teaching into?
What do you think you will find enjoyable able
the course your teaching into?
As a group – Introduce yourself as you might in
your first tutorial
Reflection Task
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What does a typical first year student look like?
What did you look like as a first year?
Chat to the person next to you for 1 minute.
Griffith University context
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Large metropolitan university in Brisbane (1 of 7
in S-E Qld, & 1 of 4 in Brisbane)
Multi-campus - 5 campuses x 60 k corridor
Student enrolment of 34,000
70% of students are first-in-family at uni
FIF correlates with low SES & lower entry
scores (OPs)
6th largest low SES student intake in Australia
What do we know about the profile of our
Griffith Students?
Compared to other universities our students:
Work longer hours in paid employment
 Are more likely to be the ‘”first in their family’’ (FIF) to
attend University
* Psychology Mt Gravatt = 65% approx.
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What is Student Diversity?
Traditional
Students (TS)
 medium-high SES
 higher entry levels
 second generation
 full-time
 on-campus
Non-Traditional
Students (NTS)
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low SES background
first-in-family
lower entry levels
NESB /ESL
full-time & working
or part time & working
not on-campus
rural/remote
Indigenous
International
Disability
Mature age with home care
responsibilities
Working with Traditional Students
First Year Attributes
Discipline-specific
First Year
Attributes
First Year
Attributes
students will
acquire in their
first year
Generic First Year
Attributes
ASSUMED FY KNOWLEDGE=
a firm foundation
First Year
Attributes
Students
bring to uni
Working with Non-Traditional Students
First Year Attributes
Discipline-specific FY Attributes
Generic First Year Attributes
ASSUMED
KNOWLEDGE
What is assumed knowledge?
Academic Skills
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Information Literacy
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Computer Literacy
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Reading Skills
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Written Communication
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Numeracy Skills
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Critical thinking & analysis
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Independant Learning (self-regulation)
What is assumed knowledge?
Cultural/Social Capital
1. Understanding student role expectations & appropriate
& effective behaviour (rights & obligations)
2. Reading the academic context to accurately determine
performance requirements re studying & assessment
3. Capacity for help-seeking without fear of negative
labeling (dumb/stupid)
4. Sense of belonging & personal fit with university
(overcome the “outsider within” phenomenon – “A
stranger in a foreign land”)
What is the GU framework for student
engagement & success?
Source: Lizzio (2006) The Five Senses of Success
Sense of
Connection
Sense of
Capability
Sense of
student identity
Sense of
Resourcefulness
Sense of
Purpose
What are new students’ needs and concerns?
Sense of Connection
 Meeting people and making
friends
 Establishing positive working
relationships with staff
 Having a sense of valued identity
and belonging
Sense of Capability
 Clarifying new expectations of
the uni student role
 Building confidence for academic
challenges
 Establishing an organised and
strategic approach to study
Sense of Purpose
 Affirming their vocational
direction and motivation
 Appreciating the links between
their degree and future career
 Understanding the structure &
rationale of degree program
Sense of Resourcefulness
 Learning how to navigate the
system
 Knowing where to get help
 Managing study-work-life balance
What factors contribute to the
success or failure of
commencing students?
Reflection Task……
In your experience, why do you think some
students might succeed at university while others
might fail or give up?
Chat to the person next to you for 1 minute.
STUDENT PROCESS : What do we know from
research about success in first year?
Students are more likely to succeed if they:
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Invest time on task  time spent studying each week is the strongest predictor
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Regularly attend lectures & tutorials  increased learning opportunities also a strong
predictor
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Develop a social network at uni  knowing one person’s name is a protective factor
against dropping out
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Have a clear goal or purpose for attending uni (sense of vocational direction &
purpose especially)  a strong predictor of success
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Engage with the online environment  moderates success at university
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Balance commitments (working on average not more than 15 hours a week in paid
employment)  making appropriate time for study predicts success
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Have some sense of academic self-confidence  predicts success (self-efficacy & an
expectation of success is foundational to success in life)
STUDENT PROCESS : What do we know from
research about risk factors in first year?
Students are more likely to drop-out or fail if they:
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Don’t spend time studying for courses/subjects each week
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Don’t develop a social network at university
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Don’t have a sense of purpose (esp vocational purpose) in their degree
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Don’t regularly attend lectures & tutorials
(with the exception of a small group of young, very intellectually bright males)
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Don’t have access to or engage with the online environment
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Do work more than 25 hours per week while studying full time
STUDENT PROCESS : What do we know from
research about risk factors in first year?
Students are also more likely to drop-out if they:
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Are a member of a minority or disadvantaged group (e.g., Indigenous,
rural, disability, refugee, international, primary caregiver in family, single
parent)
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Are the ‘first in their family’ to attend university
If not handled sensitively, this information has the potential to disempower
commencing students. To be empowering, this information needs to
be explained in terms of low social/ academic capital which simply
means that they need to engage with the support systems offered at the
School/Program & University level from the outset, until they “find
their feet”. Their role also needs to be described as “pathfinders” for
their families & social groups, as part of a bigger social justice issue of
equality & equity in terms of access to & success at university.
The research evidence shows….
Despite low access rates, the success rate (or
tendency to pass their year’s subjects) of low
SES students is 97% of the pass rates of their
medium & high SES peers & has been stable
over the last 5 years.
(Bradley et al, 2008:30)
 However, this success rate is premised on the
provision of a range of support systems
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Indigenous students
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1% of Indigenous people in Australia are enrolled in
university compared to 25% of white Australians – they
are the pathfinders for their families and communities.
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One way to help our Indigenous students feel
connected to Griffith involves facilitating relationships
and building trust. One way to do this is
Acknowledgement of Country.
What is the intervention role of tutors
in O&E Strategy?
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University Attribution Profiles – 3 Profiles
1.
2.
3.
Students who are enrolled but have no intention of
turning up, & do not realise they are incurring a
HECS debt. Get them to withdraw by 27th March
(Census date)
Students who are enrolled & intend to continue, but
who are poor attendees at lectures & tutorials
Students who are enrolled & do turn up, but fail at
the end of the day
What is the intervention role of tutors
in O&E Strategy?
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Evaluation of 1st Tutorial
Conduct Just in Time Intervention (see handouts)
Be supportive, friendly & encouraging
Working with student cultural diversity
Keeping class rolls
Encouraging formation of study groups
Encourage joining of Peer Mentoring Program
Focus on relationship formation, on purpose building,
on setting realistic expectations, and providing
messages of hope
Values and Goals in the Classroom
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What do you value about learning & education?
What do you value about tutoring?
What kind of tutor would you like to be?
In an ideal world, what would your classroom
look like? (what would be happening)
What personal qualities would you bring to
tutoring
What skills would you like to develop?
Experienced tutors responses
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Respect
Working Alliance
Trust
Empathy
Compassion
Authentic – transparent
Unconditional Positive
Regard
Reflective Practice – Best
Practice
Flexibility – they are all
individuals
Authoritative Vs
Authoritarian
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Providing theory to practice
examples from own life
Equal opportunity
Group facilitation skills interactive
Provide ‘sense of purpose’ to
material – how material links
to course, degree and career.
Appropriate self-disclosure –
can reduce anxiety (in my
undergrad degree….)
Know what's happening in
students academic lives
(other assessments etc)
Approach with Curiosity Vs
Animosity
How does ‘Power’ fit into tutoring?
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How can power work to increase the learning
outcomes?
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‘expert power’ establishes credibility, reduces student anxiety
– aware of who is in charge and what their task is.
Ineffective use of power
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Power relationships
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Reduce help seeking behaviour
Decrease engagement
Decrease motivation to learn
Ego, dominance & control – covering own insecurities
May be based on your schema of teaching?
What is ‘poor form’ in tutoring?
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Discuss one student with
another student
Discuss thoughts about
convenor with students
Being insensitive to a
students personal
circumstances – always err on
the side of COMPASSION
Dismiss someones
contributions, even if its
wrong
Inappropriate self disclosure
Not managing discrimination
in the classroom
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Joking about students to
other tutors – fine line
Getting defensive
Not responding to emails in
48 hours
Making assumptions about
the relationship between
ability and IQ
Falling into the cultures:
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Teaching is simply a job
Students wanting support are
‘needy’
Doing things just for high
SET’s
Who are our first years?
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Clients
Their fees pay our wages
The future of our profession
This means they are precious, and deserve our
support and respect.
Learning Names – now a KPI
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Strategies
Ask students to have a name tag on their desks
 Write down the names on a seating chart
 Repeat their names back to them when they ask a
question
 Use a memory aid – What do you use?
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Tips for group interaction
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Chat to the person next to you, then report back
to the group.
Chat in a group, then report back
Tutor can walk around class listening, when you
hear a good point, validate/reinforce that
student and ask them to repeat it to the class –
remember to ask their name.
Smile – non-verbal encouragers
Practical
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Change the environment to suit the course – group
tables, set up as a U…
Always be prepared – just in case the computer doesn’t
work
If in a computer lab, do your warm-up standing up –
remove the barriers
If students are supposed to have copies of something –
bring extra – someone will always lose theirs.
Quick check for understand of previous weeks material
before moving onto current week.
How to
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The knowledge is in you
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In groups role play the scenarios and answer the
questions on the handout
Purpose of Tutorials,
Clarifying Roles
Your first mentoring session
Forming an effective Working Alliance
The Big 5 Questions for students
are –
Who is the leader here?
Who are the other people here?
-------------------------------What will we be doing in these
meetings?
---------------------------------What is expected of me in my role
as a student?
What can I expect of my tutor?
The underlying human issues are:
FORMING RELATIONSHIPS
------------------------------------TASK OR CONTENT AGENDA
------------------------------------PROCESS – ROLES & RULES
for behaviour
FORMING RELATIONSHIPS
(1) LEADER-MEMBER WORKING ALLIANCE
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Introduce yourself through sharing:
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Name
Background in psychology study & practice 
establish your credibility and expertise (Expert Power)
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Your experience when you were in their shoes as students
 join with the students creates empathy and engagement
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A brief values statement about what is important to you in your role as
a Tutor (e.g. creating a forum for lively discussion where different
views are valued…)
create an inclusive and valuing group atmosphere or climate
FORMING RELATIONSHIPS
(2) MEMBER-MEMBER WORKING ALLIANCE
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Introduce members to each other through sharing information:
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Ask students to form pairs (reduced threat levels & anxiety; makes it easier
to speak up in tutorials)  have 2 minute discussions sharing relevant info
on 2 or more of the following:
 Name +
 What attracted you to studying psychology?
 What are your challenges with studying?
 How do you learn best?
 What are two key values in your life?
STUDENT-TUTOR WORKING ALLIANCE
CLARIFYING ROLES
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What students can expect of tutors
What students can expect of tutors
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Student rights / Tutor
responsibilities
Be friendly and respectful
Be committed to students’ learning
Be on time for tutorials and
consultations
Put in best effort – quality input &
facilitation in tutorials
Provide a structure for each tutorial
Be available & accessible for
consultation
Provide timely & quality feedback
on assessment
Tutor rights / Student responsibilities
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Be friendly and respectful
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Be committed to & responsible for your
own learning
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Be attentive in tutorials
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Participate by asking questions and
expressing opinions on issues
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Talk one at a time in tutorials
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Proactively seek assistance from your tutor
to raise issues about –
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Your progress;
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The quality of the learning experience;
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Assessment.
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Learn student names - (use rolls every week)
gives them value
more likely to be engaged and attend
they know you will notice if they are not there
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Rephrase questions, if they do not yield comments
Be respectful and encourage that from other tutees
Make eye contact when listening/talking to them
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Potential Problems
Reflection task
What do you think are the most likely challenges
you will face as a tutor?
Evaluation
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In order to engage in reflective practice there are
a few evaluation strategies that are used in first
year teaching
ITR & Tutor Reflection
 First time tutors to sit in with experienced tutor
 TDC to sit in with tutors and provide feedback
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What support is there for tutors?
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Course Convenors
Mark Chappell
 Liz Jones
 Sharon Dawe
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If you are not sure or ‘sticky problem’, not sure
if you can speak to your course convenor support from Claire as First Year Advisor (3735
3426; c.ryan@griffith.edu.au; Room 2.41) or
Karla Norris as Sessional Coordinator (3735
3426; k.norris@griffith.edu.au; Room 2.41)
QUESTIONS?