Personal Tutor
The personal tutor is the key contact for all students in their first year of study at Anglia Ruskin University. This is a role for all members of academic staff and essential for effective and personal student support. Access to an ‘academic friend’ gives all first year students advice and support, although some students may require additional or specialist advice and should be referred appropriately.
Programme Leaders / Heads of Department should monitor allocation of students to named tutors and respond to tutors and students where problems arise.
Directors of Studies, who monitor the student experience, will disseminate good practice in relation to the personal tutor role.
Personal Tutors normally are expected to work with up to 15 first year students who they will meet individually or in a group. In some departments this number may be increased and it is anticipated that tutors will use group sessions in this instance.
The Personal Tutor toolkit provides a range of information to support personal tutors in their role.
The expectations of the personal tutor role are that academic staff should:
Prepare for the role of personal tutor, attending staff development and using the guidance provided. Ensure that knowledge of support services and own interpersonal skills are helpful to students.
If students are experiencing difficulties refer where appropriate to Student Advisers and Student Services.
Meet allocated students during freshers week and within the first six weeks of teaching, following this with further contact in Semester Two. Maintain a record of contact in outlook diary and / or e-vision.
Check that each student has the necessary information about their course and understands the basic early requirements. A checklist is available via the personal tutor toolkit
Be aware of the cultural barriers many students face and offer advice on norms and expectations when approaching academic staff.
Be aware of the requirements of students with special needs and ensure that they are receiving additional support from module tutors where this is required.
Invite all students to Faculty / Department events and encourage them to join ‘the club’ of relevant interest groups and online communities so fostering a sense of belonging to our University.
Focus on the ways in which students can be successful in their studies and guide personal tutees towards good use of academic and support services in order to succeed.
(See pointers within personal tutor toolkit.)
Ensure that each student understands the requirements of PDP and the benefits of employability and higher level skills for future employment.
With reference to the Student Charter explain the use of formative assessment and feedback and direct students to further sources of help and support where this is indicated (See Personal Tutor Toolkit)
http://web.anglia.ac.uk/curriculum/personal_tutors.phtml
Advise students on aspects of good academic practice and countering practice which may lead to accidental plagiarism.
If you are notified that a personal student is not attending all sessions offer your help and advice. as this will alert you to potential serious difficulties experienced by the student. Your response should be in line with the Faculty attendance policy.
In the second semester / trimester review with the student their feedback from all assessment submitted in semester one, advising them how to evaluate their work and how to benefit from feedback.