Personal Tutoring is a key component of the student journey and has the potential to significantly influence the student learning experience and improve retention and achievement. Teesside University is committed to enhancing the experience of all its students and, over the last year, the Personal Tutoring Project Group was established and tasked with developing an effective institutional wide personal tutoring system and approach.
The Teesside University Personal Tutoring Code of Practice, covering all undergraduate and postgraduate taught degree courses at Teesside University, is now established and has been endorsed by the University’s Student and Learning Experience Committee and Academic Board. It has been informed and shaped by existing good practices across Teesside University, student and staff voices, pedagogic literature around this area and good practice at other HE Institutions.
Its aim is to enhance the learning experience, well-being and achievement of Teesside University Students, helping to ensure that each student is known, valued, and their respective needs recognised and supported. The overall objective of Personal Tutoring at Teesside University is provide a consistent, equitable and structured approach for all students to pastoral, general academic and professional support. The Personal Tutor is a member of academic staff assigned to an individual student as a source of pastoral, general academic and professional support. The Personal Tutor, a key point of contact, will assist students with their transition into, and progression through, their Higher Education studies, drawing on learner analytics as appropriate.
The University is now implementing the new Code of Practice. The recent Briefing Sessions, attended by over 220 colleagues from across Schools and Central Departments, generated lots of positive comments and feedback. The Code of Practice and Supporting Resources for Personal Tutors can now be accessed via LTE Online.