Tutor Training

Principles of Tutoring & Demonstrating" (ANU, 2014):

"Principles of Tutoring and Demonstrating is a decamod in the Academic Professional Development (APD) program. It is a program specifically designed for research students to give a broad introduction to university teaching in the context of tutoring and demonstrating. It runs weekly during semester to provide ongoing support just when tutors and demonstrators may need it. "

This was made up of ten modules:

1. Setting the Scene - Reflective Practice

• Preparing for the first class
• Overview of rights and responsibilities
• Reflective practice
• The Professional Standards Framework and the EFS

2. Setting the Scene: Student Learning

• Student learning styles and how this affects the way we teach
• The role of the teacher - Theories of teaching

3.  Planning a Tutorial

• Theories of student learning and lesson planning
• Structuring a teaching session

4.  Teaching Groups & individuals

• Small group and cooperative learning strategies
• Strategies for engaging with student one-on-one

 5. Dynamics & Diversity

• Dealing with diverse groups of students.
• Responding to challenging situations and "difficult" students
• Notions of group life cycle
• Student needs and support services

 6. Introduction to Wattle* for Tutors

• Tricks and tips for using Wattle to enhance your teaching

 7.  Peer Observation

• Observation of another tutor with reflection online 

 8. Assessment & Marking

 9. Evaluation & Reflective Practice

• Evaluation practices
• Creating a teaching portfolio
• Action learning - evaluation to inform practice
• Personal reflection

10.  Troubleshooting (The Tutoring Toolkit)

• Discussion of teaching scenarios from past semester
• Key skills in a tutor's teaching toolkit

ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS ) offered a Teaching and quality Program (TQP), based on the above.


 * Wattle is ANU's Learning Management System, made up of Moodle and other tools.