Group tutorials

The terms ‘tutorial’, ‘seminar’ and ‘workshop’ cover a variety of ways of studying in groups. However, the use of these terms varies between teaching institutions, and here I shall simply use the term ‘tutorial’ to mean any kind of session of around one to two hours in which a tutor works with a group of between, say, 5 and 20 students. A tutor might run a tutorial as a

either works through the problems with the whole group, or divides the students into subgroups containing those with similar problems and circulates between these subgroups helping them to find solutions. Alternatively, the tutor might choose some tricky section in the study text and ‘talk the class through it’. Or he or she might set some problems for the students to work on in pairs and then discuss the results with the whole class, or bring some photographs, rock samples or whatever for the group to discuss.

The main point of a tutorial is that you have access to a scarce resource – the time of an expert – in a context in which you can participate actively,

alongside other students. Unlike a lecture, where you simply listen and hope you will benefit, a tutorial offers the potential of a much more direct

engagement between the tutor’s expertise and the learning that is currently going on in your head. But that can only happen if you become actively involved. You have to be ready to ask questions and be willing to participate in tackling problems and sharing your answers with the group. You also have to be ready to share tutorial time with other students and to play a constructive part in helping to solve their problems. Often, you will learn as much from listening carefully as your tutor deals with other students’ difficulties as you will from having your own sorted out. And sometimes, you learn even more by trying to help others. So, a tutorial should be a genuinely collective process, in which the whole group pools its resources and works together to make everyone more familiar with the ideas and techniques developed in the course.

It pays to be frank with yourself about where you need help. It is tempting to ask ‘safe’ questions about things you almost understand already, in order not to reveal your limitations – leaving your deeper confusions to fester in secret. But your tutor needs to be directed to where your real difficulties lie. He or she can focus much more effectively on identifying and sorting out your problems if you are open about them. The chances are that if you are confused about something, others in the group will be too. If you don’t understand an explanation, say so. If you let the tutor think you have understood when you haven’t, then he or she may make later explanations too difficult for you. Don’t worry about taking up tutors’ time: they are paid to help you, and it’s up to you to make sure the tutorial covers what you need.

Don’t be put off by thoughts that the other students might be cleverer, or more articulate, hardworking and confident. Most of them think exactly the same about you. They are much less concerned about the quality of what you say than about what you think of what they say. Remember, too, that you have as much right to make demands on your study group as anyone else. Tutorials are part of a study package you have paid for. They have been arranged in order to help you learn.

Ask the ‘simple’ question, give the ‘obvious’ answer

You don’t need to wait until you have a ‘really important’ question to ask before speaking in a tutorial. Just ask the simple question, give the obvious answer, and suggest the straightforward example. What may seem ordinary to you will often be just what the group needs – helping it to identify shared problems and sort them out. You can make a very useful contribution simply by saying, ‘What do you mean by that?’, ‘Can you show us an example?’, or ‘Can you explain that again?’ It is up to you and the other students to guide the tutor towards giving you what you need.

You will benefit more from your limited supply of tutorial time if you prepare in advance. Try to be reasonably up to date with the course work, and take the time to think about where you need help. Take a list of queries and the

relevant study materials to the tutorial.

However, don’t be put off attending if you have fallen behind. As Pam

indicated, a tutorial is one of the best ways of catching up again. Finally, if for any reason you find that you are unable to arrive in time for the beginning of a tutorial, or have to leave before the end (which is quite common for part-time students), don’t feel you have to miss the whole tutorial. Just let the tutor know about your difficulty and arrive or leave discreetly when you have to.

Hints and Tips

At tutorials:

X Arrive with a list of points you would like help with (and the relevant course texts).

X Don’t worry about what other people might think of what you say. Leave them to worry about what they say.

X Don’t be afraid to ask asimple question or give the obvious

answer.

X Remember it’s your study session, paid for out of your fees, so

get the most from it.