Personal Tutor Role in Professional Education - Qualities of a Personal Tutor

Discussion of the second aspect of findings from the unpublished research –

Williams M, 1999, ‘Exploring the Role of the Personal Tutor in Nurse Education, Department of Education, University of Surrey, unpublished.

The research was carried out using a sample of students and staff from 7 campus sites. On examining the responses regarding the qualities of a personal tutor, three main themes emerged – knowledge, communication skills and interpersonal skills.

Knowledge is related to the subject matter as well as the resources for gaining information and appropriate agencies, and the program, university regulations and policies. Except for one site, it appears that students have emphasised on this much more than the tutors.  The tutors may not have stressed on this as it is viewed to be part of their role as a nurse tutor (Tough 1971) and so it is not something specific to the personal tutor role. This is reflected in the fact that more tutors have emphasised on the need for professional credibility and competency than students, as only a small percentage of students, from three sites, mention it.

There is a mixed approach in seeing communication skills as an important quality of a personal tutor. For example, site A tutors have emphasised it more than the students of the same site, while site B students have emphasised it more than the tutors. Only from site F, no tutor has identified this as a specific quality but some students have. The varying emphasis from tutors could again reflect the fact that it is an essential quality and skill in nursing and for the role of a tutor, so it is taken for granted, that this skill is not specific to the role of a personal tutor. While the variation in students responses may be based on their positive or negative experiences with their personal tutor and its effects on their relationship. Therefore, it is more in the forefront when they identify the qualities of a personal tutor. This importance is consistent with the findings in the literature review.

The communication skills have been firmly separated from counselling skills by the students, and very few students see counselling ability as a necessary skill for a personal tutor. With regard to the tutors responses a small number of them from site A indicate counselling ability as a necessary skill. This is contrary to the suggestions made by Hyiola & Moss (1989) and Quinn (1989) that counselling is part of the personal tutor role. When traditional Registered General Nurse courses were being delivered within small schools of nursing, the tutors did carry out limited amount of counselling, even though generally a student counsellor was available. Moreover, counselling requires time and a different kind of relationship to that of a student-tutor one. Also, as Akinsanya (1998) affirms, the changes in nurse education and amalgamation of schools means the tutor workload and travel between sites has increased. Along with this, the move into higher education has given the students the access to student services and consequently professional counsellors. As identified by tutors and students alike, counselling is not part of the personal tutor role but a provision from student services. Although, the personal tutor needs to be aware of the needs of the student, as suggested by Lewis (1984), to make appropriate referrals.

Tutors from three sites identified that they should have a genuine interest and commitment to student learning. This is concurred by a small number of students from all sites except E. The writings of Bramley (1977), Moore (1973), Nyirendra (1989), Rogers (1986) and Perraton (1984) all indicate that genuine interest in the student is a desirable quality in a personal tutor. Nonetheless, this limited response, could be stemming from the perception that this is another taken for granted quality. If the tutor did not have a genuine caring for the student then would they be doing this job? But it is a quality that needs to be highlighted as it has effect on the standard of services offered to the students. Therefore, it needs to be foremost in the discussion regarding interpersonal skills and qualities a tutor needs to possess.

The next quality identified by a small number of students from all sites except E, is the need to be non-judgemental, tolerant and have respect for the student. The students from site E may not have mentioned this because they may not have experienced a lack of these qualities, as majority of the tutors from site E have highlighted this quality as necessary. Thus, they would be showing this kind of behaviour within their relationship with the students. While it is possible that many tutors from other sites have not mentioned this, as it is yet another quality they should possess as nurses. It is occasionally difficult, as tutors constantly need to make judgements in order to provide students with support and fair assessment of progress. This aspect, therefore, needs to be balanced with the needs of the students and maintained by being objective and critical (as suggested by some students from all sites). The students do not state the need for the tutor to be firm, consistent and assertive, as it may be something they already experience. Only a few tutors from site A express the need for firmness, consistency and assertiveness which may be based on their past experience.

With regards to the tutor being open / honest/ trustworthy, there is a mismatch between the responses of tutors and students, for at some sites students have emphasised it more than tutors and vice versa. This, perhaps, is representative of the kind of relationship that has developed. Either the students feel that this lacks within the relationship or have not invested in developing a relationship with their tutor. On the other hand, those who have placed less emphasis than tutors of their site may perceive that already happening. Thereby taking it for granted that the personal tutor is trustworthy, open and honest with students. The tutors too, to varying degrees, identify these as important qualities, for they see this to be the cornerstone of any relationship. It is clearly linked to honouring confidentiality and using discretion. Sites A, B and C are similar in student and tutor response for the maintenance of confidentiality, while only some site D tutors, and some students from sites E, F and G mention this quality.

More students from all sites except C emphasise that tutors need to have patience, be accommodating and encouraging. This could possibly be due to the limitations of time tutors have to spend at tutorials. While the student tutor ratio is not as high as that in general education, as quoted by Earwaker (1994), it is still seen that tutors have often twenty or more personal students. With more students and limited time, it can give the student an impression of being hurried out of the door. Generally fewer tutors have identified these qualities, possibly because they do not see themselves as impatient individuals and that they feel they are being accommodating and encouraging. Similar response is seen regarding the understanding tutors have into students’ problems. Again more students, from all sites except C have made this a prominent quality than tutors have. This aspect has a big impact on the student tutor relationship. The students, who have highlighted this, may have had specific experience of either having a personal tutor who understands or one who they perceive as not having an insight into their problems. The fewer responses of tutors could be based on the belief that they do understand students’ problems. After all, not only did they go through a similar experience, most tutors are working full time, studying and managing a family life. So, more tutors have highlighted being empathetic, towards students. Brown (1993) suggests that self-disclosure would allow the student and tutor to form a better relationship. This would enable the student to feel that the tutor understands her needs.

The other qualities which have been highlighted by more students from all sites than tutors are friendliness, warm, approachable, non-threatening, helpful, supportive, organised, motivated, enthusiastic and caring. The fewer tutor responses can be explained within the later section on quality of communication. With regard to being helpful and supportive, generally seen to be the role of a tutor, may not be seen to be specific to the role of personal tutor.

Few tutors from sites B, D and F point out that they should be non-directive, empowering and facilitate learning. While it is good to empower students and facilitate learning, particularly in the light of adult education philosophy, being non-directive may not helpful, especially at the onset of the program. The students might not have identified these qualities as they feel the need to be directed, helped and supported. This can be attributed to their past educational experiences and the lack of familiarity with adult educational approaches. Self-awareness with recognition of own limitations is mentioned by some tutors from sites A and F. It could be that others do not see this as important or have a high degree of self-awareness.

This section gives a good understanding of what the role of a personal tutor is in professional education from the viewpoint of tutors and students from each academic year of the course. These can be seen to apply to most long tertiary education programmes.