Tutorials

Photo by Vadim Sherbakov

? Overview

A series of three 40-minute meetings, one per week, with a set agenda, amongst you, your instructor, and a small group of other students.

? Rationale

Drawing on the tradition of the Oxbridge tutorial, tutorials in this class will be a series of weekly meetings amongst you, your instructor, and a very small group of other students.

For each tutorial, each student will write a 600-900 word response to a series of predefined questions. Tutorials will begin with one student sharing their written work with the group. Then, the group will discuss that student’s work, and then repeat the process for the other two students.

The goals of these interactions include thoughtful debate and personalization of course materials to individual students’ learning goals. My hope here is that, as…

“…in the best tutorials, knowledge is seen as contested. Topics are opened up for debate, tutors admit to gaps in their own knowledge, and students are treated as academic equals.” (Source)

If you’re curious to learn more about this approach, Towards a Pedagogy of the Oxford Tutorial by Robert J. Beck presents an excellent overview of the pedagogical considerations of the tutorial method

? Structure

Three meetings, once per week in Weeks 1, 2, and 3. You’ll meet with your instructor and a small group of other students to discuss a pre-arranged list of topics.

Sign up for tutorial times on the following Google Sheet once your instructor has notified the class that their tutorial schedule is finalized:

Then, complete before the start of each tutorial the written responses to the prompts for each Tutorial (prompts for Tutorial 1, Tutorial 2, and Tutorial 3).

Submit your Tutorial writings as entries in the same Google Doc as your Learning Journal entries.

? Grading (30 points, 3 x 10 points)

Tutorials will be graded according to the following:

  • Quality of prepared written pieces
  • Engagement in discussion
  • Punctuality and regular participation

? Timeline