Journal Article

The benefits of good tutor-student relationships in the first year

Ella R. Kahu, Catherine Picton

2019

Overview

Teacher-student relationships (TSR) are an important influence on the student experience at university. Existing research, predominantly with lecturers, highlights that these relationships have academic and affective dimensions. Studies demonstrate good TSR increase student motivation, engagement, and learning. The current study adds a student voice to this topic, focussing on their views of tutoring staff, who undertake much of the face-to-face teaching in universities. The qualitative study followed 19 students through their first year at an Australian university. The students identified four characteristics of a 'good' tutor: helpful, caring, likeable, and hands-on. Students talked about multiple benefits of having a good tutor including increased help-seeking, studying harder, more interest in class, and improved well-being and belonging. The importance of the tutor role is underestimated and institutions would do well to better support these valuable staff. [Author abstract]

• Publisher: Queensland University of Technology Publications,Queensland University of Technology,University of Southern Queensland
• Subject: College Faculty / College Freshmen / Employee attitudes / Faculty College Relationship / First year students / Higher Education / Instructional Effectiveness / Learner Engagement / Learning Motivation / Periodicals / Qualitative research / Retirement benefits / School Holding Power / Self Efficacy / Social aspects / Socioeconomic Background / Student Attitudes / Student Characteristics / Student empowerment / Student engagement / Student Experience / Student Motivation / student success / Student teacher relationship / Students / Success / Teacher characteristics / Teacher Effectiveness / Teacher Student Relationship / teacher-student relationships / Teachers / tutor / Tutoring / Tutors / Universities and colleges / University students