Page 38 - Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century

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Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century | Showcasing UJ Teaching and Learning 2021
Level 1 tutor training
Synchronous online training on Blackboard Collaborate
A range of topics are covered as a means of equipping new tutors at UJ. These include the following:
• Defining tutoring and tutor roles and responsibilities at UJ
• Basic tutoring guidelines for face-to-face and online tutoring (e.g., planning a tutorial, active listening, getting students to respond, communication and presentation skills, assertiveness, and confrontation, managing diversity and self-reflection)
• Techniques for starting and ending a session
• Assertiveness and handling difficult students
Tutors are encouraged to consider all the above-mentioned aspects in an online and face-to-face environment so that they are prepared for both forms of tutoring. Considerable emphasis was placed on the online environment as tutors were largely conducting online tutorials in 2021. Breakout groups on BB were used as a means of tutors sharing ideas on how to tutor effectively in an online environment. The synchronous sessions on Backboard Collaborate made it possible for the presenters of the training to model how online sessions can be facilitated effectively (this is relevant to all three levels of training). This provided the tutors with reassurance that it is possible to navigate online platforms competently and confidently.
Online training programme on BB
The following topics formed part of the online component (narrated PowerPoint presentations) of tutor training for level 1 tutors: Active listening and paraphrasing, basic mentoring, tutor code of conduct and guidelines for effective tutorial programmes. These topics build on what was covered in the synchronous training and enables tutors to apply these aspects directly to their tutorial context.
With this in mind, an overview will be provided indicating how tutors were trained, developed and supported by CASD in 2021:
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Synchronous online tutor training was conducted on Blackboard Collaborate.
Access to an online Blackboard (BB) community for all tutors (which provided an orientation to BB and the skills necessary to use BB and WhatsApp effectively to facilitate online student learning) was provided.
Access to an online training programme on BB as a means of additional training and sustained development, which consists
of narrated PowerPoint presentations.
Once tutors have worked through the presentations, they are required to complete the activity linked to each presentation
was provided. Tutors were given access to this based on the level of training they had attended (levels of training will be explained further on).
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At UJ tutor training is scaffolded and acknowledges a tutor’s level of experience. For this reason, tutors are trained according to their level of experience and they must successfully complete a level of training before advancing to the next level. Tutor training is aimed at three levels, namely level one (for new tutors), level two (second year of tutoring) and level three (third year and above of tutoring
and senior tutors). The synchronous online training is the focal point of the tutor support as the tutors are given access to the BB community and the online
Tutor Lingo videos: All UJ tutors have access to nine training videos on topics such as ‘a toolbox for the novice tutor’ and ‘tutoring students from diverse backgrounds’. Tutors need to complete an activity on BB which
is linked to these videos based on the UJ context.
training once they have attended this training. The
synchronous online training, and the online BB training programme for each level of training, will
now be outlined in order to demonstrate the nature of the support provided to the tutors.