roles and responsibilities of a tutor in the lifelong learning sector

The aim of this assignment is to discuss the roles and responsibilities of a tutor in the lifelong learning sector. Effort will be made to highlight the main criteria required to be a good tutor within the education environment and the limitations for this role in professional teaching in the lifelong learning sector. The assignment will give z; these are:

Aim, activities and diversity;

Knowledge and understanding;

Planning, teaching and class management;

Monitoring, assessment, requirements.

Role, responsibilities and boundaries are evolving qualities within the tutor which are assessed and reflected upon using the tutor training cycle; a cycle of assessment, planning and review. The tutor should facilitate communication in ways that all learners are encouraged to participate into a wider debate surrounding the topic within classroom.

For examples, a session including visual, auditory and practical learning styles ensures the learner to have equal rights and opportunities to learning and provide the opportunity to re-evaluate what is already known while exploring aims and objectives from different perspectives. The tutor must assure that they follow the criteria for every child matters (ECM) and are protected against bullying, harassment and racial intimidation.

(Tummons, 2007 p17) States that, “Much of the work done by the tutor has to do with learning and teaching: preparing learning resource; liaising with external examiners; marking assignment and recording the results. Then there are many things that do not really seem to be related to learning and teaching at all, such as taking part in marketing and publicity activities, which also come as part of the tutor’s role, as it is very crucial to secure recruitment for the following year”.

The initial assessment is a way of ascertaining learning styles. Assessment methods are used to discover the strengths and areas for development in a learner’s work and determine future action, a means of measuring a learner’s ability. This plays a key part for the tutor, learner relationship and tutor will begin to learn what motivates the learner to be a part of this specific course. At the interview stage more importantly for the tutor to highlight the goals to be achieved in the course and to make sure the learner is completely confident within programme. The qualifications to enter this course must be clearly defined and to emphasise the needs to have the knowledge of, for example, language, literacy, and numeracy, to achieve this qualification.

During the assessment learner will reveal their learning / writing habits, knowledge and provides signpost for the relevant help or support needed, such as their disabilities; which they may or may not have revealed to you. In addition, the tutor could also recognise any learning difficulties the learner may have during classroom session. For example some learners with special educational needs are not only those with obvious learning difficulties, that is physically disabled, deaf or blind, but they include those whose learning difficulties are less apparent, that is slow learners and emotionally vulnerable individuals.

Ground rules, agreed codes of behaviour between the teacher and the learner. It is usually agreed at the beginning of the programme; for example, say no to the use of mobile phones in the classroom, late arrival and misbehaviour.

Tutors need to know their roles and responsibilities when planning their lessons. Use system such as (VARK), visual, Aural, Read/write, Kinaesthetic. Visual aid, visual support material is used to enhance the learning session, for example, overhead transparency, diagram, slide projection, photograph/picture, video/film, models. This type of lesson planning helps to facilitate the learners with the disabilities, to benefit fully from this course within the classroom. The tutor could create an online learning environment where tutors and learners interact by WEB site.

It is essential that the tutor has knowledge about the subject and gather appropriate material for teaching before they can embark on this journey. It is not sufficient for a tutor to only have excellence in the subject, but also need to have a presentable appearance. The greatest responsibility for the tutor is to show fairness to all learners.

The tutor should know the capability of its learners; and lessons can be structure according to the learner’s need. They should routinely integrate active learning activities such as quizzes, practical tutorials and discussions to keep the learners engaged in the lesson. The presentation of the lesson has to fulfil the requirement of the objectives and its outcome. Furthermore, for a lesson to go smoothly, the environment and scheduling of the lesson time plays a vital role. The classroom should be well-ventilated, well-lighted and free from distractions. The classrooms with echoing effects causes stress to the learners in hearing during the lesson; this must be assessed before the lectures are delivered.

As quite a bit of this paragraph is from the following website you do need to reference the author: http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Teaching-Learning/189670?topic

Tutors have the responsibilities to its organisation and the examining body to work towards the set internal or external qualities procedure laid by the ofsted / IfL. The appointed centres are to ensure that all assessments undertaken within the centre are fair, valid, and consistent and meet the requirements of the standards.

Feedback and evaluation of the learners must be continually assessed duration of the course. Tutor will have the opportunity to feedback and learn the progress made by each of it learner on a regular bases and not to wait until the end of the term to get formal valuation feedback from the learners. By the same token the learner also needs ongoing feedback on their progress in the course in order to adjust them self to improve further as and when necessary. Small assessments across the term provide much more useful feedback than a major final examination

Conclusion

It is very important to make sure that the learners enrolling for this course fully understand what is required from them. Tutors must facilitate for the disable learners. Additional material should be made available to all individuals as and when required. The assessment of the learner must be continually monitored to analyse the progress they are making, and keep the learners informed of their development. The feedback should be provided and additional help should be offered when required. Assessment, practical activities and quizzes are good way to track the learner’s progress.

Register keeping for student’s attendance is required by law. In the case of fire, it is tutor’s responsibility to make sure all the learners are accounted for during head count. The attendance for the course needs to be at least 80% before the learner is qualified to pass the course. This will also provide the proof to the originations and the examining body the attendance for each learner present during the course.