DIGITAL LIBRARY
BLENDED TUTORING: AN EXPLORATION OF TUTOR EMOTIONAL COMPETENCES VALUED BY LEARNERS IN A HIGHER EDUCATION CONTEXT
The University of Huddersfield (UNITED KINGDOM)
About this paper:
Appears in: INTED2015 Proceedings
Publication year: 2015
Pages: 7006-7015
ISBN: 978-84-606-5763-7
ISSN: 2340-1079
Conference name: 9th International Technology, Education and Development Conference
Dates: 2-4 March, 2015
Location: Madrid, Spain
Abstract:
This paper reports on research into the emotional competences that mature higher education (HE) students, working in blended learning contexts and studying part-time (PT), vocationally relevant, degrees within a School of Education, value in their tutors. A mixed methods approach was adopted to conduct a detailed exploration of eight tutors’ practice with data gathered from three principal sources. Interviews with tutors explored their approaches to delivery and considered factors that impacted on quality; students’ perceptions of their learning experiences were assessed using an attitude survey; an analysis of the content and communications in the virtual learning environment provided insight into tutors’ online practice. Goleman’s (2001) ‘Framework of Emotional Competences’ provided an initial structure but, after analysis, some competences were rejected and others were added. The study suggests that a new group of competences are required that could support effective blended tutoring for mature learners as well as the recruitment and selection of tutors.
Keywords:
Blended Tutoring, Emotional Competences.