28/11/2012 Sue Leddington 2009 1 
What are the key dimensions of the 
personal tutor role for nurse 
education today? A literature review 
 
MSc in Higher Professional Education  
(Oxford Brookes University) 
28/11/2012 Sue Leddington 2009 2 
Objectives of the Review 
? To investigate the student expectations and 
experiences of personal tutoring an academic and 
non-academic support during their course in Higher 
Education 
? To analyse and explain how the personal tutor role 
can maximise learning potential within nurse 
education 
? To explore the key skills, training and development 
needs for nurse lecturers undertaking the personal 
tutor role 
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Background to the accepted position 
of the Personal Tutor Role  
? Definitions and models of personal tutoring 
? Institutional perspectives ? widening 
participation/integrating personal tutor time into the 
curriculum 
? Dearing report (1997) 
? Quality Assurance Agency for HE (QAA, 2004) 
? Higher Education Funding Council (HEFCE) funded University 
project PADSHE 
? Government White Paper into the Future of HE (2003) 
? Higher Education Academy 
? National Student Survey 2005 
 
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Research Design 
? Literature Review as a research method 
? Rationale of literature review for this study 
? Key Features of a Literature review 
? Validity and Reliability as related to 
Qualitative research (Rigour) 
? Critical Review Forms (McMasters University USA) 
 
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Method 
? Data Sources including databases+search 
terms 
? Inclusion/Exclusion criteria 
? Validity and Reliability  
? Data synthesis to get to 17 Papers 
? Relevance to practice and policy 
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Some Findings 
? Students valued the personal contact to settle into University 
and stay focused (enabling Student Development) 
? Learner isolation 
? Managing transition 
? Peers not a replacement for staff 
? Reflection on strengths and weakness aid development and 
persistence 
? Personal contact before a crisis 
? Intercultural sensitivity 
? Use of reflection (practice) 
? Lack of support from University staff a key factor to leave 
 
 
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? Lecturers pointed to lack of training and confidence with the role 
?swampy lowlands? 
? Lack of formal guidelines 
? Viewed as an important part of lecturers work but inequitable 
workload ?supporter? 
? Formative or Summative moved role into that of assessor 
?gatekeeper? 
? Setting of boundaries 
? Use of technology 
? Needs to know the curriculum ?up-to-datedness? 
? Low success rate associated with not having met in the last 10 
weeks 
? Not a one-size-fits-all approach 
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Emerging Themes 
? Demonstration of a Relationship 
? Personal supervision 
? Curriculum issues 
? Confidentiality 
? Maximising Learning 
? Assessment 
? Practice issues 
? Employability 
? Recognition of a Professional Role 
? Staff Development and Training 
? Central Support services 
? Workload 
? Code of Practice 
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Demonstration of a Relationship 
? Establishing a relationship (student-
 student/student-staff/student-University) 
? Personal Tutoring in a Virtual Learning 
Environment 
? Curriculum knowledge 
? Development of PDP (Portfolio) 
? Reflection in practice 
? Cultural issues 
? Confidentiality 
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Maximising Learning 
? Formative or Summative (alters relationship) 
? Nursing Practice ? underpinning professional knowledge 
and values with practice based evidence 
? Professional culture ? Personal tutors seeing tutees in 
practice  
? Popular students (Popular patients) 
? Socialization and role modelling of caring 
behaviours 
? Employability 
 
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Recognition of a Professional Role 
Personal Tutoring Policy Focus for each Year  
Personal/Professional/ 
Choice 
Induction process 
Code of Good Practice Skills training especially 
with the distressed student 
Guide for both students 
and staff 
Lecturers Educational 
Needs to facilitate 
reflection and academic 
development  
Workload and equity of 
number of students 
Good quality Central 
Support Services 
Lecturer to take the 
initiative if the student did 
not 
Published referral 
pathways  
Component part of PGCE 
 
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16 Recommendations including: 
? Further research utilising a wider range of research 
methods to explore benefits of personal tutoring 
? Further research utilising a wider range of research 
methods into long-term effects of personal tutoring on 
retention 
? Further research on support mechanisms for student 
nurses on clinical placement 
? Organisational systems to improve contact whilst on 
clinical placement 
? Use of e-technology, mobile technology and on-line 
support 
 
 
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? Structured Personal Tutor programme building 
different focus into each year of the course 
? Access to Central Support services to be widely 
published and disseminated 
? Published guidelines or Code of Good Practice for 
staff and students 
? Include personal tutoring in PGCE course 
? Evidence of acknowledgement of workload for 
personal tutor time 
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Conclusion 
? There is a clear dissonance between student and tutor 
expectations of the role 
? The role of induction is crucial 
? Linking of academic and personal development of the student 
? Encouraging independent learning 
? Counter-balancing culture shock 
? Clearer vision for the role not just an add-on 
? Utilising emerging technology (e-learning strategies) 
? Research on nursing students? opinion  
? Longitudinal research on benefits of Personal Tutoring 
? Skills training for nurse lecturers 
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Personal Reflections 
 
? Refining research skills 
? Using technical tools of  
Endnotes 
Mind Genius 
Document Mapping 
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