It is not easy being a student in Corona times. It's a stressful time; students are uncertain about their schedule, about coming to campus, about the value of their diplomas, about deadlines, but also about their fellow students, and their home situation. How should you deal with this as a teacher? How should you keep them motivated, engaged, and in action? A mentoring and tutoring program helps.
On this page we describe several strategies that consider student wellbeing. Many of the strategies are good pedagogical practices that enhance the learning environment for all students to motivate and increase study succes. Select which strategies, tips and tricks, do's and don'ts, fit into your mentoring and/or tutoring programme and online tools you can use.
The way to do this #1: Ensure a good pre-start: get in touch with your students before the start of the academic year. Depending on the number of students this is feasible via e-mail, via WhatsApp, via a personal message by either video or a booklet with at least some photos or via another sort of social media that suits you as a teacher.
The way to do this #2: Communication is crucial for a good start! Respond quickly and with empathy to questions asked. Concerning the program the tutor fits this. If not the teacher leaves university related issues to elderly students - the mentors or redirects students to faculty or university help desks.
The way to do this #3: Group sessions and individual get to togethers go hand in hand. Groups sessions focus on bonding, on community forming, on cohort building, and feeling at home off campus, but also on getting to know the program and learning strategies. Individual converstations with students are of a more personal nature and discuss progress, hurdles, and opportunities.
The way to do this #4: Use Zoom - for the entire group - and Zoom Breakout Rooms Sessions - for small group discussions - and preferably on-campus individual meetings, and meetings in subgroups.
Good practice
Pitfalls
Don't expect that students don't need individual meetings just because they don't tell you they want one. It's important that you are as approachable as possible and especially in this time students need the feeling that there is someone there for them.
Don't think that students know right away what is expected from them. A lot of new information is coming their way. Students need to hear important things several times. Things they definitely need to hear often:
The Tips for Students tab on this page shows information that's important for every students. Make sure students know about this.
The academic way of life. Students need to make the academic language their own.
The program of their study and what is expected from them. Go through it with them, don't expect them to read all of the many documents that go their way.
We are now a few months into Corona. We have learned a lot when it comes to online education, about student well being and the experiences of first year students going to a completely online university.
One of the biggest things we've learned is the importance of a mentor/tutor group. Students feel lonely when they can't meet up. A little group of those who are in the same situation as them who meets frequently is what the students need. It's the people they gain the best bonds with, even when they see them only online. They can help each other with their study, they can share their experiences and they learn from each other how to best get through your study.
We can say without a doubt that the mentor/tutor groups are extremely important for students. This is why we have developed a step by step guide on teaching techniques for mentor and tutor groups:
Communication with your students is now more important then ever. Students need to know how they can contact you and their fellow students, how all the tools work and where to get help. Make sure your students know all this information, so they don't sink into a maze and they don't have a clue to even begin to find the information they need.
Help with technology and VU tools
The first thing students need to know is how Canvas and all the other tools work. Otherwise you can have such a great Canvas page with information, but if students don't even know what Canvas is, this Canvas page is useless. This is why it's a good idea to share this Digital Student Guide with your students, that also includes a guide on the other tools, like Zoom and Online Proctoring.
Another really important thing is that students know where they can go for help. The VU has made a helpmatrix for students so they know exactly where they can go with certain questions and certain types of help. All students should know where to find this matrix:
The VU has developed a game for mentor groups to start the conversation in a fun way. In this game students answer a few questions and based on their answers the game will decide what type of a student you are: a researcher, a professional or a societal practitioner. These results will start the conversation: do the students agree with their results and what is it that they want to do during and after their studies? The game will also give tips to students of extra curricular activities they can do and where to find help when things don't go as planned. The game is available in both Dutch and English.
Gabriel's experience with Discover Your VUture "Gabriel is a teacher trainer at the VU. He uses the Discover Your VUture game in workshops and lecture preparations. The game is a playful way to answer the question: 'what kind of student am I?'. Of course, the test is an attempt to talk about what kind of learning exists among the (prospective) students. Discover Your VUture is also about self-knowledge and asking biographical questions, what kind of student do I want to be? What kind of study fits my way of learning? What opportunities can I take in my study time? Discover Your VUture is an attempt to answer crucial questions related to study time in an educational way. With Discover Your VUture you get to know your students better and the students get to know each other better; it's an excellent tool to give future or first year students a touch of self-knowledge and a picture of the future."
Please help us collect inspiring examples. If you have an interesting example to share, or if you come across an example worth sharing, please tell us by filling out this Contact FormLinks to an external site.. Your help is much appreciated.
Using mentoring and tutoring also helps to reach process learning goals which are not assessed, like: being seen and heard, appreciated, competent, engaged, motivated, bonded, challenged, open and resposible.
