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David McDade Post 1

18 May 2020, 7:52 PM Edited by Nigel Gibson on 19 May 2020, 10:02 AM

Section 4, Activity 4

WritingThis thread is for section 4, activity 4

What does teaching mean to you?

Watch the video in activity 4 and make notes about how the tutor fulfills their role. How does the tutor support students? How do they demonstrate this skill to you?

Correspondence tuition (supporting students through your marking feedback, emails, and tutorials) is a different skill to many other forms of teaching – so you may like to think about how you can apply your transferable skills to this new situation.

Reflecting on your own experience, how do you support people, learners or students with similar issues? Draw on all of your experience, both within work, academia and in informal settings.

Write a post that demonstrates your experience. Comment on another post, is it clear what they do?

These are examples of the types of posts we might expect to see:

"I support learners by helping them find their own path, and helping them over come obstacles. I do this by discussing their individual needs with them, rather than forcing an particular approach on them. Sometimes this means pointing them at material they can self study, and sometimes it means working through the study with them.

"I need to provide the support at the right time, this may be proactive after noticing a student is not studying consistently, or reactive by responding to a student request.

Use the "Reply" button below to contribute to this discussion.


(Image CC BY-ND 2.0 Flickr user Hans Splinter https://www.flickr.com/photos/archeon/)

Marcus Young Post 2 (summarised) in reply to 1

13 June 2020, 8:33 PM
The video was very interesting and had some excellent ideas. I like the idea...
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Tamara Lopez Post 3 (summarised) in reply to 2

14 June 2020, 10:02 AM
Hi Marcus, Excellent point about not giving direct answers to questions, and...
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Tamara Lopez Post 4 (summarised) in reply to 1

14 June 2020, 10:24 AM
I waxed on about the mystery of the tutoring experience in supporting...
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Adrian Hehir Post 5 (summarised) in reply to 1

15 June 2020, 10:31 AM
I agree it is very important to set students expectations and that students...
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Ben Pike Post 6 (summarised) in reply to 1

15 June 2020, 2:19 PM
The video was very interesting, the theme running through all the speakers...
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Colin Jenkins Post 9 (summarised) in reply to 6

26 June 2020, 2:24 PM
I think you have hit the nail n the head here with keeping the communication...
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Emmanuel Isibor Post 7 (summarised) in reply to 1

19 June 2020, 8:22 AM
The video was very interesting to watch as it gave a preview of how OU tutors...
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Colin Jenkins Post 8 (summarised) in reply to 1

26 June 2020, 2:20 PM
As an OU student I can say first hand that the approach of the tutors as...
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Michael Liedl Post 10 (summarised) in reply to 1

1 July 2020, 9:28 AM
In viewing the video interview of the tutors, I felt a particular commonality...
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Rod Gliven Post 11 (summarised) in reply to 1

13 July 2020, 12:10 AM
One of the simplest things, but very important: The best personal learning...
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Graham Smith Post 12 (summarised) in reply to 1

14 July 2020, 1:16 AM
I enjoyed hearing about how the different tutors support their students, from...
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Quentin McPhee Post 13 (summarised) in reply to 1

7 August 2020, 10:43 AM
Very interesting video that builds on my perception that successful teaching...
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Raj Seepersad Post 14 (summarised) in reply to 1

8 August 2020, 7:00 PM

Part 4 Teaching in Computing & Communications Section 4.5

 I have tutored...
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Coffee on Tyne

Bill Tarpy Post 15 (summarised) in reply to 1

27 August 2020, 3:24 PM
Can't really say I've ever supported students online, however students are...
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Silvia Varagnolo Post 17 (summarised) in reply to 15

22 October 2020, 9:42 PM
Hi Bill, despite you have never supported students online, I can see you...
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Silvia Varagnolo Post 16 (summarised) in reply to 1

22 October 2020, 9:38 PM
For distance support I used email, a Facebook group and whattsapp groups....
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Kevin Frost Post 18 (summarised) in reply to 1

1 January 2021, 3:02 PM
Teaching for me is much more than just delivering information or imparting...
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Fiona Baxter Post 24 (summarised) in reply to 18

22 June 2021, 5:49 PM
I agree, the pedagogical approaches taken in teaching are just as important....
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Sian Armstrong-Hollins Post 19 (summarised) in reply to 1

18 May 2021, 9:28 PM
Learners learn in different ways, and different methods will work for...
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Fiona Baxter Post 23 (summarised) in reply to 19

22 June 2021, 5:45 PM
Differentiation is so effective and I have found scaffolding really helps to...
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Amanda Williams Post 20 (summarised) in reply to 1

11 June 2021, 1:25 PM
I think the video is interesting and I can see how it overlaps with my...
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Fiona Baxter Post 22 (summarised) in reply to 20

22 June 2021, 5:41 PM
It's so important to emphasise that their learning is a two or three way...
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Fiona Baxter Post 21 (summarised) in reply to 1

22 June 2021, 5:38 PM
I am a qualified vocational assessor, so have a wealth of experience in...
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This is one of my latest pictures.

Elena Sanchez-Heras Post 25 (summarised) in reply to 1

6 July 2021, 11:21 AM
When students start a project in our laboratory, I first help them to...
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John Dunning Post 26 (summarised) in reply to 1

8 July 2021, 3:07 PM
I support learners by working with them to understand their needs (both to...
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Suzie Miller Post 27 (summarised) in reply to 1

3 August 2021, 4:44 PM
I'd focus on assistive technology that can help not only people with...
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Ann Holmes Post 28 (summarised) in reply to 27

6 August 2021, 10:43 AM
The aspect of teaching I enjoy the most is gauging what each student needs in...
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Richard Collins Post 29 (summarised) in reply to 1

15 August 2021, 12:02 PM
I think I would share my own experience with studying with the OU with...
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Bob Moore Post 30 (summarised) in reply to 1

18 September 2021, 2:40 PM
As I see it, in simple terms teaching comes in two broad styles,...
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Ravi Rajani Post 31 (summarised) in reply to 1

19 May 2022, 10:06 AM
It was very useful to hear other tutors share their experience and expertise...
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Neil Hodge Post 32 (summarised) in reply to 1

1 November 2022, 12:48 PM
I don't have any previous teaching experience. However, having just completed...
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Raluca-Florenta Bogdan Post 33 (summarised) in reply to 1

3 November 2022, 5:13 AM
I make sure that they know when they can contact me. And I try to set up a...
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David Harvey Post 34 (summarised) in reply to 1

26 January 2023, 10:57 AM

4.4

 Presently I tutor up to 18 years old. I am also involved in...
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Adrian Osler Van Emmenis Post 35 (summarised) in reply to 1

2 March 2023, 3:34 PM
In order to support people, you first have to realise that they are...
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My Picture

Muhammad Altaf Post 39 (summarised) in reply to 35

10 October 2023, 9:45 PM
Yes, you are correct; it is crucial to first identify the issue the learner...
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Khadijat Abiola Olorunlambe Post 36 (summarised) in reply to 1

28 May 2023, 12:20 PM
The video was very interesting and there were lots of good ideas to take on...
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Joanne Nettleship Post 37 (summarised) in reply to 1

20 September 2023, 2:46 PM
I liked the video and in particular some of the ideas on how to get to know...
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My Picture

Muhammad Altaf Post 38 (summarised) in reply to 1

10 October 2023, 9:41 PM
This was a fascinating video, beginning with the introduction and progressing...
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Matthew Lilley Post 40 (summarised) in reply to 1

28 December 2023, 6:15 PM
I support learners though an informal style of communication that helps build...
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Head shot of Martin smiling.

Martin Wheatman Post 41 (summarised) in reply to 1

29 February 2024, 10:08 AM
My context is that I am on the training team of a Samaritans branch. I...
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Discussion tags: section 4