The aim of this thesis was to create the content for a functional international tutoring guide for Savonia University of Applied Sciences. The structured interviews were held with employees and lecturers of Savonia University of Applied Sciences. The questionnaire was sent to international diploma students and exchange students of Savonia University of Applied Sciences.
Previous literature on this topic includes an earlier international guide created as a thesis and the original tutor guide from the Savonia University of Applied Sciences. The research will collect data from international tutors, international students, the student organizations in charge of international students, and international tutor teachers of the Savonia University of Applied Sciences.
A practical thesis with a research focus
The following section focuses on defining the thesis topic more clearly and discussing how its completion will be accomplished. The aim of the thesis is to create a guide that tries to cover practical basic principles of peer tutoring that international tutors from Savonia University of Applied Sciences need to orient new international students into student life and practice at Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Kuopio, Finland. This is achieved by collecting information from the existing beneficiaries, using the collected data to find areas that need improvement or need to be developed in more depth, and then using previous guides and data (such as previous theses and a guide of a similar idea) to recreate a guide that will benefit the international peer tutors from the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Kuopio.
Execution of a practical thesis with a research focus
The main objective of the research being carried out is to determine the content that should be added or avoided in the new, international mentoring guide.
Tutoring guide work plan and its realization
Aim of the guide, its usefulness, and beneficiaries
The purpose of the thesis is to create an international guide for use by all international student advisors at the Savonia University of Applied Sciences Kuopio campuses. The usefulness of the dissertation is to extend the benefits of the guide to teachers who do not read Finnish. The recipients, although indicated above, are expressly the student lecturers of the Savonia University of Applied Sciences, as well as the international degree and exchange students.
It continues with descriptions of mentoring practices at the Sava University of Applied Sciences - namely, how mentoring is carried out, what is the assumed role of the mentor, who is responsible for training and recruiting the mentor and what are the advantages of instruction. The duties and role may vary depending on the perception of the international mentor and his responsibilities.
The role and duties of an international tutor
According to the research carried out for this thesis (Section 5: Gathering information about international tutoring), international tutors are often the first acquaintances new students make when they arrive. Especially in Savonia University of Applied Sciences, where the international supervisors are responsible for selecting the new students from the designated arrival platforms. For an international tutor, this is a very important aspect to keep in mind, as the incoming students may expect different kinds of roles to be performed, but the tutors must somehow draw a line between specific instructions and the needs of the new students.
The tutor is responsible for familiarizing new students with the learning environment and study practice. In addition, the new student is familiarized with the physical environment of the institution, mainly the designated campus, and knowledge of the environment.
Tutoring at Savonia University of Applied Sciences
This is supported by encouraging the students to grow into their roles as students and introducing them to the responsibilities and practicalities of their student life. A supervisor is also responsible for introducing the sources of information so that the student can use them for his own use. The tutoring courses aim to prepare the tutors for their activities during the year by providing knowledge and expertise.
There are two days of basic tutoring training, which consists of basic sessions covering topics such as unit practices, rights and duties, qualities of a good tutor, strengthening communication skills, planning and developing tutoring activities, and briefing on much more. In addition to the basic tutor training, there are also programme-specific training courses for each course.
Cross-cultural management in tutoring practices
Results
To focus on these needs, the survey asked a fourth question: "Could international teachers and the school have done more to help you before arrival?" The answers by field of study are shown below in Table 3. Of the 67 respondents, half found it most challenging to connect and interact with other students. The question was how challenging students found their studies, in an effort to determine the academic support needs of the university students.
One respondent chose to answer this additional, seventh option, saying “All of the above.” A significant part of the above results was applicable for implementation in the teacher manual.
Interviews on tutoring and the existing guidebook at Savonia University of
Results
Multiple shared opinions enforce the importance of the point being made, but all, even individual, ideas are evaluated for their value. There was also the mention of the word "friend", which often arose from the student respondents, because they were students under the guidance of tutors. Most of the positive benefits of teaching, mentioned by both school staff and head tutors, include the benefit of creating a positive image for the university.
There was also the advantage of creating and adding to the existing communities by integrating the exchange and new international degree students into them. It should be noted that the benefit of credits was mentioned only once, and therefore was not very relevant to the respondents, or perhaps it was too obvious of a benefit to even notice. Namely positive image of the institution, better integration of the international community, and solving day-to-day student problems just to put a smile on the faces of fellow students.
Most of the responses implied that the guide itself would be a framework or "a path" for students to follow, should it be necessary. For this reason, it could be suggested to have a digital copy as an alternative for those who would not use the physical copy of the book often. Most of the respondents were divided in the answer that at the moment there was enough, or that it depends on the situation.
Material rewards were also popular among responses, i.e. small rewards from the institute to the active teachers. Official study groups or academic support would require both planning and official recognition from higher university authorities, not to mention specific teacher skills. In conclusion, some of the responses to the interviews will be useful for making the tutoring guide.
Comparative study on tutoring at other universities
Results
The table below summarizes all the results, divided by university and subject, allowing a quick comparison with Savonia University of Applied Sciences. Comparing these results with the activities and teaching organization of colleagues at the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Kuopio, it seems that there are no significant differences in the way universities operate compared to the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Kuopio. All universities share the same practical approach to the topic of support for tutoring activities as Savonia University of Applied Sciences and the most common rewards are credits and recognitions that are given by the completion of tutoring activities.
There are slight differences in the recruitment and training activities for lecturers at the individual universities. Some universities, such as Karelia and Haaga-Helia, use interviews in the recruitment process for lecturers, with Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Kuopio having an online application period similar to the universities of Tampere and Häme. The organization of the guidance activities was in all cases entrusted by the universities to the respective student association.
The most notable difference was with Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, which had an annual training camp, something none of the other case universities had mentioned. It seems that even if Karelia is the closest UAS to Savonia University of Applied Sciences, it does not bear any striking similarities in tutoring activities to Savonia University of Applied Sciences. The Lapland University of Applied Sciences had prepared its own international student guide with an attached culture guide to help international students.
They were by far the most advanced of the case universities in terms of international guidance, but this may be due to the large geographical area comprising Kemi and Tornio and the level of service required to meet student needs. In terms of development, Tampere University of Applied Sciences is also further ahead of other case universities. Haaga-Helia has a more challenging environment due to the diversity and amount of new arrivals, but it also had a more structured approach to the training of supervisors in the form of a training camp and different evaluation methods for new supervisor applicants.
Validity of research results
Ethicality of the research process
Approval of the project was granted by the relevant teachers of international business according to the appropriate procedure of the university. Following the table, the first ethical issue at the beginning of the study is the benefit to the participants. The use of the guide quickly decreases from the first week of introduction to studying at Hogeschool Savonia.
The fifth, and consequently last part, are the maps of the Savonia University of Applied Sciences' campus areas. Do you think a tutor of the year award can motivate tutors to be more active. Respondent: Not necessarily, but the focus must always be on the quality, not the quantity, of the tutors.
So we pick them up there, from the airport or the bus stop, whatever - so that gives a very good picture - that you are 'the Savonia', that 'the university cares'. Or we. The student union coordinator is responsible for the international student tutoring activity. Rotko's teachers strengthen communication and cooperation between the student and the university's employees.
Tutors strengthen the adaptation process of the new students according to the needs of each degree program or campus. The tasks of the tutors are discussed with the academic advisor before the orientation week begins. The selection and training of the tutors of Tampere UAS is carried out by the student union TAMKO operating in the area of Tampere, Finland.
Recruitment of the tutors takes place via tutor employment events and subsequent interviews after the application period. The supervisors' responsibility is emphasized during the new students' welcome and adjustment periods.
Questionnaire data extracted from Webropol
Interviews
Transcription of the interviews
Comparative study data
