One in ten students at the University of Bristol say that they do not have a good relationship with their personal tutor. That is a lot of missed opportunities for connecting with students, and it is something we should change.
Someone who knows you
The thing that Bristol students say they value the most about personal tutoring is that it is personal. First year students say that the relationships with lecturers is often more distant than they were expecting. The personal tutor gives students an opportunity to have an informal relationship with an academic in their field. Someone who gets to know them as a person as well as a student. Someone who knows their background, their academic achievements and their aspirations. Someone who can help them reflect on their experiences and learning at university.
Having someone who knows you is especially important in large schools or on programmes with large cohorts, where students can feel lost in the crowd. More than a third of first year students taking part in a research project on personal tutoring said they felt anonymous at the University some or all of the time. A personal tutor can make students feel both seen and supported.
Why relationships matter in higher education
At its core, learning is all about relationships. When students feel a connection with their lecturers, they are inspired and motivated to learn. Research shows that positive student-teacher relationships makes learning more effective, increases student engagement and satisfaction, and improves the student experience and outcomes.
For students from marginalised groups these relationships are especially important, as relationships help foster a sense of belonging. When students feel they ‘matter’ – when someone recognises them as an individual and they feel of importance to someone – it can help them adapt to life at university, build resilience, protect their mental health, and reduce feelings of marginality.
‘Relational pedagogy’ puts positive student-teacher relationships at the centre of good teaching. But we should look beyond teaching practises to make sure meaningful connections are prioritised across the university. This is the idea of a ‘relationship-rich education’. And personal tutoring sits right at the heart of this approach.
Personal tutoring: fundamental to a relationship-rich education
Personal tutoring is a fundamental part of a relationship-rich education. It is about fostering meaningful connections that help students thrive.
Personal tutoring helps students make the following connections:
- Connection with an academic in their field. The relationship students form with their personal tutor is unlike any other at university. Because the tutor is a consistent presence throughout their degree, they can really get to know and have a holistic view of the student. They can understand their development and progress. Personal tutors can help students reflect on big questions in their lives like – What is the purpose of being at university? What will I do when I graduate?
- Connections with peers and other staff. Each relationship students have at university serves a different purpose. A relationship-rich education focuses not just on connections with academics but also with professional services staff and other students because all these relationships are important for students to thrive. Personal tutoring can foster a web of varied significant relationships for all students through group tutorials and effective signposting to university services.
- Connection with the subject. Because the tutor-tutee relationship spans across units and years, the personal tutor can help students look at the bigger picture of their subject area. They can help students make connections between learning in different units allowing for a deeper understanding of their subject.
Essentially, personal tutoring is about building relationships with our students, so that we can spot the places where they feel disconnected, and help them reconnect.
Fostering meaningful relationships
So how can we foster meaningful connections through personal tutoring?
It starts with trust, and trust takes time to develop. Tutors should therefore have regular contact with tutees, through check-ins, and informal conversations. It is not just about frequency though, the quality of the interactions matter just as much.
We can develop authentic, meaningful relationships with our tutees by having a genuine interest in our students and their ideas. By being curious about their progress and showing a willingness to help. By being proactive, because it shows genuine interest and care.
Of course, this is not always easy. Having large numbers of tutees, as well as PhD students can make it challenging for personal tutors to get to know their tutees individually. High workloads and a casualised workforce can further undermine the principles of relational pedagogy. This is why we should embrace a relationship-rich education, prioritising relationships across the university. This means giving staff the time and resources to focus on developing purposeful relationships with their students.
In an educational system that can feel impersonal to students, focusing on relationships can help students thrive. Make students feel seen, supported, and connected – personal tutors are key to helping students flourish.
Nienke Alberts
Senior Research Associate
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