Improving the chances of success in the first year of studies
The aim of tutoring or “tutorat” is to offer first-year students favourable conditions to:
- make the most of exercise sessions by working in small groups guided by a tutor
- integrate into their student cohort and into the school
- develop effective studying and working methodologies
The exercise sessions for the Analysis and Physics courses are organized in small groups of students working together and guided by the same tutor throughout the entire semester. The proposed working methodology alternates phases of personal thinking, discussion with peers and the tutors’ input to clarify or make corrections. The tutor encourages students to approach and solve a problem applying an effective working methodology.
Tutors are advanced students, who are typically supervised by doctoral-assistants. Each doctoral assistant is in charge of a room occupied by approximately 40 students.
The special set-up of the rooms devoted to tutoring aims to facilitate group interaction, thus students sit around a table equipped with a writing board.
The teacher is accountable for the overall running of tutoring and, with the support of the sections, is responsible for recruiting the tutors.
The Teaching Support Centre can collaborate with the teacher to implement and follow up tutoring. We offer support for students who tutor exercise and lab sessions.
This initiative is financed by the Vice Presidency for Education.
The ABC of tutoring describes the goals and format of the tutoring, the addendum of the ABC provides information on the practical implementation of tutoring.
For any further information, contact the relevant section (Maths or Physics). For information on tutoring pedagogy, contact Roland Tormey.
Communications about the Tutoring project: “Tutoring for first year exercise sessions turns 4 years of age: review and looking to the future”
After four years of age, a review of the tutorat/tutoring model was presented at the 27th Congress of AIPU (Association Internationale francophone de Pédagogie Universitaire) at Trois-Rivières in Canada in 2012.