New tool to manage personal tutoring now being piloted by six departments

Six UCL departments have started using UCL Tutoring - a new customised tool designed to improve the quality of personal tutoring at UCL.

The online platform complements face-to-face interactions by making it easier for tutors and students to manage the administrative process that personal tutoring involves.

It enables staff to provide a more efficient and consistent experience, helping students to access timely pastoral support and information, whatever department they are in.

The pilot 2019-20

The six departments taking part in the pilot, which began at the start of First Term 2019-20, are:

• Arts & Sciences
• Chemical Engineering
• Culture, Communications and Media
• Economics
• Farr Institute of Health Informatics
• Physics & Astronomy

Over 3,000 students and 180 staff are involved in the pilot phase. So far, tutors and tutees involved in the pilot are identifying and working through challenges and opportunities in the UCL Tutoring system.

During the coming months, the pilot project team will assess how the system is being used and develop an understanding of departmental needs and priorities. The team will then establish what works well and see how functionality can be developed further.

Following an evaluation of the pilot in Third Term, UCL Tutoring will be available for opt-in for other suitable UCL departments from next academic year 2020-21.

How UCL Tutoring helps

The system will benefit both tutors and students in a number of ways, including saving time and supporting pastoral care, so that personal tutors can focus on providing a more personalised experience for their tutees through face-to-face interactions.

Saving time

Students can access tutors’ diary information to check availability and use the booking functionality to organise meetings, making the process faster and easier for everyone to manage.

Tutors also have access to a dashboard where they can see their tutees all in one place. They can store notes and action points of tutorial meetings in the system, reducing the need for paper records and consolidating information.

Supporting better pastoral care

UCL Tutoring uses the same platform as UCL’s new case management system, so there is a joined-up referral process connecting students to other specialist support services directly through the system if needed.

It is also easy to find a range of information to support meaningful engagement with tutees, such as personal tutoring guidance documents or answers to FAQs from Ask UCL.

A more personalised experience

The platform gives access to staff and student profile information, including a profile picture drawn from Portico, helping to support a more personalised face-to-face interaction.

The in-system messaging functionality also allows tutors to speak directly with their students in real-time.

Further information

If you are interested in your department using the platform for the next phase in 2020-21, contact Megan Gerrie (m.gerrie@ucl.ac.uk), Director of Education Projects & Planning or Erin Dyer Saxon (e.saxon@ucl.ac.uk), Projects Administration Manager, Office of the Vice-Provost (Education & Student Affairs) for further information or to request a demo.