Berlin Educa Online
Thesis tutoring in Blended Learning Environment
Pertti Vilpas/ Metropolia Business School
What is tutoring?
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Tutoring can be defined as an interactive relationship which aim is to
support student’s professional and personal development. Open dialog is
essential in tutoring, meaning close and developing relationship between
a student and a tutor.
Open dialog involves also constructive and creative action, where
discussion between the student and the tutor maintain also connection to
reality.
Thesis tutoring can be defined as regular discussion between the student
and the tutor concerning thesis process and progression.
Thesis tutoring involves several fields:
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contextual tutoring
methodical tutoring
Abstract and research text correction process
ITC tools support (web surveys, SPSS, SAS, Excel, Word, Pdf)
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Why tutoring?
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Effective tutoring helps students to complete and engage their studies within
studentships.
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Problems of introduction the thesis and working on might lengthen the studentship
outstandingly.
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Through effective tutoring both tutors and students control the thesis processes
effectively and well orientated.
Effective Tutoring
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The student need to be committed to the process and have a good motivation to
work with the tutor.
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Depending on a degree programme in Metropolia, there are several participants in
the process: a student, an opponent (student), a tutor (lecturer) and a representative
of working life (company initiated thesis). Open interaction and dialog between the
participants are essential to the process.
Tutoring rules
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When the tutoring rules are clearly agreed, the tutor and the student have a common
understanding what are the aims and goals for the thesis.
The rules also contribute the thesis to be completed in time
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Thesis Tutoring in Metropolia Business School:
Use of Intranet portal ”Tube”
Tube workspace
enables easy access
to
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Tutoring material
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Instructions
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Schedules, rules
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Different forms
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Assessment rules
Students can access the workspace
when ever needed using
their personal account
There are several lecturers who may
update the workspace material.
The latest version is always
on the web.
But the workspace doesn’t provide
interaction possibilities between
students and tutors.
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Thesis Tutoring in Metropolia Business School:
Electronical Thesis Form
https://liiketalous.edu.metropolia.fi/
The student creates his own form on the web site and uploads and updates data on the form
The thesis process is time scaled on the form
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Theme of the thesis and research plan is presented by the student
Contextual tutoring is verified by the comments of the tutor
Methodical tutoring is verified by the comments of the methodical tutor
Abstract and research text correction process is verified by the comments of the text tutor
ITC tools support is verified by the comments of the ICT tutor
Each stage of the process is controlled and registrated by the tutor
No paper forms needed
Some ITC – support is needed to edit and update the structure of the e-form
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Thesis Tutoring in Metropolia Business School:
Master degree progamme and the use of Moodle
http://moodle.metropolia.fi/course/view.php?id=388
Moodle workspace
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Includes tutoring material, instructions, schedules, rules
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Includes different forms, assessment rules, company initiated materials
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There are several lecturers who may update the workspace material. The
latest version is always on the web.
Interaction between students, opponents and tutors on forums
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Each student has his own forum, where he uploads the latest versions of his thesis
plans, findings and records
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The tutor and the opponent can access the material online and give comments,
evaluation and support on the forum independent of time and place
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All online discussion are verified on the Moodle and can be explored and assessed
later
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Thesis Tutoring in Metropolia Health Care and Social
Services: Video conferencing
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Thesis seminars are organized on the web in real time using video conferencing.
Webli or Connect Pro environments are used for the meetings
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Before the seminar students send their thesis material (ppt-format) to the tutor and he
uploads them on the environment
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During the seminar session each student presents and shares his work and findings
with others. Participants can edit also shared material and give comments in real time
and online.
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Students can participate the seminar from their home pc:s and video conferencing
allows place free attending.
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Interactive environment provides good contact within the seminar group and
participants may share ideas, comments and support with each other
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Presence in online seminar supports effective tutoring and achieves well orientated
thesis process.
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Thesis Tutoring in Metropolia Culture Management: Wiki Spaces
https://wiki.metropolia.fi/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=4718807
Wiki – thesis space
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Includes instructions, tips and examples of thesis pages
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Questions and answers, FAQ, schedules, forms
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Several lecturers may update the wiki space. The history
of the space is verified easily and older version can be restored.
The student create his own wiki – page
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Each student has his own page, where he uploads thesis material, findings and records
He decides who can see, comment or edit his page. At least the tutor and the opponent can see and
comment the material.
Enables account free publications and commentary on the web
The process is easy to follow, documents are saved as different versions and older versions and
changes are highlighted
Possibility to comment online, evaluation and support on the wiki page are independent of time and
place
Possibility to link the wiki page easily to other web sites
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Further Development in Thesis Tutoring in
Metropolia
Pod casting – an audio file in compressed digital format (MP3)
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Advantages:
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size of the file is small compared to the video
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Easy to listen using MP3 – devices
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May be published on the intranet or on the web site, can be sent by email etc.
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Disadvantages:
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No picture or video to see the speaker
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Audacity
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Free share software to create MP3-files
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Potential in thesis tutoring
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The tutor can give his comments using pod casting and the student is free to listen comments
place, time and pc –free
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Further Development in Thesis Tutoring in
Metropolia: Second Life
Second Life
•Virtual world
•Avatar
•Meetings
•Interaction, dialog
•Resources
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