Studying interaction in undergraduate tutorials: results from a small-scale evaluation

摘要

This article reports on an observation-based evaluation of student-tutor interaction in first-year undergraduate tutorials. Using a single case analysis, the paper looks at how tutors and students built and maintained relationships through two different though interlinked forms of interaction - storytelling and the use of classroom space for communicative purposes. It argues that interactional factors such as these should be explored alongside other more traditional forms of course evaluation. By explicitly recognising the interactional demands placed on tutors and students, the paper suggests that it will be easier to ensure that tutorials are properly inclusive of the diverse range of students who have access to higher education.