Guided Reflection and its place in Personal Tutor Conversations; Empowering Students to Learn from Experience and Matter to Themselves
Monday, April 13, 2026 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM
BELONGING AND MATTERING
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Session Outline
Tang et al., (2023) argue that the nurturing of relational care between the student and personal tutor, is fundamental in higher education pedagogic practices where the student is recognised as an individual and as mattering to the personal tutor and the university. Recognising the bespoke nature of the student experience within personal tutor conversations, where students perceive they are heard and understood can enhance the sense that the student matters (Tang et al., 2023 and Clarke, 2024). With Gravett and Winstone, (2022) advising the relational nature of the personal tutor role also having the ability to empower a student’s self-efficacy and self-determined growth.
However, the premise of this workshop recognises that for students to thrive at university in a manner suitable to them, they also need to matter to themselves. It is the student who must find the inner resources and internal motivation to engage in the university experience in a manner that is most appropriate for them. Therefore, they cannot only matter to the personal tutor, they must matter to themselves. As a result, it becomes important that as personal tutors we create time and space that empowers students to connect to themselves, to validate their own narrative and to hear themselves in what could be a completely new environment.
Facilitating reflection within personal tutor conversations is one such pedagogical tool we can utilise to empower students to be their authentic self, learn from experience, and to have and hear their own voice (Clarke, 2014 Clarke, 2022 and Clarke 2024). As personal tutors we can support the students through reflective conversations to have empathic regard for themselves and develop genuine curiosity as to how they experience university life. In getting to know what intrinsically and extrinsically motivates them, (Bolton and Delderfield, 2022), to “learn how to think well” and “acquire the general habit of reflecting” (Dewey 1933: 35) we can support our students to matter to themselves.
This session will focus on our own development as personal tutors to be able to embed reflection within our personal tutor conversations. Together we will explore what guided reflection is, the skills and attitudinal qualities required of us, and we will within the session engage in practising the skills of guided reflection with each other.
The objectives of this session are to therefore:
1. Discuss and review our understanding and experiences of reflection.
2. Explore the principles and skills of guided reflection.
3. 'Have a go' at supporting guided reflection in each other.
As this session will be interactive in nature, I will be inviting those who attend this session to share their experiences, and to reflect with each other and participate in 'having a go'.
Learning Outcomes
2. Have the skills to support guided reflection within personal tutor conversations.
Bibliography
Clarke (2022), Clinical Practice Comment Piece; Reflection is an Often-Misunderstood Term in Nursing. In: The Nursing Times May 2022 / Vol 118 Issue 5. Pp. 7 https://www.nursingtimes.net/opinion/reflection-is-an-often-misunderstood-term-within-nursing-13-04-2022/
Clarke, N. M. (2024) The Student Nurses Guide to Successful Reflection - Ten Essential Ingredients, Second Edition. MGraw Hill Education. UK
Dewey, J. (1933). How We Think: A Restatement of the Relation of Reflective Thinking to the Educative Process. Boston, MA: D.C. Heath & Co Publishers.
Gravett, K., and N. E. Winstone. (2020). “Making Connections: Alienation and Authenticity Within Students’ Relationships in Higher Education.” Higher Education Research and Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1842335
Tang, A. L. L. Wing Sun Tung. V, Walker-Gleaves, C. and Rattray, J. (2023) Assessing university students’ perceptions of teacher care. Quality in Higher Education, 29:3, 284-301, DOI: 10.1080/13538322.2022.2042894
Competencies
This session addresses the following competencies of the UKAT Professional Framework for Advising and Tutoring
C1 - Core values of academic advising and tutoring
C2 - Theory relevant to academic advising and tutoring
C3 - Academic advising and tutoring approaches and strategies
C5 - How equitable and inclusive environments are created and maintained
P1 - Create and support environments that consider the needs and perspectives of students, and respect individual learners
P2 - Appreciate students’ views and cultures, maintain a student-centred approach and mindset, and treat students with sensitivity and fairness
P3 - Commit to students, colleagues, and their institutions through engagement in continuing professional development, scholarly enquiry, and the evaluation of professional practices
R1 - Build advising and tutoring relationships through empathetic listening and compassion for students, and be accessible in ways that challenge, support, nurture, and teach
R2 - Communicate in an inclusive and respectful manner
R3 - Motivate, encourage, and support students to recognize their potential, meet challenges, and respect individuality
R4 - Plan and conduct successful advising and tutoring interactions
R6 - Facilitate problem solving, decision-making, meaning-making, planning, and goal setting
I1 - HE Provider mission, vision, values, and culture