Tutoring News, News About Tutoring - Current News - Institute of Independent College & University Teachers, Coventry, UK

Congratulations to Dr. Jim Sharpe on his being awarded a PhD in Psychology at Teeside University. Dr Sharpe has been an outstanding Tutor with ICUT and we wish him well.

Oxford University students have been hiring private tutors in increasing numbers, with those studying sciences, overseas students and women most likely to seek external assistance.

Dr. Vincent McKee, Director of the Independent Institute of College and University Tutors (ICUT) confirmed that his organisation has been contacted by an increasing number of Oxford students over the past two years. Although there have only been twenty-five who explicitly describe themselves as Oxford students, he believes ICUT tutors many Oxonians who are too embarrassed to divulge the name of their institution.

Blue Tutors company has also stated that around fifty Oxford university students have asked for assistance within the last three years. Peter Edwards, spokesperson for the organisation said that there have also been "about 50 students...who were in the Oxford area, but didn't state their university." He thought that students are reluctant to disclose this information as "this may reflect badly on that university."

When asked how the University could improve the teaching system, Edwards suggested that colleges could offer extra tutorials between terms and in the run-up to exams, but pointed out that students are often unwilling to ask for help. He added, "Oxford and Cambridge are understandably proud of their standards, but I think that this occasionally spills over into arrogance, and I don't believe that an Oxbridge tutorial is necessarily of the high standard that everyone assumes it is.

"I regularly meet and assess the teaching ability of many people who currently teach for the university, and I am fairly shocked at times by what I see." He also suggested that "students are too slow to question the standard of teaching that they receive in tutorials."

A spokesperson for the University has defended Oxford's tutorial system. "Oxford students benefit from much more teaching time and more intensive teaching than almost any other university in the world," she said pointing out that "The National Student Survey shows that 92 percent of students are satisfied with their courses at Oxford University - higher than the national average."

Dr McKee has also argued that the number of students seeking outside help suggests that the "tutorial system clearly doesn't identify all of the problems."

He particularly expressed dissatisfaction at the problems experienced by foreign students at British Universities. With 70 to 80 percent of ICUT's clients foreigners, McKee claimed that "overseas students are abandoned by their institutions".

He added that the students who contact ICUT in the summer months are disproportionately female, an estimated 8 in 10 between July and August. The subjects with the most demand for private tutoring from ICUT include finance, economics, business and management, maths and engineering.

One student, who wished to remain anonymous, admitted that "given the experience of the previous year, in hindsight, I realise I should have either hired a private tutor or requested to change tutors, as I received very little support from my main tutor and found the tuition to be less than satisfactory for several topics."

He also thought that tutors may well be more interested in their own research than supporting their students.

Congratulations to Mr A.B.M. Hossain, one of ICUT’s outstanding Maths teachers in Manchester, who has just been approved for Doctoral registration and funding at the Department of Maths, University of Manchester. Mr Hossain, a native of Bangladesh, where he taught Maths at University for many years, recently completed a Master’s degree at Manchester University, from where his progression to Doctoral research has followed.. ICUT salutes his achievements and also appreciates his valuable Maths teaching to our students in Manchester. We are very pleased to be retaining his services for the next three years and beyond.

Congratulations to Dr Andrew Dunn on his recent award of a PhD by the University of Bradford. Dr Dunn has been teaching with ICUT for the last 15 months and was recently appointed ICUT’s Social Science Research Fellow. We share in the pleasure of his achievement and are proud to have the benefit of his continued service over times ahead.

Congratulations to Chris Phillips, who has just taken up a Doctoral research programme at the London School of Economics (L.S.E.) in International Relations. He has already established himself as one of ICUT’s finest tutors in International Relations and Politics in the London area.

Congratulations also to Mr. Samson Asare on his successful completion of an MSc. in Finance at the University of Loughborough, Leicestershire. Hailing from Ghana, Mr. Asare brings his skills as a teacher and a successful academic to his role as ICUT’s principal tutor in accounts and finance in the East Midlands area.

On the 1^st September 2008, ICUT installed an Exchange Server to facilitate an enhanced network for handling the ever increasing volume of correspondence. We hope this is providing a positive service for all those clients, tutors and others making contact with the organisation.

On 1^st of October 2008, ICUT moved to an enlarged suite of offices on the fist floor of Jesson House. This move has been prompted by the growing business demands from many new clients, fresh staff appointments and a general growth in the organisation's capacity. We hope tutors, clents and other visitors will feel comfortable in our enlarged professional new suite.

P.S. We trust that visitors have already noted the new web site launched on the 1^st July 2008. Thanks to Mike Graham and his team at PH Media, Manchester for an excellent design and construction job.

I am amazed that the "have A levels got easier?" debate persists, and Education ministers still routinely claim examination standards have not fallen. The shift in the pattern of grades awarded since the mid-1980s is so huge that it cannot be accounted for by better teachers, students, schools and colleges.

Between 1965 and 1984, there were three times more fails than A grades. This year, nine times more A grades were awarded than fails. If we randomly select two candidates who sat any A level between 1965 and 1984, there is a one in 11 chance that both failed it. That figure passed one in 1,000 this year. Now the worst-performing schools and colleges have better pass rates than some of the best-performing institutions had in the 1980s.

In any era, some students are brighter and work harder than others, and there are good and bad teachers and institutions. As any social statistician knows, no more than a small portion of the gargantuan change in the distribution of grades can be explained by improvements in students, teachers and institutions, even if they have generally improved a lot.

Research Fellow, Institute of Independent College and University Teachers (ICUT-UK), Coventry, CV1 1JN

Our Social Science research fellow, Dr Andrew Dunn, is currently preparing a report on West Midland Universities, which ICUT plans to publish later in the year.

A University of Bradford tutor has backed calls for A-level standards to be tightened up after claiming the qualification is not what it used to be.

Dr Andrew Dunn, employed in the university’s learner development unit, says a “huge shift” in the number of students gaining top grades has taken place as marking standards have fallen.

Dr Dunn, a member of the Institute of Independent Colleges and University Teachers (ICUT), said: “A-levels are getting easier. But because it is not politically correct to say so very few people will speak out.

“I am amazed that the ‘Have A-levels got easier?’ debate still persists, and that education ministers still routinely claim that examination standards have not fallen.

“Yet again the crucial point has been missed – the shift in the pattern of grades awarded since the mid-1980s is so huge that it cannot be accounted for by better teachers, students, schools and colleges, even if they have improved considerably in that time.”

This year, the overall UK pass rate rose to 97.2 per cent, up from 96.9 per cent last year – the 26th year in a row it has risen. Top A-grades went to 25.9 per cent of all entries, up from 25.3 per cent in 2007.

Dr Dunn said: “Between 1965 and 1984 there were three times more fails that A-grades. This year, nine times more A-grades were awarded than fails. Now, the worst performing schools and colleges have better pass rates than some of the best performing institutions had in the 1980s.

“In any era, some students are always brighter and work harder than others and there are good and bad teachers and institutions. Therefore, as any social statistician knows, no more than a small portion of the gargantuan change in the distribution of grades can be explained by improvements in students, teachers and institutions, even if they have generally improved a lot.”

However, in the wake of last week’s results, the National Union of Students (NUS) has called for a celebration of student’s achievements. Wes Streeting, NUS national president, said: “The debate about A-level results has been historically one-sided, relying on well worn claims that both the questions and the systems used to mark them are getting easier. Those who continue to devalue the achievements of A-level students repeatedly fail to recognise that the year-on-year rise in standards has come about because of hard work from students and teachers.