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Tutors as Professional Role Models, With Particular Reference to Undergraduate Business Education
Author(s) -
Ottewill Roger
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
higher education quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.976
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1468-2273
pISSN - 0951-5224
DOI - 10.1111/1468-2273.00197
Subject(s) - autonomy , competence (human resources) , vocational education , pedagogy , higher education , engineering ethics , professional development , psychology , sociology , political science , engineering , social psychology , law
As part of the ongoing debate concerning the changing nature of the role of tutors in UK higher education, consideration needs to be given to their ‘professionalism’ in the broadest sense of the term. In popular vocational areas, such as undergraduate business education, it is important for tutors to reflect on the extent to which and manner in which they might serve as professional role models for students. Particular attention needs to be given to technical competence with respect to not only subject specialism but also pedagogic acumen and course management skills; standards; an ethical imperative; the exercise of autonomy; and reflective practice. Factors which inhibit tutors from acting as role models, such as academic traditions and countervailing pressures, and the implications for students also need to be taken into account.