Future Competencies and E-Tutor Competencies: A Chance for Higher Education Institutions to Support Their Student Staff

Abstract

Purpose: E-tutors often participate in collaborative online international learning (COIL) settings and guide students in group work and related learning processes. They moderate, organize, and observe the group and individual learning processes and are often students’ first point of contact. This support requires several competencies, which are also largely reflected in the so-called future skills. Thus, it seems sensible to examine these competencies more closely and promote them to enhance the course experience and support for students in COIL settings on the one hand and to make student e-tutors fit for the modern working world on the other. Study design/methodology/approach: As a starting point for this project, a comprehensive systematic literature analysis on e-tutor competencies and qualifications was conducted in Langesee (2023). A competency ranking and task-based competency profile for e-tutors in higher education were developed during this research. To investigate the validity and practicability of these artifacts, an evaluation was conducted with 16 international experts and practitioners (e-tutors) using a questionnaire. Findings: The competencies identified in Langesee (2023), the ranking, and the profile created were recognized as helpful and practical. Additional comments from respondents allowed both artifacts to be revised and expanded. The three most relevant competencies of the nine detected are communication, pedagogical and social competencies. Originality/value: The resulting artifacts can be used in the next step as a basis for a self-evaluation tool (SET), enabling e-tutors to assess their competence equipment. Based on this, individual instruments will be recommended to initiate possible improvements.

E-Tutor Tandems in a COIL Course – Design, Implementation and Evaluation

“…Online surveys were chosen to ensure the anonymity and confidentiality of the respondents and therefore increase candidates' willingness to provide authentic answers (Evans & Mathur, 2018). For this study, the items for two of the three developed online questionnaires were based on research by Langesee (2022), in which nine competence areas for e-tutors in COIL settings were identified. They were assessed through statements related to a specific competence.…”

“…Like many other jobs, being an e-tutor requires special competencies. These requirements were extensively derived and evaluated in Langesee (2022). Ultimately, nine competence dimensions can be identified that e-tutors should cover.…”

“…Especially communication and collaboration, intercultural competence, and digital literacy can be identified in the competence requirements for e-tutors (Langesee, 2022).…”

Lessons Learned from an International and Interdisciplinary Virtual Mobility Module between Albania, Slovenia, and Germany

“…These are present in the virtual working environments of the groups and contact persons for questions and problems. Furthermore, based on your observation of the group work, it is your task to intervene and moderate in case of conflict (Altmann & Clauss, 2020;Langesee, 2022). Finally, the e-tutors document the weekly group work and provide appropriate feedback to the groups according to an iteratively developed guideline for giving formative feedback in virtual learning arrangements (Altmann, 2022).…”

The E-Tutor in the New Normal: Analysing the Changing Roles of Tutoring in an ODeL Environment during and post Covid-19

“…There is a need to redefine e-tutor identity which is currently ill-defined in relation to a sense of belonging to the university. In addition to e-tutor unionisation, they could participate in collaborative online international learning settings (Langesee 2022). This collaboration could be in the form of joint research and publications with peers and students.…”