Student perceptions of tutor skills in problem-based learning tutorials

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Sociocultural Studies

Background:

• Problem-based learning (PBL) tutors have distinct roles compared to traditional teachers.
• In the UAE Faculty of Medicine, Arab students interact with expatriate tutors from different sociocultural backgrounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate student evaluations of tutors in PBL tutorials.
• To determine if student evaluations change as students progress through PBL.
• To analyze differences in tutor performance evaluation between male and female students.

Main Methods:

• Students evaluated 12 tutor skills on a 1-3 scale over two academic years.
• Statistical analysis of 314 completed forms from 14 participating tutors.
• Evaluation included differences in tutor performance perception between genders.

Main Results:

• Tutors were rated average to outstanding in 10 skills.
• Discrepancies noted in guiding information management, with students desiring more support.
• Lower scores on discussing sociocultural/religious issues suggest a potential understanding gap.

Conclusions:

• Gender differences in evaluations necessitate varied tutor strategies in cross-cultural settings.
• Findings have direct implications for faculty development programs in international medical schools.