Peer Tutoring

Peer tutors introduce new students to Savonia and the practices of their own degree programs starting from the entrance exams. Each incoming student group is assigned its own group tutors, who support their group throughout the first academic year. The tutors are there on the first days of school, helping students adjust to academic life by sharing their own experiences and fostering team spirit by organizing social activities outside of school.

Student tutoring, or peer tutoring, involves students acting as peer guides for other students. At Savonia, peer tutoring is carried out through a cooperation agreement with the student union SAVOTTA. The goal of tutoring is to support incoming students in their studies and enhance community spirit on campus. Tutors guide new students through their studies, the student city, student life, and their fellow students, aiming to make their transition into the new life situation as smooth as possible. Peer tutors are usually students from the same degree program, so they provide valuable information about studies and related practices.

Being a tutor is a project that lasts the entire academic year. The most active phase of tutoring is, of course, when new students arrive during the first month of the academic year, but tutoring continues throughout the year through various meetings and events.

Tutor activities begin in the spring before the academic year with tutor recruitment. The unit’s tutor coordinator and study advisor are responsible for tutor recruitment. The Savonia tutor training held in March-April, along with specific training for each field, provides tutors with the necessary skills to perform their tasks.

The saying “Well begun is half done” applies to tutoring as well. The academic advisor and teacher tutors work together to create a yearly plan for tutor activities, which provides clear guidelines for the entire academic year. Active communication with the guidance staff is also essential for effective tutoring.

At the end of the tutor’s term, a tutor report is submitted along with a journal on Moodle. The academic advisor reviews the reports with the unit’s tutor coordinator and records the credits in the study register.

Tutors are offered two recreational days during the academic year. In October, the group visits the Hirvijärvi Camp Center to reflect on the early fall tutoring activities through discussion sessions, after which the group relaxes with sauna and grilling sausages by the campfire. In April, the group goes bowling and provides final feedback on the spring tutoring activities.

Peer Tutor Duties

  • Collaboration with the university and the guidance staff of the degree program
  • Introducing new students to the unit, degree program, and higher education culture
  • Guiding new students in academic practices and the learning environments in use
  • Assisting new students in starting their studies
  • Providing personal advice to new students
  • Promoting group cohesion, community spirit, and well-being for new students
  • Participating in the unit’s presentations
  • Participating in organizing and marketing events for the higher education community
  • Attending tutor training sessions and unit-specific tutor meetings