Mäori Centre Tutorials

The Mäori Centre is a support service for Mäori Students. We provide academic and social support for all Mäori Students, regardless of their academic ability or tribal affiliations. The Mäori Centre tutorials are provided to increase Mäori participation and retention rates within the University of Otago. Tutorials are available for all mäori students who are enrolled at the University of Otago.

Tutorials are designed to meet the individual needs of students. Students are encouraged to actively participate in decision-making processes regarding the tutorials. Tutorial goals include ensuring students develop effective study and note taking skills, examination techniques, and improve academic excellence.

The Mäori Centre is committed to employing the best possible tutor, therefore tutors are Mäori and non-Mäori. Tutor meetings and training programs are held regularly with the Mäori Student Support Co-Ordinator. We have tutorial evaluations, which require both student and tutor feedback. The Mäori Centre is active in improving the skills of both tutors and students; therefore we regularly review and if necessary modify tutorial programs.

Tutorials coordinated and administered by the Mäori Centre are based upon student request or a departmental referral of a student for support. Once a tutorial is initiated, contact is made with the specific department, lecturer, course co-ordinator, tutor / demonstrator coordinator and/ or previous Mäori Centre tutors. The Mäori Centre relies upon the cooperation and support of departments and individuals to assist in the recruitment of appropriate tutors. Unless there is a specific need for a one on one tutorial, we endeavor to form peer group tutorials; therefore a class list of all Mäori students enrolled in the paper is generated. The Mäori Centre then sends a letter or email to the students informing them of the availability of tutorial support administered. Once the tutorials are established the majority of these are offered on a weekly basis.

In order to accommodate all students who request academic support the Mäori Centre occasionally provides extra streams of tutorials per week. Special tutorials are also coordinated as revision and preparation for exams.

Each tutorial group nominates a student contact who is responsible for coordinating issues within the tutorials group and providing feedback to the tutor and tutor co-ordinator.