What are the necessary ingredients for effective tutorials?

Before we attempt to identify the ingredients of effective tutorials, we need to be clear about what is a tutorial. This is particularly important because many tutorials today tend to be no different from normal class room assignments.

Tutorial, in comparison to a normal class room are intended to be more interactive and with greater attention to individual needs of the student. In tutorials the students need to be provides help and guidance in specific area where help is sought by the students. Also, tutorials provide help to student to complete specific tasks they are required to perform as a part of gaining practice in concepts learnt.

It is quite clear that there are some common requirements of class room lectures and tutorials - for example subject knowledge. In addition a good tutorial should be such that it enables the student to apply the knowledge acquired in the class room or through individual reading, and in the process identify the areas where he or she lacks clarity. This of course needs to be followed up with opportunity for the student and tutor to interact so that tutors can judge the specific strong and weak points of the student and guide them accordingly.

Also tutorial should offer some flexibility to students to get in to greater depth of topics that are of greater interest to them. For example a tutor may recommend extra reading material to students based on their individual needs and interests and provide them guidance in understanding these better.