Encourage Active Participation

Students are often more engaged when they actively work with the material rather than only listening. Participation does not always need to involve speaking in front of the whole class. Some students may feel more comfortable contributing through writing, polls, collaborative documents, pair discussion, or small-group activities.

You can also explore additional active learning strategies and, where appropriate, consider using polling tools such as Mentimeter to encourage participation and gather feedback from students in real time.

Ask Open-Ended Questions

The types of questions you ask can shape the quality of discussion during tutorials. Open-ended questions often encourage students to explain their thinking, make connections, and engage more deeply with the material.

If discussion feels slow, it can help to rephrase the question, provide an example, or ask students to discuss briefly in pairs before sharing with the larger group.

Manage Participation and Discussion

Students participate in different ways. Some may respond quickly and often, while others may need more time, structure, or encouragement before contributing.

Part of facilitating discussion involves creating opportunities for a wider range of students to participate comfortably.

Silence is often part of the learning process. Students may be reflecting, reviewing notes, or organizing their thoughts before responding.

Remain Flexible During the Session

Tutorials do not always unfold exactly as planned. Students may ask unexpected questions, discussions may take longer than anticipated, or certain concepts may require additional clarification.

Rather than trying to follow your plan perfectly, focus on responding to student needs and supporting understanding throughout the session.

Flexibility can help create a more supportive, responsive, and learner-centred experience.

Online Tutorials

Many of the same strategies that support effective in-person tutorials also apply online, including creating an inclusive learning environment, encouraging participation, and setting clear expectations. That said, participation can look different online. Some students may contribute verbally, while others may participate more comfortably through chat, polls, collaborative documents, reactions, discussion boards, or breakout room discussions.

Online tutorials often benefit from a little extra structure. It can be helpful to explain what students will be doing, how they should participate, and what will happen next. If students are using a discussion board or online activity for the first time, consider starting with a low-stakes activity so they can practise using the tool before engaging with more complex course content.

• Provide clear instructions before activities, breakout discussions, or discussion board posts
• Clarify your role as a TA, including when you will respond, when you will step back, and how students can ask for help
• Use the chat, polls, or collaborative documents to encourage lower-stakes participation
• Pause regularly for questions, check-ins, or clarification
• Build in extra time for transitions and technical issues
• Clarify expectations around participation, communication, cameras, and microphones

Example: "I'm going to place you into breakout rooms for five minutes. Please discuss the question on the slide and choose one person to share one key takeaway when we return."