‘You're not set up for this - we had to rapidly evolve and change and adapt’: Tutor-student relationships during the Covid-19 lockdowns - a mixed methods study in an FE college

This research aimed to explore what could be learned about Post 16 college tutor-student relationships from the experiences of course tutors and students within a Post 16 college following national college closures during the lockdowns of the Covid-19 pandemic. Tutor and student understandings of the role of course tutor and the phenomenon of tutor-student relationships were explored as well as how effectively those relationships were developed and sustained during online learning, when opportunities for face-to-face contact were limited or non-existent. Finally, the ways in which online learning positively and negatively impacted upon tutor-student relationships was considered. The study used a mixed methods approach, and the views of 38 course tutors and 34 students from the college were obtained via questionnaire. 6 tutors and 17 students then participated in focus groups to further explore the questionnaire’s findings. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2022). Findings suggest that tutor and students’ collective understandings of the tutor role, and of tutor-student relationships were broadly similar. Although the majority of students and tutors rated their relationships as ‘good’ or ‘very good’ during online learning, some aspects of the face-to-face relationship were felt to be missing. Barriers identified were: difficulties with technology, students not engaging, being unmotivated or distracted, students feeling exposed or judged, lack of non-verbal cues and feedback, lack of opportunities and difficulties accessing support. Online learning did, however, create opportunities to provide more flexibility, reduce demands for students, and for some, create a sense of intimacy and privacy. Many students felt tutors made efforts to develop rapport and demonstrate care and respect. Implications for the use of online learning in post-16 colleges and for the future role of Educational Psychologists in developing understanding of the importance of tutor-student relationships are considered.