Introduction The role of and need for tutors has become increasingly important at universities in recent years (Ningrum, 2018, p. 1). In South Africa, tutoring has become a vital component of teaching and learning due to the variety of complex student learning needs (Underhill et al., 2014, p. 40). Students are requiring increased support from tutors. For this reason, methods employed in the training of tutors should not be neglected. One of these methods refers to using dialogue to generate collaborative discussion and create a collaborative learning environment. The intentional construction of a collaborative learning environment in higher education creates a platform for meaningful student engagement. The facilitator/tutor plays a crucial role in this process. How the facilitator/ tutor engages in and manages participation, charts the course of the quality of the level of interaction between the students and between the students and the facilitator/tutor (McHugh et al., 2020, p. 267). The facilitators’ use of dialogue can thus encourage a collaborative learning environment. The role of the tutor in teaching and learning Tutoring is a form of peer-assisted learning and involves the “active and interactive mediation of learning through other learners who are not professional teachers” (Topping & Ehly, 2001, p. 113). The value of tutoring in a South African context needs to be highlighted. South African universities have large, diverse student populations who vary in their level of preparedness when entering university; thus, the need for tutor support is a priority (Underhill et al., 2014, p. 358). Considering this, the ways in which tutors are supported, trained and developed should not be neglected (Clarence, 2016, p. 40). Tutors benefit from tutoring as it enables them to learn by teaching students, thereby challenging them cognitively (Topping, 2015, p. 2). Tutoring also allows the tutor to develop facilitation skills and improves the ability to communicate effectively (Bulte et al., 2007, p. 588). Tutor training assists in preparing tutors to interact with students. It enhances their overall effectiveness as a tutor in areas such as keeping the attention of students, managing group discussions and assessing students’ level of understanding (Waltz, 2019, p. 27; Bulte et al., 2007, p. 590). Grey and Osborne (2020, p. 296) highlight the importance of tutors participating in training and continuously paying attention to their professional development. Tutor training needs to be “more learner-centred and personalised in ways that provide for choice, creativity and the generation of new knowledge” (Joyes et al., 2008, p. 131). The need for reflective praxis I am involved with the training and development of the tutors at UJ and have always had a keen interest in examining my practice more closely to develop my skills as a facilitator and further enhance the skills of the tutors I train. For this reason, I reflected on my use of dialogue to structure and direct collaborative discussions in sessions designed to further develop my dialogic and facilitation skills as well as the tutoring skills of tutors. By adopting a reflective praxis, I would reflect in action and reflect on action. Reflection in action occurs when you reflect on what you know while in the middle of the action, and reflection on action entails taking the time to stop and think about your action (Schon, 1991, p. 49, 62, 278). Reflection in action requires a great deal of mindfulness, and reflection on action focuses on how one’s practice looks from the outside (Jordan et al., 2009, p. 466). Teaching Innovation for the 21st Century | Showcasing UJ Teaching Innovation Projects 2024 110
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