Several studies of distance education students' attitudes toward and need for local student-teacher contact time suggest that the provision of local tutorial time can be important for student success and should be planned by the tutors in consultation with their students. (MSE)

From tape recordings of 30 tutorial sessions at the Open University it is concluded that the teacher's role is less than the ideal of facilitator of learning; there is great pressure from students for the teacher to instruct rather than discuss the course material. (MSE)

The Open University's Advisory and Preparatory Services Committee has developed a plan to help new students prepare for the learning experience prior to the beginning of courses through collaborative ventures with local institutions, the pairing of students with tutors, and distribution of course-based material. (JMF)

Detailed analysis of student attendance at British tutorial sessions indicate that mathematics tutorials are relatively well attended and attendance correlates well with course results. Regular attenders achieve higher marks than nonattenders. It is concluded that minimizing distances to be traveled to tutorials is important in program planning.…

The reliability of grades on tutor-marked assignments was studied as background for debate on changing examination and assessment policy at the Open University. Results indicate that essay questions present the greatest reliability problems. (JMF)

Tutors and tutor-counselors assist individual students in the Open University. The effects on student's tutors of providing resources to tutor-counselors to offer extra sessions for first-year students who appear to need additional help are reported. (JMF)