Teaching politics: Power and process in tutorials

This paper offers lecturers and tutors a number of reflections upon practical strategies for improving the quality of tutorial teaching in the discipline of politics. It is assumed that a great deal of relevant learning can result from active and informed student discussion in small group tutorials, and that this is a commendable educational goal. Course organization and content will be considered in relation to how they may promote conditions for critical discussion between students. Particular attention, however, is directed to group process and the topics of fear and safety, power and authority, group norms, the ‘warm up’, group discussion techniques and closure. It is argued that tutorial teaching founded upon the use and adaptation of basic principles of group process can foster more open capacities for learning among students.