HDA - Key Skills
If you as a student would like to support other students in the learning process, then the role as a tutor fits perfectly. As a tutor, you will assist other students during exercises, lab / practical work, as well as supervision of learning groups and discussion rounds. Responsibilities of this role include possible repetition of taught work, knowledge of practical exercises and a deep understanding of the course content. In order to accomplish this, having good instructional and methodological skills are vital.
Are you interested as a department/faculty or departmental student body and representative committee in our tutor qualification? We encourage you to contact us so that we can discuss your needs and set up an appointment for your tutors.
With our basic qualification we support and prepare tutor candidates for their new role. We introduce access points to conducting (online) tutorials, how to achieve a motivated learning environment and develop their instructional skills. In addition, we simulate different situations that could occur during a tutorial, followed by discussing strategies of how to handle difficult situations.
Our additional practically orientated modules are available for both new and experienced tutors, whereby they can improve their skills and knowledge based on their own interests. Additionally, this will facilitate meeting fellow tutors as well as the exchange of ideas or experiences.
In addition to group learning during modules, there will be some self study content provided which is available under the HDA “Just be a tutor!” Course page on Moodle. More information relating to course themes can be found in the knowledge cache under . Study Techniques
This offer is free to all students of TU Darmstadt. The requirements for taking part is a (planned) activity as a tutor.
Together we will develop the foundations for interdisciplinary instruction and methodological skill, which will prepare you for your first (online) tutorial. In doing so you will have improved your social and self skills, as well as reinforce your understanding of the role.
The basic qualification takes approximately 4 hours (in person) and 4.5 hours online and will take place in small groups with the number of participants ranging between 4 – 12 students. Upon completion, the participants will receive a certificate.
Central dates:
The next basic qualification will take place on the following dates:
10.04.2025 from 09:00 – 13:30 in room S103/152c
25.04.2025 from 10:00 – 14:30 in room S1 03/161
Peer observation presents two opportunities at once: Firstly it provides the opportunity to see the structure of other tutor’s tutorials. Secondly, there is the opportunity to provide feedback with regards to the content of the tutorial to each other. This then allows you to reflect on the feedback and potentially improve upon your own structure and content. In order to prepare you for this task, there will be a workshop that will take approximately 2 hours. Some material will be handed out during the workshop with further information.
The overall structure of the workshop will be as follows:
1. Workshop at the HDA: Introduction to peer observation, material handout and instructions.
2. Tutorial Visit: Tutors will be teaming up into pairs and joining each other's tutorials.
3. Discussion: Session for reflection between the all tutors involved in the workshop.
At the Tutor Café, you will come into contact with subject tutors from all departments at TU Darmstadt – they will reflect on their experiences together with other tutors over a cup of coffee and discuss concerns and challenging situations from their own teaching activities.
In the approximately 1.5-hour meeting, you will first get to know each other. You will then discuss your concerns together and can take away new ideas and suggestions for your work.
We offer a total of two tutor cafés:
The practical- oriented workshop takes approximately 1.5 hours and topics within the subject tutor skills framework. The workshop is planned from scratch every semester to meet the specific needs of the participants.
Are you also interested in our other tutor qualifications? You can also train with us to become a trainer in key skills or support our study projects as a team tutor.