PROCEEDINGS OF THE 22ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2019
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Mathematics tutors’ perceptions of their role
Page: 966
In this study, we investigate the beliefs of undergraduate mathematics tutors. Thirty-three tutors completed surveys and twenty-five participated in interviews to assess their attitudes towards mathematics and their beliefs about the roles of a tutor and instructor. Our analysis provides examples of orientations, goals, and resources that were expressed by tutors in surveys and interviews. Tutors in this study viewed their role as distinct and supplementary to that of a teacher. The orientations, goals, and resources identified in this study provide a foundation for future studies that explain and predict tutor decision making. Although tutors are not content experts, they offer a valuable perspective that is different than that of the instructor.