What is an academic support teacher?

An academic support teacher is a supervisor with academic qualifications that a student can be assigned to under the SPS scheme. They are typically a lecturer or a PhD student employed at DTU.

The assistance is primarily offered to students with permanent mental impairment—including Asperger’s, ADHD, ADD, schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, anxiety disorders, long-term depression, etc. However, an increasing proportion of students with physical impairment (concussion, chronic physical pain, etc.) are also being assigned this type of support.

Students who receive academic supervision have been admitted to DTU on equal terms with other students but face certain challenges in relation to their studies due to a given functional impairment. This type of support is intended as a compensatory aid that puts the student on par with fellow students as far as possible. See the student not as an ill person but as a student. Focus on the person’s strengths and abilities.

1. Initiating the support

For students with mental impairment, the process is initiated at a kick-off meeting between the student, the support teacher, and an employee from the Student Counselling Service (SRG).

For students with physical impairment, the process is initiated at a kick-off meeting between the student, the support teacher, and an employee from the SPS unit at DTU.

The formal framework is outlined by the SRG/DTU employee at the kick-off meeting. The student will be given the opportunity to describe their situation, including the status of their studies, their diagnosis (and any medication), and the challenges they face. The support teacher will get the opportunity to introduce himself or herself and arrange the first meeting without the SRG/DTU employee.

2. The support

The academic support scheme basically entails a weekly meeting of about one hour in duration. How and what kind of support is relevant depends on the needs of the given student—and this will generally be worked out by the student and the academic supervisor along the way.

The frequency of the meetings may vary during particularly busy periods (e.g. exam periods), or the support may take place via email, telephone, or Skype if the student is studying abroad or on an internship.

The academic support scheme has a general framework and objectives.

Academic and studying skills:
The support teacher can advise and motivate the student in relation to academic challenges. The support teacher should be seen as a provider of educational assistance, and the aim of the support is for the student to master strategies for gaining specific academic knowledge and then applying this knowledge at a more general and abstract level. The aim is also to improve the student’s studying skills. Work can be done, for example, on improving structuring, planning and prioritizing the syllabus, and developing strategies.
Academic support hours must not take on the nature of additional teaching (e.g. if the student has missed a lecture).
Academic identity and well-being:
The simple activity of meeting may help the student do better, as the support teacher thereby helps create continuity and stability in the student’s routine. If the student has had one or more difficult days, for example, it can be nice to talk to someone about how to move on and adjust their planning rather than becoming even more discouraged.
Some students may also need special support for social interaction. This may entail anything from being involved in group work to having normal social interaction with fellow students or participating in sports activities or festivities.
Overcoming challenges:
Finally, assistance from the support teacher can help the student learn to overcome challenges related to the study programme, fellow students, and lecturers, including being able to identify their own resources and those in the study environment. For example, having the courage to contact the lecturer or group members or seek help from the Student Counselling Office or Student Services.

At the end of the support period, the support teacher and student must together complete a description. That includes an evaluation of the content of the support, a description of the (learning) outcomes and an assessment of the need to continue the support in the following semester.

3. Requirements

Academic support teachers always have a duty of confidentiality.

An academic support teacher does not have to be an expert in mental or physical impairment. The most important thing is to be a normal listening person.

Academic support teachers assisting students with mental impairment must participate in a paid workshop held by SRG. The workshop will provide general information on psychological diagnoses and the associated potential challenges. There will be guidance on how to serve as a respectful support teacher and supervision regarding the issues that participants are concerned about. In addition to the workshop, it is possible to receive individual supervision and advice from SRG (also paid).

4. Practical information

Students must contact the SPS unit at DTU to initiate a support arrangement. The SPS unit will apply for a grant from the National Agency for Education and Quality (STUK). Students with mental impairment must initially attend a clarification interview with the Student Counselling Service (SRG), which will then recommend the form of support to be offered. For students with physical impairment, we can apply directly for an academic support teacher. This group of students does not have to attend an initial clarification interview with SRG.

In the cases where STUK approves an academic support teacher, the SPS unit will help to find a suitable candidate. In most cases, it will be the SPS unit which finds the support teacher, but there may also be situations where the student finds a suitable teacher directly.

Grants for academic support apply for one semester and can be re-applied throughout the entire study programme as long as there is a diagnostic justification. A typical grant is 20 hours per semester. Extra hours can be applied for, but unused hours cannot be transferred to the next semester. A further three hours in funding is granted for the support teacher to participate in the SRG workshop and three hours for the support teacher’s individual supervision via SRG.

5. Salary

The academic support teacher records the hours spent throughout the semester. The salary is paid in arrears at the end of the semester. The salary is paid directly to the support person, or transferred to the department’s account, depending on whether the support is taking place within or outside the employment relationship at DTU.

The form of remuneration will be established by agreement between AHR and the Office for Study Programmes and Student Affairs (AUS) at DTU.

6. Tips

Input for meetings between the student and academic support teacher:

A general semester plan focusing on preparation for lectures, assignments, projects, exam preparation, etc. It is a good idea if the student prepares a draft plan for the first meeting, which can serve as a platform for assessing future goals or sub-goals.
At each meeting: How did the week go, and what is in store for the following week? It is good to use the general semester plan to maintain an overview.
Are there any specific academic challenges?
Are there any social study-related challenges? (Is there a need for support at the commencement of a group activity? How is the group work going? Is there a need for support to contact group members, lecturers, and administrative staff?)
Are there any challenges related to practical study matters? (e.g. CampusNet, Portalen, the library, exam schedules, internship, etc.)
Are there any other personal challenges? (How are you in general? Do you have a good routine? Are you getting enough sleep? Enough leisure?)

As an academic support teacher, it may be important to varying degrees to:

Be precise about the relationship and clear about boundaries—for the sake of both the student and yourself.
Describe and assess the given situation.
Be clear about the scope you have as an academic support teacher (thus far and no further). It is up to you to decide where the limit for support should lie. You can refer the student to the Student Counselling Office or SRG if they need other or more help than your role permits.
Make a time schedule and follow it (for the entire period and for each meeting).
Be very concrete in your language (especially for students with autism spectrum disorders).
Do not communicate ‘bad news’ by email. Wait, if possible, to convey the news until the next meeting with the student.
Help them to help themselves. The aim is not for the academic support teacher to ‘sort things out’ for the student but to support the student in working it out for him or herself.

As an academic support teacher, you are always welcome to contact the SPS unit if you have any questions or if something happens along the way that you would like to discuss with us. aus-sps@adm.dtu.dk

7. Learning outcomes

The list below contains examples/selections from the descriptions we received at the end of academic support arrangements at DTU. These descriptions have been prepared jointly by the support person and the student.

Addressing problems/challenges immediately instead of putting them off
Academic challenges. Study plan.
Discussion of the importance/relevance of being able to prioritize efforts in various courses at the same time.
Better able to participate in group activities and sit exams.
Planning and structuring tasks, breaking large projects down into sub-elements, regular follow-up, cooperation/coordination with the study group
Realistic planning in relation to the functional impairment
Recognition of the fact that education is a process and that constructive perfectionism may be good, but student work does not have to be perfect. Particularly because the study results are satisfactory.
Take note of the body’s signals and accept the swings that occur, and put it behind you once it is over.
Organized study and leisure time using google calendar and other tools
At the end of each meeting, we planned some activities (reading lecture materials, assignments, etc.). At the meetings, the student presented the activities, which we then discussed.
We have worked on how to get the most out of the studies. While attending lectures and when the support teacher is on hand (for example, during group work), but also how best to work alone or in groups so as to get the most out of it without spending excessive amounts of time. We have also spent time talking about how to best prepare for an exam and how to best tackle exams. We have talked briefly about how to best structure your time so that you get the most out of the study programme while also having time to do other things (leisure time). Finally, we spent a lot of time talking about the study programme as a whole and what you can get out of it. The latter has given the student a better overview/grasp of their own studies.
We developed some tools to make it easier for (the student) to get an overview of how the various tasks need to be handled and resolved. These tools consist of a set of formulas and a decision tree for which formulas should be used for which types of tasks. We have held weekly one-hour meetings (Monday afternoon) to maintain as much continuity as possible. We also pooled a few hours at the end of the process to prepare an exam study, a study plan and structure.
We got to know each other and developed good communication.
I received help in structuring my studies within the limitations I have. I have also had the opportunity for professional sparring with a talented supervisor, where the age difference was not a problem. (The student has previously had two unsuccessful processes with support people (fellow students))
General matters about life, the studies, learning, study plans, academic content of lectures, and exercises—particularly control systems and parallel systems. Regular sparring has helped to dramatically improve the student’s studies.
We met once a week for about an hour. We worked with the study plan—both the semester plan and the exam schedule. We also talked about study techniques, prioritizing the workload, and choosing courses in future semesters. The important thing has been to create a structured daily routine to prevent anxiety.
Learning points for the winter exam and result. Reflections on MSc thesis. Discussion about where the student will be five years from now. Exam planning and a proposed exam study plan. Review of exam results and what was good and bad.
Make new abstract concepts more concrete. Support for a more systematic and structured approach to working. Moral support during stressful periods. Planning and preparation for the exam.
Weekly meetings where the tasks for the week were discussed. Preparation of weekly and monthly schedules to systemize studies. Structuring when to work on what assignments. This is new to the student and has been of help.
The student needs support at the beginning of the semester. He needs motivation to remain focused and establish a disciplined/organized approach to his studies.
“I have developed (greatly), academically and structurally. I have been really pleased with the process.”