“Alexa, Where’s my Timetable?” Chinese Students’ Perceptions of the Personal Tutoring Role

This reflective piece briefly explores Chinese students’ perceptions of their personal tutors at university drawing on a sample of literature around personal tutoring and international students. Differences are drawn out between students’ and tutors’ views of the role according to experience and research studies. It is noted that many Chinese students tend to view the student-tutor relationship as transactional, whereas tutors are often more interested in listening and forming a relationship. The short notice argues that if Chinese students can view their tutors as more than just an information source it could enhance their sense of belonging and possibly their experience as a student