Profession academic support officer

Academic support officers provide assistance to students with learning problems and act as the main point of contact for these students. They make sure extra tuition and educational programmes are provided to under-represented students with academic or personal issues. They also organise several social activities throughout the academic year.

Personality Type

• Social / Artistic
• Social / Investigative

Knowledge

• Curriculum objectives

  The goals identified in curricula and defined learning outcomes.

• Assessment processes

  Various evaluation techniques, theories, and tools applicable in the assessment of students, participants in a programme, and employees. Different assessment strategies such as initial, formative, summative and self- assessment are used for varying purposes.

• Project management

  Understand project management and the activities which comprise this area. Know the variables implied in project management such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.

Skills

• Assess students

  Evaluate the students' (academic) progress, achievements, course knowledge and skills through assignments, tests, and examinations. Diagnose their needs and track their progress, strengths, and weaknesses. Formulate a summative statement of the goals the student achieved.

• Oversee extra-curricular activities

  Supervise and potentially organise educational or recreational activities for the students outside of mandatory classes.

• Assist in the organisation of school events

  Provide assistance in the planning and organisation of school events, such as the school's open house day, a sports game or a talent show.

• Show consideration for student's situation

  Take students' personal backgrounds into consideration when teaching, showing empathy and respect.

• Identify education needs

  Identify the needs of students, organisations and companies in terms of provision of education in order to aid in the development of curricula and education policies.

• Write work-related reports

  Compose work-related reports that support effective relationship management and a high standard of documentation and record keeping. Write and present results and conclusions in a clear and intelligible way so they are comprehensible to a non-expert audience.

• Guarantee students' safety

  Ensure all students falling under an instructor or other person’s supervision are safe and accounted for. Follow safety precautions in the learning situation.

• Support children's wellbeing

  Provide an environment that supports and values children and helps them to manage their own feelings and relationships with others.

• Manage access programmes

  Monitor and regulate the access courses offered to underrepresented students to develop their skills to prepare them for university. Analyse the efficiency of these educational programmes and apply changes to them if necessary.

• Counsel students

  Provide assistance to students with educational, career-related or personal issues such as course selection, school adjustment en social integration, career exploration and planning, and family problems.

• Coordinate educational programmes

  Plan and coordinate educational and public outreach programs such as workshops, tours, lectures and classes.

• Tutor students

  Provide private, supplementary instruction to students individually to enhance their learning. Support and mentor students who struggle with a certain subject or who have learning difficulties.

• Listen actively

  Give attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of customers, clients, passengers, service users or others, and provide solutions accordingly.

• Communicate with youth

  Use verbal and non-verbal communication and communicate through writing, electronic means, or drawing. Adapt your communication to children and young people`s age, needs, characteristics, abilities, preferences, and culture.

• Recruit student ambassador

  Assess, recruit, and train new student ambassadors who act as a link between the educational institution and other communities.

• Tackle issues that block academic progress

  Address the issues that can block a pupil`s school progress, such as social, psychological, emotional or physical difficulties, through counselling and intervention methods.

• Cooperate with education professionals

  Communicate with teachers or other professionals working in education in order to identify needs and areas of improvement in education systems, and to establish a collaborative relationship.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB