Preparing university educators for tutoring adult learners in distance education

Distance education is one of the effective forms of continuing vocational education and training of adults, which is aimed at meeting their educational needs in lifelong learning. Distance learning introduces new specific requirements to both educators with regard to their competence and the learner. One of the key actors who ensure the effectiveness of the system of distance education is a tutor. Here, a special study has been conducted aimed at studying the readiness of university educators to teach via distance learning, and identifying the attitude of adult learners to distance learning. The study was aimed at identifying students’ awareness of the activities of a tutor and studying their opinion on the activities of the tutor. We have also developed a training program aimed at preparing university educators to be tutors. Great importance is given to the readiness of an educator to perform tutoring activities (psychological, subject-specific, and technical). © 2018 Taylor & Francis Group, London.