53 Interesting Things to do in your Seminars and Tutorials - Practical

In this review of 53 Interesting Things to do in your Seminars and Tutorials the bottom line is simple: this compact guide is for educators who run small-group teaching and want ready-to-use activities to boost participation and structure. Written by Graham Gibbs, Sue Habeshaw, Hannah Strawson and Trevor Habeshaw, the book offers practical, tried-and-tested approaches for starting sessions, encouraging student responsibility and improving evaluation. For anyone teaching seminars or tutorials, it is a dependable desk reference that helps convert theory into workable classroom practice.

Key Features

• Practical activities: Each of the 53 suggestions is a concise, test-proven activity that can be used straight away in seminars and tutorials to increase engagement.
• Full session coverage: The book includes ideas for beginnings, student-led seminars and groupwork so instructors can plan an entire session with coherent techniques.
• Focus on participation: Guidance on student participation and responsibility helps facilitators shift routine groups into active learning environments.
• Evaluation guidance: The authors offer straightforward ways to evaluate small-group activities, making it easier to refine approaches over time.
• Supportive written material: Notes on preparing written materials and expressing feelings equip tutors to handle both content and classroom dynamics.

Who It's For

53 Interesting Things to do in your Seminars and Tutorials is aimed at higher and professional education staff, new tutors and experienced teachers who want a fresh repertoire of small-group methods. It is especially useful for course convenors, seminar leaders and postgraduate tutors who run tutorials and need short, practical activities that can be adopted without extensive preparation.

Those seeking deep theoretical coverage of pedagogy or an exhaustive textbook on learning theory should look elsewhere; this book is deliberately compact and practice-focused rather than an academic treatise on teaching research.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Practical, ready-to-use activities that save preparation time and can be adapted to different subjects.
• Clear coverage of all seminar stages from introductions to evaluation, making session planning easier.
• Authored by experienced educators, offering reliable methods rather than speculative ideas.

Cons

• Not a deep theoretical text, so readers wanting extensive pedagogy references may find it brief.

Specifications

Title	53 Interesting Things to do in your Seminars and Tutorials
Authors	Graham Gibbs, Sue Habeshaw, Hannah Strawson, Trevor Habeshaw
Audience	Higher and professional education tutors
Focus areas	Beginnings, student-led seminars, groupwork, participation, evaluation, written material
Approach	Practical, tried-and-tested activities
Use case	Seminars, tutorials, small-group teaching

Our Verdict

For seminar and tutorial leaders who value practical tools over long theory, this book is an excellent, good-value reference to keep on the desk. The clear activities, session-stage coverage and focus on student responsibility make it especially worthwhile for new tutors and experienced staff wanting quick, effective ways to increase participation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book suitable for new tutors?
Yes. It is designed to provide short, practical activities and guidance that are easy for new tutors to adopt.

Does the book cover assessment and feedback?
It covers evaluation techniques for small-group activities, helping tutors assess and refine sessions.

Will it fit a busy lesson plan?
Yes. The 53 items are concise and mostly ready-to-use, so they can be slotted into existing seminar or tutorial plans.