What term describes hours of direct teaching and support for students?

• A. Contact Hours
• B. Guided Learning Hours (GLH)
• C. Study Hours
• D. Tutorial Hours

Answer: (B)

Guided Learning Hours are the amount of time during which learners receive direct instruction or support from a teacher. This covers activities where learning is guided by someone: lectures, seminars, workshops, demonstrations, and tutor-led sessions where the teacher is actively teaching or facilitating learning. It’s the time when learners are not studying alone, but are helped or supervised by staff to understand and develop skills.

This differs from Study Hours, which are time spent on tasks the learner does on their own without direct teacher input. It also clarifies why terms like Tutorial Hours aren’t the best fit on their own—tutorials can be part of guided learning, but Guided Learning Hours specifically denote the overall period of instruction and guided activity with staff. In qualification frameworks, GLH is the recognised measure of direct teaching and support, while Total Qualification Time includes GLH plus additional non-guided study time.