Abstract:

Nowadays, the university system is facing a period of reform in which university management has to undertake competitive strategies in order to respond to the demands from European Higher Education Area (EHEA). Student satisfaction is one of the main indicators that better defines quality because students are the most important users and beneficiaries. Tutoring in higher education is an educational intervention to support and assist the student throughout his/her academic career. In order to guarantee its effectiveness and relevance, tutoring requires planning and evaluation. The assessment gives benefits to all members involved, specifically to the teacher, providing him an objective feedback and promoting potential changes. Tutoring practices is an ideal time for the assessment of the tutorial activity because it allows examining the same subject at different times during the Degree.

This study aims to determine the evaluation of students on the tutorial activity developed during different periods of school practices in Grades in Teaching in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education. 25 students in second-year Degree and 25 in fourth-year Degree in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education participated in the study. They were tutored in teacher training practice (School Practice I and Specialization internships, respectively). The students replied a survey to assess the tutorial activity. The aspects to be evaluated in the questionnaire were: Organization, content, utility and maintenance or modification of the tutorial activity. Moreover, it was also requested the most positive and negative aspects of the tutorial activity.

Overall, the results indicate that student satisfaction with the tutoring descends as the studies advance, specifically the utility. We should examine which factors are influencing this decline and propose solutions that make students feel supported throughout his university stage. Student feedback can be used as an effective tool for quality enhancement; it contributes to the development of a culture of continuous quality improvement.

Keywords:

European Higher Education Area, tutoring, quality indicators, student satisfaction.