Abstract:

The changes made in university education, by the Bologna Process, have resulted that teachers get involved in assuring that students acquire a range of capacities, during their training. In particular, the transversal capacities will be very useful for their future professional life.
This change is helped by introducing the model of “tutorial action". During these years, it can be analysed whether the teaching staff has been involved in this tutorial and students have responded too.

Unfortunately, an excessive teaching load and not being appreciated any merit for this extra work, are possible causes for the teachers’ declining interest in this tutorial. Furthermore, it must be taken into account that the students’ lack of interest, whom do not respond when the teacher convene them, may negatively influence the teacher.

From the performance of the Tutorial Action Plan of the University of Burgos the authors of this paper, who are part of GIDUT-Teaching Innovation Group, have been surveying different aspects related to academic tutorials and transversal skills. Some of their findings have been presented in previous ICERI congresses.

The methodology used makes a selection of general capacities, in various degrees offered by the University of Burgos, and it drafts questionnaires with 22 items which students must answer. In the present article, the case study is students from various training courses and two different degrees: Sciences orientation (Chemistry) and Health Sciences orientation (Science and Food Technology, SFT).
The results presented, present academic year (2014/2015), are: four items related to general capacities acquired by the student and two items related to students’ satisfaction with the attended tutorials. The evaluation of these results allows us to detect: the students’ interest for tutorials, their knowledge about transversal capacities, just as much how important these capacities are for the students and which one is considered by as essential for their degree.

In relation to tutorials, many students do not attend them and that may cause the discouragement suffered by the professors of the Faculty of Sciences. But there are some students displease with their tutors; as it was reflected in the 27% of students in 3rd level of SFT who said that they did not meet in person his tutor yet. This is particularly troubling and measures shall be considered to encourage teachers to get involved in the tutorial action, to help students during their university degree.

In relation to transversal competences an eye-catching result, which reflects the current society, is the students’ lack of interest for the ethical-social commitment capacity. For Health Sciences, among students form 3rd and 4th course of SFT, the 16.4% and 16.7% respectively show that this capacity deserves just a 1 or 2. Its rating goes from 1 to 5, being 1 the lowest score. For Chemistry, Sciences orientation, students form 1st course rate this competition even worse, as a result the 27% of students rate it as 1 or 2. These results shall lead us to place resources to encourage students in their ethical and social responsibility.

Keywords:

Transversal competences, tutorial, questionnaires.