Abstract:

The objective of this work was to analyse the role of the tutor, in a Problem-Based Learning online course, from a master degree program, through the perspective of both the students and the tutors involved. The participants were 21 students, working in five tutorial groups, and five tutors. All the interventions of the tutors in the discussion forums were quantified and subjected to a content analysis. Students answered to a questionnaire about tutors’ performance, and the tutors made a reflection about his/her work as tutors on a PBL online course. The results showed a very similar pattern of interventions among all tutors, with very few interventions concerning feedback. Moreover, tutors struggled with the need to assume a less interventionist posture, to accomplish with PBL approach, but felt rewarded in this effort by the growing confidence and autonomy showed by students along the course. Students, felt some insecurity with the work developed, expecting from tutors a more constant support in terms of their own work validation. Discussion generated some guidelines for tutors’ behaviour, in order to support each student and tutorial group.

Keywords:

Higher education, Problem-based learning, Tutors’ roles, Distance education.