VIRTUAL TUTORING TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

We explain the experience of electronical tutoring carried out in the subject Applied Statistics of 2nd Degree in Physical Activity and Sports Sciences at Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain. The autonomous work of the student has great importance in the European Higher Education Area. In fact, in such a subject, for each classroom hour with the teacher, the student must invest two hours of autonomous work. This task must be directed and supervised by the faculty, in person and remotely, individually and in groups. On the other hand, the different communication forms are transforming the teaching vertiginously.

To respond to this new situation and needs, the teaching innovation project we present consists of:
(1) carrying out individual/collective virtual sessions through the Blackboard Collaborate tool of the WebCT platform;
(2) and using Hangouts as instant messaging application to tutor students.

Blackboard Collaborate allows web conferences with a student or the whole class, through audio, video and recording functions; besides public/private chat, a whiteboard, application sharing, a library of clip art and the ability to add and edit content at any time can be used. The great advantages of Hangouts are the convenience and immediacy of answers, in addition to it can be integrated for Android, PC and iPhone, and only needs a Google user and Internet connection (the privacy of the mobile number can be maintained). These activities are improving the teaching-learning process, encouraging the interest of the students in their learning and therefore increasing the academic performance in the subject.