TUTORING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GRANADA. TUTORIAL ACTION PLAN

The new scenario of Higher education, based on the implantation of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), goes beyond being a new method of quantification of teaching quality in universities. This pedagogical philosophy is focused on the main role of the autonomous work of students, which involves the adoption of methodologies that promote a participatory attitude. This independent learning, but always supervised by the teacher, will allow the students getting their own knowledge.
In this context, the mentoring action into the university has an essential role, not being considered as an additional activity and independent to teaching method, but as essential part for the meaningful learning of student. The students have the opportunity to reinforce lecture material, discuss material presented in class, as well as to propose questions which help them to develop oral communication skills. In this sense, the mentorization activity is a fundamental part of teaching method for improving student learning, but it is worth noting that at the same time, encourages to reflection on the teaching task that teachers perform. The Tutorial Action Plan (PAT) of the University of Granada is one of the platforms that has implemented this new concept of European Higher Education. For many years ago, a group of teachers has integrated this platform aimed to facilitate the academic integration of students by providing them information on professional and academic issues and promoting training activities that advocate for improving our own teaching. Interdepartmental activities are open to the university community and with a dual mission: to raise awareness about the importance and necessity to incorporate these lines of intervention in daily practice, and create channels and tools that facilitate an exchange of information among teachers in order to improve educational methods and getting a maximum efficiency and educative quality. The overall goal of PAT is to protect and guide students in designing their academic and professional curriculum, depending on their preferences and aptitudes. Therefore, quality teaching necessarily implies a redefinition of the teacher's work, their training and professional development. This leads to a substantive change in the traditional role of the teacher who now no longer will act as a transmitter of information, and whose work will focus on encouraging students in development of the knowledge through appropriate strategies and activities.