EVALUATION OF STUDENT-MANAGED SEMINARS, AS A TEACHING RESOURCE IN UNIVERSITY DEGREE STUDIES

Introduction
The new study plans introduced in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), in accordance with the Bologna Plan, promote the application of new teaching resources in university studies, aimed at promoting both active participation by students in the teaching process and self learning activities.

Aims
To assess the suitability and applicability of students’ preparing and presenting seminars, as one of the teaching methodologies suggested in the context of the EHEA, for Spanish university students.

Material and Methods
Students of Human Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Granada were given individual questionnaires to be filled in, anonymously, regarding the preparation and classroom performance of seminars by students. The respondents were all in a first-year group in the above-mentioned degree course. The questionnaires were filled in by the students during class time in an obligatory subject in the new study plan.

Results
83.3% of the students considered the performance of seminars in class to be worthwhile, highlighting as its most positive aspect the acquisition of skills such as public speaking techniques (77.8%) and increased awareness of non-verbal communication resources (75%). However, 94.4% of the students considered they learned much better when taught in the classical lesson format than when their fellow students gave explanations during seminars. Moreover, 75% stated that participation in seminars did not produce any improvement in their skills in the use of computing resources. The replies made to questions as to whether they had learned to make good use of bibliographic resources, whether they had developed a critical sense, whether they felt encouraged to participate in discussions deriving from the seminars or whether they enjoyed learning by teaching, revealed considerable disparities in opinion among these students.

Conclusions
Some improvement is achieved in students’ learning with the performance of seminars in the first years of implementation of these new teaching resources.