Pilot tutorial project as a quality action
| Pages | 21-30 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880310462056 |
| Published date | 01 March 2003 |
| Date | 01 March 2003 |
| Author | Mariano Ubé,Inmaculada Plaza,Carlos Medrano,Alfonso Blesa |
| Subject Matter | Education |
Pilot tutorial project as
a quality action
Mariano UbeÂ
Inmaculada Plaza
Carlos Medrano and
Alfonso Blesa
Introduction
The primary aim of this study, from a general
point of view, is proof of the opportunity
available to universities that by applying the
quality philosophy they could improve the
continued professional help offered to new
students and increase the motivation of
teachers.
Corresponding to this endeavour, the
following purposes can be derived: on the
one hand, to analyse the conclusions
obtained in opposition to those proceeding
from another action without quality
principles.
On the other hand, we would like to give
clear proof of the preoccupation of the
teachers who work in a small centre of the
University of Zaragoza about the
improvement of academic results during the
first and second scholar courses.
In order to reach these objectives,
the following methodology has been
adopted.
A previous experience ± the First Action ±
has attracted our attention significantly. With
the purpose of knowing it profoundly, one
interview has been developed with each
one of the five teachers that participated in
the first project. The conclusions obtained
have been based upon this professional aid
and quantitative data proceeding from the
tables elaborated by means of the compilation
of the academic results relevant to each
student, supplied by the secretary of the
centre.
The results and the experience originating
in the relations between the centre and the
enterprises have encouraged the teachers to
design a pioneering plan taking into
consideration the point of view of the
philosophy of quality: the Pilot Tutorial
Project. Figure 1 shows the temporary
planning of both projects.
In this paper the Pilot Tutorial Project is
analysed by means of a questionnaire that has
been filled by authors. All the conclusions are
founded on the answers revealed in these
documents.
The development of the Pilot Tutorial
Project has been carried out in a centre of the
University of Zaragoza ± the EUPT.
Consequently, this article starts with the
description of this centre. The arrangement of
the rest of the paper is similar to that of the
previously explained methodology.
The authors
Mariano Ube is Associate Professor, Inmaculada Plaza
is Associate Professor, Carlos Medrano is Associate
Professor and Alfonso Blesa is Professor-Director. All are
based at the University of Zaragoza, Spain
Keywords
Teachers, Quality, Universities, Students, Performance,
Improvement
Abstract
Aims to show that quality concepts can be used in a real
university world case by teachers who are voluntarily
charged with the task of developing a program designed
for helping new students. The first step toward
considering the analysis of a previous experience has
been taken ± the First Action ± that took place during the
scholar year 1999/2000 at the University of Zaragoza. The
results have shed some light on the difficult nature of the
relationship between teachers and new students, and
have persuaded the teachers of the centre to design an
innovative plan considering the perspective of the
philosophy of quality coming from the university-society
relationship: the Pilot Tutorial Project. Concludes that it is
quite likely that significant improvements in our university
work can be achieved by adopting the philosophy of
quality.
Electronic access
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The current issue and full text archive of this journal is
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21
Quality Assurance in Education
Volume 11 .Number 1 .2003 .pp. 21-30
#MCB UP Limited .ISSN 0968-4883
DOI 10.1108/09684880310462056
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