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Title:
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CHANGING STUDENTS SUPPORT MODEL FROM SPECIALIZED TUTORS TO UNDERGRADUATE MONITORS: A SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE |
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Author(s):
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Rosália Morais Torres, Maurício Rodrigues Botelho, Cláudio de Souza, Simone Ferreira dos Santos, Cristina Duarte Silva, Nara Lúcia Carvalho da Silva |
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ISBN:
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978-989-8704-03-0 |
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Editors:
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Piet Kommers and Pedro Isaías |
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Year:
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2014 |
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Edition:
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Single |
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Keywords:
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e-learning, tutoring, monitoring, educational systems design, virtual learning environments and issues |
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Type:
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Poster/Demonstration |
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First Page:
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295 |
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Last Page:
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297 |
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Language:
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English |
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Cover:
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Full Contents:
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click to dowload 
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Paper Abstract:
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In a long distance course divided into 3 teaching modules structured to teach professionals how to interpret electrocardiograms it was very difficult to find cardiologists technically prepared and with availability to work as e-learning tutors. This course target public comprised, potentially, about 4000 medical doctors that work in the public health care system of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, in 843 counties. To meet this challenge it was created a different long distance education model. Although 8 tutors were hired, the proposed pedagogical model was centered on the role of a so-called monitor, rather than on that of a tutor. Thus 40 of such monitors were selected among undergraduate medical students to provide student monitoring and support throughout the course. They were placed in a specially equipped room and worked in different shifts to guarantee students a 12 hour daily monitoring. Students interacted mostly with monitors and the existing tutors supervised groups of 5 monitors. The monitors, on their turn, sent tutors more complex questions asked by students. A survey on students satisfaction with course methodology and content was carried out at the end of Module 1. 78% of those considered the performance of tutors satisfactory and 98% very satisfactory that of monitors. 92% of students considered the Module excellent or very good. 69.8% of the registered students completed the Module, which suggests that the focus on the role of a monitor who provided daily and effective monitoring and support of students activities prevented students from dropping out of course. The cardiologists tutors were called to interfere whenever their skills were called for, dedicating their time to supervise monitors and advise monitors and students, assuring course quality. Additionally, the hiring of monitors and the consequent decrease in the number of tutors allowed for substantial savings in terms of operational costs. |
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