PBL tutoring dynamics in first-year of Industrial Engineering and Management Program

Abstract

Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology engages students in learning in an active practice promoting ideas discussion and share among all team members. One of the ways in which this is done is to stimulate students to solve real-world problems during a semester integrating all the Curricular Units (CU) through a large interdisciplinary project development. One of the distinguishing elements of the PBL methodology is teamwork. In this process, emerge the tutor, whose main task is to stimulate discussion and facilitate the process and direction of the students work. Also, tutor report the team progress to the PBL project coordinator. For each team a set of activities, tasks and milestones are planned in order to succeed project objectives. Taking this in line, this paper describes the tutor’s role from the students’ viewpoint, within the first year of the Industrial Engineering and Management degree at the University of Minho based on an online questionnaire composed by a total of 37 questions. A total of seven tutors-teachers and eight third year tutors-students were evaluated, from each group, regarding their role and their contribution to the project development. At the end of the semester, students’ feedback was also collected through a focus group regarding the tutor role. Moreover, a first-person narrative of two tutors-teachers is presented. One tutor had her first experience as a tutor, the other with seven years of experience in this role. Main findings highlight a students’ overall satisfaction with tutors’ role and by underlining the importance of both as a team member. Nevertheless, some fewer positive points are seen as improvements opportunities for the next edition.