Recent studies show that 30% of Spanish undergraduates do not finish their studies compared to 16% of undergraduates from other European countries. Is it possible to reduce these alarming levels of academic failure at public Universities?
A doctoral thesis carried out in the Department of Evolutionary and Education Psychology at the University of Granada (Universidad de Granada) by Francisco Fernández Martín, and led by researchers José Luis Arco, Fernando Justicia and María Carmen Pichardo, introduced a programme of psychopedagogical intervention of proven effectiveness, efficiency and usefulness. This thesis aimed at improving process indicators and teaching results according to the Spanish Council of University Co-ordination, a division of the Spanish Ministry of Education.
The Programa de Tutoría Entre Compañeros (Peer Guidance programme known as PTEC) incorporates the guidance of Ph. D. and final-year students, who have more experience and competences than first-year students, as its main intervention strategy. After a training period and by following a structured framework for relations, Ph. D. and final-year students helped and supported first-year students in the learning process through this pair work structure.
Needs analysis
“The study started by analysing the needs related to the problem of academic failure at public Universities,” says Fernández Martín. The diagnostic conclusion was obtained from the results of this analysis, which served to set the aims of the intervention and to design and plan the programme. The next step was to inform as many students as possible about this new programme, in which 100 first-year students and 41 Ph. D. and final-year students (the samples) participated. Thirdly, the Ph. D. and final-year students were trained, assigned groups randomly and guidance sessions were started.
Finally, the process, impact and results of the programme were evaluated. The PTEC seems to have helped to improve the quality of teaching in the degrees in which this programme was introduced “because average marks, per Spanish credit, of first-year students improved (one credit corresponds to 10 hours of lectures), as well as performance and pass rates in first and second semester exams and in the repeat exams for the 2004/2005 academic year,” highlights Fernández Martín. In addition to this improvement, the number of undergraduates dropping their studies decreased and their study habits improved. Moreover, the Ph. D and final-year students also improved their study habits and social skills. Furthermore, the personal and academic satisfaction of both samples was significantly high, and the subjective feedback was highly positive.
Applications
The usefulness of this study in the short, medium and long term is significant for several reasons. First of all, the results of university teaching have improved. Secondly, it is being carried out at the right moment bearing in mind the current changes in higher education in Spain and Europe. As researcher Fernando Martín explains, “with the Bologna Process it is essential to develop programmes which help students and lecturers improve on one of the basic pillars of the quality of the development of teaching like guidance action (information and guidance for first-year students, additional activities for their education, training in self-regulated learning skills, etc.).”
Finally, Fernández Martín emphasises the transference possibilities that this programme offer to pre-undergraduate students with preventive purposes.
Reference: Prof. Dr. Francisco Fernández Martín. Department of Evolutionary and Educational Psychology of the University of Granada. Tel: (+34) 958 24 96 59. Mobile: (+34) 658 578 156.
