ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND SKILLS ACQUISITION IN THE UNIVERSITY AREA: A CASE STUDY

Macarena Lozano-Oyola¹, Inmaculada Romano Pagullo²*
¹Dr., Pablo de Olavide University, Spain, mlozoyo@upo.es
²Dr., Pablo de Olavide University, Spain, iromano@upo.es
*Corresponding Author

Abstract

The change of the paradigm entailed in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) has without question represented an improvement in the educational process. We consider that university teachers currently organize learning environments which involve their students. In the context of the EHEA, the evaluation system is designed to get to know the students’ acquirement of knowledge and competences. In this framework, we consider that the students’ tutored and self-directed learning favors their acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue their university studies and their professional and life project.

However, this change has also highlighted a series of problems which appear in the university environment in the EHEA. This work presents the results of the implementation of a series of innovations proposed with the aim of improving students’ academic performance, reducing the drop-out rate, acquiring group work skills, and showing students the advantages of computer tools and virtual environments.

To do so, the research has been carried out over five academic years, compiling information via surveys and interviews of the students in a subject, which is taught in the 2nd. year of Degree of Political Sciences and Administration at the Pablo de Olavide University (Seville, Spain): "Quantitative Methods applied to Social Sciences". Being a quantitative subject that is taught in the area of Social Sciences means that from the start the students in general reject it a priori. To avoid this leading to the students dropping out or not passing the subject, we put into practice a teaching model based on the students’ continuous evaluation. The teaching model means that 50% of the time is dedicated to theoretical classes and 50% to practical classes (which take place in smaller-sized classrooms or in computer labs). In the case of the theoretical classes, the students are evaluated at the end of the semester by a written examination. The practical classes are assessed using three individual tests during the semester and a weekly individual follow-up work.

After introducing the methodological and evaluating innovations, we have achieved an increase in the number of students who pass the subject, a reduction in the drop-out rate and a better use of Information and Communication Technologies. Although this has meant a greater workload for the teaching team and the students, the skills which we have worked on have had a satisfactory short-term result. At the same time, we consider that this experience can be applied to any subject studied in the university area.

Keywords: Quantitative techniques, teaching innovation, university professors, virtual classroom.