Eficácia de uma intervenção educacional sobre o funcionamento do grupo tutorial, na aprendizagem baseada em problemas em centro universitário privado de Minas Gerais

Abstract

Introduction: Problem-Based Learning (PBL) encompasses and provides active and goal-directed learning. This method aims to provide students with lifelong skills to solve practical problems and not just limit learning to theoretical knowledge. However, like any method, erosions appear over time. Continued training of tutors and awareness of students about the principles of PBL are essential for its proper functioning. In this sense, an intervention activity was developed in a medical course, at an educational institution in Minas Gerais (MG) which works with PBL, which resulted in a positive impact on the perception of students and teachers regarding the tutorial groups' functioning (GT). This intervention carried out at UNIFENAS was replicated at UNIPAM. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention concerning to the functioning of the GT in ABP, in a private University Center (UNIPAM) located in a Minas Gerais’ countryside. Methods: Quasi-experimental study, in which the intervention strategy was implemented through posters and social media addressing PBL points that are important for GT, with students and tutors from 1st to 8th period of medicinedegree. Five items that should not be practiced by teachers by GT students were replicated with wide dissemination. A questionnaire was applied to evaluate GT’s quality before and after the intervention. The comparative analysis of functioning’s mean perception before and after GT’sintervention was carried out using Student's t test. Results: this study was developed with paired analyzes on 184 students and 15 tutors. It is observed that, after the intervention based on the questionnaire on the GT’s functioning, in the group of students there was an increase in the average of the second phase with significant p in all dimensions; in relation to tutors there was an increase with significant p in “Don’t be afraid to admit what you don’t know” dimension. Conclusion: There was a significant change in the GT’s functioning perception after the educational intervention among students and teachers. This change shows that remembering important GT’s procedures contributes to maintaining teaching effectiveness.