Support to the process of online tutoring through a personalized learning environment

Abstract

Introduction: This paper deals with the key elements that should be included in a personalized learning environment (PLE) to assist tutors in the effective development of online tutoring. Materials and methods: Key elements are defined from a quality management perspective and applied within the context of an action-research study, to develop a tutoring model supported on a personalized learning environment for tutors. PLE includes the training and assessment of the tutoring process based on management quality indicators (planning, performance and results of tutoring). Results: The paper also shows the results of the partial implementation of PLE in a training course for physicians in the field of nephrology. The average among all indicators (8.5) is over the minimum (7), just like the global indicator for all tutors. The tasks with the best indicators are progress monitoring, with 9.9 points, and the evaluation of results, with 8.9 points. Conclusions: According to these results it may be concluded that PLE’s impact on tutoring quality is positive and that it is necessary to implement the full model to obtain more information and establish cause-effect relations between the involved variables.