Competências do tutor na educação a distância: um estudo no Centro de Apoio à Educação a Distância da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais - CAED/UFMG

Abstract

The present study analyzed the perception of tutors from Distance Education (DE) related to the competences and skills used for the tutorial action on that teaching modality. In order to achieve the objectives of this monograph, we carried out a descriptive and qualitative research. The technical approach chosen was the case study of Distance graduation tutors that have worked on the Centro de Apoio à Educação a Distancia da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais – CAED/UFMG [Distance Education Support Center at Federal University of Minas Gerais /Brazil], integrant of Sistema Universidade Aberta do Brasil (UAB) [Open University of Brazil], in the period from 2008 to 2016. We carried out a literature review about DE and its context, besides a brief documental revision of the actions performed by CAED/UFMG, and a field research by means of questionnaires application to the tutors. From the 284 records of tutors that have worked at the Center in the referred period, 83 were still active and were invited to answer to the questionnaire, which received 45 answers at total. With this research we were able to infer that the distance tutors acknowledge the existence of three pillars for an effective DE: People, Didactics, and Technology; besides, they are aware of the importance of their role as mediators for the teaching-learning process. The results evinced that we need to recognize that this is not a trivial task, for the tutorial practices demand skills beyond the domain of the content addressed in the disciplines, therefore, we need investments on the continued training for improvement of those practice that impact the quality of teaching and regulation of tutor as teaching practice.