Dominance profile student in Problem-Based Learning: perception of tutors and students

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Problem-Based Learning occurs through work in small groups, facilitated by tutors, and everyone is expected to contribute to the achievement of the learning objectives. The presence of a dominant profile student could lead to some imbalance in the group dynamics. Objective: to understand, from the perspective of collaborative learning, the meanings attributed by tutors and students to the presence of the dominant profile student in the tutorial group. Methods: two qualitative studies with tutors and students were conducted at a university in northeastern Brazil. The first aimed to understand the tutor’s perception of the presence of the dominant student in the tutorial group. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect information. The population consisted of tutors from the physiotherapy undergraduate course with more than two years facilitating tutorial groups. The second study aimed to understand the meanings attributed by students about the presence of the dominance profile in tutoring. Information was collected by focus group. The study population consisted of medical students from the first four years of the course. The process of analysis and interpretation was anchored in the theoretical assumptions of collaborative learning, which also served as a reference for the development of the interviews and focus group scripts. Bardin’s content analysis technique was adopted. The studies were approved by the Research Ethics Committee, CAAE: 26191119.5.0000.5569 and CAAE: 38005320.5.0000.5569. Results: tutors and students highlighted the diversity within the dominance profile. They characterized the student with this profile as collaborative, participatory and prepared. They also pointed out characteristics of impatience, difficulty in listening and accepting arguments contrary to their own. In addition, they reported intrusive behavior, silencing and limiting the participation of others. The tutors reinforced the difficulty in dealing with the dominant student, especially when giving feedback. The students reported that tutors, when facing the dominant student, did not perceive the lack of collaboration in the group and were insecure to intervene. Conclusion: the students expressed embarrassment and insecurity when faced with presence of the dominant student, leading to losses in the construction of group knowledge and individual performance, as well as disappointment in relation to the tutor’s performance. The tutors showed they recognize subtleties within the dominance profile, despite difficulties in adequately intervening.