Tutorial action for competency-based learning in primary education: Opinion of school counselors from guidance teams

Abstract

Key competencies are an essential curricular element in the framework of lifelong learning promoted by the European Union. In Spain, this competency-based approach to learning has been promoted by the current education law (LOMLOE). The aim of this study is to know the perception of school counselors working in external guidance teams on their contribution to the development of the competency-based approach to learning in Primary Education through counseling and tutorial action. Almost all the school counselors who make up the Educational Guidance Teams of the city of León were interviewed (n= 15 out of 17). The interviews were transcribed, and their content was analyzed using MAXQDA 2022 qualitative analysis software. The results indicate that tutoring is a determining factor for competency learning, for two reasons: on the one hand, tutoring is closely related to the Personal, Social and Learning to Learn Competence, together with others such as the Citizenship Competence and the Entrepreneurial Competence and, on the other hand, it favors horizontal and vertical coordination in the use of active methodologies and evaluation criteria for competency learning. However, it is concluded that, although tutoring is a function assigned to classroom teachers, it should be promoted from the leadership of the management teams, shared by the entire educational community with different degrees of responsibility according to the agents, among which guidance counselors should play a fundamental role as advisors and facilitators.