Methodology

The virtual classroom enabled is the TFE Platform (https://tfe.uab.cat). It is the space for the exchange of information between the coordination team, the tutor and the students, as well as the space where the different evidence of learning requested throughout the course should be delivered. Therefore, it is essential to consult this space periodically, as well as the e-mail address associated with it, to ensure that all the necessary information is received for proper progression and monitoring of the FP.

Students will be able to select the topic of the FP from those available in strict order of the average grade of their academic record during the period established at the beginning of the course.

The work methodology is divided into supervision sessions, independent work and assessment activities. The supervised activity includes two different forms of seminars that can be done in group or individually: compulsory seminars and extension seminars. There are 4 compulsory seminars distributed across the different phases of the process. The compulsory seminars are face-to-face. The first compulsory seminar is recommended to be a group seminar. In the case of students taking part in mobility programs, all seminars may be taken virtually. Students may also request up to 4 hours of extension seminars, which will be mutually agreed upon with the tutor.

Considering the autonomous nature of the work, no more than 4 hours of extension seminars may be taken without a justification of the need for differentiated instruction.

The FP is considered as a continuous process with 3 different phases: a starting phase in which the work is specified and proposed (with an approximate workload of 25 hours), a development phase (with approximately 75 hours of work), and a final and closing phase that includes the presentation of the final report (with an approximate workload of 50 hours).

The FP process will begin with a plenary session in which the general aspects of the elaboration of the FP will be explained.

As part of the process, the following must be carried out:

• A first mandatory seminar on topics and types of work and the process and monitoring to be agreed between the tutor and the student. This seminar will be called by the tutor once the assignments have been definitively published. After this seminar, the rest of the obligatory seminars -which should not exceed 8 hours of dedication- and the extension seminars, up to a maximum of 4 additional hours, will be programmed by mutual agreement.
• A second mandatory seminar on at least two of the first sections of the script. This seminar can be held before or after the first delivery, depending on the needs of the work. The date of the second seminar must be fixed in the first seminar.
• A third mandatory seminar on the progress of the project, consistent with the sections of the script and the agreements established between the tutor and the student. This seminar must be held before the second delivery.
• A fourth and last mandatory seminar on the progress of the project, where all the sections are worked on, before the last delivery (final report of the FP).

The seminars, lasting up to 90 minutes, are intended as a space for discussion, resolution of doubts and proposals to advance the project. It is recommended that students submit the working document prior to the seminar with the progress and doubts so that the tutor can prepare the meeting.

During this process, students are required to hand in the 3 assessed documents (detailed in the assessment section). All deliveries will be made in the virtual space provided.

ORIENTATION AND TYPOLOGY OF THE FP

Two different types of FP can be chosen: the professionalization option and the research option (which can be basic research on a topic or an in-depth study of a theoretical concept). Regardless of the option chosen, the form of presentation of the FP can be agreed on with the tutor (report format or research article format).

Regardless of the format chosen, the FP must be written in CATALAN, except in the case of students of the Degree in Primary Education in English, who must write the FP in ANGLÈS.

All FPs must include a reference section (according to APA guidelines). The APA regulations can be consulted at: https://ddd.uab.cat/pub/recdoc/2016/145881/citrefapa_a2016.pdf

A) PROFESSIONALIZATION OPTION: Formulation of an intervention/innovation project in a particular socio-educational context. This FP modality allows four types of work to be considered: 

• Intervention FP. It consists of developing an educational or socio-educational action proposal in a specific context. This modality can take the form of: a) the diagnostic study of a reality, b) the design and implementation of a project in a professional field, c) the evaluation of an existing project (it is necessary that the project is being implemented).
• Creation and innovation FP. It consists of developing a proposal aimed at the creation, elaboration, design of educational and/or socio-educational products or services in a specific context.
• Entrepreneurship FP. It consists of developing a proposal for entrepreneurship (traditional or social) in the educational or socio-educational field.
• Service-Learning FP. This modality consists of carrying out a work of real application in an entity, and requires close coordination with that entity to develop the project. It also requires the supervision of the academic tutor (more information at: Més que un TFG!). This modality admits only annual FPs.

 In the case of FP projects that are contextualized in the same school or institution where the student’s internship is done, students may benefit from the analysis of the context and other data; butinNO CASE can both reports be written with the same content. That is to say, the internship report and the FP cannot be the same in any of their sections. Duplicating material will be considered as self-plagiarism, and therefore will mean a failure in the FP.

B) RESEARCH OPTION: 

• Empirical research proposal FP. It consists of an analytical research proposal that will include a theoretical framework, a working hypothesis or objectives, an empirical part with results, discussion and conclusions. This modality must include basic research methodologies and techniques (search, selection and use of tools to capture information, as well as analysis and interpretation).
• FP based on a systematic literature review. It consists of a study of theoretical foundation (essay or monograph) that involves a theoretical, critical or comparative analysis as a basis for an in-depth discussion or argumentation on a topic. This modality must include a broad bibliographical review on the subject nd an explicit discussion in relation to the theoretical frameworks and available knowledge.

STRUCTURE OF THE FINAL REPORT OF THE FP (3rd evaluation evidence)

Regardless of the FP option chosen, the 3rd evaluation evidence, which corresponds to the final report or memory of the FP, can be presented in two different formats: 

1.- REPORT FORMAT

The person presenting the FP in this format must follow the following formal aspects:

• Maximum length of about 70,000 characters (spaces included) (25/30 pages approximately). This does not include the section of bibliographical references and annexes that will be presented separately with the complementary information that is required.
• The title page should include:
• The name of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the degree taken.
• Author's name.
• Title of the FP
• Date and date of submission,
• Name and Department to which the tutor is assigned.
• After the title page, the table of contents of the FP should be included. In addition, an abstract (and recpectively keyword) in Catalan, Spanish and English must be included.

 2.- SCIENTIFIC ARTICLE FORMAT 

The student who chooses to present the dissertation in this format must follow a presentation policy similar to the requirements of the presentation in a scientific or professional journal. In this sense, the aim is to encourage the student to submit the text to be published. Therefore, the following generic guidelines are proposed:

• The maximum length should be about 30,000 characters with spaces included (approximately 10-12 A4 pages).
• Abstract of 7 or 8 lines in Catalan and the translation of the abstract into English.
• A list of 5 to a maximum of 8 keywords.
• A section of bibliographical references, cited in the text and according to APA norms.
• Outline: introduction, definition of the context, theoretical approach, exposition of the proposed methodology or planning, results obtained, discussion, conclusions and final evaluation 
• Diagrams, tables, graphs, photographs, and/or video or audio recordings that make the content of the article more understandable can be attached at the end of the text.
• The cover page should include:
• The name of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and the degree studied.
• Author's name and e-mail address.
• Title of the FP.
• Date and call for submission.
• Name and Department to which the tutor is assigned.

If the tutor considers it feasible, the student may be encouraged to publish the article in a scientific journal in the field. The tutor should assist the student in adapting the article to the criteria of rigor and presentation of the chosen journal.The intellectual property of the FP will belong to the author of the FP. In any case, it is understood that the tutor has also contributed to the elaboration of the study and of the article, so in case of publication, the consent of the author and the tutor will be required. The tutor will be listed as a second co-author.

It is necessary that the student takes courses on tools and resources for academic papers, for a better management of the bibliography and elaboration of the theoretical framework of his/her FP (the Humanities Library offers a range of virtual courses https://www.uab.cat/web/que-oferim/cursos-de-formacio-1345708785493.html). As a minimum, the student must take the activity "Eines i recursos per realitzar el teu treball acadèmic", offered by the Humanities Library. The course certificate must be submitted with the final submission of the FP.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.