Participative Methodology in Higher Education: An Assessment of Sociology Students

Higher education has undergone many changes since the Sorbonne Declaration (1998) and its subsequent incorporation into the European Higher Education Space. One of the most significant changes has been to give students a protagonist role in the teaching-learning process. However, this role cannot be bestowed unless the student truly participates in the aforesaid process. The aim of this paper is to present the experience designed and implemented in the course, "Research and Socio-Educational Intervention", third semester for the undergraduate degree in Sociology (University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain). An assessment of participatory methodology applied to a specific subject for that degree was conducted, measuring the level of student satisfaction with it. The experience developed was innovative for this degree. What was intended was that students participate actively in the course through group work, performing activities, discussions and reflections, etc. Results of the experiment have been optimal due to student involvement and satisfaction regarding the methodology developed and the results obtained.