Study Notes on Concept, Foundation, and Delimitation of Tutorial Action

Etymological Origin and Historical Evolution of Tutorial Action

The term "tutor" originates from the Latin term tutor-oris, which translates to "defender, protector, or guardian." Within the educational context, a tutor is defined as a person who orients, guides, and accompanies the student. Historically, the roots of tutoring extend back to Classical Greece ($IV-V$ B.C.), where the preceptor-apprentice model was championed by philosophers such as Socrates, who utilized dialogue; Plato; and Aristotle. During the Middle Ages ($V-XV$), this evolved into Christian education and the guild system (master-apprentice).

In the Modern Age ($XV-XVIII$), Juan Huarte de San Juan emphasized the importance of individualized education in his work in $1575$. The $XVIII$ and $XIX$ centuries saw contributions from Rousseau, Pestalozzi, and Fröebel, who introduced the ideas of the educator as a guide focused on developmental adaptation to the student. During the late $XIX$ and early $XX$ centuries, the Ley Moyano ($1857$) and pedagogos such as Manjón, Montessori, and Vygotski significantly influenced the field. In the $XX$ century, the Institución Libre Enseñanza (ILE) and the Second Republic ($1931-1933$) in Spain positioned the teacher specifically as a guide for learning.

Legislative Framework and Regulation of the Tutor in Spain

The legal recognition of the tutor has evolved through several key milestones. In $1957$, the figure of the "course delegate" was established by the OM of $13$ June $1957$. The General Education Law (LGE) of $1970$ ($14/1970$) marked the first formal appearance of the "tutor" figure, regulating tutoring to assist students in overcoming difficulties and providing orientation. The LOGSE of $1990$ ($1/1990$) established tutorial action as a fundamental part of the teaching function and a right of the student, mandating that every group of students have a teacher-tutor. Subsequent laws, including the LOCE ($2002$), LOE ($2006$), LOMCE ($2013$), and LOMLOE ($2020$), have consolidated tutoring as a primary factor in educational quality, providing professional and economic recognition for the role. Specifically, the LOMLOE ($2020$) dictates that tutorial action and orientation are key in all stages and must be incorporated into the center's Educational Project and established by the Cloister.

The Organic Regulations for schools were defined in $1996$ through Real Decreto $82/1996$ (for Educación Infantil and Primaria) and Real Decreto $83/1996$ (for Educación Secundaria). These decrees establish that the Director names the tutor based on a proposal from the Head of Studies. In Early Childhood and Primary education, the role is termed "maestra/o tutor/a," while in Secondary education, it is "profesor/a tutor/a."

Concept, Principles, and Perspectives of Tutorial Action

Tutorial action is defined as the set of orientation, accompaniment, and support actions performed by all teaching staff, and specifically by the group tutor. It is continuous, planned, and collaborative, aiming for the integral development of the student in personal, academic, professional, and social spheres, in coordination with families and the community. Education is the intentional process promoting integral development; Orientation is the broader process of self-knowledge and decision-making; and Tutorial Action is the specific orientation performed by teachers as part of their teaching duties.

Several authors provide key definitions for this field. Lázaro and Asensi ($1989$) view it as an activity inherent to the teaching function to facilitate the integration of learning. Arnaiz ($2001$) describes it as a set of personal, academic, and professional orientation actions. Planas ($2002$) defines it as an individualizing and integrating element of education. Monge ($2010$) emphasizes improving the educational process by attending to emotional and academic factors. Cano ($2013$) views it as a planned psychopedagogical process for students and families. Torrego et al. ($2014$) define it as a pedagogical task of coordination, while Álvarez ($2017$) sees it as a continuous system for decision-making and inclusion.

The epistemological foundations include the Sociocultural or Historical-Cultural paradigm, where the student develops through interaction and the tutor acts as a scaffold within the "Zone of Proximal Development" (ZDP). The Cognitive and Complexity paradigm situated tutoring at the intersection of