Effects of COVID-19 on the Perception of Virtual Education in University Students in Ecuador; Technical and Methodological Principles at the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja

Abstract

The confinement and migration from face-to-face to open access, online or blended/hybrid education modality caused because of the coronavirus crisis has forced a readaptation of education with enormous deficiencies at all levels. This work analyzes the viewpoint of a group of students from the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (Ecuador) regarding the current state of emergency from a descriptive and correlational quantitative methodological conception, based on the application of an instrument made up of six thematic blocks: socio-demographic situation, use of ICT, importance of ICT, methodology, didactic techniques, and study modality. The main results show that students are not yet convinced that a virtual modality is better than face-to-face. However, there are groups that value positively the use of ICTs mainly for recalling information, self-learning, and motivation. The techniques most valued by students are the traditional ones: teacher explanation and individual work. However, they give a low value to individualization as a methodological principle under which these techniques are based.

Grade Prediction Modeling in Hybrid Learning Environments for Sustainable Engineering Education

“…In the first year of this health crisis, when online education became the exclusive mode of learning, researchers became aware of an unexpected challenge: the transformation of the educational schema through the incorporation of technological tools that previously remained inert or undiscovered by students and instructors. Several aspects of these new learning environments have been investigated, revealing new parameters that affect the academic performance of students in exclusively distance learning environments, while demonstrating the effectiveness of the technological tools used, as well as their sustainability [6][7][8][9]. Virtual learning environments (VLE) could also make a contribution in this still uncertain global health context, especially since distance learning and asynchronous support for knowledge transmission have already been tested in strictly distance learning environments [7].…”

“…Several aspects of these new learning environments have been investigated, revealing new parameters that affect the academic performance of students in exclusively distance learning environments, while demonstrating the effectiveness of the technological tools used, as well as their sustainability [6][7][8][9]. Virtual learning environments (VLE) could also make a contribution in this still uncertain global health context, especially since distance learning and asynchronous support for knowledge transmission have already been tested in strictly distance learning environments [7]. Blended learning environments could also benefit from the above findings.…”

Democratización del conocimiento en tiempos de pandemia en docentes

“…La formación permanente de docentes se organiza para promover la preparación entre pares y en cascada para facilitar la masificación y apropiación del conocimiento entre ellos y para favorecer mejores formas de enseñar. Desde este enfoque la democratización del saber sólo se desarrolla de forma participativa, por ello se pretende desde la academia que los docentes aprendan a usar y acceder a las TIC desde sus clases para masificar el acceso a contenidos, potencien el trabajo colaborativo y el desarrollo de competencias tecnológicas y digitales que maximicen las capacidades de enseñanza y de aprendizaje, (Torres-Díaz, 2022;Puyo y Tovar-Gálvez, 2011;Hernández, 2009). Popova et al (2019) indican que, en países emergentes, los procesos de formación y actualización docente pueden desarrollarse de una mejor manera en sesiones grupales a distancia y mediado por la tecnología.…”

Acceso a tecnologías en el rendimiento universitario en tiempos del covid-19: análisis de asociación por clústeres

“…Sin embargo, el Banco Mundial encontró que el aprendizaje en línea no ha resultado del todo exitoso debido a la necesidad de maestros efectivos, tecnología adecuada y alumnos comprometidos (Pintor, 2020). Además, estos resultados desfavorables se deben a diversos factores sociales y económicos que responden al contexto individual, por ejemplo, el tecnoestrés de los alumnos (Essel et al, 2021), que se refiere a la saturación de actividades individuales y educativas en el plano virtual; las nuevas habilidades que deben adquirir los docentes (Aristovnik et al, 2020;Lu et al, 2020), cuya adaptación al nuevo sistema de enseñanza no fue fácil para todos; y la dificultad añadida de los problemas de conectividad con internet (Ilieva et al, 2021;Ruiz et al, 2021), así como los problemas relacionados con la desigualdad en el acceso a un espacio de estudio (Torres-Díaz et al, 2022).…”