Abstract:

Introduction:
Nowadays, learning methodologies are focused on social networks due to the high use by undergraduate university students. The InstaGRAF 2.0, an interdepartmental and interfaculty teaching innovation project, is based on creating infographics as a method of transmitting learning and 360° evaluation.

Objectives:
Improve the knowledge of students using social networks as a learning tool and enhance the skills of teachers in the management of social networks as a teaching vehicle.

Design:
Nine professors, three PhD students, and a member of the administrative staff conformed the InstaGRAF 2.0 Project. InstaGRAF 2.0 came from a first successful experience (Instrumento de apoyo infoGRAFico) where the students voluntarily made an infographic on a topic related to the course taken to later upload it to the social networks Instagram and Twitter. In an improved version, the students, in teams of 4-6 people, have developed the infographic accompanied by an informative message and a question related to the infographic topic to be answered in real-time in My Instagram Stories. To improve the infographic visualisation, the students made a promotional video that was posted and shared through Instagram reels. The evaluation of this teaching tool was supported by a 360° format where the teachers evaluated the development of the infographic and the associated activities, the students valued his/her own participation in the teaching innovation activity and finally, each student was evaluated anonymously by the other partners of the team. At the end of the project, the students were asked about the usefulness of the teaching activity, evaluating aspects such as understanding the subject, digital skills, or the use of social networks as a teaching tool.

Results:
A total of 255 students out of 576 have participated in InstaGRAF 2.0 (44,3%). They belonged to four academic degrees: Pharmacy, Human Nutrition and Dietetics [HN&D], Food Science and Technology and the dual degree in Pharmacy and HN&D. The project encompasses five subjects: Diet Therapy and Clinical Nutrition (96,5% participation), Nutrition (24,4%), Informatics Applied to Health Sciences (100%), Toxicology (19,8%) and Human Nutrition and Dietetics (6,8%). A total of 47 infographics were made by students from November 1st to June 30th. The Tweets earned 21,466 impressions over this period, 288 retweets, 141 replies and 430 likes. On Instagram they earned 3,069 likes, 272 reproductions and 102 comments. The mean grade of the students who participated in InstaGRAF 2.0 was significantly higher than those who did not (8.7±1.6 vs. 6.4±1.7 points, p<0.001). The tool was also well rated by the students (4.24±0.61 points out of 5). Students declared that InstaGRAF 2.0 was a good option for continuous evaluation (4.62±0.75 points) and useful for improving their digital skills (4.54±0.78 points) even when they had to spend too much time on it (3.0±1.1 points). Teachers also improved their training on the use and management of digital tools related to the creation and design of infographics by taking five related courses.

Conclusions:
InstaGRAF 2.0 is a suitable learning tool for improving students’ skills in the use of social networks as a vehicle of knowledge. Its use allowed students to achieve better grades in the subjects studied. Teachers also improved their management of digital tools and the implementation of social networks as a learning technique.

Keywords:

Social network, learning tool, digital skills.