Abstract:

Introduction. In 2002 we initiate the on-line education in the Department of Surgery (Faculty of Medicine, Complutensis University of Madrid, UCM), with a subject of the Doctorate that was given for 4 years using the BSCW system. Later, since 2006 following the implementation of the Virtual Campus (CV) of the UCM, this subject was conducted, until now, using the WebCT system.
Objetives. To analyze and to compare the structure and the functioning of the subject in both systems and to know the opinion of the 174 students who dealed it.
Material and Methods. Between 2002 and 2005 the subject was dealed by 96 students by the BSCW system (Basic Support for Cooperative Work). From 2006, 78 students used the WebCT system (Web Course Tools). In both systems the Virtual Classroom has been designed and elaborated by the director of the subject by criteria and similar formats. In the BSCW using the Front Page editor. The examinations has been questions and short answers, elaborated and corrected by the professor. The WebCT possesses tools for the elaboration of the pages and of the examinations, which has been a test. The correction is realized automatically according to the criterion programmed by the professor. The Survey of Opinion consists of 18 questions: 14 closed ones, 1 opened one and other 3 mixed ones.
Results. The Home Page in the BSCW has 4 sections with links to their respective contents: "Registered Students", "Thematic Content and Programmes", "Professors and Collaborators" and "Virtual Classroom" and the latter contains 6: "Instructions", "Bulletin board", "Tutorships", "Thematic Content", "Students' Office" and "Survey of Opinion". According to the Survey, 79 % has computer knowledge: Media (66 %) or Advanced (13 %). 60 % has managed Well (40 %) or Very well (20 %) with the Virtual Classroom. 40 % has done it Badly. 25 % had to ask for help. 29 % had difficulties to realize the examinations. 94 % thinks that the educational efficiency of the subject is Equal (49 %), Better (33 %) or Much better (12 %) than that of other subjects with physical presence. The Home Page in the WebCT has 14 sections with links to their respective contents: "Aims of the Subject", "Program of the Subject", "Development of the Subject”, "Thematic Content", "Tutorships", "Information about the Professor", "General Forum", "E-mail", "Calendar", "Examinations", "Tutorials", “Qualification Exams and Final Note", "Survey of Opinion" and "Students of the Subject". There is a tool for the management and the follow-up of the students. According to the Survey, 95 % has computer knowledge: Media (75 %) or Advanced (20 %). They have managed Well (35 %) or Very well (65 %) with the Virtual Classroom. No Student had to ask for help. 95 % had no difficulties to realize the examinations. In 95 % the educational efficiency of the subject is considered to be Equal (30 %), Better (47 %) or Much better (18 %) than that of other subjects with physical presence.
Conclusions. Computer knowledge has improved with passage of time, facilitating the managing of the Virtual Classroom. The usability of the WebCT (created to realize aducational sophisticated processes based on Internet) is top in many aspects. Independently of the used system, the students think that the subject of the doctorate, with any of both systems, possesses an educational efficiency equal, better or much better than that of other subjects realized with real presence.

Keywords:

e-learning, bscw system, webct system, on-line doctorate, virtual campus ucm.