Abstract:

Nowadays, information technologies are a basic tool and they have become a revolutionary way of teaching at all educational levels. Thanks to this new methodology, we can bring the far world of science and research closer to non-university students and transfer them to locations that are non-easily accessible to them, such as the laboratory of Pharmacology at the University. By means of the activity “Discovering Pharmacology”, 2nd year high school students can temporarily step into the reality of a researching laboratory, without leaving the classroom. The activity is supported by the on-line platform Teams to show the researchers’ work to this group of students and teach them how a research laboratory is organized, the equipment and materials that are usually employed and how experimental procedures are planned and executed in the drug discovering projects for the development of future therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. But more than a simple exhibition or on-line visit guided by the researchers, "Discovering Pharmacology" is a performance to awake the critical sense of the students. Through the exhibition of live experiments, with both cellular and animal models, the activity acquires a dynamic character. In addition to relay the experimental procedure, it is intended to promote student´s participation and practice the ability to analyze the results obtained in order to establish a critical discussion among students. As a complementary part of the activity, once the online session is finished, we are interested about knowing the opinion, perception, assessment and impression of the students, asking them about different aspects of the initiative, both scientifically and methodologically. To do this, some questions are provided to the students, through the teacher in their educational center, which students will be able to fill out anonymously. They will clarify the perception of 16-17 years old student about some aspects as for example, how important science and research are in our society, what they already knew about a researching laboratory, how much they have increased their knowledge and the general opinion about the use of information technologies as an alternative way for teaching and learning.

Keywords:

Pharmacology, laboratory, experiment, students, on-line.