Abstract:

This work piece shows under which conditions it is possible that health professionals could be able to create their own virtual learning environments, through the implementation of the virtual course “Designing learning environments” and the possibility that this course could be repeated on a large scale.

The importance of the topic stems from the imperious need in the Mexican health sector, to be trained and educated due epidemiological and demographic changes that the population has been suffering and the increasing incidence of diseases that can be detected on time or whose risk factors can be preventable.

The used methodology is exploratory and of correlation with a quasi-experimental research, having a control group, and the rest of the participants, health care workers, with diverse professions.

The design of the course, conducted by the National Institute of Public Health, and the recruitment of participants, made by the Ministry of Health, were essential for this work to be performed

The results are encouraging, and in some case the expected ones. It is found that if a team has a clear educational need, will have better results (control group). The course “Designing learning environments” was the hotbed of other virtual courses, 17 in total; during 2012 three of the 17 courses will be offered. The profile with a better terminal efficiency, after the control group, was the one of medical doctors and it was proved that the longer the professional was in their work positions, the higher his compromise with the course. Participants with nursing profession obtained the lowest levels of terminal efficiency and grades. The level of studies did not show a significant relation with the terminal efficiency. The course tutors had a pedagogical profile and only one had a technological profile. Without being a meaningful conclusion, it was observed that the group of students, who were guided by the tutor with technologic profile, had a lower performance compared to the other groups.

The course “Designing learning environments” should be redesigned to improve its performance, but it is an example of the scalability of an educational project, which can help promote health and prevent diseases.

After this experience, the course will be repeated. Furthermore, great interest has emerged from participants to continue with this type of training in order to strengthen the production of virtual courses in their work places.

Keywords:

Health care, learning environments, education in health, public health, hotbed of educational project.