ASSESSMENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL METHODOLOGY OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING FOR STUDENTS OF HEALTH SCIENCES: A PILOT EXPERIENCE

Introduction:
The Bologna Declaration of 1999 started the construction of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA), which established a new degree system. The implementation of ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) is a change in the learning process where the teacher delegates part of its responsibility for the student, who becomes an active part of their educational process. In addition, the EHEA establishes a set of competencies or skills that the university must achieve during their studies. Among the skills to achieve we can find the achievement of consensual agreements, development of thinking, language and critical writing, and implementation of collaborative work groups, etc. Considering it necessary to use different teaching methods to help students achieve these skills.

Cooperative learning is one of several existing active teaching methodologies in which the center of the educational process is the student. Cooperative learning is mainly based on: the formation of heterogeneous groups, positive interdependence under appropriate intragroup communication aimed at achieving the objective / -s raised collectively, social and individual responsibility as a result of individual knowledge that the student brings the group and public exposure, face to face interaction and the use of interpersonal skills and self-assessment group. However, this involves learning from the teacher training in the method, to develop skills anticipatory actions, and the procedure for obtaining the desired results. In addition, this training enables students to learn to solve problems with the help of other group members, or improve communication skills and flexibility of thought, among other features.
Therefore, we thought it might be interesting to include this methodology in the subject of Biochemistry Degree in Nursing and know the assessment of students during the learning development.

Objective:
This study presents an implantation project of cooperative learning as a training methodology for the development of certain curriculum subjects and skills development in students, as well as assessing the degree of satisfaction of students in this methodology.

Method:
Quanti-qualitative pilot study on 100 subjects, students of 1st Degree in Nursing, divided into groups of 25 members, who developed one of the topics of the subject of Biochemistry following the methodology of cooperative learning.
Subsequently, using a specifically designed questionnaire, the satisfaction of students regarding the methodology of cooperative learning was assessed. And using a numerical rating scale, the students rated this methodology.

Results:
Students considered that cooperative learning was interesting, facilitator in the acquisition of new knowledge, and allowed them to acquire a better knowledge, differently from more traditional methods of teaching, which are non-active. On the negative side, the students considered the lack of time to assimilate certain aspects of the subject.

Conclusions:
This active teaching methodology was positively valued by the students, as it provided them the acquisition of specific skills. Also, it kept them alert and linked to your workgroup during it.