Abstract:

At the UAML (Metropolitan Autonomous University, Lerma Campus), a study was conducted to identify preferences for online education of new students during the PIVU (University Life Induction Program) during 2016 fall. In the study tests were applied to characterize the students of the three Academic Divisions of the UAML, at the same time some demographic data and information associated with the preferences regarding distance education were collected. The objective was to identify the relevance of the multimodality of the teaching and learning process.

A random sample of 107 students from three Academic Divisions was taken: CBI (Basic Sciences and Engineering), CBS (Biological and Health Sciences) and CSH (Social Sciences and Humanities), with an approximately population of 120 students.

The results show that on average 65% of students between 17 and 21 years old, would like to take courses online and 100% of students over 21 are interested in taking courses online. Regarding online education, 20.56% of students have taken online courses and 71.96% would like to take online courses, so it is important to consider the teaching of UEA supported in ICT. 86% of students who have taken a course are interested in continuing to take online courses.

The conducting modalities of teaching and learning process must integrate, in addition to the face-to-face modality, the blended modality (b-learning) and the online or distance modality, mainly in the Division of Basic Sciences and Engineering, since 90% of Students are interested in taking online courses.

Undoubtedly, having a characterization of our new students contributes to an adequate decision making by defining the modalities of conducting the teaching and learning process during their stay at the UAML.

Keywords:

Online education, multimodality of the teaching and learning process, students characterization, learning styles.