Integration of virtual classrooms of learning in the educational processes oriented by teachers of engineering faclties

Abstract

Once the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) adhere to various educational spaces, a large number of teachers start a vertiginous race to make use of them, trying to involve the largest amount of virtual tools in their teaching practices as a new educative resource; undoubtedly, this allows the creation of new methodological strategies. Many resources are found on the network and may be used by teachers; particularly, there is one that has been gathering strength because of its great number of activities and elements that can be used as it allows the teacher to have administrative control of it; it is the virtual classroom of leaming. The study describes the results obtamed in the second phase of the doctoral thesis: “referentes pedagogicos para el uso y apropiacion de las Tecnologias de la Informacion y Comunicacion (TIC) al interior de los procesos educativos planeados y desarrollados por los docentes de educacion superior” (Pedagogical references to the use and appropriation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) inside of the educational processes planned and developed by higher education teachers). This research sought to evaluate the use that teachers of engineering made of virtual classrooms of leaming resident in the moodle platform in the various educational processes that they guide. The methodological approach to this part of the study was qualitative making use of the inductive method; the direct observation technique was used through the implementation of a checklist considering three main aspects which in the view of the researchers should be displayed in all virtual classrooms of leaming: formal aspects, didactic and pedagogical aspects and technical aspects; all of them indicating quality classrooms. The results show the lack of clarity that teachers of engineering faculties have about the adequacy of quality virtual classrooms of leaming. Finally, the study evidences the urgent need to create a model to serve as a guide for engineering teachers regarding the adequacy of virtual classrooms of leaming with total quality.