Abstract

GONZALEZ VALCARCEL, Bertha de la Caridad; VIDAL LEDO, María  and  DIEGO OLITE, Francisca Mercedes. The Cuban experience in health promotion diploma's studies in the virtual public health campus. Educ Med Super [online]. 2013, vol.27, n.1, pp.12-24. ISSN 0864-2141.

Introduction: Distance education, as a networked learning modality, is very much used today. The diploma's study called Health Promotion Management is a postgraduate course that facilitates in a synchronically and asynchronically way, the acquisition of knowledge and abilities for the professional performance. It was developed at the international level in the virtual public health campus; it was credited by the National School of Public Health and is part of a PAHO project endorsed by the IberoAmerican Consortium of Universities. Objectives: To present the experience gained during the virtual diploma's study called Health Promotion Management. Methods: A descriptive research was carried out to analyze the two editions of the course taught in the period of June 2010 to November 2011. The whole universe of students (43) and 15 tutors/professors from the faculty participated. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were applied. Results: The highest number of participants included physicians, nurses and pedagogues from 13 Iberoamerican countries. Thirty nine students graduated (90.6 %). The rate of students who remained in the course was 82 %. Eighty five percent stated the benefits of the networked learning model and 95 % pointed out the adequate relationship between what they learned and their professional performance. Conclusions: This diploma's study helps managers, professionals, university professors and non-governmental organization officials to develop the methodological competences needed in learning processes to resolve problems of health promotion and education. The monitoring, the systematic meetings with tutors and the teamwork are the key for teaching success.

Keywords : distance education; network education; virtual campus; health promotion; formation of human resources.

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