Abstract

TOLEDO VILA, Herio de Jesús  and  MAS BERMEJO, Pedro. First e-learning course in Epidemiology of “Pedro Kourí” Institute: Evaluation, results and experience. Rev Cubana Hig Epidemiol [online]. 2007, vol.45, n.1. ISSN 0253-1751.

The first e-learning course given by the Tropical Medicine teaching department of the Virtual University of Cuba. The objecties of this paper were to evaluate and make recommendation on the improvement of the methodology for the teaching of e-learning courses taught. The course lasted 15 weeks in all and was subdivided into 12 lessions, each having a thematic unit. Frequency was a weekly lesson and 8 to 10 hours weekly for class reading, literature review and self-assessment, 120 class hours for the whole course and 30 hours more in the three weeks devoted to test, which totalized 150 hours. Customized e-learning system, a platform created by “Martha Abreu” Central University was used. The initial registration of the course was 81 Cubans and 3 foreigners. Eighteen managed to graduate (1 foreigner and 17 Cubans) for a 21,4 %. Of the total number of students, 27,8 % learned about the course at Institute webpage, 100 % registered for professional upgrading, 94,4 % stated that this course had helped to change their professional life and 72,2 % obtain Excellent qualifications.

Keywords : E-learning; course assessment; epidemiology; infectious diseases.