Knowledge and Uses of Information and Communication Technologies in Dental Teaching

Luz Helena Echeverri Junca,Alier Ortiz Portocarrero

doi:10.11144/javeriana.uo39.kuic

Abstract

Background: Information and communication technologies (ICT) have transformed teaching-learning processes in dental education. Professors are required to know and use them appropriately. Purpose: To identify the level of knowledge of ICT that professors at a dental school have and describe their academic uses. Methods: A mixed research method was used with an explanatory sequential design (quantitative-qualitative). A previously validated questionnaire was applied to 68 professors to measure their knowledge and uses of ICT. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 of them to obtain more relevant perceptions. In the quantitative phase, descriptive statistics and multivariate analyzes were used, while the qualitative information was systematically arranged in content categories. Results: 63.2 % of professors reached a basic level of ICT knowledge. Only a statistically significant relationship was found between the level of ICT knowledge and age, since professors under the age of 50 presented better results. Although 66.2 % say they use ICTs more than twice a week in their academic work, their use is limited to recording attendance and grades in the institutional platform, preparing and presenting contents in the learning sessions, looking for scientific information, and communicate with students. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to improve faculty training and to promote educational policies that favor the effective incorporation of ICT in higher education.

Highlights

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are a set of resources and tools that have had a significant impact on the various scenarios, processes and activities of human beings in recent years
ICT knowledge level of professors The results indicate that 63.2 % of professors reached level 1 of ICT knowledge, followed by level 2 with 33.8 %
In this study it was found that the majority of dental professors reached a basic level of knowledge in ICT, which implies a low development of technological and digital competences

Summary

Introduction

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are a set of resources and tools that have had a significant impact on the various scenarios, processes and activities of human beings in recent years. Connectivism would be the most appropriate educational theory to understand this digital age in which some traditional paradigms are being changed since training is carried out through educational processes of continuous student participation, mediated by digital resources and accompanied by the professor [4]. The current university model requires professors with a new technological and pedagogical profile, who use ICT for their academic and research tasks [6]. Information and communication technologies (ICT) have transformed teachinglearning processes in dental education. Purpose: To identify the level of knowledge of ICT that professors at a dental school have and describe their academic uses. 66.2 % say they use ICTs more than twice a week in their academic work, their use is limited to recording attendance and grades in the institutional platform, preparing and presenting contents in the learning sessions, looking for scientific information, and communicate with students. Conclusion: These findings highlight the need to improve faculty training and to promote educational policies that favor the effective incorporation of ICT in higher education

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Results

Conclusion