Teaching in the virtual modality and its contribution to student learning

Abstract

PROBLEM: The Covid-19 pandemic caused the Executive to issue decisions to reduce the contagion and spread of the virus. The Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala suspended face-to-face academic and administrative activities, promoting the use of cyberspace and the virtual teaching modality was implemented in an improvised, abrupt and challenging manner. OBJECTIVE: to analyze the way in which virtual teaching contributes to the learning acquired by students, identifying and describing the factors that affect or favor the teaching-learning process according to the appreciation of students and teachers. METHOD: A mixed approach was used, analyzing quantitative information on percentage variables that affect or favor acquired learning, and qualitative information describing or characterizing the factors that contribute negatively to acquired learning; the research was descriptive, explanatory and sequential. RESULTS: 15 factors were identified that affect learning acquired through the virtual modality, two of which favor this process and 13 of which affect it. CONCLUSION: the perception of students and teachers is not very good and the modality is not preferred for receiving and teaching classes; not all teachers handle digital tools and the evaluation system implemented is not an indicator of assimilated learning; the lack of practical field and laboratory activities limits the strengthening of acquired knowledge and learning.