RESUMO
Immunology is a knowledge area of paramount importance in life sciences and health care professional education with diverse applications, as well as for a general public understanding of issues related to vaccination. However, many concepts are complex and difficult to understand based only on conventional classes or static images. The use of tools, such as educational software, may enhance the learning of dynamic molecular phenomena that occur in our bodies. Virtual Immunology is a software that aims to facilitate the learning of certain complex immunology concepts. Herein, we present the "Antigen-antibody interactions" module that was used and evaluated by 127 students and 3 teachers from medical schools from 2 universities, 1 public and 1 private, both in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The pretest/posttest research design was used to assess student learning in a randomized sample. To evaluate user perceptions concerning software quality, 14 statements were analyzed using a Likert scale. Results indicate suitable evaluations from both students and teachers concerning the "Antigen-antibody module" as an auxiliary tool in immunology teaching. The software was well rated as an educational resource since it allows dynamically viewing immunological phenomena. In addition, its ease of use and immunological process visualization were the best-evaluated parameters by the students, who recommended this software module as an auxiliary learning tool. The use of the evaluated software may motivate students and aid in the understanding of immunology-related concepts, becoming a complementary tool that may enhance the teaching-learning process.
Assuntos
Aprendizagem , Software , Brasil , Escolaridade , Humanos , EstudantesRESUMO
As immunology continues to evolve, many educational methods have found difficulty in conveying the degree of complexity inherent in its basic principles. Today, the teaching-learning process in such areas has been improved with tools such as educational software. This article introduces "Virtual Immunology," a software program available free of charge in Portuguese and English, which can be used by teachers and students in physiology, immunology, and cellular biology classes. We discuss the development of the initial two modules: "Organs and Lymphoid Tissues" and "Inflammation" and the use of interactive activities to provide microscopic and macroscopic understanding in immunology. Students, both graduate and undergraduate, were questioned along with university level professors about the quality of the software and intuitiveness of use, facility of navigation, and aesthetic organization using a Likert scale. An overwhelmingly satisfactory result was obtained with both students and immunology teachers. Programs such as "Virtual Immunology" are offering more interactive, multimedia approaches to complex scientific principles that increase student motivation, interest, and comprehension.
Assuntos
Alergia e Imunologia/educação , Instrução por Computador/métodos , Software , Ensino/métodos , Interface Usuário-Computador , Compreensão , Humanos , Aprendizagem , EstudantesRESUMO
Este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver e avaliar um software educacional para o ensino de imunobiologia básica. O software abordou os seguintes conteúdos: Órgãos e tecidos linfóides, onde elaboramos uma prática virtual esquematizando a injeção de tinta nanquim por duas vias de administração (intradérmica e endovenosa) em um camundongo com a finalidade de demonstrar o processo de captação fagocítica em os órgãos e tecidos linfóides específicos. E inflamação, onde, desenvolvemos animações gráficas representando uma situação hipotética dos eventos que sucedem um dano tecidual com o propósito de demonstrar eventos celulares, moleculares e suas relações em uma resposta inflamatória aguda. A avaliação do software foi realizada com um grupo de alunos do curso de pós-graduação Lato Sensu Ensino em Biociências e Saúde do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz e constitui-se de duas etapas: avaliação da interface e conteúdo. Utilizamos questionários para analisar critérios como usabilidade, afetividade, receptividade e organização da interface. Além disso, pudemos verificar sua eficácia na aquisição e retenção de conhecimentos relacionados aos temas abordados pelo software. Com relação à usabilidade do programa, pudemos verificar que o software teve uma excelente aceitação entre os alunos pesquisados. E, com relação à aquisição de conhecimentos, as análises estatísticas demonstraram uma diferença significativa (p<0,0001) antes e após o uso do software. Desta forma, concluímos com estes resultados que o software pode auxiliar no processo de aprendizagem da disciplina imunologia.