Pedagogical mediation using the virtual learning environment and the new generation: A search for improved performance in medical education

INTRODUCTION: Medical schools face increasing challenges to accommodate new health care needs. However, little has changed regarding the students' education. In addition, educators face the challenge of improving their teaching approach, making it suitable and effective for the new generation. The purpose of this work was to describe and contextualize the application of active pedagogical methodologies using the virtual learning environment (VLE) as a tool to improve the students’ performance. METHODS: This research is a quantitative and qualitative case study, carried out in one faculty of medicine in the state of Amazonas. Given a total population of senior students in this faculty, the number of participants corresponds to a proportion of 75% in the period of two years. This work required a paradigm shift, by focusing on interactive and technological teaching, professionalism, mentoring, communication, and feedback. Courses using virtual learning environment (VLE) should be prone to interaction, dialogue, collaboration and, asynchronously, autonomy. One of the key aspects of VLE content production is to select appropriate subject matters and texts to be discussed. It is through the VLE contents that the mediation of knowledge construction process and the participants' interaction takes place. RESULTS: The improvement over the pre-test evaluation was evident, ranging between 12.59 and 50.9%, depending on the subject matter, to 81.31% in the final evaluation. In addition, the students expressed consistently positive opinions regarding the use of VLE. CONCLUSION: The use of VLE as a pedagogical tool, in an interactive format and appropriate to the transmission of information and knowledge construction, was adequate for an evident improvement in the cognitive performance of the senior students of medicine. In addition, the positive evaluation of the students regarding the pedagogical methodology used constitutes an added value of this approach.