Presentación a distancia de tesis y trabajos finales de Posgrado durante la pandemia COVID-19 ¿hay ventajas en presentaciones no presenciales?

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic limited in person presentation of final works and theses for the completion of specializations, masters and doctorates. OBJECTIVE: To describe the experience in remote presentations of summative essays and thesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative-quantitative cross-sectional study was carried out. Perceptions of graduates and examiner board members were explored through a questionnaire. RESULTS: 54 presentations were included: 53.7% specializations, 40.7% masters and 5.6% doctorates. The average audience number was 34 and distance to the university was 273.6 km. 116 professionals answered: graduates 28.4% and examiner board members 71.6%. They were female gender in 51.5% and 36.1%, respectively. 100% of graduates and 96.3% of examiner board members believed that they were able to present the results of the investigation, and only 3% and 7.3%, respectively, reported technical difficulties. Positive aspects identified by graduates were higher comfort (45.5%), and greater audience number (36.4%); while the examiner board members identified preventing transportation (37,8%) and taking advantage of technologies (35,4%). Graduates identified as negative aspects audience invisibility (33.3%), and potential threat of technical difficulties (27.3%); whilst the examiner board members identified none (31,7%), and potential threat of technical difficulties (20,7%). CONCLUSION: Remote presentations were successful for graduates and examiner board members, and allowed to continue and finish academic postgraduate training.