Virtual Course of Tutor training for online learning, El Salvador
San Salvador, September 25, 2012. As part of the partnership and technical cooperation to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) provides health sector institutions, launched the Virtual Course tutor training for online learning through the Virtual Campus of Public Health (VCPH) involving officials from the Ministry of Health (MINSAL) Salvadoran Social Security Institute (ISSS), the National Institute of Teachers' Welfare (ISBM) and the University of El Salvador (UES) Evangelical University and PAHO .
This process of coordination with training institutions and service providers to achieve the formation of a group responsible for driving the process of training health personnel using virtual media offers VCPH and for preparing the establishment of the national node.
At the opening of the course, the Representative of PAHO, Dr. Jose Ruales told participants that this experience that promotes a network of tutors nationwide Public Health, is for the exchange and development of ongoing educational projects aimed at health and personal learning network.
"It started with the identification of national institutions that offer vocational training services and continuing education and who have skills and technology for their operation," he said.
"It is hoped that these tutors in online learning processes, to act in the future as responsible for the development and management of educational processes that use the virtual campus environment in their respective institutions," said the representative.
He added that provide educational alternatives to actual teaching and semi-face of public health education programs in which participants play, developing innovative learning experiences.
Course content will be based on four module, starting with the introduction and then on the direction of learning in collaborative virtual environments, which subsequently develop pedagogic communication is about virtual and finally monitoring and assessment of learning.
And the methodology combine virtual and media, using course content "tutor training for online learning" in the VCPH Portal such as literature, exercises, videos, forums, virtual meetings, and sessions of 2 hours weekly for 6 weeks, for practical activities.
In addition there will be synchronous resources as Elluminate, Skype, Chat and asynchronous such as forums, messaging and email.
The Virtual Campus is an initiative and a tool for technical cooperation of PAHO and the countries of the region, which seeks the promotion of lifelong learning programs, job training and distance education in public health, in order to improve skills of the workforce and public health practices, by leveraging and innovative use of information and communication technologies, for the continuous improvement in the performance of continuing education programs in health.
The course will be coordinated by Dr. Monica Padilla, Subregional Adviser on Health and Human Resources Dr. Gianira Chavez Benitez, Local Development Consultant Health Human Resources, both of PAHO El Salvador. Tutors will be Dr. Mario Melendez, Professional Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) of PAHO El Salvador and Mr. Gerardo Merino, Coordinator of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama.