The Paradigm of Virtual Higher Education in Latin America

The Paradigm of Virtual Higher Education in Latin America

 

Fiorela Anai Fernandez Otoya

Professor assigned to the Department of Science Education

Nowadays the Virtual Higher Education is making important changes denoted in the dynamic of its academic, social and personal projection. These changes are in line with the new requirements of a society that more and more is oriented to the management of knowledge as a main and essential resource in the production and wealth of nations.

The Virtual Higher Education is still in process of development, this requires a commitment for the constant implementation and renovation of this tendency which further contribute in the improvement of educational and social processes that Latin America requires.

The named Information and Knowledge Society has generated paradigms of knowledge management and implementation of new technologies due to the accelerated development of pedagogical and computing models. A more personalized education, that develops in the students the capability of being free, innovative, proactive, participatory and creative, in few words an Education focus on the student’s styles and learning rhythms, is conceived today.

The computer has become the technological means, which allows stablish communication in synchronic and asynchrony way with international, national and local people to deliver important information on line to promote knowledge, in that way the Virtual Education appeared to answer to researcher, educators and technologist’s needs and innovation.   

Do not forget that Virtual Education is a system of e-learning  that leverages existing Internet infrastructure becoming part of these in a way that allows the delivery of non -face training activities, evidently without the need for the involved parts coincide in space and time , providing a range of solutions that combine the acquisition of skills, knowledge, abilities and attitudes.

In the Latin American field of Higher Education it is common to confuse the virtual education with education with ICT, that means when a physical – face to face classroom is implemented with technological media like multimedia projector, video, cassettes, computers, etc. we are not talking of Virtual Education, it is only education with ICTs

In the Virtual Education model is important for student to be a manager in taking decisions, accept responsibilities, acting independently, manager his or her time, space and overcome challenges. The students must be able to answer constantly questions like: What do I learn? Why do I learn? How do I learn? When do I learn? and Where do I learn?  It is for this reason that university must set up clearly the wanted profile for a virtual student, so the student evaluate and determine himself / herself if, besides having the skills and the minimum access to technology, he or she also have the motivation and the commitment that under this system requires learning.