Technological skills and requirements for the design of a virtual learning environment

Abstract

One of the teachers' and research students' occupations consists of planning and proposing activities within the academic agenda, a situation presented in the face-to-face modality but becoming complex in virtuality, an alternative implemented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The article's objective was to determine the technological competencies of the students and the fundamental elements required for the design of a virtual learning environment in the Mathematics, Technologies, and Gender research hotbed of the Mathematics Degree of the Universidad del Atlántico. The methodology had a quantitative approach, with a non-experimental field design and descriptive scope; The information was collected through a survey using an online questionnaire, designed in Google Forms, applied to twelve members of the seedbed that made up the sample. The following stand out among the results: some students do not have the technological skills to develop the proposed activities in digital environments with conscious practice, nor do they know their particular characteristics. They do not have all the essential requirements to design a virtual learning environment for research purposes and the generation of new knowledge. It is recommended to carry out training courses in the proper use of digital technologies and to make the implementation of educational and research platforms viable.