PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: The \"Virtual Semester for Medical Research Aachen\" (vSEMERA) is an international, interdisciplinary, virtual education program developed for health profession students. The first edition (2021) was hosted by the Medical Faculty of RWTH Aachen University (Germany) in cooperation with Centro Universitário Christus (Brazil) and Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Peru). The primary aim of the 12-weeks program was to provide students with skills in health science research and prepare them for scientific career paths.
METHODS: vSEMERA was built on a virtual learning platform, the \"vSEMERA-Campus\", designed to foster students\' learning process and social interactions. Maximum flexibility was offered through synchronous and asynchronous teaching, enabling participants to join via any device from any part of the Globe alongside their regular studies. For the program\'s first edition (September - November 2021), health profession students from Germany, Brazil, Peru, Spain, and Italy filled all 30 available spots. Satisfaction, quality of the program and courses offered, as well as perceived learning outcomes, were examined using questionnaires throughout and at the end of the program.
RESULTS: The program received a rating of 4.38 out of 5 stars. While it met most expectations (4.29 out of 5), participants were unable to attend as many courses as intended (2.81 out of 5), mainly due to scheduling conflicts with the home university schedule (46%), internships (23%), and general timing issues (31%). Participants acknowledged considerable improvements in their scientific skills, English language skills, confidence in scientific project management, research career progression, and enthusiasm for a scientific career.
CONCLUSIONS: vSEMERA represents a promising example of an online international learning and exchange program using pedagogical and technological elements of virtual collaboration and teaching. In addition to advancing future vSEMERA editions, our results may offer insights for similar projects that address the targeted integration of scientific research education into an international, digital learning environment.
METHODS: vSEMERA was built on a virtual learning platform, the \"vSEMERA-Campus\", designed to foster students\' learning process and social interactions. Maximum flexibility was offered through synchronous and asynchronous teaching, enabling participants to join via any device from any part of the Globe alongside their regular studies. For the program\'s first edition (September - November 2021), health profession students from Germany, Brazil, Peru, Spain, and Italy filled all 30 available spots. Satisfaction, quality of the program and courses offered, as well as perceived learning outcomes, were examined using questionnaires throughout and at the end of the program.
RESULTS: The program received a rating of 4.38 out of 5 stars. While it met most expectations (4.29 out of 5), participants were unable to attend as many courses as intended (2.81 out of 5), mainly due to scheduling conflicts with the home university schedule (46%), internships (23%), and general timing issues (31%). Participants acknowledged considerable improvements in their scientific skills, English language skills, confidence in scientific project management, research career progression, and enthusiasm for a scientific career.
CONCLUSIONS: vSEMERA represents a promising example of an online international learning and exchange program using pedagogical and technological elements of virtual collaboration and teaching. In addition to advancing future vSEMERA editions, our results may offer insights for similar projects that address the targeted integration of scientific research education into an international, digital learning environment.
摘要：
背景：“亚琛医学研究虚拟学期”（vSEMERA）是一个国际性的，跨学科,为健康专业学生开发的虚拟教育计划。第一版（2021年）由亚琛工业大学（德国）医学院与CentroUniversityChristus（巴西）和PeruanaCayetanoHeredia（秘鲁）合作主办。为期12周的课程的主要目的是为学生提供健康科学研究技能，并为他们的科学职业道路做好准备。
方法：vSEMERA建立在虚拟学习平台上，“vSEMERA-校园”，旨在培养学生的学习过程和社交互动。通过同步和异步教学提供了最大的灵活性，使参与者能够通过任何设备从地球的任何地方加入他们的定期学习。对于该计划的第一版（2021年9月至11月），来自德国的健康专业学生，巴西,秘鲁,西班牙,意大利填补了所有30个可用地点。满意,提供的计划和课程的质量，以及感知的学习成果，在整个计划结束时使用问卷进行了检查。
结果：该程序获得了5颗星中4.38颗的评分。虽然它满足了大多数期望（5个中的4.29个），参与者无法参加预期的课程（5个中的2.81个），主要是由于日程安排与家庭大学日程安排冲突(46%)，实习（23%），和一般时机问题(31%)。与会者承认他们的科学技能有了相当大的提高，英语语言技能,对科学项目管理的信心，研究职业发展，对科学事业的热情。
结论：vSEMERA代表了使用虚拟协作和教学的教学和技术元素的在线国际学习和交流计划的一个有希望的例子。除了推进未来的vSEMERA版本，我们的结果可能为类似项目提供见解，这些项目涉及有针对性地将科学研究教育融入国际，数字化学习环境。
方法：vSEMERA建立在虚拟学习平台上，“vSEMERA-校园”，旨在培养学生的学习过程和社交互动。通过同步和异步教学提供了最大的灵活性，使参与者能够通过任何设备从地球的任何地方加入他们的定期学习。对于该计划的第一版（2021年9月至11月），来自德国的健康专业学生，巴西,秘鲁,西班牙,意大利填补了所有30个可用地点。满意,提供的计划和课程的质量，以及感知的学习成果，在整个计划结束时使用问卷进行了检查。
结果：该程序获得了5颗星中4.38颗的评分。虽然它满足了大多数期望（5个中的4.29个），参与者无法参加预期的课程（5个中的2.81个），主要是由于日程安排与家庭大学日程安排冲突(46%)，实习（23%），和一般时机问题(31%)。与会者承认他们的科学技能有了相当大的提高，英语语言技能,对科学项目管理的信心，研究职业发展，对科学事业的热情。
结论：vSEMERA代表了使用虚拟协作和教学的教学和技术元素的在线国际学习和交流计划的一个有希望的例子。除了推进未来的vSEMERA版本，我们的结果可能为类似项目提供见解，这些项目涉及有针对性地将科学研究教育融入国际，数字化学习环境。
