The use of wiki to promote students' learning in higher education (Degree in Pharmacy)

Abstract

Nowadays, the expansion of new technologies in developed countries requires their inclusion in the higher educational systems, focused on the development of new skills to promote a continuous and independent learning process for the students. Internet technologies have reached a wide social diffusion, mainly among young people, and therefore the use of digital technologies at university, from smartphone apps to online collaboration tools, is becoming more and more embedded. This article describes the exploration of using wiki to promote the study of a degree in Pharmacy, particularly in the area of Pharmaceutical and Organic Chemistry, by creating a collaborative network that encourages group interaction instead of individual achievement. Our initiative is aimed at developing a number of skills and abilities of students and improving their academic performance and their comprehensive training. This work has been carried out with students, who followed Pharmaceutical Chemistries I and II, compulsory courses of the degree in Pharmacy, and it has been extended to other compulsory (Organic Chemistry II) and optional courses (Advanced Chemistry of Drugs), for a total of 200 students. Students have worked in teams on topics related to the subjects above indicated and have used wiki to develop their work. Opinion polls have shown a degree of satisfaction between high and very high in their performance, highlighting the benefits of using wiki in learning.