Autonomous laboratory practices in the courseof human histology in the degree of dentistry

Resumen

The autonomous laboratory practices method is carried out in the following way. Prior to thedelivery of the practices, the histological preparations to be worked are deposited in a digital repositoryscanned in a format that allows their visualization using free access virtual microscopy platforms.Before the face-to-face practice session, the responsible professor facilitates the students virtualpreparations of the samples corresponding to said session. Working on their own computer, eachstudent, with the help of bibliographical material searches the sample for the objectives that will beworked on in the face-to-face session, captures the corresponding images, copies in the practices file andpoints out the objectives at hand. In the face-to-face session, using the real microscope, the students lookfor the objectives of the practice using the material previously worked as support. Once each objective islocated, they make a representative drawing on the practice sheet. At the same time, during this face-tofaceclass, the teacher monitors the work of each student validating the searches carried out. At the endof the class, each student submits the internship form where both face-to-face and non-face-to-face workappear and, after being evaluated by the teacher, it is returned with the corresponding feedback.We have a positive perception of the opinion of the students about this new modality that has beencorroborated in the specific opinion polls that have been made. To highlight some results, the studentshave rated the item “Observing the preparations with the virtual microscope has made it easier forme to study them in the laboratory” with a 4.5 out of 5 or, with a 4.6 out of 5 the item “work from thisway the laboratory practices has helped me to understand better the concepts worked in the teachingmodalities “.