UC Virtual: A New Educational ICT Based Platform for Professional Updating Knowledge and Abilities for Agricultural and Forestry Engineers in a Virtual University Campus

Abstract

Distance education and knowledge accreditation for graduated professionals are two main activities that most Universities in the world are now including in their educational programs. The use of ICT tools through the Internet is an interesting option to provide potential students, at home or at their working places, with upgrading educational programs, enabling them to adapt a personalized learning time schedule. A new educational, ICT based, platform is presented, providing a personalized tutorial support system for students, teachers, tutors and administrative service, including an highly sophisticated data processing software for quantitative educational research applications. Platform use is reported on a pilot Diploma in Agroforestry technology, with e-learning and b-learning alternatives, for its use as the main tool in a new mandatory accreditation program for Latin American Agricultural and Forestry Engineers.