Resumo

SALES, Lígia Noemia Parlandin de et al. Distance education and use of information technology for an education in dentistry: the student's perception. Rev. ABENO [online]. 2012, vol.12, n.2, pp. 227-232. ISSN 1679-5954.

The importance and quality of distance education is being widely discussed in Brazilian universities. The development of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the context of higher education systems has prompted a growing demand for continuing education, in both classroom teaching and distance learning (DL) modalities. This study aimed at assessing how undergraduate and graduate dental students at the Federal University of Pará perceive distance education and ICTs in their academic training. A questionnaire was applied with eight self-explanatory objective questions to 166 students in 2012. The results were organized and analyzed in Microsoft Excel® spreadsheets. The study concluded that students consider ICTs an important learning tool in their academic activities, but fail to use them in distance learning; they fail to understand the purpose of this type of education in their academic life, and show little interest in the subject.

Palavras-chave : Distance Learning; Information Technology; Education in Dentistry.