Validação de tecnologias digitais para o ensino e aprendizagem de histologia humana

Abstract

The widespread adoption of digital technologies in education has stimulated the production of tools to support and enhance histology teaching, enabling students to engage more with theoretical and practical content. In this context, digital technology validation studies are essential for certifying the effectiveness and accuracy of information contained in produced materials. This research aimed to present the validation process of digital technologies for histology education. This methodological study involved a virtual microscopy atlas and a histology e-book, along with qualitative research with monitors on e-book usage, conducted from June 2021 to April 2022, October 2021 to September 2022, and September 2022 to January 2023. Eleven experts in morphofunctional sciences and eleven in information technology evaluated the atlas' content and technique. Adapted Fehring criteria selected judges, and a detailed questionnaire facilitated validation. For the e-book, seven judges evaluated content. Initially selected judges received via email a link to a form (including the Informed Consent Term and questions about expert characterization and digital resource evaluation) and access to the atlas or e-book. Data were organized using Microsoft Excel. In data validation, the Content Validity Index (CVI) was applied, calculated in two ways: Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI), assessing expert concordance proportion per item and Scale-Level Content Validity Index (S-CVI), representing the mean of I-CVI calculations for all items. Regarding the monitor study, post-consent interviews were conducted after introducing the e-book in monitoring sessions. Data were evaluated through content analysis. In the evaluation by specialists in morphofunctional sciences, nearly all deemed the atlas proposal suitable, and all considered it effectively supported histology study without exhaustion. The average Content Validity Index (CVI) recorded was 0.85. Regarding evaluation by information technology experts, a high percentage stated the atlas was easily accessible, and all considered it comprehensible. The average CVI was 0.91. Concerning the e-book, 85.7% of judges agreed it met user expectations regarding content learning. Additionally, all concurred the e-book facilitated histology content understanding and was suitable for circulation within the scientific community in morphofunctional sciences. Only two of the 33 items failed to achieve acceptable values for the adopted Item-Level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) measure/model. In the qualitative study, monitors reported the e-book promoted improved time management, clarified doubts, and reinforced knowledge through links and quizzes. Monitors frequently highlighted image importance and quality, as well as topic density and specificity. It is concluded that validating educational resources, such as virtual atlases and e-books, for histology teaching demonstrates their attractiveness, accessibility, and potential for facilitating engaging study.