Pilar Chois, Gisell Mosquera, Adriana Valdez, Sandra Jácome, and Beatriz Bastidas published the results of their research in the book “From Higher Education to Professional Environments: Emerging Learnings from the Study of Practices and Internships,” which includes research proposals from twelve Colombian universities and one Mexican university.

Five professors from the Faculty of Health Sciences at our Alma Mater contributed to the writing of the book “From Higher Education to Professional Environments: Emerging Learnings from the Study of Practices and Internships.” Professors Pilar Chois and Gisell Mosquera from the Speech Therapy program; Adriana Valdez from Nursing; Sandra Jácome from Physical Therapy; and Beatriz Bastidas from Medicine investigated the learnings reported by students and teachers from the four programs within this important faculty where we train professionals in the health sector.

Based on their findings, the professors authored the chapter titled “Learning to Communicate During Health Training Practices: Between What Professors Propose and What Students Recognize.” This text focuses on the expectations of teachers and the learning recognized by students regarding oral and written communication in their practice settings.

Participating in the project allowed us to get to know and interact with other researchers and teams, as well as with their knowledge and working dynamics, which has favored our professional, labor, and personal growth, as well as strengthening strategic alliances that contribute to educational quality. We conducted the study during a historic moment for education, namely the COVID-19 pandemic, which required us to implement remote work modalities even in practical subjects," said Sandra Jácome. She also added that, thanks to this experience, "We have been invited to the book presentation on April 22nd as part of the Book Fair (FILBo 2024) at the University of Colombia’s stand. We feel proud to contribute with our work to the recognition of our Alma Mater and in the building of a University of Excellence and Solidarity.

This recently published book presents the central results of the research 'Learning Achieved and Prior Competencies Required in Internships and Professional Practices: Elements for the Articulation between University Programs and the Work Environments of Their Graduates,' an interesting process developed by the Network for Reading and Writing in Higher Education (Redlees), where Professor Pilar Chois represents the University of Cauca.

In the mentioned research, a total of twelve Colombian universities, both public and private, and one Mexican university (the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey) participated with the aim of characterizing the learning outcomes and prior competencies required by various practice and internship environments. To facilitate teamwork and collaborative learning, the faculty members from each participating institution discussed different theoretical perspectives in seminars held throughout the research. This process, as is typical in a diverse and complex context like that of Colombian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), revealed that there are no one-dimensional or ideal perspectives for analyzing professional practices.

In the end, it was formulated as a mixed-methods study, where the inquiries from each HEI would represent a case contributing to a multi-case study. The book is composed of 13 chapters, one for each participating university. Some chapters present all of their results, while others focus on specific findings.

The framework study, which began in August 2020, won the support call for knowledge exchange initiatives to strengthen strategic alliances in 2021, promoted by the National University of Colombia. Additionally, thanks to the contribution from the Editorial Seal of the University of Cauca and other participating universities, the book was published at the end of 2023. Its international launch took place in Mexico at the Guadalajara Book Fair on November 26 of that year, and for Colombia, a national launch is expected to take place in Cali at the end of May this year.

The University of Cauca takes great pride in the active participation and recognition of our teaching community in being at the forefront of research, as this is evidence of our commitment to academic excellence and innovation. The contribution of the five professors from the Faculty of Health Sciences is particularly notable, as their involvement not only highlights the quality and relevance of the research conducted at our institution but also demonstrates the importance of collaboration and academic dialogue in the Latin American context. This achievement reflects the fundamental role our institution plays in generating meaningful knowledge and its impact on improving higher education, as well as the preparation for professional environments, establishing us as a reference in the academic and research fields at both national and international levels.

For more information:

Faculty of Health Sciences
Email: fsalud@unicauca.edu.co