VIRTUALIZATION AS A CHALLENGE IN THE EDUCATION OF INDUSTRIAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERS: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THIS LEARNING METHODOLOGY

Abstract

As a result of covid 19, education had to implement quick solutions, which is why virtualization that is specified as a virtual-based representation of a physical entity became a fundamental tool in the training of new professionals. In the following article, it is intended to analyze whether virtualization has been a beneficial tool in the training of industrial chemical engineers. For this, a field study is carried out, with a survey of ULACIT’s industrial chemical engineering students; as well as an interview with a professor of this profession, in order to obtain advantages and disadvantages. Where after field work, it is concluded that virtualization cannot be characterized as good or bad, because it has equal advantages and disadvantages, what must be done is to find the ideal scenarios, such as using virtualization for theoretical and general courses in the career, but not in laboratory courses and, in addition, it is recommended to carry out this study in other universities that offer this career to see if the same patterns are observed.