On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic due to the disease caused by the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) [1]. As a result, the world adopted measures to stop infections and reduce deaths, such as social distancing, hygiene care, and teleworking, among others [2-3]. The education process was tested since the strategies before the pandemic demanded the students' presence in the classrooms to construct learning. This scenario forced teachers to deconstruct the teaching process and reinvent new ways of transmitting knowledge to their students, now from virtuality [4-6].

University education, where constant interaction between the teacher and the student is required, demands training strategies that allow the adequate balance between the learning of theoretical knowledge and the development of skills necessary for the future professional [4,6,7]. The Pharmacy career at the University of Costa Rica (UCR, for its Spanish acronym) has not escaped the challenges posed by the virtualization of education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those courses in which the development of mathematical skills is essential for understanding and obtaining the essential knowledge for future pharmacists in the country [5,8,9].

Information and communication technologies (ICT), created to improve the processing, storage, and transmission of information, became a more important ally in education after the pandemic, allowing the interaction of information technology and telecommunications with the teaching and learning process [7,10,11].

The light board is a technological tool that consists of an electronic device that allows the preparation of educational videos and whose methodology is developed through virtual teaching in a novel and innovative way. This strategy allows direct interaction between the teacher and the students as in a conventional classroom. This resource becomes truly relevant for developing content in subjects whose objective is acquiring mathematical skills [8,11-13].

In this experience, we proposed developing a series of videos through the light board tool to explain mathematical topics, including colligative properties, tonicity, and pharmacokinetic characterization of compartmental models. They are studied in courses at the UCR, specifically Pharmaceutical Physicochemistry II and Biopharmacy and Pharmacokinetics, in the third year of the Pharmacy career. In addition, it is vital to know the relevance of this  ICT use from the students' perspectives to whom the videos were directed.      

Nineteen videos on the light board were prepared to cover various topics. They comprise colligative properties, drug tonicity, monocompartimental pharmacokinetic characterization of drug absorption and distribution processes by the extravasal route, and bicompartmental pharmacokinetic characterization of drugs administered by intravenous injection (intravenous bolus).

Before starting with the video recording, the material was compiled into a digital document to give logical order to the contents and choose which sections of the topics would be exposed through these videos. Once the information developed with this tool had been determined, the videos were recorded and edited. Finally, the videos were made available to the students through the official university virtual environment of the career courses.

In the study plan for the Pharmacy career at the UCR, the Pharmaceutical Physicochemistry II course is taught annually between March and June. This course is required by the Biopharmacy and Pharmacokinetics subject, taught annually, from August to November.

Eighty students who had contact with the videos recorded on the light board for the explanation of the mathematical contents in the courses in 2020 and 2021 were surveyed through a digital questionnaire designed by Google Forms to know their perception of the tool utilization in the process of teaching and learning of mathematical subjects. The survey contains a header informing students that their participation was voluntary and anonymous and that the results would be handled confidentially.

The researchers created the survey and included questions in different formats, such as single selection and Likert scales. With them, the students' perception was explored regarding the amount of study time employed by the videos, the relevance to exposing topics of a mathematical nature from virtuality, positive and negative aspects in the use of this type of ITCs, motivation to study these issues using this tool; as well as the order, clarity, and ease of learning this type of content.

The results were tabulated, and subsequently, with the Excel® program, a frequency analysis of the responses to each single-choice question and the Likert scales was performed. Percentage graphs were prepared to establish the students' perception regarding the tool employment.

A consultation with 80 students was made in the Pharmacy career at the UCR to know their opinion about this new didactic strategy, developed as a response to the restrictions adopted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They had as input the light board utilization for learning some contents of mathematical nature in courses of their study plan, 

Table 1 shows the number of hours the students invested watching the videos provided to them, in which the mathematical contents of the Pharmaceutical Physicochemistry II and Biopharmacy and Pharmacokinetics courses were explained. More than half of them dedicated between one to five hours to their study using the available 

Table 1: Number of Hours of Study Using the Light Board Tool 

Figure 1: Assessment of the usefulness of the light blackboard tool for learning topics with a mathematical nature in career courses. 100 % considered that this input was moderately useful or very useful; being this last consideration the one chosen by 95 % of the students

Table 2: Students’ Aspects Evaluated Related to the Usefulness of the Light Board Strategy

Figure 2: Relevance rating of the didactic strategy in the study of mathematical topics. 100 % of the students indicated that this strategy was relevant in at least a grade of 8, on a scale of 1 to 10

material in which the light board was used, and more than 44 % of them spent between five to 10 hours or more than 10 hours studying these videos as a learning tool.

Figure 3: Interest in the content studied with the light board tool. 65 % of the students indicated that their interest in studying these contents increased and none of them thought that their interest decreased due to the use of this tool

Figure 4: Recommendation of the use of this type of tool in other courses of the career. 95% of the students consider that this didactic strategy would be very relevant in other courses of the career            

Then, it was essential to know if the students who used the explanatory videos using the light board considered this tool valuable. This information is shown in Figure 1.

Due to the high acceptance and consideration of the usefulness of this didactic tool, the main reasons why the students considered the audiovisual material developed with the light board beneficial were investigated, as shown in Table 2. More than 91 % of the students indicated that they agreed or strongly agreed with aspects such as that this teaching strategy offers order in the development of the contents, allows a clear understanding of them, it offers a better explanation of the information and facilitates the learning of the topics as well as their study.

It was also consulted about the influence that this didactic strategy had on the students' interest in the study of mathematical topics in the courses where this tool was used. These results can be seen in Figure 3.

Finally, based on their experience, the students were asked to indicate if they recommended using this type of tool in other courses of the career, at least with mathematical contents. These opinions were established in the educational context of virtualization experienced because of the pandemic, as shown in Figure 4.

The partial or total virtualization of higher education is a relevant aspect that, in the last decade, has boomed in university students' teaching and learning processes [14-15]. Currently, online university degrees and postgraduate degrees are more common and an excellent option for people who want to opt for a degree or a specialization in their area of knowledge but do not have the time to take a traditional degree [16].

In 2020, humanity faced one of the most significant pandemics of the last 100 years, forcing many changes in what was considered normal [17]. Teaching, and in particular university teaching, was one of the affected areas that quickly had to evolve and migrate from the traditional face-to-face teaching method to a methodology that made use of ICT and the virtualization of education during the years 2020 and 2021 [16-18].

These circumstances represented a great challenge for teachers worldwide since many were not prepared to go from classroom to virtual in such a short time [6,18-19]. The previous meant the search for innovative strategies and tools for the development of the study topics of the various areas of knowledge; in addition to the expeditious and adequate training in the use of these [6,9,20].

The ICT became new allies in the teaching and learning processes. They allow devising strategies such as developing synchronous virtual classes, explanatory videos, and discussion forums on various platforms [19,21-22].

However, there are some courses whose contents are mathematical and represent a challenge for the teacher. In addition, the virtualization of lessons that traditionally involved the use of a blackboard has represented a problem both for explaining the topics and for adequate learning by students [9,23].

A modern tool that has helped to solve this virtualization obstacle is the light board. It consists of a device like a blackboard, which, through black light and fluorescent ink markers, favors the explanation of topics in real-time or the realization of videos, with which the student can feel as if he were in class in front of the blackboard [12-13,23].

The Pharmacy career taught by the UCR has within its curriculum courses in which mathematical topics are essential in training new pharmacists. Examples of these are the Pharmaceutical Physicochemistry II and Biopharmacy and Pharmacokinetics courses. The first one analyzes contents related to the colligative properties of substances and the preparation of isotonic solutions for clinical use. The second one includes the mathematical equations that describe the pharmacokinetic models to which the drugs administered by the diverse routes of administration are adjusted (for example, the oral route or the intravenous bolus). The preceding motivated the teaching staff to seek practical and friendly strategies for developing these topics that require blackboard utilization to avoid hindering the students' learning process. The light board became an ally during the virtualization of these courses during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing the production of at least 19 explanatory videos on the topics. Figure 5 shows a sequence of photos taken from one of the videos made in

Figure 5: Visual example of the use of the light board as a didactic tool in the virtualization of education

which the derivation of the pharmacokinetic equation that describes the behavior of drugs after oral administration of a drug is explained.

Because this tool had never been considered in these courses, it was decided to consult the student population N = 80 about their experience with it and its relevance in learning mathematical topics during 2020 and 2021.

One of the main concerns of the teaching staff of the courses was the acceptance that this new tool could have as input for studying the topics of the courses. All the students Table 1 were willing to invest time using the explanatory videos made with the help of the light board as a complement to their study strategy, dedicating at least one hour. The change in the paradigms is not always well received, often showing resistance to the adaptation of people [24-25]. However, probably due to technology's progress in recent years, these strategies are well received and accepted by university students [25].

Every time a change is made, or a modification is included in the teaching and learning processes. It is necessary to evaluate and validate the relevance and usefulness of the strategy [26-28]. All the students surveyed considered this a valuable tool for learning the mathematical content developed in the courses where this strategy was implemented (Figure 1). Whenever it seeks to innovate in the educational process, efforts should be directed to achieving success in the learning of students who will be affected by the implemented changes so that, when an improvement in teaching is successfully implemented, this must be documented [29].

Any new didactic strategy to be implemented as support for students must be clearly defined and have specific objectives that allow success in the intended learning [29-30]. The changes in the teaching methodologies must contribute to the ordering of the thematic contents, favor their understanding, offer an option to improve their explanation and facilitate their study and learning [6,14,31].

A large majority of the pharmacy students who used videos in which mathematical topics were developed through the light board were pleased with this strategy since they considered that the study of these topics was orderly, which allowed them a clear understanding of them by being explained in a better way. Likewise, their study was more accessible, favoring better learning. Given the need for the virtualization of education due to the pandemic, one of the most relevant challenges for teachers is ensuring students' complete understanding [11,18,31]. As our results show, the light board became a tool that made it possible to meet this goal Table 2. In addition, the pharmacy students of the UCR qualified very positively to use the light board for the development of mathematical topics Figure 2. This qualification reaffirmed the importance of optimal learning of the contents for them in their training as future professionals, the goal of those who choose a university degree [5,15,29].

The proposed teaching strategies should aim to maintain the student's interest in learning about an area of knowledge and even increase it over time [32]. Our results revealed that most of the students who used the videos made with the light board experienced an increase in their interest in studying the topics developed with this tool Figure 3, thus, validating the relevance of dealing with mathematical issues using didactic inputs like this one.

The vast majority considered that this tool should be implemented in other courses like those where it was applied Figure 4. University teaching demands new learning techniques daily that adjust to the technological requirements of current student populations so that successful experiences are implemented. These should be considered as possible inputs in the courses that university students must attend to optimize their professional training [16-19].

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 was a promoter of the virtualization of university education. This situation demanded that teachers adjust to a new reality that required innovation in conventional teaching and learning processes. The tool known as the light board allowed the teaching staff to adapt mathematical topics to the virtual context, offering a mechanism for the better ordering of these topics, greater clarity for the student's understanding, and an input for the optimal explanation of the contents. This strategy favored studying and learning complex contents such as those taught in the Pharmaceutical Physicochemistry II and Biopharmacy and Pharmacokinetics courses. Pharmacy students at UCR remarkably accepted the tool, rating it with a high score and even recommending its use in other courses of a similar nature.

Acknowledgment

To the School of Chemistry of the UCR for having implemented a space for installing the light board and providing the space for teachers to develop the videos.

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