Digital media as didactic mediators in the teaching–learning process of medical sciences

Abstract

Technologies, in themselves, are not didactic mediators; in the university context, they are means that carry information or allow access to it. A qualitative study with an ethnographic interpretative approach was conducted at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Manzanillo, with the aim of examining the place and role of information and communication technologies within the teaching–learning process at the institution. The study relied on scientific research methods, surveys, and interviews, which highlighted the increasing use of digital technology, software, videos, and artificial intelligence as didactic mediators. These tools contribute to creating a more inclusive, efficient, and adaptable educational system in response to the demands of the 21st century, despite the challenges it faces. Information and communication technologies, contextualized within the teaching–learning process at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Manzanillo, facilitate learning while also requiring new ways of teaching and learning. Digital media function as didactic mediators that foster inclusion in response to 21st-century demands; achieving this also requires purpose, methodology, infrastructure, and technical support.