Pedagogical strategies to improve road safety education in occupational safety and health courses in university virtual environments

Abstract

Road safety education is not only important in courses taught in the occupational safety and health (OSH) in the program; it is also necessary to reduce accidents by fostering the development of a culture of responsibility and prevention, both within universities and in communities, using virtual environments. The purpose of this research was to propose pedagogical guidelines for incorporating teaching strategies to improve road safety education in OSH courses in university virtual environments. The research adopts a qualitative approach, an interpretive paradigm, and a phenomenological method. The technique used was a semi-structured interview with six teachers. The analysis yielded the following categories: pedagogical approach, teaching methodologies and strategies in virtual environments, and challenges and opportunities for improvement in teaching road safety education. The results lead to guidelines such as: the use of social constructivism as a pedagogical approach, innovative strategies based on digital tools, the promotion of student interaction and participation, and the assessment of student performance through interactive assessments, which allow them to overcome existing methodological difficulties. In conclusion, to strengthen road safety education, it is crucial to overcome technological and methodological limitations through innovative strategies that encourage active student participation, promoting road safety and a culture of prevention.