Micro-learning (animated micro-series) to improve the permanent training of Community Health Agents in Brazil

Abstract

The Brazilian city of São Paulo, which implements a community health program, has difficulties in the continuous training of its public health professionals. The Observatory of educational activities for professionals in public health systems (USP-UAM) proposed distance training as one of the solutions. This article presents the analysis of a distance training innovation proposal based on the micro-learning methodology with the use of animated micro-videos for the permanent training of community health agents (ACS) in Brazil. Micro-learning is a teaching methodology that offers content in small doses, of short duration, can have different teaching formats and can be proposed through different learning strategies. The objective of the study is to analyze the effectiveness of the use of an animated micro-series platform as a proposal to complement the permanent training of ACS. The methodology is mixed, with a questionnaire applied to thirty key informants, followed by an analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) to implement a prototype. The results of the usability of the prototype are positive, once the training proposal is appropriate to the context for which it is proposed. There are few digital-interactive proposals aimed at lifelong learning and this contributes to the implementation of the National Lifelong Education Policy in Brazil. It provides flexibility of access and rapid application of the concepts learned in professional practice, but requires adjustments and contextualization for the professional reality of the ACS.