A new semester will start in the university's campus in Guayaquil, only this time it will be online. 250 professors took part in the webinar which was led by UPS president Javier Herran, the academic coordinator, Angela Flores, and the vice president of the university's branch campus in Guayaquil, Raul Alvarez. The aim of the webinar was to provide professors strategies for their online classes. 

Raúl Álvarez spoke to professors about several questions and doubts students have had for the start of this period and the resolutions that have been taken. "Online education is a great opportunity. I invite you to use our educational products help them become a benchmark in Ecuador, let's make this process heard of and make people want to become our university students in Guayaquil ".

Due to the difficulties that education is experiencing worldwide, UPS has adopted measures and tools that empower education of Salesian students, such as the implementation of Virtual Learning Environments and Zoom for virtual classes, in addition to the academic flexibility that motivates new teaching and learning paths.

For Javier Herran, UPS president, these changes make the university teaching staff undertake new challenges and acquire experiences that will improve online teaching. "This meeting is a demonstration of your ability to respond to current circumstances and provide answers that will provide better days. I thank you for this great commitment to the youth of Guayaquil", he said.

Angela Flores presented a program of the systemic learning model that teachers can use for planning and managing teaching, which is divided into three elements:

• Aspects that show how ways of learning influence people

• Learning processes: promotes the strategies that are used according to the predisposition to learn.

• Result and learning: Where the quality and quantity of learning will depend on the adapted approach.

"I am showing you this because normally when classes start, we only consider what is required by the curriculum and students' previous knowledge, but at this time a fundamental factor is the Pandemic and what motivates students", she said.

Students have many concerns and this requires joint work between the teaching staff, which guarantees cooperative teaching that will strengthen students' learning. Classes will be recorded on the platforms and students can access them and catch up on their classes .

Online classes will continue according to the norms set by control agencies; therefore, both professors and students must make use of technological tools until it is necessary. "In technical subjects, teachers have been trained with software to simulate practices. Students will not have to go out and buy material, the practices will be carried out when the control agencies allow it," said Álvarez.

"I have requested directors of all undergraduate programs to make practical seminars during this period for students who have not been able to use laboratories, which will not have any additional cost," stated Álvarez. 

"You will have an innovative semester and your work will become part of your professionalism that will make you better professors for society", stated Javier Herran, UPS president.