Development of a Digital Health Specialization Course: An Experience Report

Abstract Book of the 8th Global Conference on Education and Teaching

Year: 2026

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Development of a Digital Health Specialization Course: An Experience Report

Paola Garcia, Alice Martins de Abreu, Deysianne Costa das Chagas, Ana Emilia F. de Oliveira, Ana Estela Haddad, Elza Bernardes Ferreira

ABSTRACT:

This study aims to describe the development process of an online specialization course in Digital Health (DH) offered by the Open University of the Brazilian Unified Health System at the Federal University of Maranhão, encompassing its stages of conception, pedagogical structuring, and operational implementation. This is a descriptive study that systematized the course development process into three sequential stages: (1) planning and definition of graphic elements; (2) academic and pedagogical structuring; and (3) operationalization and organization of the student experience. In the first stage, the graphic elements that comprise the course’s visual identity were developed, including color palette, typography, layouts, icons, and institutional templates. In parallel, the educational portal and the course’s virtual learning environment were designed and implemented. In the second stage, pedagogical organization was carried out, consolidating the course as a structured educational product. This phase involved defining the curricular organization, syllabi, learning objectives, and the distribution of content across 18 modules, organized into three thematic axes: Foundations of Digital Health; Practical Use of Technologies; and Knowledge Application. In the third stage, the focus was on course implementation and usability, with emphasis on the student journey, aiming to facilitate navigation, access to content, and understanding of the educational model. Structuring the DH online course into sequential and integrated stages enabled the consolidation of an educational product characterized by coherence and functionality. Aligned with contemporary educational demands, this proposal has the potential to inform similar initiatives in the field of health education.

Keywords: Continuing Education; eLearning; Graduate Education; Health Human Resource Training; Unified Health System