Evaluating Virtual Teaching Hours in Engineering Education

Abstract

The rapid expansion of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic led universities worldwide to adopt virtual teaching modalities. While many institutions returned to face-to-face instruction, several programs retained virtual components as a strategy to address large enrollment courses and promote flexible learning environments. This study presents the evaluation of a virtual teaching hour implemented in large theoretical engineering courses at the Universidad de La Frontera (Chile) as part of a post-pandemic innovation strategy. The virtual sessions were designed using the ADDIE instructional design framework (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation), a widely used model for developing structured and effective learning experiences. As part of the institutional curriculum innovation process in the Civil Engineering programs, these virtual sessions were aligned with the development of key competencies such as innovation, engineering design, and social responsibility within the Integrated Engineering and Science Education Track (LIFIC). To ensure educational quality, a validated evaluation instrument was applied to systematically monitor students’ perceptions of the virtual teaching hour. Data were collected during the 2025 academic year, with 944 student responses in the first semester and 560 in the second semester, totaling 1,504 responses. The results provide evidence regarding student engagement, perceived effectiveness of the virtual sessions, and the role of instructional design in supporting learning in large enrollment courses. The findings highlight the relevance of structured instructional design and systematic quality monitoring in sustaining hybrid learning strategies in engineering education. The study contributes empirical evidence for institutions seeking scalable and quality-assured solutions for teaching in mass engineering courses.