In one year, young children have 7 to 10 colds, besides other respiratory, gastrointestinal, and ear infections. Unless proper precautions are taken, pathogens can be transmitted between children and caregivers, especially in closed environments shared by many people, such as kindergartens, schools, or other centers. To inform the community on how to simply and effectively prevent the most common infectious diseases, FUNCEI created the course “Espacios educativos saludables: claves de limpieza y desinfección” (Healthy educational settings: cleaning and disinfection essentials), freely available since July 2023 on the educational portal of Arcor Foundation (Fundación Arcor) from Argentina.
“We are pleased to share our nearly four decades of expertise in health education and infection prevention. This course, available on the Arcor Foundation’s platform, marks our inaugural collaboration, thus expanding the reach of both organizations within the community,” emphasized Dr. Daniel Stamboulian. Cintya Elmassian, from FUNCEI’s Education and Children’s Publications Department, added: “We designed a practical course with concrete guidelines on what to do and how to do it, and explanations in a clear, easy-to-understand language.” Other members of FUNCEI’s working group were María Teresa Rosanova, Pediatrician and Infectious Disease Specialist, and the Science Communicators Ana Paula Cordero and Soledad Llarrull. The Educational Portal team at Arcor Foundation was in charge of the technical development and implementation.
Course Characteristics
24
Duration in hours
3
Study modules
1
Self-evaluation
Some Topics Addressed
- Frequent infections in childhood
- Transmission in educational settings
- Hand washing with soap and water
- Hygiene with alcohol gel
- Microbes in air and on surfaces
- Cleaning and disinfection of rooms and their elements
- Basic cleaning and disinfection kits
- Ventilation of rooms
- Maintenance of patios, gardens, and sandboxes
The course is especially aimed at teachers, assistants, principals, and other workers at educational settings, toy libraries, or school canteens. However, it can also be taken by anyone interested in learning about the main routes of pathogen transmission; the proper measures for hygiene, cleaning, disinfection, and maintenance of spaces; and the frequency with which they should be implemented to promote health in learning and family environments. Bibliographic material is provided for those who wish to delve deeper into some topics, such as vaccines. Once learners pass the final self-evaluation, they obtain the certificate awarded by FUNCEI.
Anyone interested in taking the course, which is taught in Spanish, must register in the Arcor Foundation’s Educational Portal. If necessary, they can read beforehand the instructions for the use of the platform. The portal offers other training activities aimed at people who work with or are otherwise related to children, but also available to the general public interested in these subjects. “Our digital training programs are designed from the ground up to encourage active participation and foster collective learning. The educational journey we offer aims to create enhanced opportunities for the children and young people in our region,” said the responsible entity.
