Assessment of Digital Competencies of University Faculty and Their Conditioning Factors

Case Study in a Technological Adoption Context

Bibliographic Data

ID22044985
AuthorsJavier Jorge-Vázquez (0000-0003-3654-7203, Catholic University of Ávila, corresponding author), Sergio Luis Náñez Alonso (0000-0001-5353-2017, Catholic University of Ávila, corresponding author), Washington Raúl Fierro Saltos (Faculty of Administrative Sciences, State University of Bolivar, Guaranda 020101, Ecuador), Washington Fierro-Saltos (0000-0001-7274-4701, Universidad Estatal de Bolívar, corresponding author), Silvia Pacheco Mendoza (Universidad Estatal de Bolívar)
Year2021
Volume11
Issue10
Pages637
Publication date2021-10-13
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducation Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/educsci11100637
OpenAlexW3207469704
LanguageEN
Citations received14
References cited32

The rise of digital technologies and their educational applications increasingly require the development of digital skills among university faculty. This study focuses on examining the level of digital competencies of university faculty and identifying their conditioning factors. To achieve this objective, an ex post facto methodological design with surveys is used. A sample of 216 university teachers from different regions of Ecuador was used. The non-parametric Chi-square test was used to validate the hypothesis of independence of the variables. The results obtained show that university faculty have a mostly intermediate level of digital skills, which is independent of gender, but dependent on the generational cohort. In particular, it is found that younger teachers (millennials) have a more advanced level of digital skills, although this relationship is not very strong. On the other hand, we observe the positive influence of the university’s strategic leadership in terms of technological adoption on the development of teachers’ digital skills. Universities with better technological resources and with training plans focused on the pedagogical application of technology have teachers with a more advanced level of digital skills. All of this leads to the recommendation that education policies should prioritise actions that promote the development of digital competencies among university faculty

Educational technology · Higher education · Mathematics education · Medical education · Pedagogy · Political science · Technological literacy · Digital literacy in education · Educational and Organizational Development · Educational Innovations and Technology · Medicine · Psychology

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