Teacher profiles and excellence: a study at the Universidad Técnica Particular of Loja, Ecuador

Abstract

University lecturers constitute a fundamental pillar in improving the quality of higher education, the training of new generations of students, and in enhancing educational innovation. Their role is often dynamic as it involves making certain modifications. For example, when there is a change of focus or perspective in the way the learning process is conceived or managed. For this reason, university lecturers require a competence-based profile that will enable them to successfully take on the challenges arising from the educational paradigm, or those stemming from the needs of our current information society. The core objective of this current research is to identify the competences that bi-modal teachers possess at the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (Ecuador). By doing so, we can identify the training and development needs of those teaching professionals that have not reached an adequate level of knowledge. This article is based on the key premise that university professionals have to function in an environment that is becoming more and more complex and multi-focused. Indeed, it is primarily characterized by accelerated technological developments and the training needs of a diversified nature. Within this context, we designed a self-evaluation quiz that was applied to bi-modal university teachers. Based on the empirical results that were obtained, we were able to establish three competency-based profiles: (high, medium and low), and identify the specific and transversal competences of which the bi-modal teachers have more or less command so as to determine their specific training needs.