Digital Competencies of Higher Education Teachers in the E-Learning Process During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2. Unidad Académica de Odontología, Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, México)

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought great challenges to the teaching and learning process. This study aimed to determine university teachers’ digital competencies in the virtual teaching-learning process in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected using the Google Form software to generate a questionnaire describing the participants’ subjects, of which 39 teachers of higher education met the inclusion criteria and signed informed consent; forming a non-probabilistic objective sample, all participants of the education program Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at the Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Mexico; delivering theoretical and practical courses. Socio-demographic questionnaires were characterized by frequencies and proportions, and Spearman correlation coefficient (rho) nonparametric test to measure the correlation between variables. The results indicate that the teachers who present a high level of competencies in both subscales have a higher level of competencies in online education and of course a better performance in the teacher’s teaching role. The use of these tools is associated with high use of the Google Suite in general, a result that the teacher’s mastery over these tools intervenes in the performance of digital competencies and therefore the teacher can better perform his activities in his educational work. 

Key words: digital competencies, higher education, e-learning, COVID-19