STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVE USE OF ICTs IN EDUCATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHERS' DIGITAL COMPETENCIES

For the correct exploitation of information and communication technologies (ICT), teachers need to develop digital skills that allow them to apply new methodologies, such as Learning and Knowledge Technologies (TAC) and Technologies for Empowerment and Participation (TEP) and make the most of its potential. To address this problem, a questionnaire on methodological digital skills was applied to 58 teachers from two higher education institutions in the city of Santo Domingo, Ecuador. The study showed that teachers have developed methodological digital skills and others not so much, which indicates the need to train them in educational institutions. This process of innovation in the physical and virtual spaces of academic work requires the guidance of educational institutions and the participation of teachers. The study was carried out using a questionnaire with 26 option items with a Likert scale and the dimensions of didactic design, planning and implementation were used; organization and management of digital spaces and resources; communication and collaboration; ethics and digital citizenship and professional development. The sample consisted of university professors and the higher institute of Administration, Accounting, Law, Medicine, Dentistry and Software careers.