Assessment of university teacher competences: comparative perspective between Mexico and Spain

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. Teachers must master a wide range of competences to meet the demand of the current context of university education. OBJECTIVE. Analyze the importance of teaching skills for professional practice, assigned by a sample of university teachers, from Mexico and Spain, and, in addition, to determine if there are differences in the valuations according to the sociodemographic and academic characteristics. METHOD. A comparative study has been carried out, with a cross-sectional descriptive scope through a questionnaire with a total of 1238 participants. The competences selected as a frame of reference are interpersonal, methodological, communicative, planning and management of teaching, teamwork, and innovation. RESULTS. In the overall assessment, interpersonal competence has the upper average in both groups, while the lowest for Mexican teachers is innovation and for Spanish, teamwork. Statistically significant differences in communication and innovation were observed, with a higher average range in Spanish teachers compared to Mexicans. According to the sociodemographic and academic characteristics, in Spanish teachers, gender is the only variable that establishes significant differences in the valuations of two competences, communicative and methodological, and always superior for women. However, in Mexican teachers, significant differences were evidenced in relation to age for communicative competence, being the upper score in the category of greater age; also in relation to experience for communication and innovation, in favor of the most experienced. Finally, in relation to knowledge area, all competences show differences in in favor of sciences area. DISCUSSION. Participants attach greater importance to instrumental competences, closely related to creation, management and optimisation of learning process, which require cognitive, methodological and technical abilities together with social and communication skills. These results are useful in guiding future training actions more appropriate in both countries to update teaching competences.