Application of Importance and Performance Analysis to teacher competencies for the identification of training priorities

Abstract

Quality education for all requires competent teachers. An analysis of the functions that teachers must perform leads to a profile of teaching competences. By ascertaining teachers' perception of the importance of these competencies, and how well they are actually achieved in practice, we can identify strengths and areas for improvement, to be considered in the design of in-service teacher training.

In order to accomplish this objective, this study analyses the view of 559 teachers of Primary and Compulsory Secondary Education, through the self-application of a teaching competencies assessment scale for compulsory education teachers (Martínez-Izaguirre, Yániz-Alvarez-de-Eulate & Villardón-Gallego, 2018).

The results show that teachers recognize the importance of the teacher profile competencies, especially primary school teachers, who also apply them to a greater extent than do secondary school teachers. Analysis of the discrepancy between the importance and the implementation of the competencies shows that development of the Competency in Learning, research and innovation, followed by the Competency in Instruction Planning and Management and the Competency in Guidance are the priority areas to be considered in training.