Jul 2026· Ibero-American Journal of Education & Society Research· 0 citations· 18 references
TL;DR
It is suggested that building teachers' digital competence should be approached holistically, including a development strategy that integrates professional vocation, continuing education, institutional leadership, and pedagogical innovation to foster sustainable educational transformation processes in mission-driven contexts.
Abstract
The digital transformation of education has emerged as one of the main processes of change in contemporary education systems. This means that, by integrating digital technologies, the concepts of teaching and management, the teaching process, and learning in general are being reformulated. In this context, teachers' digital competence has become a potential strategic pillar for facilitating pedagogical innovation, educational inclusion, and the improvement of the training process based on quality. Even so, its development is not easy in educational institutions located in contexts with socioeconomic and technological limitations. This study sought to examine the tensions and opportunities surrounding teachers' digital competence in mission-based institutions located in the province of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. The research was based on an interpretive paradigm and a qualitative approach, using a multiple case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, observation, and document analysis; the data were then subjected to thematic analysis. The findings revealed tensions related to technological adaptation, digital overload, training gaps, and infrastructure limitations, alongside opportunities for methodological innovation, student engagement, collaborative learning, and expanded access to knowledge. Furthermore, teachers' digital competence is more than just technical skill with tools; it is interpreted as a process of professional and institutional transformation. It is suggested that building teachers' digital competence should be approached holistically, including a development strategy that integrates professional vocation, continuing education, institutional leadership, and pedagogical innovation to foster sustainable educational transformation processes in mission-driven contexts.
The digital transformation of education has emerged as one of the main processes of change in contemporary education systems. This means that, by integrating digital technologies, the concepts of teaching and management, the teaching process, and learning in general are being reformulated. In this context, teachers' digital competence has become a potential strategic pillar for facilitating pedagogical innovation, educational inclusion, and the improvement of the training process based on quality. Even so, its development is not easy in educational institutions located in contexts with socioeconomic and technological limitations. This study sought to examine the tensions and opportunities surrounding teachers' digital competence in mission-based institutions located in the province of Esmeraldas, Ecuador. The research was based on an interpretive paradigm and a qualitative approach, using a multiple case study design. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, focus groups, observation, and document analysis; the data were then subjected to thematic analysis. The findings revealed tensions related to technological adaptation, digital overload, training gaps, and infrastructure limitations, alongside opportunities for methodological innovation, student engagement, collaborative learning, and expanded access to knowledge. Furthermore, teachers' digital competence is more than just technical skill with tools; it is interpreted as a process of professional and institutional transformation. It is suggested that building teachers' digital competence should be approached holistically, including a development strategy that integrates professional vocation, continuing education, institutional leadership, and pedagogical innovation to foster sustainable educational transformation processes in mission-driven contexts.
Jimmy Fernando Ramírez Márquez, Martin Mateo Ramírez Márquez, Jhonny Maximiliano Quiñonez Quintero et al.· Ibero-American Journal of Ed...· 0 citations
Digital transformation has reshaped education in contemporary times, with institutional and teacher demands creating new challenges within a technology- and knowledge-driven society. Meanwhile, in this context, teachers' digital competence has become strategically important, acquiring strategic significance in changing teaching and learning processes and fostering sustainable institutional change. However, research focusing on this competence as a predictor of institutional innovation is scarce, especially in church-affiliated schools. This study aimed to examine teachers' digital competence as a measure of institutional innovation in church-affiliated schools in Esmeraldas, using an exploratory method based on a systematic review of the most recent scientific literature. A systematic review was proposed, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines as a methodological approach, to facilitate the review. Publications indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, SciELO, and Dialnet from 2020 to 2026 were included. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 25 studies were included in the analysis. The findings suggest that teachers' digital competence has shifted from an instrumental perspective to a multidimensional one based on technological, pedagogical, collaborative, and innovative capabilities. Similarly, a strong relationship was found between digital skills, pedagogical innovation, digital culture, organizational learning, and institutional innovation. As a starting point, the CDD-II model is introduced, which describes how teachers' digital skills become a catalyst for the sustainable transformation of education. It is implied that teachers' digital competence is a strategic instrument for institutional innovation and a fundamental tool for improving educational quality in sensitive environments.
Luis Adrián González Quiñónez, Andrea Gabriela Cortés Gutiérrez, Erick Fabian Mosquera Quiñónez et al.· Ibero-American Journal of Ed...· 0 citations
Digital transformation in education is one of the key challenges facing contemporary education systems, driving significant transformations in teaching, learning, and organizational governance. Therefore, teachers' digital competence is a strategic element for ensuring the successful implementation of technologies in educational practice and creating an innovative, inclusive, and sustainable learning environment. However, in Ecuador, significant digital knowledge gaps persist regarding connectivity, technological resources, and teacher training, particularly in regions with more pronounced social disadvantage and greater territorial divisions (such as the province of Esmeraldas). This study seeks to investigate teachers' digital competence as a strategic catalyst in the digital transformation processes of mission-based institutions in Esmeraldas. To this end, a systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines, using data available through the Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, SciELO, and Dialnet databases. With this approach, our selection of documents facilitated the identification and analysis of research on teachers' digital competence and pedagogical innovations and educational inclusion, as well as digital leadership and educational transformation. The findings suggest that teachers' digital competence is a critical construct that underpins pedagogical innovation, improves educational inclusion, and contributes to institutional digital cultures that support lifelong learning. They also identified challenges related to technological infrastructure, teacher training, institutional leadership, and closing the digital divide. As one of the main contributions of evidence, we present the Educational Transformation Model Based on Teacher Digital Competence (MTE-CDD), where teaching vocation, digital competence, pedagogical innovation, educational inclusion, and institutional digital culture are the structural elements for achieving sustainable educational transformation in a context like Esmeraldas.
Alma Delia Sánchez Rodríguez, Teresa Isabel Mina Quiñónez, D. C. Sánchez Rodríguez et al.· Ibero-American Journal of Ed...· 0 citations
Contemporary education systems have undergone significant changes as a result of digital transformation. Teaching, learning, and interaction within educational institutions have been transformed by the introduction of new media. It is in this context that teachers' digital competence has become increasingly strategic. This is a fundamental factor in pedagogical innovation, educational inclusion, and addressing the challenges of a digital society. However, in vulnerable environments, challenges persist due to technological limitations, territorial inequalities, and restricted resources for accessing training. These factors particularly affect mission-based institutions that play a vital social role, such as schools. The objective of this research was to investigate teachers' perceived digital competence as a strategic variable for educational change in at-risk contexts. Therefore, the dimensions, problems, and opportunities of digital competence among teachers in mission-based schools in Esmeraldas were discussed. Following the PRISMA 2020 recommendations, a structured literature review was conducted using a collection of databases including Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, ERIC, and Dialnet, encompassing scientific articles published in both Spanish and English between 2019 and 2026. The results indicate that teachers' digital competence is more than just instrumental mastery of technology; it serves as a driver of pedagogical innovation, educational inclusion, digital leadership, and institutional transformation. Barriers to connectivity, training, and the resources used were also identified. The main contribution is the introduction of the TEFI Model, designed to consolidate sustainable educational transformation processes in mission-driven organizations operating in fragile environments.
Diego Mauricio Hurtado Sotalin, Byron Fernando Chere Quiñónez, Baster Ly Estupiñán Ortiz et al.· Ibero-American Journal of Ed...· 0 citations
The current research gives a subtle, situational explanation of the obstacles and facilitators linked to collaborative learning tool adoption in developing higher education institutions of the countries.
Kashif Ali Sabiri, Dr. Adnan Mohammad Bataineh, M. A. Za'abi et al.· Journal of Learning and Deve...· 0 citations
This study examined the digital transformation processes in higher education from the faculty and the management level. It aimed to investigate how the digital transformation of higher education in the context of GenAI can be explained through various factors, including subject, object, tools, rules, community, and division of labour, as conceptualised in the Cultural Historical Activity Theory. Higher education plays a crucial role in preparing people for a world increasingly shaped by digitalisation. In response to the technological developments, higher education institutions developed strategies to address the transformation processes. However, it remained unclear what perspectives lecturers and managers held regarding this process in the context of GenAI and related strategies. To address this research gap, 24 semi-structured interviews were conducted in Zurich and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The results revealed from both perspectives, lecturers and managers, enthusiasm for GenAI's potential but highlighted tensions between top-down policies and bottom-up experiences. The findings underscore the need for participatory frameworks to align institutional strategies with lecturers' teaching practices. In conclusion, a digital transformation process regarding GenAI in higher education could be advanced through the implementation of strategies and adaptive developments that consider institutional requirements and include perspectives from the faculty and the management level.
Maria Görlich, Judit Martínez-Moreno, F. Herfurth et al.· Journal of Adult Learning, K...· 3 citations