Digital competences in distance education for high school education systems. Study case: institutions incorporated to the UAEMex

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify the perception of digital competencies that teachers should have at the Upper Secondary Level (NMS) based on the recommendations of UNESCO (2019). The case study is for the Schools Incorporated to the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico. The phenomenon has an origin during and post pandemic. The research is based on a review of recent studies no more than ten years old. The methodological design is qualitative, with a case study method based on the population of teachers of the schools incorporated to the UAEMex. An instrument called e-Open (Rámirez and Tenorio, 2021) was adapted and used for a sample of 500 high school teachers during the 2020-2021 school year. Data collection was carried out through questionnaires that were applied through the google forms platform, establishing the procedures for data collection and analysis according to the e-Open instrument for the Measurement of Competencies Recommendations for Open Education in the UNESCO Framework (2019). The analysis of the information is described and narrated from the data obtained through the questionnaire. The data is displayed in bar graphs. The results of the surveys show the percentages with respect to the five recommendations of the instrument with the 31 items, UNESCO (2019). The evidence supports that 70% of teachers have ICT capacity development. The institution raised 70% the development of support policies. But 50% considered that access to ICT was effective, inclusive and equitable. In addition, 55% considered that the creation of sustainability models is required, and finally 80% considered that international promotion models for teachers should be strengthened. In sum, this study supports the importance of dispersing digital competencies in secondary education systems.